Acmaeodera nelsoni
Barr, 1972
Acmaeodera nelsoni is a of jewel beetle in the Buprestidae, described by Barr in 1972. It belongs to the nominate subgenus Acmaeodera (s. str.). The species has been documented as associated with Cercocarpus ledifolius (curl-leaf mountain mahogany), a relationship confirmed through rearing records. It is one of approximately two dozen North American Buprestidae species linked to Cercocarpus hosts, with several species in this being Cercocarpus .
Pronunciation
How to pronounce Acmaeodera nelsoni: //ˌæk.miː.oʊˈdɛr.ə ˈnɛl.səˌnaɪ//
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Habitat
Associated with Cercocarpus ledifolius (curl-leaf mountain mahogany) in mountainous western North America. The plant occurs in dry, rocky slopes and woodland edges, typically at moderate to high elevations in the Sierra Nevada and other western mountain ranges.
Distribution
Nearctic; North America. Documented from the western United States, with plant Cercocarpus ledifolius occurring in the Sierra Nevada and other western mountain systems. Specific locality records include the Lake Tahoe Basin area and eastern slopes of the Sierra Nevada in California and Nevada.
Host Associations
- Cercocarpus ledifolius - confirmed Reared from dead branches; one of approximately two dozen Buprestidae associated with Cercocarpus in North America
Similar Taxa
- Acmaeodera rubrocupreaBoth are Cercocarpus (marked with asterisk in association lists), though A. rubrocuprea has been recorded exclusively from Cercocarpus while A. nelsoni associations include additional hosts
- Chrysobothris bisinuataAnother Cercocarpus (marked with asterisk), but distinguished by -level differences in body form and elytral sculpturing
- Anthaxia (Melanthaxia) porellaCercocarpus with similar fidelity, but distinguished by smaller size and different antennal structure