Language: English
Jewel beetles are famous for their iridescent colours. Taxonomically they are under the family of Buprestidae (Coleoptera) which comprises about 15,000 species around the world. Taiwan is located at the boundary of the western Pacific Ring of Fire. From sea coast to mountains which are nearly 4000 meters high, the dramatic landscape allows tropical and subtropical vegetation to spread on the island. A rich variety of flora nourishes a diversity of the native buprestid beetles. The fauna of Taiwanese buprestid beetles includes mainly the endemic species and other species that are deeply related to Japan, China, Indochina, and the Philippine islands. This is the first book that systematically presents the Buprestidae in Taiwan with high-quality photos. The first volume of this book series includes 22 genera and 105 species with the images of the genitalia of each.
This book is written by Taiwanese beetle-collecting hobbyist Uitsiann Ong and Japanese jewel beetle specialist, Takaharu Hattori. The authors have devoted decades to conducting field studies in Taiwan and its surrounding islands. Readers can use this guide to identify rare or tiny species. The book also serves as a valuable resource for academic studies.