Sternidius misellus

(LeConte, 1852)

Sternidius misellus is a small longhorned beetle (Cerambycidae) described by LeConte in 1852. The belongs to the tribe Acanthocinini within the Lamiinae. It is one of numerous small, morphologically similar species in the Sternidius that have historically presented taxonomic challenges, with some species previously synonymized under broader concepts such as S. alpha before being revalidated. The genus is known for high variability in coloration and pattern across its range.

Sternidius misellus by (c) Gordon C. Snelling, some rights reserved (CC BY), uploaded by Gordon C. Snelling. Used under a CC-BY license.Sternidius misellus 108828867 by Annika Lindqvist. Used under a CC BY 4.0 license.Sternidius misellus 19282095 by Gordon C. Snelling. Used under a CC BY 4.0 license.

Pronunciation

How to pronounce Sternidius misellus: //stɛrˈnɪdiˌʊs mɪˈsɛləs//

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

Identification

Members of Sternidius are small cerambycids, typically under 10 mm in length, with relatively short compared to many longhorned beetles. Sternidius misellus can be distinguished from by subtle morphological features of the elytral , antennal proportions, and body proportions, though precise diagnostic characters require examination of or authoritative revisions. The is smaller than many cerambycids and lacks the dramatically elongated antennae characteristic of the .

Images

Habitat

Has been observed in association with woody vegetation including New Mexico locust (Robinia neomexicana) in foothill of the Rocky Mountains.

Distribution

Recorded from Canada (Manitoba, New Brunswick, Ontario) and the United States, including south-central Colorado in the foothills of the Rocky Mountains near the Colorado-New Mexico state line.

Seasonality

have been collected in mid-to-late June.

Behavior

are collected by beating branches of vegetation, suggesting arboreal habits typical of many cerambycids.

Similar Taxa

  • Sternidius alphaHistorically, multiple Sternidius including S. misellus were synonymized under S. alpha by Chemsak, though these synonymies were later revalidated. The two species share small size and general body form but differ in specific morphological details.
  • Other Sternidius speciesThe contains numerous small, similar that require careful examination of genitalia, elytral punctation, and antennal proportions for accurate identification.

Tags

Sources and further reading