About Phrictus quinquepartitus Distant, 1883
Phrictus quinquepartitus averages 5.5 centimetres (2.2 inches) in length. Individuals have brightly colored hind wings, and forewings that bear distinctive markings. They feed on tree sap, which they ingest using a tube-like organ that replaces a mouth. The scientific name of this species is occasionally misspelled as Phrictus quinqueparitus. Phrictus quinquepartitus is one of three closely related species in its genus, alongside Phrictus tripartitus and Phrictus buechei. All three species share a distinct uninterrupted, uniformly thick, undulate pale yellow or peach band located two-thirds of the way along the tegmen, which distinctly bifurcates near the sutural margin. The three species can be distinguished using the following identification key: 1. Tegmen green, hindwing yellow at the base, and cephalic process yellow at the apex ... Phrictus buechei. Tegmen red, hindwing red at the base, and cephalic process red at the apex ... proceed to step 2. 2. Cephalic process trifurcating at the apex ... Phrictus tripartitus. Cephalic process pentafurcating at the apex, meaning it is trifurcating with two additional smaller furcations, one in each space between the three large furcations ... Phrictus quinquepartitus.
