Cerambycidae
Guides
Pilostenaspis
Pilostenaspis is a genus of long-horned beetles (Cerambycidae) described by Eya in 2015. The genus contains at least three species distributed in North America. These beetles belong to the subfamily Cerambycinae and tribe Trachyderini, a group known for often robust and frequently patterned species.
Pilostenaspis lateralis
Pilostenaspis lateralis is a species of long-horned beetle in the family Cerambycidae, first described by LeConte in 1884. It belongs to the subfamily Cerambycinae and tribe Trachyderini. The species is native to the United States, with confirmed distribution records from US territory.
Piodes
Piodes is a monotypic genus of longhorn beetles (Cerambycidae) established by LeConte in 1850. It contains a single species, Piodes coriacea, distributed in the United States. The genus is classified in the subfamily Lepturinae and tribe Rhagiini.
Placoschema
Placoschema is a monotypic genus of longhorned beetles (family Cerambycidae) in the tribe Trachyderini, established by Chemsak & Hovore in 2010. The genus contains a single species, Placoschema dimorpha, which exhibits striking sexual dimorphism in coloration. The genus was described from Mexican specimens, with the first U.S. record documented from Arizona in 2013. Members are notably small and somberly colored compared to other Trachyderini, which may have contributed to their being overlooked by collectors.
Placoschema dimorpha
Placoschema dimorpha is a small longhorned beetle (family Cerambycidae) and the sole member of its genus. Described from Mexico in 2010, it represents a significant range extension as the first U.S. record was documented from southeastern Arizona in 2013. The species exhibits pronounced sexual dimorphism in coloration: males have black elytra with red lateral margins on the basal half, while females have entirely reddish elytra or at most a darker apical fascia. At approximately 10 mm in length, its diminutive size and somber coloration contrast sharply with the typically large, colorful members of the tribe Trachyderini.
Placosternus difficilis
Mesquite Borer
Placosternus difficilis is a wood-boring longhorn beetle in the family Cerambycidae. Adults exhibit Batesian mimicry, resembling black and yellow wasps. The species is strongly associated with mesquite trees (Prosopis spp.), though it has been recorded from multiple host plants and is considered polyphagous. Adults feed on nectar and pollen. The species ranges from the southwestern United States through Mexico and into Central America and the Caribbean.
Plagiostira albonotata
white-marked shieldback
Plagiostira albonotata, commonly known as the white-marked shieldback, is a species of shield-backed katydid in the family Tettigoniidae. It is a large, robust katydid found in arid regions of the southwestern United States. The species is characterized by distinctive white markings on its body. Observations indicate activity during summer months in desert and semi-desert habitats.
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cottonwood borer
Plectrodera is a monotypic genus of longhorned beetles (family Cerambycidae) containing the single species Plectrodera scalator, commonly known as the cottonwood borer. The species is among the largest and most visually distinctive cerambycids in North America, recognized by its striking black-and-white checkered pattern formed by dense mats of white setae on a glossy black body. Adults are associated with cottonwood (Populus deltoides) and are found across the eastern two-thirds of the United States, particularly in the Great Plains.
Plectrodera scalator
Cottonwood Borer
Plectrodera scalator, commonly known as the Cottonwood Borer, is a large and striking longhorned beetle (Cerambycidae) native to North America. It is the sole species in the genus Plectrodera. Adults are immediately recognizable by their robust body and distinctive checkered pattern of dense white pubescence on a glossy black background. The species is strongly associated with cottonwood (Populus deltoides) and other Populus species, where adults are most frequently encountered. Despite being described as common in the Great Plains, direct observations remain relatively infrequent, possibly due to cryptic behavior against foliage backgrounds.
Plectromerini
Plectromerini is a monotypic tribe of longhorn beetles (Cerambycidae) within the subfamily Cerambycinae. The tribe contains only the genus Plectromerus, which comprises several species of wood-boring beetles. These beetles are characterized by their elongated bodies and antennae typical of the Cerambycidae family.
