Edusella facts for kids
Quick facts for kids Edusella |
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Scientific classification  |
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| Kingdom: | Animalia |
| Phylum: | Arthropoda |
| Class: | Insecta |
| Order: | Coleoptera |
| Family: | Chrysomelidae |
| Subfamily: | Eumolpinae |
| Tribe: | Eumolpini |
| Genus: | Edusella Chapuis, 1874 |
| Type species | |
| Colaspis varipes Boisduval, 1835
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| Synonyms | |
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Edusella is a group of tiny insects known as leaf beetles. They belong to a larger family called Eumolpinae. You can find these interesting beetles living in Australia.
Contents
What is Edusella?
Edusella is a genus, which is a scientific group of closely related living things. Think of it like a family name for beetles. All the beetles in the Edusella genus share many similar features. They are a type of leaf beetle, meaning they often feed on plants.
Naming the Beetles: A Bit of History
Scientists give every living thing a special name. This helps everyone around the world know exactly which creature they are talking about. The story of how Edusella got its name is a bit like a detective story!
The First Name Ideas
Back in 1836, a scientist named Louis Alexandre Auguste Chevrolat first suggested a name for these beetles: Edusa. Later, in 1874, another scientist, Félicien Chapuis, also described these beetles and used the name Edusa. He even divided them into smaller groups.
Why Names Change
Sometimes, scientists find that a name has already been used for a different animal. This is called being "preoccupied." It's like two different people having the exact same unique name – it can get confusing! The name Edusa was already being used for other animals like sea squirts (Tunicata) and snails (Mollusca).
So, in 1885, a scientist named Édouard Lefèvre tried to fix this. He renamed the beetles to Edusia. However, some scientists still kept using the old name, Edusa.
The Name We Use Today
Eventually, scientists decided to use one of the smaller group names that Chapuis had suggested earlier. This name was Edusella. So, even though the first name was Edusa, Edusella is the name we use for this group of beetles today. This helps keep scientific names clear and organized for everyone studying insects.
Different Kinds of Edusella Beetles
Within the Edusella genus, there are many different species. Each species is a unique type of beetle, just like different dog breeds are all dogs but look different. Here are just a few examples of the many species of Edusella beetles:
- Edusella abdominalis
- Edusella aenea
- Edusella aureoviridis
- Edusella chrysura
- Edusella mutica
- Edusella varipes
Each of these names tells us about a specific kind of Edusella beetle. Scientists continue to study these beetles to learn more about their lives and how they fit into the natural world.
