Known from Madagascar; available records indicate a Malagasy distribution.
Fine-art photographic collection
Anochilia scapularis
A compact Madagascan flower chafer with two pale shoulder plates set into polished black armour.
About this species
Anochilia scapularis(Gory & Percheron, 1835)
Information reviewed15 July 2026
Anochilia scapularis is a 15–19 mm flower chafer found only in Madagascar. Its most distinctive feature is the pair of pale patches at the front of the wing cases, which create a sharp shoulder-like contrast against the otherwise dark, glossy body. Museum material includes specimens from Anosibe and the eastern side of the island.
Taxonomy
Animalia · Arthropoda · Insecta · Coleoptera · Scarabaeidae · Anochilia
Accepted species or infraspecific taxon in the current GBIF/Catalogue of Life treatment; unsupported details have been omitted rather than inferred. · checked 2026-07-15
MadagascarBroad documented range and selected occurrence localities — not a complete occurrence map.
Habitat varies across the documented range; larvae of scarab beetles commonly develop in soil, roots, wood or decaying organic matter.
Adults are seasonal and may be active by day, at dusk or at night depending on the species.
Species-specific diet was not added without a reliable source.
Solitary.
What makes this species remarkable?
The pale marks are concentrated at the shoulders of the wing cases, producing two sharply defined panels against an otherwise glossy black body.
Adults measure only about 15–19 millimetres, packing the high-contrast pattern into a beetle scarcely longer than a fingernail.
Authenticated museum specimens from Anosibe preserve the same bold shoulder pattern, confirming it as a stable feature of this Madagascan species.