Prioninae
Guides
Archodontes
Archodontes is a monotypic genus of root-boring beetles in the family Cerambycidae, containing the single species Archodontes melanopus. The genus is endemic to Central America and the south-eastern United States, where larvae bore into the roots of oaks and other hardwood trees. Adults are large, robust beetles with distinctive spiny thoracic margins and dark coloration.
Archodontes melanopus
Live-oak Root Borer
Archodontes melanopus is a large root-boring beetle in the family Cerambycidae, and the sole species in the genus Archodontes. Native to the southeastern United States and Central America, it bores into the roots of oaks and other hardwood trees. The species was originally described by Linnaeus in 1767 as Cerambyx melanopus. Adults are active during warmer months and are attracted to lights.
Archodontes melanopus aridus
Willow Root Borer
Archodontes melanopus aridus is a subspecies of longhorn beetle (Cerambycidae: Prioninae) described by Casey in 1924. It is part of the Mallodonina subtribe within the Macrotomini tribe. The subspecies epithet 'aridus' suggests association with arid environments. Based on its placement within Archodontes melanopus, it likely shares the common name 'Willow Root Borer' with the nominate subspecies, indicating larval development in willow roots.
Archodontes melanopus serrulatus
A subspecies of longhorn beetle (Cerambycidae) in the subfamily Prioninae, native to North America. Described by LeConte in 1854, this beetle belongs to a genus characterized by large mandibles and wood-boring larvae. The subspecific epithet 'serrulatus' refers to small serrations, likely describing a diagnostic feature of the mandibles or elytra.
Callipogonini
Callipogonini is a tribe of longhorn beetles (Cerambycidae) within the subfamily Prioninae. Members are found in the Neotropical region, with documented occurrences in Bolivia including the Yungas region. The tribe includes genera such as Seticeros, Strongylaspis, and Chorenta. A new genus Seticeros was established to accommodate Seticeros tunupai sp. n. and the transferred species Chorenta aquilus.
Derobrachus hovorei
Palo Verde Root Borer, Palo Verde Beetle, Palo Verde Borer Beetle
Derobrachus hovorei is a large longhorn beetle native to the southwestern United States and northern Mexico. It was formally described as a distinct species by Santos-Silva in 2007, having been previously confused with D. geminatus for over a century. Adults are among the largest beetles in North America, reaching up to 3.5 inches in length. The species is named for its larval association with palo verde trees (Parkinsonia spp.), though it has been observed feeding on roots of various other tree species in urban environments.
Derobrachus leechi
Derobrachus leechi is a large prionine longhorn beetle described in 1977 from the southwestern United States and Mexico. It belongs to a genus commonly known as palo verde root borers, though specific host associations for this species remain undocumented. The species is rarely encountered in collections and field observations are sparse.
Derobrachus thomasi
Thomas's Oak Borer
Derobrachus thomasi is a species of longhorn beetle in the family Cerambycidae, described by Santos-Silva in 2007. It belongs to the genus Derobrachus, which comprises large wood-boring beetles commonly known as oak borers. The species has been recorded in the United States and is known by the common name Thomas's Oak Borer. As a member of the Prioninae subfamily, it is part of a group of robust, often large-bodied cerambycids associated with hardwood trees.
Elateropsis
Elateropsis is a genus of longhorn beetles (Cerambycidae) in the subfamily Prioninae, tribe Solenopterini. The genus was established by Chevrolat in 1862 and contains approximately 22 described species distributed primarily in the Caribbean region and parts of Central and South America. Species in this genus are characterized by their robust, cylindrical bodies and relatively large size typical of prionine cerambycids. The genus includes several island endemics, such as species restricted to the Bahamas, Cayman Islands, and Cuba.
Elateropsis scabrosus
Elateropsis scabrosus is a species of long-horned beetle in the family Cerambycidae, described by Gahan in 1890. It belongs to the subfamily Prioninae and tribe Solenopterini. The species has been recorded from the Caribbean and North America, with specific distribution records from the Bahamas and Cuba. Relatively few observations exist in citizen science databases, suggesting it may be infrequently encountered or underreported.
