Phytoecia (Musaria) cephalotes Küster, 1846
[= Musaria cephalotes (Küster, 1846)]

Subfamilia: LAMIINAE  /  Tribus: SAPERDINI
Phytoecia cephalotes
[Photo © David Navrátil & 8K postprocessing M.Hoskovec]

Phytoecia (Musaria) cephalotes, described by Heinrich Carl Küster from Nauplion (Greece) in 1846 [❖], belongs to rare European Cerambycidae species. It develops in roots of Trinia spp. (Apiaceae). The larvae first feed in the stalks of the plant. Later larval instars enter the root system. In the second year of development the larvae create a characteristic cocoon in the root where also pupation occurs.

Body length:9 - 14 mm
Life cycle:1 year
Adults in:April - June
Host plant:Trinia (Apiaceae) species (e.g. Trinia dalechampii, Trinia glauca)
Distribution:North Italy, Slovenia [✧], Croatia, Greece


The mounted beetles were captured on the host plants on karst plateau in Buzet environs (Istria, Croatia) on May 22-23, 2010. The depicted living beetles were reared from roots of Trinia dalechampii (Apiaceae) found in Slovenia.

Collected by David Navrátil and Petr Kabátek


[❖]
Küster H.C.:
Die Käfer Europa's. Nach der Natur beschrieben von Dr. H.C.Küster Mit Beiträgen mehrerer Entomologen. Siebentes Heft.
Verlag Bauer & Raspe in Nürnberg, № 1-100 [61], 1846. [download pdf icon]

[✧]
Brelih S., Drovenik B. and Pirnat A.:
Material for the Beetle Fauna (Coleoptera) of Slovenia 2nd contribution: Polyphaga: Chrysomeloidea (= Phytophaga): Cerambycidae.
Scopolia 58: 1-442, 2006. [download pdf icon]


Phytoecia cephalotes
Phytoecia cephalotes
Phytoecia cephalotes
Phytoecia cephalotes
[Photo © Michal Hoskovec, Fuji Provia 100F 35 mm film scan]


 
SubfamiliaLamiinae Latreille, 1825
TribusSaperdini Mulsant, 1839
GenusPhytoecia Dejean, 1835
Subgenus:Musaria J. Thomson, 1864
SpeciesPhytoecia (Helladia) armeniaca Frivaldszky, 1878
SubspeciesPhytoecia (Musaria) cephalotes Küster, 1846