Eusilpha jakowlewi — identification & habitat

Eusilpha jakowlewi is a broad, flattened, blue-black beetle found in East Asia, with no documented wild range in the United States. It usually walks on the ground and visits animal remains. A feeding study classified it as a predator, so visits to carcasses do not mean it feeds only on dead animals.

Appearance

Appearance: Adults are about 0.7–0.9 in (17–23 mm) long, broadly oval, and flattened. The upper surface is black with a blue sheen, and the wing covers have raised lengthwise ridges.

Where it lives

Typical habitats: grasslands
open ground
Range: It occurs in East Asia, including Korea and Japan, but has no documented U.S. wild range.

Behavior

Diet: It visits animal remains and has also been recorded around droppings. A feeding study classified it as predatory, so its diet is not fully explained by its visits to carcasses.
Activity: Korean records report adults from April through October, mainly active at night and sometimes attracted to lights.
Overwintering: Korean accounts report that adults overwinter in soil or around old wood.

Life cycle

Breeding season: Korean accounts report mating in early spring.

Name and classification

About the name: Some specialists place Eusilpha within Necrophila and write this species as Necrophila (Eusilpha) jakowlewi.
Varieties and forms: The subspecies Necrophila (Eusilpha) jakowlewi jakowlewi occurs in Korea and Tsushima, while Necrophila (Eusilpha) jakowlewi similator is reported from Honshu.

Conservation

IUCN Red List: NENot EvaluatedNot yet assessed

9 sources