Macrotomini
Macrotomini is a tribe of longhorn beetles within the subfamily Prioninae. Members are generally large, robust beetles with prominent mandibles. The tribe is distributed across multiple continents with greatest diversity in tropical and subtropical regions. Many species are associated with woody vegetation and are of interest to collectors due to their size and distinctive morphology.
Mallodon
hardwood stump borer
Mallodon is a genus of prionine longhorned beetles in the family Cerambycidae. The genus contains approximately eight described species distributed across the Americas, with M. dasystomus being the most widely studied and geographically extensive. Species in this genus are characterized by large body size, prominent mandibles, and association with hardwood hosts. The genus was established by Lacordaire in 1830.
Mallodon dasystomus
hardwood stump borer
Mallodon dasystomus is a large prionine longhorned beetle native to the southern United States, ranging through Mexico and Central America to northern South America. Adults measure 35–50 mm in length and possess conspicuously hairy mouthparts that inspired the species epithet (from Greek dasus 'hairy' and stoma 'mouth'). The species is strongly associated with hardwood trees, particularly sycamores, and larvae develop in dead or dying wood. Both sexes use volatile semiochemicals for host location, while females produce a sex pheromone that attracts males.
Meroscelisini
Meroscelisini is a tribe of longhorn beetles within the subfamily Prioninae of the family Cerambycidae. These beetles are characterized by their robust bodies and relatively large size compared to other cerambycids. The tribe includes several genera distributed across multiple continents, with species often associated with woody vegetation.
Neomallodon
Neomallodon is a monotypic genus of longhorn beetles (Cerambycidae) established by Linsley in 1957. The genus contains a single species, Neomallodon arizonicus, originally described from southern Arizona. The species was elevated to genus level by Skiles (1976), distinguishing it from related prionine genera based on morphological characters. As a member of the subfamily Prioninae, it belongs to a group of large, robust beetles with larvae that typically bore into wood.
Neomallodon arizonicus
Neomallodon arizonicus is a species of longhorned beetle in the family Cerambycidae, subfamily Prioninae. Originally described by Casey in 1912 under a different name, it was later recognized as a distinct species by Skiles in 1978. The species is found in the southwestern United States and Mexico, with records from Arizona, New Mexico, and Oklahoma. It is among the larger species in the genus and is associated with oak woodland habitats, particularly Gambel oak (Quercus gambelii). Adults are attracted to prionic acid lures and exhibit distinctive searching behavior when attempting to locate pheromone sources.
Nothopleurus madericus
Nothopleurus madericus is a large prionine longhorn beetle described by Skiles in 1978. It belongs to a genus characterized by robust, wood-boring beetles. The species name references Madera Canyon in the Santa Rita Mountains of Arizona, a known locality for this rare beetle. Field observations indicate adults may be crepuscular or nocturnal, with at least one individual observed in an emergence hole on oak during evening hours.
Orthosoma
brown prionid
Orthosoma is a monotypic genus of longhorned beetles (family Cerambycidae) containing the single species Orthosoma brunneum, commonly known as the brown prionid. The genus is classified in the subfamily Prioninae and tribe Prionini. Adults are attracted to lights and have been documented in fermenting bait traps. The genus name Orthosoma was previously used for a microsporidian genus, which has since been renamed Orthosomella due to this preoccupation.
Orthosoma brunneum
Brown Prionid
Orthosoma brunneum is a large, brown longhorned beetle in the subfamily Prioninae, commonly known as the brown prionid. It is the sole species in its genus and is widely distributed across eastern North America. Adults are nocturnal and frequently attracted to ultraviolet lights. Larvae develop in decaying logs and have been shown to tolerate and behaviorally respond to high carbon dioxide concentrations typical of their wood-boring habitat.
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 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.
Solenopterini
Solenopterini is a tribe of longhorn beetles within the subfamily Prioninae. Members are characterized by robust, often large-bodied forms adapted to wood-boring life histories. The tribe includes several genera distributed primarily in the Neotropical region, with some representation in the Nearctic. Solenopterini species are associated with dead or decaying hardwoods and are of occasional economic significance as timber pests.
