Anambodera nebulosa
(Horn, 1894)
Anambodera nebulosa is a small metallic wood-boring beetle in the Buprestidae. The is found in western North America and is characterized by its cryptic habits, typically occurring on rock surfaces or bare soil rather than flowers. It was described by Horn in 1894 and is one of several species in the Anambodera, which is restricted to western North America and remains incompletely known taxonomically.
Pronunciation
How to pronounce Anambodera nebulosa: /ænəmbəˈdɛrə nɛbjəˈloʊsə/
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Identification
Distinguished from the closely related and speciose Acmaeodera by: front margin of epistoma not reflexed or plate-like; front angles of pronotum rounded in side view; between 1st and 2nd abdominal sterna visible. The coarse elytral punctation and heavily sculptured, bronzed pronotal surface provide classic gestalt for Anambodera. Unlike Acmaeodera , does not typically visit flowers.
Habitat
Rock surfaces and bare soil in western North American . Associated with pinyon/juniper woodland and related arid to semi-arid environments.
Distribution
Western North America; recorded from Arizona, Utah, and other southwestern U.S. states. Specifically documented from Washington County, Utah (Santa Clara River Reserve area) and Arizona localities.
Seasonality
active during summer months. One record indicates collection in late June.
Host Associations
- Eriogonum deflexum - plant have been swept from this plant; may represent a new host record for the
Behavior
Cryptic ground-dwelling habits; alight on rock surfaces or bare soil rather than visiting flowers. This contrasts with the related Acmaeodera, which is commonly found on flowers.
Similar Taxa
- AcmaeoderaSimilar small, vittate appearance but distinguished by epistomal structure, pronotal angles, visible abdominal sternal , and flower-visiting
- Anambodera geminaSimilar gestalt and may key similarly, but A. nebulosa differs in specific sculptural characters
More Details
Taxonomic Status
The Anambodera is restricted to western North America and is in need of taxonomic revision. Several undescribed species are known from Arizona material.
Collection Difficulty
in this tend to be poorly represented in collections due to their cryptic habits of landing on rocks and bare soil rather than on vegetation where they would be more easily encountered by collectors.