Plectromerus dentipes
tooth-footed bycid
Plectromerus dentipes is a species of longhorn beetle (Cerambycidae) first described by Olivier in 1790. It is commonly known as the tooth-footed bycid. The species occurs across North America, the Caribbean, and the Bahamas. As a member of the subfamily Cerambycinae and tribe Plectromerini, it represents a typical cerambycid lineage within the diverse longhorn beetle fauna of the region.
Plectrura
Plectrura is a genus of longhorn beetles in the subfamily Lamiinae, tribe Parmenini. The genus was established by Mannerheim in 1852 and contains at least two species: Plectrura spinicauda and Plectrura metallica. Members of this genus are classified within the diverse cerambycid fauna of the Holarctic region.
Plectrura spinicauda
Thorn-tailed Longhorn Beetle
Plectrura spinicauda, commonly known as the Thorn-tailed Longhorn Beetle, is a species of longhorn beetle in the family Cerambycidae. It was first described in 1845 (authored as Mannerheim, 1852). The species occurs in northwestern North America, with records from Alaska, British Columbia, and adjacent regions. It is a member of the subfamily Lamiinae and tribe Parmenini.
Plesioclytus
Plesioclytus is a genus of longhorn beetles in the family Cerambycidae, established by Giesbert in 1993. The genus is monotypic, containing only Plesioclytus relictus. It belongs to the tribe Plesioclytini, which was erected to accommodate this genus. The genus is classified within the subfamily Cerambycinae.
Plesioclytus morrisi
Plesioclytus morrisi is a longhorn beetle species in the family Cerambycidae, described by Wappes and Skelley in 2015. It was previously known as Aegomorphus morrisii. The species has been documented in Mississippi, where specimens were collected in prairie habitats. It is considered uncommon and was historically known from very few specimens.
Plesioclytus relictus
Plesioclytus relictus is a species of longhorn beetle in the family Cerambycidae, first described by Giesbert in 1993. The species name 'relictus' suggests a relictual distribution, though specific details about its biology remain poorly documented. It belongs to the tribe Plesioclytini within the subfamily Cerambycinae.
Plinthocoelium
Plinthocoelium is a genus of longhorned beetles (Cerambycidae) in the tribe Callichromatini. The genus contains approximately 9 species distributed across North America, Central America, and the Caribbean. The most well-known species, Plinthocoelium suaveolens, is notable for its large size, brilliant iridescent green coloration, and extremely long orange-and-black banded legs. Members of this genus are associated with woody plants in the family Sapotaceae, particularly Sideroxylon species.
Plinthocoelium suaveolens plicatum
Bumelia Borer
Plinthocoelium suaveolens plicatum is the western subspecies of a striking longhorned beetle distributed from Texas west to New Mexico, Arizona, and northern Mexico. Distinguished from the nominate eastern subspecies by bronze or cupreous tints and weak transverse rugae on the pronotum, this beetle exhibits brilliant iridescent green coloration with contrasting orange and black legs. Larvae develop in the roots of living Sideroxylon lanuginosum (gum bumelia), with adults active during summer months. The subspecies intergrades with P. s. suaveolens in northeastern Texas.
Plinthocoelium suaveolens suaveolens
bumelia borer, cerambycid beetle
Plinthocoelium suaveolens suaveolens is a striking longhorned beetle in the family Cerambycidae, renowned as one of North America's most beautiful cerambycids. Adults display brilliant iridescent green elytra, coppery head and pronotum, and exceptionally long black antennae and legs with contrasting orange femora. The nominate subspecies occurs across the southeastern and south-central United States, where larvae develop in roots of living gum bumelia trees (Sideroxylon lanuginosum). Adults are active primarily during July and August, often seen flying to host flowers or perching on tree trunks. The species is notably wary and difficult to approach for photography.
