Prionus imbricornis

Linnaeus, 1767

Tile-horned Prionus

Prionus imbricornis is a large longhorned beetle in the Prioninae, commonly known as the Tile-horned Prionus. Males are attracted to synthetic 3,5-dimethyldodecanoic acid, a compound originally identified as a female-produced in the related P. californicus. The species belongs to the subgenus Neopolyarthron and is one of several Prionus species in eastern North America.

Prionus imbricornis by (c) Gordon C. Snelling, some rights reserved (CC BY), uploaded by Gordon C. Snelling. Used under a CC-BY license.

Prionus imbricornis by (c) John P Friel, some rights reserved (CC BY), uploaded by John P Friel. Used under a CC-BY license.

Prionus imbricornis by no rights reserved, uploaded by kcthetc1. Used under a CC0 license.

Pronunciation

How to pronounce Prionus imbricornis: //ˈpraɪənəs ˌɪmbɹɪˈkɔːrnɪs//

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

Identification

Distinguished from other eastern Prionus by the imbricate (overlapping, tile-like) antennal segments that give the species its . Males possess (fan-like) with numerous segments, while females have simpler, serrate antennae. Large-bodied prionid with typical robust, cylindrical form of the .

Images

Distribution

Eastern North America; documented in field trials using synthetic attractants in Georgia, South Carolina, and Virginia.

Behavior

Males are attracted to synthetic 3,5-dimethyldodecanoic acid, a general attractant for multiple Prionus . This -based attraction has been demonstrated in field trials, suggesting similar mate-finding to other where females produce this compound as a .

Human Relevance

Subject of research for monitoring and survey purposes; synthetic attractants may be useful for assessing geographic distribution and local abundance.