Cupes capitatus

Fabricius, 1801

Prominent-headed Reticulated Beetle

Cupes capitatus is the sole extant in the Cupes, a relict lineage within the Cupedidae. Described by Fabricius in 1801, this represents one of the few living members of an ancient group of beetles with distinctive reticulated wing covers. Its restricted distribution in eastern North America and its phylogenetic isolation make it of particular interest for studies of beetle evolution and .

Cupes capitatus by (c) jimeckert49, some rights reserved (CC BY). Used under a CC-BY license.

Cupes capitatus 1 by CBG Photography Group, Centre for Biodiversity Genomics. Used under a CC BY 3.0 license.

Pronunciation

How to pronounce Cupes capitatus: /ˈkjuːpiːz kæpɪˈteɪtəs/

These audio files are automatically generated. While they are not always 100% accurate, they are a good starting point.

Identification

Distinguished from other North American beetles by its reticulated (net-like) with raised walls, a characteristic feature of Cupedidae. The "Prominent-headed Reticulated " refers to the enlarged . As the only living in its , it can be separated from other cupedids by genus-level characters including head and pronotal structure.

Images

Distribution

Eastern North America: United States from Georgia to Maine, and Canada in Ontario.

Similar Taxa

Other CupedidaeCupes capitatus is the only living in its ; other cupedids in North America belong to different genera such as Tenomerga and can be distinguished by differences in shape, pronotal structure, and elytral reticulation pattern.