Death Valley June beetle | |
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Scientific classification | |
Kingdom: | Animalia |
Phylum: | Arthropoda |
Class: | Insecta |
Order: | Coleoptera |
Family: | Scarabaeidae |
Subfamily: | Melolonthinae |
Genus: | Polyphylla |
Species: | P. erratica |
Binomial name | |
Polyphylla erratica (Hardy and Andrews, 1978) |
The Death Valley June beetle (Polyphylla erratica) is a scarab beetle in the subfamily Melolonthinae. It is only known to occur in the drainage basin of the Amargosa River in the southwestern United States.[1] Saltgrass communities, such as those at Saratoga Springs in Death Valley, provide habitat for the insect at all stages of its life.[2]
Predators of the beetle include coyotes, ravens, and shrikes, the last of which are known to impale the insects on vegetation.[2]
The Death Valley June beetle does not carry any official conservation status, but is listed as a Species of Concern by the United States Fish and Wildlife Service.[3] The California Department of Fish and Game considers the beetle a "Special Animal" of high conservation need.[4]
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