Diamphidia
| Diamphidia | |
|---|---|
| Bushman arrow-poison beetle (Diamphidia nigroornata) | |
| Diamphidia femoralis | |
| Scientific classification | |
| Kingdom: | Animalia |
| Phylum: | Arthropoda |
| Class: | Insecta |
| Order: | Coleoptera |
| Suborder: | Polyphaga |
| Infraorder: | Cucujiformia |
| Family: | Chrysomelidae |
| Genus: | Diamphidia Gerstaecker, 1855 |
| Species | |
| |
Diamphidia, or Bushman arrow-poison beetle, is an African genus of flea beetles, in the family Chrysomelidae.
The larvae and pupae of Diamphidia produce a toxin used by Bushmen as an arrow poison. The Finnish explorer Hendrik Jacob Wikar, who travelled in Southern Africa in 1773–1779, described the larvae as "poisonous worms". Hans Schinz was the first scientist to document the process by which the Bushmen extract and use the poison.
The adults and larvae of Diamphidia nigroornata feed on Commiphora angolensis (Engler), whereas Diamphidia vittatipennis eat African myrrh.