Stictoleptura rubra explained

Stictoleptura rubra, the red-brown longhorn beetle, is a species of beetles belonging to the family Cerambycidae.

Subspecies

Three subspecies are known besides the nominate subspecies (S. rubra rubra):

• Stictoleptura rubra dichroa (Blanchard, 1871)
• Stictoleptura rubra numidica (Peyerhimoff, 1917)
• Stictoleptura rubra succedanea (Lewis, 1873)

Description

Stictoleptura rubra can reach a length of 10-.^[1] This species has an evident sexual dimorphism, with variations in color and shape. Elytrae and pronotum of the females are uniformly reddish-brown or reddish-orange, while in males head and pronotum are black. Moreover the males have brown or pale ochre elytrae and often they are smaller and narrower than the females.^[2]

Biology

Life cycle of this species lasts two - three years. Adults can be encountered from May to September, but mainly in July and August). They visit flowering plants for nectar and/or pollen, while larvae develop and feed within dead wood and tree stumps of coniferous trees (Picea, Pinus, Abies, Larix).^{[1] [3]} To develop and reach maturity they need nutrients provided by fungi.^{[4] [5]} Their gut contains cellulase-producing yeasts^[6] to enable xylophagy, or wood-digestion.

Distribution

The species is found throughout the European mainland, Russia and North Africa. It can also be found in Turkey and Great Britain.^{[1] [7] [8]}

Notes and References

1. http://www.cerambyx.uochb.cz/rubra.htm Cerambyx
2. http://www.naturespot.org.uk/species/stictoleptura-rubra Nature Spot
3. http://www.bioinfo.org.uk/html/Stictoleptura_rubra.htm Stictoleptura rubra (Linnaeus, 1758) (Red Longhorn Beetle)
4. Filipiak. Michał. Sobczyk. Łukasz. Weiner. January. Fungal Transformation of Tree Stumps into a Suitable Resource for Xylophagous Beetles via Changes in Elemental Ratios. Insects. 9 April 2016. 7. 2. 13. 10.3390/insects7020013. 4931425. free.
5. Filipiak. Michał. Weiner. January. Wilson. Richard A.. How to Make a Beetle Out of Wood: Multi-Elemental Stoichiometry of Wood Decay, Xylophagy and Fungivory. PLOS ONE. 23 December 2014. 9. 12. e115104. 10.1371/journal.pone.0115104. 25536334. 4275229. free. 2014PLoSO...9k5104F .
6. 10.1016/j.syapm.2009.10.002. 0723-2020. 33. 1. 25–34. Grünwald. S.. M. Pilhofer . W. Höll . Microbial associations in gut systems of wood- and bark-inhabiting longhorned beetles Coleoptera: Cerambycidae]. Systematic and Applied Microbiology. January 2010. 19962263.
7. Web site: Stictoleptura rubra (Linnaeus, 1758). https://web.archive.org/web/20070330145754/http://www.faunaeur.org/full_results.php?id=114932. dead. March 30, 2007. Fauna Europaea. February 22, 2012.
8. Vitali F.: Cerambycoidea