Adoretus

Adoretus
A. ictericus
Scientific classification
Kingdom:	Animalia
Phylum:	Arthropoda
Class:	Insecta
Order:	Coleoptera
Suborder:	Polyphaga
Infraorder:	Scarabeiformia
Superfamily:	Scarabaeoidea
Family:	Scarabaeidae
Subfamily:	Rutelinae
Genus:	Adoretus Laporte, 1840

Adoretus is a genus of Scarabaeidae or scarab beetles.^[1][2][3] They are native to Africa and Asia, and two species occur in Europe.

Description

Adoretus beetles are elongate and oval in shape, 10-12 long, and brown with a covering of white/cream setae. The head has a broad, circular clypeus with a reflexed margin. Underneath this is a labrum with a median apical projection overhanging the mentum. There is a pair of antennae, each with 9-10 segments and a 3-segmented club. The pronotum has a thickened setose border. The elytra are irregularly coarsely punctate, and the disc usually has 2-3 raised longitudinal lines. There are three pairs of legs. The first pair has two or three teeth on each tibia. The tarsi of the second and third leg pairs are simple and asymmetrical. The tibiae of the last leg pair have truncate apices, each with two apical spurs situated close together.^[4]

Different species look very similar and can only be told apart by examining genitalia of males or by molecular identification tools.^[4][5]

Diet

Adults of Adoretus appear to be generalist herbivores, feeding on leaves of a wide range of plants. The larvae are associated with roots and feed on either live or dead plant tissue, depending on the species.^[5]

Pests

Several species of Adoretus are pests. Their eggs and larvae may be easily transported to new locations in the soil or roots of cultivated plants.^[5]

• Adoretus bicolor feeds on grapevine (Vitis spp.), peanut (Arachis hypogaea) and rose (Rosa spp.). It occurs in India.
• Adoretus caliginosus feeds on cotton (Gossypium hirsutum). It occurs in Pakistan.
• Adoretus compresses feeds on lychee (Litchi chinensis). It occurs in Africa, Asia and Australasia.
• Adoretus hirsutus feeds on lychee as well. It occurs in China and Taiwan.
• Adoretus ranunculus feeds on cocoa (Theobroma cacao). It occurs in the Philippines.
• Adoretus sinicus feeds on over 250 species in 56 plant families. It occurs in Asia and the Pacific Islands.
• Adoretus tenuimaculatus feeds on 186 species in 42 plant families. It occurs in China, Japan and Taiwan.
• Adoretus versutus feeds on cacao, coffee (Coffea arabica), rose and various vegetable and ornamental plants. It occurs in Asia, Africa, Australasia and the Pacific Islands.

Species