Plionoma
Plionoma is a genus of longhorned beetles (family Cerambycidae) in the tribe Trachyderini, containing three species: P. basalis, P. rubens, and P. suturalis. Members of this genus are notable for their bright coloration, diurnal activity, and strong association with flowers. P. suturalis has been documented feeding on mesquite flowers and exhibits bimodal seasonal activity, with adults appearing in spring, disappearing during summer, and reappearing in fall. The genus occurs primarily in the southwestern United States and northern Mexico, with P. suturalis representing a significant northeastern range extension into Oklahoma.
Plionoma rubens
Plionoma rubens is a species of longhorned beetle in the family Cerambycidae, described by Thomas L. Casey in 1891. It belongs to the tribe Trachyderini, a group known for bright coloration, diurnal activity, and attraction to flowers. The species occurs in the southwestern United States and northern Mexico, with records from Texas west to California. Like other members of its genus, adults are associated with mesquite and other woody legumes.
Poecilium
Poecilium is a subgenus of longhorn beetles (Cerambycidae) classified within the genus Phymatodes. It contains at least 20 described species. Members are wood-boring beetles in the tribe Callidiini, subfamily Cerambycinae. The subgenus was established by Fairmaire in 1868.
Poecilobrium chalybeum
Poecilobrium chalybeum is a small longhorn beetle and the sole species in the monotypic genus Poecilobrium. It was first described from California in 1873 by John Lawrence LeConte. The genus was established by Horn in 1883. Records indicate presence in California, Mexico, and the broader United States.
Pogonocherini
Pogonocherini is a tribe of longhorn beetles (Cerambycidae) within the subfamily Lamiinae. The tribe comprises approximately 18 genera distributed primarily in the Nearctic and Neotropical regions. Members are generally small to medium-sized cerambycids with varied morphological adaptations. The genus Pogonocherus is the type genus and among the most species-rich in the tribe.
Pogonocherus
flat-faced longhorn beetles
Pogonocherus is a genus of flat-faced longhorn beetles in the family Cerambycidae, established by Dejean in 1821. Species in this genus are wood-boring cerambycids associated with coniferous hosts, particularly pines. At least one species, P. perroudi, has been identified as a potential vector of pinewood nematode (Bursaphelenchus xylophilus), the causal agent of pine wilt disease. The genus contains approximately 30 described species distributed across the Northern Hemisphere.
Pogonocherus mixtus
Mixed-spotted Flatface Sawyer
Pogonocherus mixtus is a species of longhorned beetle in the family Cerambycidae, described by Haldeman in 1847. It occurs across northern and western North America, with records from Canada and the United States. Like other members of the genus, it is associated with coniferous hosts, particularly pines. The species is part of the subfamily Lamiinae, commonly known as flat-faced longhorns.
Pogonocherus parvulus
Pogonocherus parvulus is a small longhorned beetle (Cerambycidae: Lamiinae) described by John Lawrence LeConte in 1852. The species occurs across northern North America, with records from multiple Canadian provinces and the United States. Like other members of the genus Pogonocherus, it is associated with coniferous hosts, though specific biological details remain poorly documented in the literature.
Pogonocherus penicillatus
Pogonocherus penicillatus is a species of longhorn beetle (family Cerambycidae) in the subfamily Lamiinae. The species was described by John Lawrence LeConte in 1850. It has been documented across northern North America, with records from Canada and the United States. As a member of the tribe Pogonocherini, it belongs to a group of small to medium-sized cerambycids typically associated with coniferous and deciduous woody plants.
Pogonocherus pictus
Pogonocherus pictus is a species of longhorn beetle (family Cerambycidae) described by Fall in 1910. The species is known from Canada and the United States, with records from Alberta, British Columbia, Ontario, and Québec. As a member of the subfamily Lamiinae, it belongs to a diverse group of wood-boring beetles, though specific details about its biology and ecology remain poorly documented.
Pogonocherus propinquus
Pogonocherus propinquus is a species of longhorned beetle in the family Cerambycidae, described by Fall in 1910. It belongs to the subfamily Lamiinae and tribe Pogonocherini. The species has been recorded from western North America, including British Columbia, Canada. Like other members of its genus, it is likely associated with coniferous trees, though specific biological details remain poorly documented in the available literature.
