Joint-fir

Guides

• Sphaerobothris

  Sphaerobothris is a genus of jewel beetles in the family Buprestidae, subfamily Buprestinae, and tribe Chrysobothrini. The genus was established by Semenov-Tian-Shanskij and Richter in 1934. It contains five described species distributed in North America, with S. ulkei being the most frequently encountered and collected by entomologists. Members of this genus are associated with Ephedra (joint-fir) as host plants.

  BuprestidaeChrysobothriniEphedrajoint-firdesert-beetlesSouthwest-North-Americararejewel-beetlesbuprestidwood-boring-beetles

• Sphaerobothris ulkei

  Sphaerobothris ulkei is a metallic wood-boring beetle in the family Buprestidae. The species is native to arid regions of North America and Central America. It has been documented in association with Ephedra species (joint-fir), particularly Ephedra trifurca in desert habitats of the southwestern United States. The beetle is considered uncommon and requires targeted searching to locate.

  Buprestidaemetallic-wood-boring-beetleEphedradesert-beetlesouthwestern-United-Statesjoint-fir