Eboo facts for kids
Quick facts for kids Eboo |
|
|---|---|
Scientific classification  |
|
| Kingdom: | Animalia |
| Phylum: | Arthropoda |
| Class: | Insecta |
| Order: | Coleoptera |
| Family: | Chrysomelidae |
| Subfamily: | Eumolpinae |
| Tribe: | Bromiini |
| Genus: | Eboo Reid, 1993 |
| Type species | |
| Odontionopa viridula Erichson, 1842
|
|
| Synonyms | |
|
|
Eboo is a special group of leaf beetles. These are small insects that belong to a larger family called Eumolpinae. Eboo beetles are found only in Australia, which means they are endemic to that country. There are about 50 different kinds, or species, of Eboo beetles.
Many Eboo species show something called sexual dimorphism. This means that the male and female beetles of the same species can look quite different from each other. For example, they might have different sizes, colors, or shapes. These beetles mostly eat Eucalyptus plants, which are common trees in Australia.
The Name of the Beetle
This group of beetles used to have other scientific names. In 1842, they were called Odontionopa by Wilhelm Ferdinand Erichson. Later, in 1874, Félicien Chapuis named them Tomyris.
Why the Name Changed
However, scientists found that both Odontionopa and Tomyris were already being used as names for other animals. In science, each group of animals needs a unique name. Because the old names were "preoccupied" (already taken), a scientist named C. A. M. Reid gave them the new name Eboo in 1993.
Meaning of "Eboo"
The name Eboo is a phonetic way of saying "ibu." "Ibu" is the word for "mother" in the Indonesian language. So, the name Eboo is like a tribute to a mother.
Eboo Species
The Eboo genus includes many different species of beetles. Each species has its own unique scientific name. Here are a few examples of the species found in this group:
- Eboo aenea
- Eboo aerata
- Eboo antennata
- Eboo viridula
- Eboo weisei
