Dicronorhina derbyana

Dicronorhina derbyana
	Female D. d. derbyana in South Africa
Scientific classification
Domain:	Eukaryota
Kingdom:	Animalia
Phylum:	Arthropoda
Class:	Insecta
Order:	Coleoptera
Family:	Scarabaeidae
Genus:	Dicronorhina
Species:	D. derbyana
Binomial name
	Dicronorhina derbyana; Westwood, 1843
Synonyms
	Dicronorrhina derbyana (misspelling);

Dicronorhina derbyana, or Derby's flower beetle, is a sub-Saharan species of flower chafer.

Description

Dicronorhina derbyana is the smallest within the genus. It reaches about 40–50 millimetres (1.6–2.0 in) of length in the males, while the females are slightly smaller, reaching about 35–38 millimetres (1.4–1.5 in) in length.

In Dicronorhina derbyana layardi the basic body colour is usually metallic green with an ochre sheen and white stripes on the pronotum and elytra. In D. d. conradsi the body is maroon with a blue sheen and tan stripes. It is completely metallic ginger to emerald green in Dicronorhina derbyana oberthueri.^[1] The males have a T-shaped, flat horn in the forehead. The larvae live in the soil on decaying vegetable material, while the adults feed primarily on tree sap and fruits. A female lays up to 200 eggs. The full life cycle will take 8–9 months, and the adult beetles can live 3–4 months.