Agrilinae
Guides
Agrilini
Agrilini is a tribe of metallic wood-boring beetles within the family Buprestidae, subfamily Agrilinae. The tribe comprises at least 40 described genera and over 180 described species, distributed across multiple subtribes including Agrilina, Amorphosternina, Amyiina, and Rhaeboscelidina. The genus Agrilus, the largest genus in the tribe, contains numerous species including several significant forest pests such as the emerald ash borer (A. planipennis).
Agrilus geronimoi
Agrilus geronimoi is a species of jewel beetle (family Buprestidae) described by Knull in 1950. As a member of the hyperdiverse genus Agrilus, it is a twig and branch borer whose larvae develop in recently dead wood. The species is known from North America, specifically recorded from the southwestern United States. Like most Agrilus species, adults are likely found on the foliage of their larval host plants rather than visiting flowers.
Agrilus granulatus
granulate poplar borer
Agrilus granulatus, commonly known as the granulate poplar borer, is a metallic wood-boring beetle in the family Buprestidae. It is found across North America and is strongly associated with Populus species as its larval host. The species has been divided into four subspecies, with the nominate form A. g. granulatus restricted to areas east of the Rocky Mountains. Adults are typically collected by beating branches of host plants, particularly those showing recent dieback.
Agrilus parabductus
Agrilus parabductus is a species of jewel beetle (family Buprestidae) described by Knull in 1954. It belongs to the hyperdiverse genus Agrilus, which contains nearly 4,000 described species and is considered one of the largest genera in the animal kingdom. Like most members of its genus, this species is presumed to be a twig and branch borer utilizing recently dead wood for larval development. Specific biological details for A. parabductus remain poorly documented in published literature.
Agrilus sayi
Bayberry Agrilus
Agrilus sayi, commonly known as the bayberry agrilus, is a species of metallic wood-boring beetle in the family Buprestidae. It is native to North America, with documented occurrence in Canada (New Brunswick, Nova Scotia) and the United States. As a member of the enormous genus Agrilus, which contains nearly 4,000 described species, A. sayi represents one of many twig and branch-boring buprestids that develop in recently dead wood.
Brachyina
Brachyina is a subtribe within the tribe Trachyini (family Buprestidae), established by Cobos in 1979. The subtribe includes small to minute metallic wood-boring beetles, with Taphrocerus being the primary genus in North America. Members are characterized by their compact body form and association with herbaceous or woody vegetation. The group is taxonomically stable but relatively understudied compared to other buprestid lineages.
Brachys
Leaf-mining jewel beetles
Brachys is a genus of small metallic wood-boring beetles in the family Buprestidae, tribe Trachyini. The genus contains at least 140 described species distributed primarily in North America, with some species in Central and South America. Adults are characterized by their flattened, compact, wedge-shaped morphology—distinctly different from the more typical elongate, cylindrical form of most jewel beetles. This body plan reflects their unique larval habit of mining within leaves of host plants rather than boring through wood. The genus is strongly associated with oaks (Quercus) and other hardwoods, though some species utilize diverse host plant families.
BuprestidaeAgrilinaeTrachyinileaf-mineroak-associatejewel-beetlemetallic-wood-boring-beetlehardwood-forestphenologyNorth-AmericaSouth-AmericaCerradoQuercusBrachys-ovatusBrachys-aerosusBrachys-aeruginosusBrachys-querciBrachys-cephalicusBrachys-floccosusBrachys-barberiBrachys-rileyiBrachys-apacheiBrachys-cleidecostaeBrachys-tessellatusParagrilus
Paragrilus is a genus of jewel beetles (family Buprestidae) in the subfamily Agrilinae, native to the Americas. The genus contains approximately 70 described species distributed across North, Central, and South America, with four species occurring in the United States. Species are generally small, dark-colored beetles with reduced metallic luster compared to many other buprestids. They are distinguished from the related and more diverse genus Agrilus by their antennae, which can be received into grooves along the sides of the pronotum.
Paragrilus rugatulus
Metallic Woodborer
Paragrilus rugatulus is a metallic wood-boring beetle (Buprestidae: Agrilinae) described by Thomson in 1879. It belongs to the P. rugatulus species group, one of three species groups recognized in the genus for North and Central America. The species occurs in the United States and extends into Central America. Members of its species group are associated with plants in the genus Sida (Malvaceae).
Tracheini
Tracheini is a tribe of leaf-mining jewel beetles (Coleoptera: Buprestidae) in the subfamily Agrilinae. The tribe comprises primarily two genera: Habroloma and Trachys. These beetles are characterized by their small size and specialized larval habit of mining leaves of woody and herbaceous plants. Adults are typically found on host plant foliage. The tribe has a cosmopolitan distribution with notable diversity in Japan (32 species recorded) and South America. Two new Japanese species, Habroloma elaeocarpusi and H. taxillusi, were described in 2023, expanding known host associations to include Elaeocarpaceae and Loranthaceae.