genera have lost the ability to fly. In some instances,

the elytra are fused together, a strategy to conserve

water by preventing evaporation, which has allowed

entimines to colonize very dry environments.

Another strategy that has aided the success of some

entimine genera is the evolution of parthenogenesis,

where the females can reproduce asexually,

effectively cloning themselves. This allows

populations of some pest species such as the Black

Vine Weevil Otiorhynchus sulcatus to grow very quickly.

Many tropical entimines, like those illustrated

here, are extremely colorful, the color being formed

by hundreds of tiny, metallic reflective scales.

precious stones, such as opals. This evolved

to make the beetles difficult to see in the

dappled shade of a tropical forest, but

because it is structural it doesn’t fade, even

after the insect’s death. Hence, specimens

in collections are as bright as the day they

were collected. For this reason, parts of the

exoskeleton of some entimines are used in

jewelry and traditional costume

above | Pachyrhynchus

congestus pavonius Beetles in

this hard-bodied, flightless

genus occur in the Philippine

region, and may disperse

between islands, carried

on seaborne debris.

left | Entimus granulatus

From South America, these

magnificent colorful beetles

are sometimes used to

make jewelry.

opposite | Rhinoscapha, from New

Guinea. The lower leaf in the picture

shows the characteristic “notching”

caused by adult entimine feeding.