Vesperidae Explained

The Vesperidae are a small family of beetles, normally classified within the family Cerambycidae, of heterogeneous aspect but all characterised by larval stages related to roots of herbaceous plants or trees

Morphology

Adult

The nocturnal adults are characterised by earthy brown-testaceous colours, brachypterous wings or apterous (especially in females) and physogastry in females. Some tropical genera (Pathocerus) have comb-like antennae, some other (Hypocephalus) extremely reduced antennae. Some genera, such as the Brazilian Migdolus have well-developed mandibles, such as the males of the cerambycids Parandra and Spondylis, while others, such as the males of the genus Hypocephalus, have extremely modified mandibles.

Larva

The larvae have evolved some adaptations to subterranean life. In particular, the Mediterranean genus Vesperus have larvae characterised by a peculiar larval hypermetamorphosis. The larvae I have a normal worm-like aspect (though characterised by abnormally long setae), while those of following stadia have a C-shaped aspect, which makes them similar to the larvae of Melolonthinae.

Systematics

The family includes 3 subfamilies:

In the past, the Vesperini has been placed within Lepturinae, the Anoplodermatini within Prioninae[1] and the Philini a mysterious group related to the Prioninae.[2] Some peculiar larval characteristics of Vesperus has prompted some authorities to separate them as a subfamily and later as a distinct family.[3] [4] [5] [6] [7] [8] [9] [10] [11]
In 1997 Švácha, Wang & Chen recognised the morphological similarities among these three groups in the larval stadia.[12] More recently, analyses on chromosomes has also evidenced strong differences with respect to Cerambycidae.[13]

External links

Notes and References

  1. LAMEERE A., 1913 - Cerambycidae: Prioninae - Coleopterorum Catalogus 52, S. Schenkling, Berlin, 108 pp.
  2. GAHAN C. J., - Fauna of British India including Ceylon and Burma. Coleoptera Cerambycidae I - Taylor and Francis Ed., London, 329 pp. PDF http://www.cerambycoidea.com/titles/gahan1906.pdf
  3. Bense U., 1995 - Longhorn beetles. Illustrated key to the Cerambycidae and Vesperidae of Europe - Margraf Verlag, Weikersheim, 512 pp. Web site: Illustrated key to the Cerambycidae and Vesperidae of Europe . July 7, 2008 . dead . https://web.archive.org/web/20070729044217/http://shop.insect.cz/popup_image.php?pID=100 . July 29, 2007 .
  4. San Martín A. F., Bregana M., Irurzun J. I. R. 1997 - Nuevos datos sobre la fauna navarra de longicornios (Coleoptera: Cerambycidae & Vesperidae) - Zapateri: revista aragonesa de entomología 7: 191-208 http://dialnet.unirioja.es/servlet/articulo?codigo=307834
  5. Jenis I., 2001 - Long-Horned Beetles Distenidae, Oxypeltidae, Vesperidae, Anoplodermatidae & Cerambycidae I, Vesperidae and Cerambycidae of Europe I, A. Regulus, Zlin, 333 pp. http://www.coleoptera.org/p1293.htm
  6. Vanin S. A. & Ide S., 2002 - Classificação comentada de Coleoptera - III. Marco sistemático del proyecto Pribes 2002 PDF http://www.sea-entomologia.org/PDF/M3M_PRIBES_2002/193_206_Vanin.pdf
  7. Brustel H., Berger P. & Cocquempot C. 2002 Catalogue des Vesperidae et des Cerambycidae de la faune de France (Coleoptera) - Annales de la Societé entomologique de France (N. S.) 38 (4): 443-461 PDF http://www.cerambycoidea.com/titles/brustelalii2002.pdf
  8. Dias M. M. 2004 - Novas ocorrências e descrição da fêmea de Mysteria darwini (Lameere) (Coleoptera, Vesperidae, Anoplodermatinae) - Revista Brasileira de Entomologia 48 (1): 141-143 PDF http://www.cerambycoidea.com/titles/dias2004.pdf
  9. Lin, M. Y., Chen, S. K., & Chang, H. Y. 2004. - Morphological and ecological studies of Philus antennatus - Plant Prot. Bull. 46: 177-180 PDF http://www.cerambycoidea.com/titles/linalii2004.pdf
  10. Machado L. A., Habib M., Leite L. G. & Mendes J. M. 2006 - Estudos ecológicos e comportamentais de Migdolus fryanus (Westwood, 1863) (Coleoptera: Vesperidae), em cultura de cana-de-açúcar, em quatro municípios do estado de São Paulo - Arquivos Do Instituto Biologico (São Paulo), 73 (2): 227-233 PDF http://www.cerambycoidea.com/titles/machadoalii2006.pdf
  11. Machado L. A. & Habib M., 2006 - Migdolus fryanus (Westwood, 1863) (Coleoptera: Vesperidae): praga da cultura de cana-de-açúcar - Arquivos Do Instituto Biologico (São Paulo), 73 (3): 375-381 PDF http://www.cerambycoidea.com/titles/machadohabib2006.pdf
  12. [Petr Švácha|ŠVÁCHA P.]
  13. DUTRILLAUX A. M., MOULIN S. & DUTRILLAUX B. (2007) Presence d’un caryotype tres original a 53-54 chromosomes chez Vesperus xatarti Mulsant 1839 (Coleoptera : Cerambycidae :Vesperinae). Annales de la Societé entomologique de France (N. S.) 43 (1): 81-86. Available in PDF http://www.cerambycoidea.com/titles/dutrillauxalii2007.pdf

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