Mordellistena ermischi facts for kids
Quick facts for kids Mordellistena ermischi |
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Scientific classification |
The Mordellistena ermischi is a special kind of beetle. It belongs to a group of beetles called Mordellistena, which are part of the larger Mordellidae family. This beetle was first described in 1966 by a scientist named Compte. You can only find this unique beetle living on the Balearic Islands.
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Meet the Mordellistena ermischi Beetle
The Mordellistena ermischi is a small and interesting insect. Like all beetles, it has a hard outer shell that protects its body. This beetle is quite rare because it only lives in one specific place in the world.
What is a Beetle?
Beetles are insects that have a hard, protective front pair of wings called elytra. These wings cover their delicate flying wings and their body. Beetles are found almost everywhere on Earth and come in many different shapes, sizes, and colors. They are a very successful group of animals!
Where Does it Live?
The Mordellistena ermischi beetle calls the Balearic Islands its home. These islands are a beautiful group of islands located in the Mediterranean Sea, off the coast of Spain. When an animal or plant only lives in one specific area and nowhere else, we say it is endemic to that place. So, the Mordellistena ermischi is an endemic beetle of the Balearic Islands. This means it's extra important to protect its home!
The Mordellistena Family Tree
Every living thing belongs to a "family tree" that helps scientists organize them. The Mordellistena ermischi is part of the Mordellistena genus. A genus is a group of very similar species. These beetles are also part of the Mordellidae family. Beetles in the Mordellidae family are often called "tumbling flower beetles" because of how they move. They are usually small and have a distinctive body shape that tapers towards the back.
How Was it Discovered?
This particular beetle was first officially described in 1966. A scientist named Compte was the one who studied it and gave it its scientific name, Mordellistena ermischi. Describing a new species means giving it a unique name and writing down all its features so other scientists can identify it too.
See also
In Spanish: Mordellistena ermischi para niños