Protaetia speciosa is a beetle of the family Scarabaeidae and subfamily Cetoniinae.
| Protaetia speciosa | |
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,_Entomica.jpg)
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| P.s. jousselini at Prague's National Museum (top), P.s. cyanochlora at Entomica Insectarium (bottom) | |
Scientific classification 
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| Domain: | Eukaryota |
| Kingdom: | Animalia |
| Phylum: | Arthropoda |
| Class: | Insecta |
| Order: | Coleoptera |
| Family: | Scarabaeidae |
| Genus: | Protaetia |
| Species: | P. speciosa
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| Binomial name | |
| Protaetia speciosa (Adams, 1817)
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| Synonyms | |
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Description edit
Protaetia speciosa can reach a body length of about 23–30 mm (0.9–1.2 in). The basic colour of the body typically is metallic golden-green, but depending on subspecies sometimes red or blue. Adults can be found from May to October, with a peak in June–August. These beetles feed primarily on tree sap and fruits. The larvae develop in rotten wood of deciduous trees, mainly oak and willow.
Distribution edit
This flower beetle is present in the Near East and far southeastern Europe, in northern Iraq, Syria, northern Iran, Georgia, Armenia, Azerbaijan, Turkmenistan, Ukraine, southernmost Russia and Romania.
Habitat edit
This beetle lives in deciduous forests, in plains and mountains.
Subspecies edit
- Protaetia speciosa cyanochlora Schauer, 1941
- Protaetia speciosa jousselini (Gory & Percheron, 1833)
- Protaetia speciosa speciosa (Adams, 1817)
- Protaetia speciosa venusta (Ménétriès, 1836)