Cerambycidae of "weird " appearance
Posted: Tue Feb 28, 2023 6:48 am
Cerambycidae (Long-horned Beetles) constitute one of the
five largest families of beetles. At some 35,000+ species there
are bound to be ones which either don't quite "fit" the mold
of typical examples or are ones of extraordinary evolutionary
adaption --- which cannot always be explained away.
Our member (bandrow) brought up the thought of a thread
dedicated to unusual cerambycids. So, I shall begin here by
starting out out of the gate (with baton in hand) to get this
thread running....
I have here some photo's of unusual species which I have seen
over the years in (mostly) others collections. I don't know the
names of all of them but, I will elaborate on what I do know.
The central curiosity of this photo struck me as unusual for
its rather "blistered" pronotum and (anterior elytra) along with
the very long and fine setae covering its elytra as well.
There are a number of specialised cerambycidae which possess
antennae of a most reamarkable appearance. The fan shaped
look of these indicates a highly receptive array well beyond
the "typical" suspects in this family.
The (males) of this large South-east Asian species known as
Neocerambyx gigas have a golden-brown look about them
with a velvety pile of hairs covering their elytra. However,
its really the quite unusual (lobed and undulating) appearance
of nearly (1/2) their antennal length which cannot help but,
strike one with wonder ! Likely unique to its genus....
One of the largest South American cerambycid species is this
one called Callipogon barbatus. The very name sounds well
deserved. Of coarse, its those massively built and powerful
mandibles which insure nothings gonna mess with this baby
and not pay a price for mis-adventure !
Strangely, this imposing species has a thick pile of hairs
lining the inner surfaces of those jaws. To what purpose is
anyone's guess ?
The flower-attentive species of Cerambycidae tend to either
be colorful or seem to mimic other families of distastful beetles
such as the Cantharidae (soldier beetles) or Meloidae (blister beetles).
Colorful ones have evolved to appear and even (behave) much
like a host of shiny hymenopteran bees and wasps which frequent
the same bunches of flowers. Their long spindly legs allow them
to "dance amongst the flower tops" fleet of foot and quick in motion.
This species is remarkable not only in size but, also for its "expanded"
portions on its hindleg femurs/tibias.
✓Reminiscent of Leaf-footed bugs of the family Coreidae.
Finally, for tonight I present THE strangest looking cerambycid I can
think of which is called the Mole-Beetle (Hypocephalus armatus).
This is the ONLY species in its genus. Its subfamily is the Anoplodermatinae.
It was descsribed by Desmarest (1832). This specialist species has a digging
habit and is said to live in underground galleries. It is endemic to Brazil and,
only from 2 regions at that !
This specimen happens to belong to me and hails from southern Bahia, Brazil
and was collected in 1974.
Seems, I nearly overlooked yet another wild-looking flower-attentive
species which I also personally own. Here it is below and its pretty cool
in its own unusual way !
five largest families of beetles. At some 35,000+ species there
are bound to be ones which either don't quite "fit" the mold
of typical examples or are ones of extraordinary evolutionary
adaption --- which cannot always be explained away.
Our member (bandrow) brought up the thought of a thread
dedicated to unusual cerambycids. So, I shall begin here by
starting out out of the gate (with baton in hand) to get this
thread running....
I have here some photo's of unusual species which I have seen
over the years in (mostly) others collections. I don't know the
names of all of them but, I will elaborate on what I do know.
The central curiosity of this photo struck me as unusual for
its rather "blistered" pronotum and (anterior elytra) along with
the very long and fine setae covering its elytra as well.
There are a number of specialised cerambycidae which possess
antennae of a most reamarkable appearance. The fan shaped
look of these indicates a highly receptive array well beyond
the "typical" suspects in this family.
The (males) of this large South-east Asian species known as
Neocerambyx gigas have a golden-brown look about them
with a velvety pile of hairs covering their elytra. However,
its really the quite unusual (lobed and undulating) appearance
of nearly (1/2) their antennal length which cannot help but,
strike one with wonder ! Likely unique to its genus....
One of the largest South American cerambycid species is this
one called Callipogon barbatus. The very name sounds well
deserved. Of coarse, its those massively built and powerful
mandibles which insure nothings gonna mess with this baby
and not pay a price for mis-adventure !
Strangely, this imposing species has a thick pile of hairs
lining the inner surfaces of those jaws. To what purpose is
anyone's guess ?
The flower-attentive species of Cerambycidae tend to either
be colorful or seem to mimic other families of distastful beetles
such as the Cantharidae (soldier beetles) or Meloidae (blister beetles).
Colorful ones have evolved to appear and even (behave) much
like a host of shiny hymenopteran bees and wasps which frequent
the same bunches of flowers. Their long spindly legs allow them
to "dance amongst the flower tops" fleet of foot and quick in motion.
This species is remarkable not only in size but, also for its "expanded"
portions on its hindleg femurs/tibias.
✓Reminiscent of Leaf-footed bugs of the family Coreidae.
Finally, for tonight I present THE strangest looking cerambycid I can
think of which is called the Mole-Beetle (Hypocephalus armatus).
This is the ONLY species in its genus. Its subfamily is the Anoplodermatinae.
It was descsribed by Desmarest (1832). This specialist species has a digging
habit and is said to live in underground galleries. It is endemic to Brazil and,
only from 2 regions at that !
This specimen happens to belong to me and hails from southern Bahia, Brazil
and was collected in 1974.
Seems, I nearly overlooked yet another wild-looking flower-attentive
species which I also personally own. Here it is below and its pretty cool
in its own unusual way !