Epicauta caviceps
Horn, 1873
caviceps is a of in the , first described by Horn in 1873. It belongs to the subgenus Epicauta (Epicauta) and is known from North America. The species is represented by 100 specimens in the Research Museum collection at the University of California, Riverside, indicating it is a documented but not exceptionally abundant species within its . Like other members of Epicauta, it possesses chemical defenses based on .
Pronunciation
How to pronounce Epicauta caviceps: /ˌɛpɪˈkaʊtə ˈkeɪvɪˌsɛps/
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Identification
caviceps can be distinguished from other Epicauta by specific morphological features described in the original Horn (1873) description, though detailed diagnostic characters are not readily available in the provided sources. As a member of the subgenus Epicauta (Epicauta), it shares the general body plan of , elongate with soft . Accurate identification to species level within this large typically requires examination of male and comparison with .
Distribution
North America. The is recorded from the United States, with museum specimens held at the Research Museum, University of California, Riverside.
Similar Taxa
- Epicauta (Epicauta) alphonsiiBoth belong to the subgenus (Epicauta) and share similar general ; E. alphonsii is much more commonly collected (265 specimens vs. 100 for E. caviceps in the UCR collection)
- Epicauta (Epicauta) apacheAnother member of the same subgenus with comparable body form; E. apache is more frequently encountered (289 specimens in UCR collection) and may overlap in geographic range
More Details
Type specimen information
The was described by George Henry Horn in 1873. The original description would have been based on specimens from the Horn collection, now part of the Harvard Museum of Comparative holdings.
Museum holdings
As of April 2010, the Research Museum at University of California, Riverside held 100 specimens of caviceps, placing it among the moderately represented in the Epicauta within that collection.