Longhorn beetle
Encyclopedia
The longhorn beetles are a cosmopolitan family of beetle
s, typically characterized by extremely long antennae
, which are often as long as or longer than the beetle's body. In various members of the family, however, the antennae are quite short (e.g., Neandra brunnea
, figured below) and such species can be difficult to distinguish from related beetle families such as Chrysomelidae. The family is large, with over 20,000 species described, slightly more than half from the Eastern Hemisphere
. Several are serious pests
, with the larva
e boring into wood
, where they can cause extensive damage to either living tree
s or untreated lumber (or, occasionally, to wood in building
s; the old-house borer
, Hylotrupes bajulus, being a particular problem indoors). A number of species mimic ant
s, bee
s, and wasp
s, though a majority of species are cryptically colored. The rare titan beetle
(Titanus giganteus) from northeastern South America
is often considered the largest (though not the heaviest, and not the longest including legs) insect, with a maximum known body length of just over 16.7 centimetres (6.6 in).
, Oxypeltidae
, and Vesperidae); there is thus some instability and controversy regarding the constituency of the Cerambycidae. There are few truly defining features for the group as a whole, at least as adults, as there are occasional species or species groups which may lack any given feature; the family and its closest relatives, therefore, constitute a taxonomically difficult group, and relationships of the various lineages are still poorly understood.
Beetle
Coleoptera is an order of insects commonly called beetles. The word "coleoptera" is from the Greek , koleos, "sheath"; and , pteron, "wing", thus "sheathed wing". Coleoptera contains more species than any other order, constituting almost 25% of all known life-forms...
s, typically characterized by extremely long antennae
Antenna (biology)
Antennae in biology have historically been paired appendages used for sensing in arthropods. More recently, the term has also been applied to cilium structures present in most cell types of eukaryotes....
, which are often as long as or longer than the beetle's body. In various members of the family, however, the antennae are quite short (e.g., Neandra brunnea
Neandra brunnea
Common names: Pole borer, Longhorned beetleThe N. brunnea is a species of the Cerambycidae family.-Description:This longhorned beetle grows between 8 and 20 mm and is yellowish-brown or reddish-brown. It is the only longhorned beetle to not have longer antennas and they are serrate.-Range:The...
, figured below) and such species can be difficult to distinguish from related beetle families such as Chrysomelidae. The family is large, with over 20,000 species described, slightly more than half from the Eastern Hemisphere
Eastern Hemisphere
The Eastern Hemisphere, also Eastern hemisphere or eastern hemisphere, is a geographical term for the half of the Earth that is east of the Prime Meridian and west of 180° longitude. It is also used to refer to Europe, Asia, Africa, and Australasia, vis-à-vis the Western Hemisphere, which includes...
. Several are serious pests
Pest (animal)
A pest is an animal which is detrimental to humans or human concerns. It is a loosely defined term, often overlapping with the related terms vermin, weeds, parasites and pathogens...
, with the larva
Larva
A larva is a distinct juvenile form many animals undergo before metamorphosis into adults. Animals with indirect development such as insects, amphibians, or cnidarians typically have a larval phase of their life cycle...
e boring into wood
Wood
Wood is a hard, fibrous tissue found in many trees. It has been used for hundreds of thousands of years for both fuel and as a construction material. It is an organic material, a natural composite of cellulose fibers embedded in a matrix of lignin which resists compression...
, where they can cause extensive damage to either living tree
Tree
A tree is a perennial woody plant. It is most often defined as a woody plant that has many secondary branches supported clear of the ground on a single main stem or trunk with clear apical dominance. A minimum height specification at maturity is cited by some authors, varying from 3 m to...
s or untreated lumber (or, occasionally, to wood in building
Building
In architecture, construction, engineering, real estate development and technology the word building may refer to one of the following:...
s; the old-house borer
Old-house borer
The old-house borer, or house longhorn beetle, is a species of wood-boring beetle in the family Cerambycidae . Contrary to its name, it is more often found in new houses; this is in part because new home construction may use wood infected with the beetle's eggs...
, Hylotrupes bajulus, being a particular problem indoors). A number of species mimic ant
Ant
Ants are social insects of the family Formicidae and, along with the related wasps and bees, belong to the order Hymenoptera. Ants evolved from wasp-like ancestors in the mid-Cretaceous period between 110 and 130 million years ago and diversified after the rise of flowering plants. More than...
s, bee
Bee
Bees are flying insects closely related to wasps and ants, and are known for their role in pollination and for producing honey and beeswax. Bees are a monophyletic lineage within the superfamily Apoidea, presently classified by the unranked taxon name Anthophila...
s, and wasp
Wasp
The term wasp is typically defined as any insect of the order Hymenoptera and suborder Apocrita that is neither a bee nor an ant. Almost every pest insect species has at least one wasp species that preys upon it or parasitizes it, making wasps critically important in natural control of their...
s, though a majority of species are cryptically colored. The rare titan beetle
Titan beetle
The Titan beetle is the longest known beetle in the Amazon rainforest and one of the longest beetle species in the world. It is from the family Cerambycidae . The titan beetle is the only member of its own genus...
(Titanus giganteus) from northeastern South America
South America
South America is a continent situated in the Western Hemisphere, mostly in the Southern Hemisphere, with a relatively small portion in the Northern Hemisphere. The continent is also considered a subcontinent of the Americas. It is bordered on the west by the Pacific Ocean and on the north and east...
is often considered the largest (though not the heaviest, and not the longest including legs) insect, with a maximum known body length of just over 16.7 centimetres (6.6 in).
Classification
As with many large families, different authorities have tended to recognize many different subfamilies, or sometimes split subfamilies off as separate families entirely (e.g., DisteniidaeDisteniidae
The Disteniidae are a small family of beetles in the superfamily Chrysomeloidea, traditionally treated as a group within the Cerambycidae .-Adult:The adults have a lepturoid aspect, having like those a divided...
