| Sternocera aequisignata | |
|---|---|
| |
| Sternocera aequisignata from Myanmar | |
Scientific classification 
| |
| Domain: | Eukaryota |
| Kingdom: | Animalia |
| Phylum: | Arthropoda |
| Class: | Insecta |
| Order: | Coleoptera |
| Family: | Buprestidae |
| Subfamily: | Julodinae |
| Genus: | Sternocera |
| Species: | S. aequisignata
|
| Binomial name | |
| Sternocera aequisignata E. Saunders, 1866
| |
Sternocera aequisignata[1][2] is a species of jewel beetles belonging to the subfamily Julodinae. Its bright metallic green elytra are frequently used in jewellery making.
Sternocera aequisignata can reach a length of about 30–50 millimetres (1.2–2.0 in). Elytra and pronotum have a beautiful metallic emerald iridescence. Pronotum is densely punctured.
This species occurs across southern Asia,[2] including India, Myanmar, Thailand to southern Vietnam.[3]
The female lays eggs singly in soil at the base of the host plants. Each female is capable of laying 5–12 eggs, which take 2 months to hatch.[4] The hatched larva has five instar stages. Stages 1 to 4 remain in the soil for 3–4 months where they feed upon the roots of the adult host plants.[4] The 5th instar can be found above ground, until it returns underground again to pupate. Adult beetles have a short lifespan of 1–3 weeks, though the complete life cycle takes up to two years.[5]
S. aequisignata and the similar S. ruficornis are both consumed by humans as a source of food in northern Thailand, Laos, and China.[6] This is one of the major sources of their decline in that area.[5]
The bright metallic green elytra of S. aequisignata are collected and used as a material in jewellery making.[5][6]
