Rosalia longicorn

Last updated

Rosalia longicorn
Rosalia Alpina (Alpenbock).jpg
Rosalia alpina
Scientific classification OOjs UI icon edit-ltr.svg
Domain: Eukaryota
Kingdom: Animalia
Phylum: Arthropoda
Class: Insecta
Order: Coleoptera
Infraorder: Cucujiformia
Family: Cerambycidae
Genus: Rosalia
Species:
R. alpina
Binomial name
Rosalia alpina

The Rosalia longicorn (Rosalia alpina) or Alpine longhorn beetle, is a large longicorn (family Cerambycidae) that is distinguished by its distinctive markings.

Contents

Description

Rosalia longicorn in camouflage against a beech. Rosalia alpina.jpg
Rosalia longicorn in camouflage against a beech.

The Rosalia longicorn is 15 to 38 mm (0.59 to 1.50 in) long. The antennae can be up to twice as long as the rest of the body in males, and the same length in females. The elytra are flat, blue-gray, with variable black spots, including a prominent one on the thorax, a silky one in front, and a small one in back. Both the antennae and the legs have the same coloration as the body. The coloration serves as good camouflage with their preferred habitat, the European Beech.

They are distributed from Cantabrian Mountains east to Caucasus. Its numbers across Europe has greatly depleted in recent years, and it is a protected species in Germany, Hungary, Italy, Poland and Slovenia.

The adults are active from June to September. By day the beetles sit near flowers and feed on the pollen. They are able to make a chirping sound by scraping their rear legs and elytra together. After mating, the female lays the eggs within a crack in the bark of beech trees. The larvae eat the bark and pupate there as well when it has reached about three years of age. The mature adult emerges from the pupa and then have a further lifespan of three to six weeks. [2]

Rosalia longicorn is the logo of Danube-Ipoly National Park in Hungary.

Related Research Articles

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Beetle</span> Order of insects

Beetles are insects that form the order Coleoptera, in the superorder Endopterygota. Their front pair of wings are hardened into wing-cases, elytra, distinguishing them from most other insects. The Coleoptera, with about 400,000 described species, is the largest of all orders, constituting almost 40% of described insects and 25% of all known animal species; new species are discovered frequently, with estimates suggesting that there are between 0.9 and 2.1 million total species. Found in almost every habitat except the sea and the polar regions, they interact with their ecosystems in several ways: beetles often feed on plants and fungi, break down animal and plant debris, and eat other invertebrates. Some species are serious agricultural pests, such as the Colorado potato beetle, while others such as Coccinellidae eat aphids, scale insects, thrips, and other plant-sucking insects that damage crops.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Asian long-horned beetle</span> Species of beetle

The Asian long-horned beetle, also known as the starry sky, sky beetle, or ALB, is native to the Korean Peninsula, northern and southern China, and disputably in northern Japan. This species has now been accidentally introduced into the eastern United States, where it was first discovered in 1996, as well as Canada, and several countries in Europe, including Austria, France, Germany, Italy and UK.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Longhorn beetle</span> Family of beetles characterized by long antennae

The longhorn beetles (Cerambycidae), also known as long-horned or longicorns, are a large family of beetles, with over 35,000 species described. Most species are characterized by extremely long antennae, which are often as long as or longer than the beetle's body. In various members of the family, however, the antennae are quite short and such species can be difficult to distinguish from related beetle families such as the Chrysomelidae. The scientific name of this beetle family goes back to a figure from Greek mythology: after an argument with nymphs, the shepherd Cerambus was transformed into a large beetle with horns.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Histeridae</span> Family of beetles

Histeridae is a family of beetles commonly known as clown beetles or hister beetles. This very diverse group of beetles contains 3,900 species found worldwide. They can be easily identified by their shortened elytra that leaves two of the seven tergites exposed, and their geniculate (elbowed) antennae with clubbed ends. These predatory feeders are most active at night and will fake death if they feel threatened. This family of beetles will occupy almost any kind of niche throughout the world. Hister beetles have proved useful during forensic investigations to help in time of death estimation. Also, certain species are used in the control of livestock pests that infest dung and to control houseflies. Because they are predacious and will even eat other hister beetles, they must be isolated when collected.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Cleridae</span> Checkered beetles

Cleridae are a family of beetles of the superfamily Cleroidea. They are commonly known as checkered beetles. The family Cleridae has a worldwide distribution, and a variety of habitats and feeding preferences.

