Lepismadora

Life-forms

Superregnum: Eukaryota
Cladus: Unikonta
Cladus: Opisthokonta
Cladus: Holozoa
Regnum: Animalia
Subregnum: Eumetazoa
Cladus: Bilateria
Cladus: Nephrozoa
Cladus: Protostomia
Cladus: Ecdysozoa
Cladus: Panarthropoda
Phylum: Arthropoda
Subphylum: Hexapoda
Classis: Insecta
Cladus: Dicondylia
Subclassis: Pterygota
Cladus: Metapterygota
Infraclassis: Neoptera
Cladus: Eumetabola
Cladus: Endopterygota
Superordo: Coleopterida
Ordo: Coleoptera
Subordo: Polyphaga
Infraordo: Elateriformia
Superfamilia: Buprestoidea

Familia: Buprestidae
Subfamilia: Agrilinae
Tribus: Agrilini
Genus: Lepismadora

Species: L. algodones
Name

Lepismadora Velten, 1987
Type species: Lepismadora algodones Velten in Velten & Bellamy, 1987

fixed by original designation.

References
Links

Lepismadora is a monotypic genus[1] of beetles in the family Buprestidae, the jewel beetles. It contains the single species Lepismadora algodones, which is known by the common name Algodones sand jewel beetle.[2] It is endemic to California in the United States, where it has been collected only from the Algodones Dunes in Imperial County.[1]

The beetle is no more than 7 millimeters long. It is elongated oval in shape and covered in a coat of scaly hairs, especially on the underside. It has large eyes and hairy antennae and legs. Among the collected specimens, females are slightly larger and thicker than males. The coloration is variable; smaller males are coppery in color, larger males are a "brassy green", and females are generally brassy with a green tinge. The color also varies with the distribution of the hairs, the color changing as the hairs wear off. This beetle is most similar to genus Eudiadora.[3]

Most adults have been found on fanleaf crinklemat (Tiquilia plicata), a desert plant. The larval host plant is unknown. Adults are active during the hottest hours of the day.[3]
References

Lepismadora algodones. Plant Pest Diagnostics Center - Entomology. California Department of Food and Agriculture.
NatureServe. 2014. Lepismadora algodones. NatureServe Explorer.
Velten, R. K. and C. L. Bellamy. (1987). A new genus and species of North American Coroebini Bedel with a discussion of its relationships within the tribe (Coleoptera: Buprestidae). The Coleopterists Bulletin 41(2) 185-92.