Madagascar
Fine-art photographic collection
Coptops (Coptops) liturata
A bark-mimicking longhorn whose mottled wing cases resemble lichen, scars and cracked wood.
About this species
Coptops (Coptops) liturata(Klug, 1833)
Information reviewed15 July 2026
Coptops liturata is an Asian longhorn beetle with a broad, flattened body and densely mottled elytra. Its pattern is produced by patches of scales and hairs that break the beetle's outline against bark.
Taxonomy
Animalia · Arthropoda · Insecta · Coleoptera · Cerambycidae · Coptops
Accepted as Coptops liturata; the gallery title omits the second p in Coptops. · checked 2026-07-15
MadagascarBroad documented range and selected reference localities — not a complete occurrence map.
What makes this species remarkable?
Irregular pale and dark markings imitate the discontinuous texture of lichen-covered wood rather than forming a symmetrical warning pattern.
The body is held close to the substrate, reducing the shadow beneath the beetle and making the camouflage work even in angled light.
Long antennae can test the bark ahead and behind while the beetle remains motionless, extending sensory reach without sacrificing concealment.