# Polyphylla barbata

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{{Short description|Species of beetle}}
{{Speciesbox 
| image = Polyphylla barbata at Mt Diablo.jpg
| status = G1
| status_system = TNC
| status_ref = <ref name=tnc/>
| genus = Polyphylla
| species = barbata
| authority = [Cazier](/source/Mont_A._Cazier), 1938
}}

'''''Polyphylla barbata''''' is a rare species of [beetle](/source/beetle) known by the common name '''Mount Hermon June beetle'''. It is [endemic](/source/Endemism) to [California](/source/California), where it occurs only in [Santa Cruz County](/source/Santa_Cruz_County%2C_California). There is only a single occurrence of the beetle on a stretch of territory of under {{convert|1500|acre|km2}}. This is a federally listed [endangered species](/source/endangered_species) of the United States.<ref name=tnc>[http://www.natureserve.org/explorer/servlet/NatureServe?searchName=Polyphylla+barbata ''Polyphylla barbata''.] The Nature Conservancy.</ref>

The beetle is about 2 centimeters long, black and brown in color with broken white longitudinal stripes on the back. The [elytra](/source/elytra) are covered in a thin coat of hairs. The female is slightly larger than the male. The female spends most of her time underground, coming out only to mate with the male.<ref name=five>[USFWS](/source/United_States_Fish_and_Wildlife_Service). [http://ecos.fws.gov/docs/five_year_review/doc2572.pdf Zayante band-winged grasshopper and Mount Hermon June Beetle 5-Year Review.] August 2009.</ref> The male flies between mid-June and late July, being most active between 8:45 and 9:30 pm. His wings make a crackling sound as he flies.<ref name=hill>Hill, K. E. and R. O'Malley. (2009). [http://www.sjsu.edu/depts/EnvStudies/pdf/Apickypalate.pdf A picky palate? The host plant selection of an endangered June beetle.] ''J Insect Conserv''</ref> The insect is an underground dwelling [larva](/source/larva) for most of its [life cycle](/source/Biological_life_cycle), and the adults may not feed at all. The larvae probably feed on plant roots<ref name=fws>USFWS. [http://ecos.fws.gov/docs/federal_register/fr3039.pdf  Determination of endangered status for two insects from the Santa Cruz Mountains of California.] ''Federal Register'' January 24, 1997.</ref> and [mycorrhiza](/source/mycorrhiza)l fungi.<ref name=hill/> The life cycle may be 2 to 3 years, but the male beetle's adulthood may last only a week<ref name=five/> and the female probably dies shortly after laying eggs.<ref name=fws/>

This beetle was first described in 1938 from a specimen from [Mount Hermon, California](/source/Mount_Hermon%2C_California). It is limited to the Zayante sandhills, a region around Mount Hermon, [Scotts Valley](/source/Scotts_Valley%2C_California), and [Ben Lomond](/source/Ben_Lomond%2C_California) in the [Santa Cruz Mountains](/source/Santa_Cruz_Mountains). This region is also home to another endangered arthropod, the [Zayante band-winged grasshopper](/source/Zayante_band-winged_grasshopper) (''Trimerotropis infantilis'').<ref name=fws/>

The habitat is [ponderosa pine](/source/ponderosa_pine) forest and [chaparral](/source/chaparral)<ref name=fws/> with open, sandy areas forming pockets in the surrounding volcanic hills.<ref name=berk>[http://essig.berkeley.edu/endins/barbata.htm ''Polyphylla barbata''.] Essig Museum of Entomology, UC Berkeley.</ref> There are several rare, threatened plant species in the area, including the [Ben Lomond wallflower](/source/Erysimum_teretifolium) (''Erysimum teretifolium''), the [Ben Lomond spineflower](/source/Chorizanthe_pungens) (''Chorizanthe pungens'' ssp. ''hartwegiana''), and the [Santa Cruz cypress](/source/Cupressus_abramsiana) (''Callitropsis abramsiana'').<ref name=five/>

Over 40% of the Zayante sandhills region has been lost to human activity such as development and [sand mining](/source/sand_mining).<ref name=fws/> Most of the home range of the beetle is in proximity to active sand mining operations.<ref name=berk/> [Fire suppression](/source/Wildfire_suppression) has led to an alteration of the normal flora of the area, with fire-tolerant plants being replaced by other species.<ref name=sb>[http://www.sbnature.org/collections/invert/entom/polyp_barba.php ''Polyphylla barbata''.] Santa Barbara Museum of Natural History.</ref>

==References==
{{Reflist}}

{{Taxonbar|from=Q7226762}}

Category:Polyphylla
Category:Endemic fauna of California
Category:ESA endangered species
Category:Taxa named by Mont A. Cazier

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Adapted from the Wikipedia article [Polyphylla barbata](https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Polyphylla_barbata) by Wikipedia contributors ([contributor history](https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Polyphylla_barbata?action=history)). Available under [Creative Commons Attribution-ShareAlike 4.0 International](https://creativecommons.org/licenses/by-sa/4.0/). Changes may have been made.