Madagascar
Fine-art photographic collection
Coptomia (Coptomia) crucigera
A Madagascan flower chafer carrying a cross-shaped pattern across its hardened wings.
About this species
Coptomia (Coptomia) crucigeraWaterhouse, 1879
Information reviewed15 July 2026
Coptomia crucigera is an endemic Madagascan flower chafer whose markings form a conspicuous cross-like arrangement. The adult combines scarab armour with the ability to take off rapidly from flowers and fruit.
Taxonomy
Animalia · Arthropoda · Insecta · Coleoptera · Scarabaeidae · Coptomia
Accepted species; subgenus shown according to current catalogue placement. · checked 2026-07-15
MadagascarBroad documented range and selected reference localities — not a complete occurrence map.
What makes this species remarkable?
The elytral markings intersect into a cross-like design, a species-level pattern strong enough to be preserved in the name crucigera — cross-bearing.
Its antennal club opens into a fan of thin sensory plates, multiplying odour-detecting surface area without adding a permanently bulky structure.
The flight wings can be deployed from beneath partially lowered elytra, allowing a flower chafer to launch without opening the armoured back as widely as many beetles.