, Oxypeltidae
Oxypeltidae
The Oxypeltidae are a small family belonging to the superfamily Chrysomeloidea, widespread in the Andean region of Chile and Argentina. They have traditionally been considered a group within the Cerambycidae.-Description:...
, and Vesperidae); there is thus some instability and controversy regarding the constituency of the Cerambycidae. There are few truly defining features for the group as a whole, at least as adults, as there are occasional species or species groups which may lack any given feature; the family and its closest relatives, therefore, constitute a taxonomically difficult group, and relationships of the various lineages are still poorly understood.
Subfamilies
There are eight subfamilies:- CerambycinaeCerambycinaeCerambycinae is a subfamily of the longhorn beetle family . The subfamily includes over 750 genera, rivaled in diversity within the family only by the subfamily...
Latreille, 1802 - DorcasominaeDorcasominaeDorcasominae is a subfamily of the longhorn beetle family . The family includes a single tribe, Dorcasomini, but numerous genera.-Genera:...
Lacordaire, 1869 - LamiinaeLamiinaeLamiinae, commonly called flat-faced longhorns, are a subfamily of the longhorn beetle family . The subfamily includes over 750 genera, rivaled in diversity within the family only by the subfamily Cerambycinae.-Tribes:...
Latreille, 1825 - LepturinaeLepturinaeLepturinae is a subfamily of the longhorn beetle family , containing some 100 genera worldwide, and most diverse in the Northern Hemisphere. Until recently the subfamily Necydalinae was included within the lepturines, but this has been recently recognized as a separate subfamily...
Latreille, 1802 - NecydalinaeNecydalinaeNecydalinae is a small subfamily of the longhorn beetle family , historically treated as a tribe within the subfamily Lepturinae, but recently recognized as a separate subfamily...
Latreille, 1825 - ParandrinaeParandrinaeParandrinae is a subfamily of the longhorn beetle family . This subfamily includes only 3 small genera...
Blanchard, 1845 - PrioninaePrioninaePrioninae are a subfamily of Cerambycidae . They are typically large and usually brown or black. The males of a few genera sport large mandibles that are used in fights with other males, similar to stag beetles. These beetles are commonly nocturnal and are attracted to light...
Latreille, 1802 - SpondylidinaeSpondylidinaeSpondylidinae are a small subfamily of Cerambycidae including slightly over 100 species, primarily in the coniferous forests of the Boreal hemisphere...
Audinet-Serville, 1832
Notable genera and species
- Moneilema – cactus longhorn beetleCactus longhorn beetleCactus longhorn beetles are large, flightless, black beetles found in North American deserts of the western United States and northern Mexico. M. gigas is native to the Sonoran desert at elevations below 1500 meters. The front wings of these beetles are fused forming a single, hardened shell,...
s - Anoplophora chinensis – citrus long-horned beetle
- Phymatodes nitidusPhymatodes nitidusPhymatodes nitidus is a species of longhorn beetle. It lays its eggs on the surface of Giant Sequoia and Coast Redwood cones, into which the larvae then burrow.-References:...
- Anoplophora glabripennis – Asian long-horned beetle
- Tetraopes tetrophthalmusTetraopes tetrophthalmusTetraopes tetrophthalmus, commonly known as the red milkweed beetle, is a beetle in the family Cerambycidae. The binomial genus and species names are both derived from the Latin for "four eyes." As in many longhorn beetles, the antennae are situated very near the eye - in the red milkweed beetle,...
– red milkweed beetle - Desmocerus californicus dimorphus – valley elderberry longhorn beetle
- Petrognatha gigasPetrognathaPetrognatha Wied-Neuwied, 1839 is a genus of longhorn beetle belonging to the subfamily Lamiinae, tribe Petrognathini.It is not to be confused with Perognathus, a genus of pocket mice....
– giant African longhorn - Rosalia alpina - Rosalia longhorn
Further reading
- Monné, Miguel A. & Hovore, Frank T. (2005) Electronic Checklist of the Cerambycidae of the Western Hemisphere. PDF Cerambycids.com
External links
- cerambycoidea.com
- Gallery Photo gallery of worldwide long-horned beetles
- Photo gallery "Longhorn beetles (Cerambycidae) of the West Palaearctic Region"
- CDFA Cerambycidae of the New WorldNew WorldThe New World is one of the names used for the Western Hemisphere, specifically America and sometimes Oceania . The term originated in the late 15th century, when America had been recently discovered by European explorers, expanding the geographical horizon of the people of the European middle...
- Cerambycidae of French Guiana
- National Museu, Rio, Brazil Holotype images
- Iberodorcadion Coleoptera, Cerambycidae, Dorcadion - RedIRIS
- VIDEOS - Longicornes (Dorcadion, Cerambycidae,Coleoptera)
- Cerambycidae of Borneo pdf
- BugGuide.net - Longhorned Beetles (Cerambycidae)
- Anoplophora chinensis, citrus longhorned beetle on the University of FloridaUniversity of FloridaThe University of Florida is an American public land-grant, sea-grant, and space-grant research university located on a campus in Gainesville, Florida. The university traces its historical origins to 1853, and has operated continuously on its present Gainesville campus since September 1906...
/ Institute of Food and Agricultural SciencesInstitute of Food and Agricultural SciencesThe University of Florida’s Institute of Food and Agricultural Sciences is a federal-state-county partnership dedicated to developing knowledge in agriculture, human and natural resources, and the life sciences, and enhancing and sustaining the quality of human life by making that information...
Featured Creatures website - Coleoptera: Cerambycidae, University of Florida, Dept. of Entomology and Nematology