Polychalca punctatissima
| Polychalca punctatissima | |
|---|---|
 | |
| Polychalca punctatissima | |
Scientific classification  | |
| Kingdom: | Animalia |
| Phylum: | Arthropoda |
| Clade: | Pancrustacea |
| Class: | Insecta |
| Order: | Coleoptera |
| Suborder: | Polyphaga |
| Infraorder: | Cucujiformia |
| Family: | Chrysomelidae |
| Genus: | Polychalca |
| Species: | P. punctatissima |
| Binomial name | |
| Polychalca punctatissima (Wolf, 1818) | |
| Synonyms | |
| |
Polychalca punctatissima is a species of tortoise beetles belonging to the family Chrysomelidae, that is noteworthy for its use in Victorian jewelry.
Description
[edit]Polychalca punctatissima can reach a length of about 13–17 millimetres (0.51–0.67 in). These beetles feed on Black Sage (Cordia cylindrostachya, Boraginaceae).
Distribution
[edit]This species can be found in Argentina, Bolivia, Brazil (Bahia, Goiás, Minas Gerais, Pernambuco) and Suriname.[1]
Polychalca punctatissima from Brazil. Mounted specimen
Use in jewelry
[edit]The new wave of Victorian Egyptomania following the opening of the Suez Canal in 1869 increased the demand for Egyptian jewelry, especially scarabs. This, combined with an increased interest in the natural world, lead to the import of Polychalca punctatissima carapaces from South America for use in jewelry as "scarabs".[2][3]
References
[edit]- ↑ Mota, A. A.; Sekerka, L.; Jilg, J.; Arous, E.; Machado, R. J. P.; Simões, M. V. dos P. (2026). "Cassidinae (Coleoptera: Chrysomelidae) from Pernambuco, Brazil: New records, nomenclatural changes, and identification key of tribes". Papéis Avulsos De Zoologia. 66 (special 1). Retrieved September 8, 2026.
This article incorporates text available under the CC BY 4.0 license. - ↑ Vandor, Dara. "Beetlemania: Insects in Victorian Jewellery". Waddingtons. Retrieved 6 June 2025.
- ↑ navettejewellery. "Unlikely Jewellery – scarabs". Navette Jewellery. Retrieved 6 June 2025.