Calchaenesthes primis, a very rare species known from Turkey and Cyprus, has been described from Mut environs (Mersin, Turkey) by Hüseyin Özdikmen et al. in 2013 [❖].
This small but beautiful beetle develops in living twigs of the kermes oak (Quercus coccifera) and probably also other Quercus species.
Interestingly, the beetles tend to gather on selected living trees showing a strong preference for stunted oaks growing on poor stony grounds.
This behaviour implies that a infochemical (aggregation or sex pheromone) mediated communication might be used by this species.
| Body length: | 10 - 13 mm |
| Life cycle: | 2 - 3 years |
| Adults in: | May - June |
| Host plant: | kermes oak (Quercus coccifera) |
| Distribution: | Cyprue, Turkey |
The mounted beetle was collected in Odou (Οδού) village environs (Larnaca District, Cyprus] on March 29 - April 5, 2014.
The living specimen was catched on wing in sparse kermes oak groove in the close proximity of Karadut village
(Nemrut Dagi National Park, Adiyaman province, Anatolia, SE Turkey). Species was reported also from Cyprus by Ambrus et al. in 2013 [✧].
Collected by Lukáš Fiala and Michal Hoskovec
[❖]
Özdikmen H., Aytar F., Cihan N., Şamlı N., Özbek H., and Kaya G.:
A synopsis of Palearctic genus Calchaenesthes Kraatz, 1863 with a new species of C. primis sp. n. from Turkey (Cerambycidae: Cerambycinae).
Munis Entomology & Zoology Journal 8 (1): 148-153, 2013.
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[✧]
Ambrus R., Grosser W. and Hrbek J.:
Contribution to the knowledge of longhorn beetles from Cyprus (Coleoptera: Cerambycidae).
Humanity space International Almanac 3 (2): 173-190, 2014.
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Özdikmen H. & Tüzün C.N.:
Distribution of Calchaenesthes species (Coleoptera: Cerambycidae: Cerambycinae) in the Mediterranean Region.
Munis Entomology & Zoology 13 (1): 106-116, 2018.
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Özdikmen H. & Tüzün C.N.:
Distribution of Calchaenesthes species (Coleoptera: Cerambycidae: Cerambycinae) in the South-Western Asia.
Munis Entomology & Zoology 13 (1): 157-163, 2018.
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