Mordellistena diagonalis facts for kids

Mordellistena diagonalis is a tiny insect known as a beetle. It belongs to a group of beetles called Mordellistena, which are part of a larger family known as Mordellidae. This specific beetle was first described and named in 1873 by a scientist named Theodor Franz Wilhelm Kirsch.

What Are Beetles?

Beetles are a huge group of insects. In fact, they make up about 25% of all known animal species on Earth! They are found almost everywhere, from forests to deserts, and even in water.

Key Features of Beetles

Beetles have some special features that help us identify them:

• They have a hard outer shell, which is actually their front pair of wings. These hard wings are called elytra (say: EL-ih-truh). The elytra protect their softer flying wings underneath.
• Most beetles can fly, but some cannot. When they fly, they lift their hard elytra to let their delicate flying wings unfold.
• They have chewing mouthparts, which means they can bite and chew their food.
• Like all insects, beetles have six legs and a body divided into three main parts: the head, the thorax (middle section), and the abdomen (tail section).

The Mordellistena Genus

Mordellistena is a large group, or genus, of beetles within the Mordellidae family. These beetles are often called "tumbling flower beetles" because of their unique shape and how they move.

Characteristics of Tumbling Flower Beetles

• Body Shape: They usually have a wedge-shaped body, meaning they are wider at the front and get narrower towards the back.
• Head Position: Their head often points downwards, almost hidden under their body.
• Movement: They are known for their quick, jerky movements and their ability to "tumble" or jump when disturbed. This helps them escape from predators.
• Size: Most Mordellistena beetles are quite small, often only a few millimeters long.

Habitat and Diet

Mordellistena diagonalis and other tumbling flower beetles are often found in places where there are lots of flowers. This is because they are important visitors to flowers.

Where They Live

• These beetles prefer habitats like meadows, gardens, and forest edges.
• They are commonly seen on various types of flowers, especially those with flat surfaces where they can easily move around.

What They Eat

• Adult Mordellistena beetles mainly feed on pollen and nectar from flowers. Pollen is a powdery substance that plants use for reproduction, and nectar is a sweet liquid.
• By visiting flowers to eat, these beetles also help to pollinate the plants. This means they accidentally carry pollen from one flower to another, which helps the plants make seeds.
• The larvae (young beetles) of tumbling flower beetles often live inside the stems of plants or in decaying wood, where they feed on the plant material.

Life Cycle of a Beetle

Like many insects, Mordellistena diagonalis goes through a process called complete metamorphosis. This means they have four distinct stages in their life.

Stages of Life

• Egg: The life cycle begins when a female beetle lays tiny eggs, often on or near a plant that the larvae will eat.
• Larva: After hatching, the egg turns into a larva. Larvae look very different from adult beetles; they are often worm-like. The larvae of Mordellistena beetles typically bore into plant stems or wood, eating and growing.
• Pupa: Once the larva has grown enough, it changes into a pupa. During this stage, the beetle is inactive and undergoes a major transformation inside a protective casing. It's like a resting stage where the larva changes into an adult.
• Adult: Finally, the adult beetle emerges from the pupa. The adult is winged and can reproduce, starting the cycle all over again.

Discovery and Naming

Mordellistena diagonalis was first described in 1873 by Theodor Franz Wilhelm Kirsch. He was a German entomologist, which is a scientist who studies insects. When a new species is discovered, scientists give it a unique scientific name, usually in Latin or Greek. This helps scientists all over the world know exactly which creature they are talking about. The name "diagonalis" likely refers to some diagonal marking or pattern on the beetle's body, though this can vary.

See also

In Spanish: Mordellistena diagonalis para niños