Monkey beetles are a group of scarab beetles

Scarabaeidae

The family Scarabaeidae as currently defined consists of over 30,000 species of beetles worldwide. The species in this large family are often called scarabs or scarab beetles. The classification of this family is fairly unstable, with numerous competing theories, and new proposals appearing quite...

, comprising the subfamily Rutelinae, and are placed within the tribe Hopliini. Many species visit flower

Flower

A flower, sometimes known as a bloom or blossom, is the reproductive structure found in flowering plants . The biological function of a flower is to effect reproduction, usually by providing a mechanism for the union of sperm with eggs...

s for pollen

Pollen

Pollen is a fine to coarse powder containing the microgametophytes of seed plants, which produce the male gametes . Pollen grains have a hard coat that protects the sperm cells during the process of their movement from the stamens to the pistil of flowering plants or from the male cone to the...

 and nectar, or browse on the petals.

Overview

Monkey beetles are distinguishable from other scarabs from their average small size and tarsal claws, which are unequal in size and movable.

Systematics and taxonomy

The group contains the following genera:

• Anisonyx
• Heterochelus
• Lepithrix
• Pachycnema
• Scelophysa