Biology:Arhopalus ferus
| Arhopalus ferus | |
|---|---|
| Scientific classification | |
| Kingdom: | Animalia |
| Phylum: | Arthropoda |
| Class: | Insecta |
| Order: | Coleoptera |
| Infraorder: | Cucujiformia |
| Family: | Cerambycidae |
| Genus: | Arhopalus |
| Species: | A. ferus
|
| Binomial name | |
| Arhopalus ferus (Mulsant, 1839)
| |
| Synonyms[1] | |
| |
Arhopalus ferus, commonly known as the burnt pine longhorn beetle,[2] is a species of long horn beetle, of the order Coleoptera. It was first described by French entomologist Étienne Mulsant in 1839.
Description
Adult beetles are 8–30 mm long reddish-brown to black, while males are generally smaller and lighter in colour.[3][4]
The body is elongated and oval, typical for longhorn beetles. The head angles forward, showing most of the mouth parts. The thread-like antennae are half to three-quarters of the body length, longer in males. The prothorax is smoothly curved with no spines, narrower than the elytra. The elytra have four ridges and slightly tapering sides.[4]
Eggs are white, opaque, and cigar-shaped, measuring about 0.5 by 1.8 mm. Creamy white larvae are cylindrical, with noticeable legs and pointed jaws. Larvae are active when removed from their tunnels.[4]
Behaviour
Diet
Arhopalus ferus prefers dead or dying Pinus and Picea injured by fire or other damage but rarely it will develop in healthy trees.[3][4] Females are attracted to volatiles from burnt trees or sawmills.[4]
Life cycle
Adults, live for several weeks, and emerge in spring to autumn.[3][4] Females can lay up to about 1000 eggs and they prefer to lay the eggs in fire-scorched host material.[4] Eggs are laid in groups of 5 to 50 in the bark cracks as early as 24 hours after a fire. If host material is not burned it can still support a lighter population.[4]
Larvae hatch in about 10 days and bore towards the inner layers with preference for phloem and cambium but sometimes eat sapwood.[4] The larval tunnels are oval in cross section and up to 12 mm wide.[4]
It native ranges the beetle needs 3 to 4 years to complete its life cycle but in New Zealand the beetle typically completes its life cycle in 1 to 2 years.[3]
Distribution
Arhopalus ferus naturally occurs across Europe, northern Asia (except Japan), and North Africa. It is an introduced species in New Zealand probably since the 1950s[2] but first reported from Australasia in 1970.[3]
References
- ↑ "Arhopalus ferus (Mulsant, 1839) in GBIF Secretariat (2023).". GBIF Backbone Taxonomy accessed via GBIF.org. 2023. doi:10.15468/39omei. https://doi.org/10.15468/39omei. Retrieved 2024-02-09.
- ↑ 2.0 2.1 "A Guide to Arhopalus ferus: Burnt Pine Longhorn Beetle". The Ministry for Primary Industries Manatū Ahu Matua. 2023. https://www.mpi.govt.nz/dmsdocument/56947-A-guide-to-arhopalus-ferus-Burnt-pine-longhorn-beetle-Pest-factsheet-for-forestry-exports. Retrieved 2024-02-09.
- ↑ 3.0 3.1 3.2 3.3 3.4 Wang Qiao; Leschen Richard A. B. (2003). "Identification and distribution of Arhopalus species (Coleoptera: Cerambycidae: Aseminae) in Australia and New Zealand". New Zealand Entomologist 26 (1): 53–59. doi:10.1080/00779962.2003.9722108. Bibcode: 2003NZEnt..26...53W. https://www.tandfonline.com/doi/abs/10.1080/00779962.2003.9722108.
- ↑ 4.00 4.01 4.02 4.03 4.04 4.05 4.06 4.07 4.08 4.09 Hosking, G. P. (2009). "Burnt pine longhorn beetle, Arhopalus tristis". Forest and Timber Insects in New Zealand (27). https://www.nzffa.org.nz/farm-forestry-model/the-essentials/forest-health-pests-and-diseases/Pests/Arhopalus-tristis/Arhopalus-tristisEnt27.
Wikidata ☰ Q748238 entry