Stenodontes
Stenodontes is a genus of longhorn beetles (family Cerambycidae) in the subfamily Prioninae, tribe Macrotomini. The genus was established by Audinet-Serville in 1832 and contains three recognized species: S. chevrolati, S. damicornis, and S. exsertus. These are large, robust beetles typical of the prionine group, with larvae that bore into wood.
Stenodontes chevrolati
Chevrolat's tropical long-horned beetle
Stenodontes chevrolati is a species of long-horned beetle in the family Cerambycidae, subfamily Prioninae. It is one of the largest cerambycid species in North America, with males reaching substantial size. The species occurs in the Caribbean and southern North America, where adults are attracted to lights and have been documented in oak woodland habitats. Larval development occurs in living oak trees, with adults emerging after several years of subterranean feeding on roots.
Tragosoma
Tragosoma is a genus of large saproxylic longhorn beetles in the subfamily Prioninae, distributed across the Holarctic region. The genus includes approximately six described species, with Tragosoma depsarium being the most widely studied and the type species. These beetles are obligate deadwood specialists whose larvae develop in the sapwood of conifers, particularly pines. Adults are notable for their robust, somewhat flattened bodies and relatively short antennae compared to other cerambycids. Several species are of conservation concern due to their dependence on specific deadwood microhabitats threatened by modern forestry practices.
Tragosoma pilosicorne
Tragosoma pilosicorne is a species of long-horned beetle in the family Cerambycidae, first described by Casey in 1890. It is native to North America and belongs to the subfamily Prioninae, a group of large, robust cerambycids often associated with coniferous wood. The genus Tragosoma includes species with distinctive morphological features and ecological associations with dead or decaying wood in forested habitats.
Tragosoma soror
Tragosoma soror is a species of longhorned beetle in the family Cerambycidae, subfamily Prioninae, described by Laplante in 2017. It belongs to a genus containing other large, wood-boring beetles. The species is known from very few records, with only a single observation documented on iNaturalist. Like other members of Tragosoma, it likely develops in coniferous wood, though specific biological details remain undocumented in the available literature.
Tragosoma spiculum
Tragosoma spiculum is a long-horned beetle in the family Cerambycidae, subfamily Prioninae. The species is found in North America, with records from western Canada (Alberta, British Columbia, Manitoba) and the western United States. Like other members of the genus Tragosoma, it is a wood-boring beetle associated with coniferous forests. The species is attracted to sweet red wine-baited jug traps, suggesting adult feeding on fermenting sap or other sugar sources.
Trichocnemis
Trichocnemis is a genus of longhorn beetles (Cerambycidae) in the subfamily Prioninae. The genus contains two species distributed in western North America: Trichocnemis pauper and Trichocnemis spiculatus (the ponderosus borer). Historically, species of Trichocnemis have often been treated as members of the genus Ergates, but modern taxonomic treatments separate them based on morphological differences including head size, mandible shape, and antennae length. The larvae of T. spiculatus are notable wood-borers in ponderosa pine and inspired improvements to chainsaw design.
Trichocnemis spiculatus
Spined Woodborer, Pine Sawyer, Western Pine Sawyer, Ponderosa Pine Borer
Trichocnemis spiculatus is a large wood-boring beetle in the family Cerambycidae, native to western North America. It is notable as the largest wood-boring beetle species in Colorado and has served as inspiration for technological innovation—its opposable mandibles inspired the design of modern chainsaw chains with alternating right and left cutting teeth. The species develops in dead and dying conifers, primarily ponderosa pine and Douglas fir, with a multi-year life cycle. Larvae create extensive tunnel systems through sapwood and heartwood.
Trichocnemis spiculatus neomexicanus
New Mexican ponderous borer
Trichocnemis spiculatus neomexicanus is a subspecies of the ponderous borer, a large prionine longhorn beetle native to western North America. The larvae are among the largest of any North American cerambycid, developing in dead or dying coniferous wood—particularly ponderosa pine. Adults are nocturnal and attracted to lights. This subspecies was described by Casey in 1890 and occurs in the southwestern United States and Mexico. The species has gained notoriety as the inspiration for modern chainsaw design, after Joe Cox observed the larva's opposable mandibles in action.