<i>Cerambyx cerdo</i> Species of beetle

Cerambyx cerdo, commonly known as the great capricorn beetle or cerambyx longicorn, is a species of beetle in family Cerambycidae. It occurs in North Africa, Europe, and Asia.

<i>Athous haemorrhoidalis</i> Species of beetle

Athous haemorrhoidalis is a species of European and Asian click beetles in the genus Athous. Several variations are recognized.

<i>Xanthocryptus novozealandicus</i> Species of wasp

Xanthocryptus novozealandicus, the lemon tree borer parasite, is a wasp in the family Ichneumonidae. It is a native insect of New Zealand. It is also found in Australia and New Guinea. Females hunt for larvae of wood-boring beetles around March, including the lemon tree borer, a native cerambycid that tunnels into citrus trees, grapes and many native species. When a suitable host is found, the female pushes her ovipositor through the wood and injects her eggs into the grub. This has the incidental benefit of helping to control some pests. X. novozealandicus prefers to prey on second year lemon tree borer larvae. This specific parasite prefers to prey on larger second year larvae due to its larger size.

<i>Rosalia funebris</i> Species of beetle

The Banded Alder Borer, Rosalia funebris, is a member of the very diverse family of longhorn beetles.

<i>Callipogon relictus</i> Species of beetle

Callipogon relictus is a species of longhorn beetle which is mostly found in Korea, but also in China and southern part of Russian Far East. It inhabits mixed and deciduous forests. The population of Callipogon relictus is decreasing due to deforestation and uncontrolled collection, and therefore the species are listed in the Russian Red Book.

<i>Clytus rhamni</i> Species of beetle

Clytus rhamni is a species of round-necked longhorns belonging to the family Cerambycidae, subfamily Cerambycinae.

<i>Stenopterus rufus</i> Species of beetle

Stenopterus rufus is a beetle species of round-necked longhorns belonging to the family Cerambycidae, subfamily Cerambycinae.

<i>Chrysanthia viridissima</i> Species of beetle

Chrysanthia viridissima is a species of beetles belonging to the family Oedemeridae subfamily Nacerdinae.

<i>Chlorophorus varius</i> Species of beetle

Chlorophorus varius, the grape wood borer, is a species of beetle in the family Cerambycidae.

<i>Oberea pupillata</i> Species of beetle

Oberea pupillata is a species of beetle in the family Cerambycidae. It was described by Leonard Gyllenhaal in 1817, originally under the genus Saperda.

<i>Dendroctonus micans</i> Species of beetle

Dendroctonus micans, the great spruce bark beetle, is a species of bark beetle native to the coniferous forests of Europe and Asia. The beetles burrow into the bark of spruce trees and lay eggs which develop into larvae that feed on the woody layers under the bark.

<i>Grammoptera ruficornis</i> Species of beetle

Grammoptera ruficornis is a species of beetle in family Cerambycidae.

<i>Luperus flavipes</i> Species of beetle

Luperus flavipes is a species of skeletonizing leaf beetle belonging to the family Chrysomelidae, subfamily Galerucinae.

<i>Cionus hortulanus</i> Species of beetle

Cionus hortulanus is a species of weevils belonging to the family Curculionidae, subfamily Curculioninae.

Melasis fermini is a rare species of soldier beetles native to a small area of Spain. It has only been found in three locations in Guadalajara, Caceres, and Ciudad Real, and its estimated range is less than twelve square kilometers. The species was named in honor of the late Fermín Martín Piera, a Spanish biologist and taxonomist who specialized in the study of dung beetles.

References

  1. World Conservation Monitoring Centre (1996). "Rosalia alpina". IUCN Red List of Threatened Species . 1996: e.T19743A9009447. doi: 10.2305/IUCN.UK.1996.RLTS.T19743A9009447.en . Retrieved 19 November 2021.
  2. "Rosalia alpina, species portrait of a rare longicorn - kerbtier.de". www.kerbtier.de. Retrieved 2021-04-26.