Poliaenus
Poliaenus is a genus of longhorn beetles in the subfamily Lamiinae, tribe Pogonocherini. The genus was established by Bates in 1880 and contains approximately 11 species distributed primarily in western North America. Species in this genus are associated with coniferous and hardwood trees, with several species named after their host associations.
Poliaenus californicus
Poliaenus californicus is a species of longhorn beetle in the family Cerambycidae, described by Schaeffer in 1908. It belongs to the subfamily Lamiinae and tribe Pogonocherini. The species is known from the United States, with records indicating presence in North America.
Poliaenus negundo
Poliaenus negundo is a species of longhorn beetle in the family Cerambycidae, first described by Schaeffer in 1905. The species is known from Mexico and the United States. As a member of the subfamily Lamiinae and tribe Pogonocherini, it belongs to a group of beetles commonly associated with woody plants. Information regarding its biology, host associations, and specific habitat requirements remains limited in published literature.
Prioninae
Tooth-necked and Aberrant Longhorn Beetles, prionids
Prioninae is a subfamily of long-horned beetles (Cerambycidae) comprising large, robust beetles typically measuring 25–70 mm. They are distinguished by males of several genera possessing enlarged mandibles used in male-male combat, analogous to stag beetles. Most species are nocturnal and attracted to light. Larvae are wood-borers, with the majority of documented species feeding on rotting wood or roots.
Prionini
Prionini is a tribe of large, robust longhorn beetles (Cerambycidae: Prioninae) characterized by their substantial body size, strong mandibles, and often somber coloration. Members of this tribe are distinguished from other Prioninae by their relatively small compound eyes, an adaptation associated with diurnal activity patterns. The tribe includes several genera distributed across the Holarctic and Oriental regions, with taxonomic revisions ongoing due to the group's morphological diversity and historical classification challenges.
Prionus arenarius
sandwalker prionid
Prionus arenarius is a species of longhorned beetle in the family Cerambycidae, first described by Hovore in 1981. It belongs to the subfamily Prioninae, a group of large, robust beetles commonly known as prionids or sawyers. The species is associated with sandy habitats, as suggested by its specific epithet "arenarius" (Latin for "of sand"). Field observations indicate it is attracted to prionic acid pheromone lures, with males being strong fliers active at dusk and early night, while females are rarely encountered and appear to be flightless.
Prionus californicus
California root borer, California prionus
Prionus californicus is a large, sexually dimorphic longhorned beetle native to western North America. Adults emerge from soil in early summer and are active from June through August. Females are larger than males and produce a volatile sex pheromone to attract mates, while males possess more strongly serrated antennae. The species spends most of its life cycle underground as root-feeding larvae, making it a significant pest of orchards, vineyards, and other woody plants.
Prionus cuneatus
Prionus cuneatus is a species of longhorned beetle in the family Cerambycidae, subfamily Prioninae. The species was described by Casey in 1924 and is currently considered a synonym of Prionus imbricornis in some taxonomic databases. Like other members of the genus Prionus, it is a root-boring beetle with subterranean larvae. The species belongs to a genus that has been the focus of recent collecting efforts in the Great Plains using synthetic prionic acid pheromone lures.
Prionus emarginatus
Prionus emarginatus is a species of long-horned beetle in the family Cerambycidae, found in North America. It belongs to the subgenus Homaesthesis, one of eight species in this poorly known group primarily distributed in the Great Plains and Rocky Mountains. Adults are large, blackish beetles with broad pronota. Males are attracted to prionic acid lures, suggesting females emit this compound as a sex pheromone. The species is nocturnal, with males active at night and attracted to ultraviolet and mercury-vapor lights.
Prionus fissicornis
Prionus fissicornis is a long-horned beetle in the family Cerambycidae, distinguished as the sole member of the monotypic subgenus Prionus (Antennalia). It inhabits shortgrass prairie habitats in the Great Plains of North America. Adults are highly attracted to prionic acid lures, and emergence appears to be triggered by rainfall events. Unlike some congeners, adults do not appear to construct or occupy burrows.
