Stories
Purple Pleasing Fungus Beetle
If you stop to think about it, purple is one of the least common colors in all of nature, even here in the Tambopata rainforests.
Thus, when I come across anything purple, from a leaf to a beetle, I always take the time to try and get a good shot.
One of the more pleasing-to-the-eye beetles around the Tambopata rainforests is this here Gibbifer sp., a pleasing fungus beetle. I’ve seen them range from light sky blue, to dark blue, to this purple, and I’m unsure if they make up one species or several.
A purple pleasing fungus beetle,Gibbifersp. – Phil Torres
Pleasing Fungus Beetles are beetles in the family Erotylidae and feed exclusively on basidiomycete fungus (aka shelf-mushroom-looking fungus) as both larvae and adult, with specific host species they feed on. If you find a dry fallen tree with some fungus growing on it, you almost always will find one of these beetles shuffling around. Their bright colors make them quite conspicuous so they likely have some form of chemical defense.
So why are the colors purple and blue so rare in animals?
Scientists actually aren’t exactly sure. It likely has to do with the complexity and rarity of molecules that create the color blue/purple color, as well as the fact that those pigments that form blue/purple are found more in high saline-alkaline environments. These alkaline environments are difficult for most organisms to thrive in, thus the low numbers of animals that actually can be blue/purple.
This could be why we see a lot of blue/purple color formed from a structural scattering of light (much like a blue morpho) rather than an actual pigment, because scattering is a bit «easier» to evolve.
As for the beetles, I have no idea why they are called pleasing fungus beetles, perhaps because they really are pleasing to look at or their notably docile ‘personality.’ There is also another family, the Endomychidae, which are commonly called the ‘handsome fungus beetles.’ I think someone was fond of fungus beetles.
And for the final test, say “purple pleasing fungus beetle” five times fast.
To see more posts by biologist Phil Torres, check out TheRevScience.com
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The lodge is located in the middle of the forest accessible only by boat. The experience was very unique and exciting. Service is great, and the fun part are the nature activities and tours the hotel offers for free. We had an amazing tour guide that had a lot of knowledge and was fun to spend time with. The rooms are totally open to the forest which is really cool the struggle is the there is no privacy at all in between the rooms, also food was pretty basic. All together a very unique experience. Read all
This hotel is the perfect blend of comfort and hospitality, with the natural experience. The hotel is reached by a hours boat ride from Puerto Maldonado, expertly organized and accomplished. Most staff are members of the local Esa Ejja community. The food is good and plentiful. Hot water is always available and lovely bedding features mosquito nets. There is of course no air conditioning (one side wall is open in rach room) and the electricity is off for a few hours at night affecting overhead fans, so I was glad to have brought a small battery powered fan for sleeping. But the best of the experience is the wildlife. Our expert guide Oscar Mishaja introduced us to nearly 100 bird species, along with caimans, river otters, poison dart frogs and capybara. A trip of a lifetime. Read all
Excellent experience overall— really kind and welcoming staff at every point of the journey. All transfers were well organized and smooth. Excellent and educational excursions all around the rainforest. Delicious food for every meal. We had wonderful guides- Freet and Alvaro. Enjoyed our time here! Read all
We had a surreal experience at Refugio Amazonas. From the well organized transportation to the warm welcome, hospitality and the experience of living in nature - we loved it all. Huge shout out to our guide Boris who went out of his way to ensure we had a good experience and got to watch all kinds of wild life. The meals and cocktails were delicious. And even though this place is smack in the middle of the jungle there was super fast WiFi available. We made unforgettable memories. Read all
We had an amazing time in TRC. From the guide, tours, lounge staff, food and room, everything has exceeded our expectation and like an amazing dream came true. We highly recommend to directly book with the lounge website, so that you got a private guide for your group. Special thanks to our guide Saul, who made this experience extra special! We were so impressed by his knowledge about all the animals and the rainforest. Read all
We had an amazing time in TRC. From the guide, tours, lounge staff, food and room, everything has exceeded our expectation and like an amazing dream came true. This is the only lounge available in Tambopata national park, and this eco lounge takes environment seriously. We highly recommend to directly book with the lounge website, so that you got a private guide for your group. Special thanks to our guide Saul, who made this experience extra special! We were so impressed by his knowledge about all the animals and the rainforest. If you are a natural lover, you can’t miss this place Read all
Excellent and luxurious place, wonderful experience and our guide Boris was first class, he had a unique patience with my 8 year old son. An experience in the tropical rainforest that marks the life of its visitors. In addition to the scientific research that takes place in the place: a whole research center. Rooms: Very comfortable and luxuriou Read all
El mejor hotel para visitar la Amazonia peruana. Hotel eco turístico metido en medio de la selva, equipado para visitar y vivir la selva, su flora y fauna, en todas sus facetas. Todo incluido, con guías preparados y amables, resultó una experiencia increíble para mi familia. Dentro de las opciones no se debe perder el Canopy de 45 metros de altura para observar y escuchar la selva, así como el lago de las tres Chimbadas, lugar único para ver caimanes, nutrias gigantes, monos y aves exóticas. Recomiendo mínimo dos noches!!! Read all
Wunderbare lodge mit freundlichen Menschen. sehr persönliche guides, tolle Tourangebote und super kulinarische Verpflegung ! Wir wurden herzlichst von Caesar empfangen und unser guide JuanJo hat uns phantastische Dinge gezeigt. Wir können die lodge nur wärmstens empfehlen! Read all
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