Prionus geminus
Prionus geminus is a longhorned beetle species in the subfamily Prioninae, described in 2016 from material collected in the Great Plains region of North America. It belongs to the subgenus Homaesthesis, a group of grassland-associated Prionus species whose biology remains poorly documented. The species is part of a genus whose larvae are subterranean root feeders, though specific host associations for P. geminus have not been established.
Prionus heroicus
Heroic prionus
Prionus heroicus is one of the largest long-horned beetles in North America, with males reaching substantial size. The species occurs in oak and pine-juniper woodlands of the southwestern United States and adjacent Mexico, with larvae developing underground as root-feeders. Adults are active during both day and night and are attracted to prionic acid lures, though males typically cannot locate the precise source and instead circle or search nearby. The species exhibits a defensive posture when disturbed, raising its anterior body off the ground.
Prionus imbricornis
Tile-horned Prionus
Prionus imbricornis is a large longhorned beetle in the subfamily 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 sex pheromone in the related species P. californicus. The species belongs to the subgenus Neopolyarthron and is one of several Prionus species in eastern North America.
Prionus integer
Prionus integer is a longhorned beetle (Cerambycidae) in the subgenus Homaesthesis, endemic to the United States and found in shortgrass prairie habitats of the Great Plains. Adults exhibit unusual burrowing behavior, with both sexes creating shallow soil burrows. Males are strongly attracted to prionic acid pheromone lures, and adult activity appears triggered by rainfall events. The species was described by LeConte in 1851 and remains poorly known compared to economically important congeners.
Prionus laticollis
broad-necked root borer, broad necked prionus
Prionus laticollis, commonly known as the broad-necked root borer, is a large root-boring longhorn beetle native to eastern North America. The species is a significant economic pest of apple orchards, where larvae tunnel through roots causing structural damage to trees. Adults are primarily nocturnal, with males attracted to lights and females using an elongated ovipositor to deposit eggs in soil. The species exhibits strong sexual dimorphism, with females substantially larger than males. The life cycle spans 3-4 years, with larvae developing underground while feeding on tree roots.
Prionus palparis
Prionus palparis is a species of longhorn beetle in the family Cerambycidae, first described by Thomas Say in 1824. It belongs to the subfamily Prioninae, a group of large, robust beetles commonly known as prionids or sawyers. The species has been recorded from sand dune habitats in the southwestern United States, particularly in New Mexico. Like other members of the genus Prionus, males are attracted to prionic acid, a sex pheromone component used in field studies to detect and collect specimens.
Pronocera
Pronocera is a genus of long-horned beetles (Cerambycidae) established by Motschulsky in 1859. The genus contains three described species: Pronocera angusta, P. collaris, and P. sibirica. Pronocera angusta has been studied in detail for its morphology, phenology, and ecology in relation to Norway spruce forests. The genus belongs to the tribe Callidiini within the subfamily Cerambycinae.
Pronocera collaris
Pronocera collaris is a species of long-horned beetle in the family Cerambycidae, first described by Kirby in 1837. It is native to North America and belongs to the tribe Callidiini. The species includes two recognized subspecies: P. c. collaris and P. c. lecontei. Like other members of its tribe, it is likely associated with coniferous hosts, though specific ecological details remain poorly documented.
Pronocera collaris collaris
Pronocera collaris collaris is a subspecies of longhorn beetle (Cerambycidae) in the tribe Callidiini. It is currently considered a synonym of Pronocera collaris. The species is native to North America, with records from Canada and the United States. As a member of the Cerambycinae subfamily, it belongs to a diverse group of wood-boring beetles, though specific biological details for this subspecies remain poorly documented.
Pronocera collaris lecontei
A subspecies of longhorn beetle in the family Cerambycidae, originally described by Chemsak in 1963. It belongs to the tribe Callidiini within the subfamily Cerambycinae. The subspecies epithet 'lecontei' honors the prominent American entomologist John Lawrence LeConte.