| Zorion | |
|---|---|
 | |
| Zorion guttigerum | |
Scientific classification  | |
| Domain: | Eukaryota |
| Kingdom: | Animalia |
| Phylum: | Arthropoda |
| Class: | Insecta |
| Order: | Coleoptera |
| Family: | Cerambycidae |
| Tribe: | Aphneopini |
| Genus: | Zorion Pascoe, 1867 |
Zorion is a genus of longhorn beetle of the family Cerambycidae that is endemic to New Zealand. [1] [2] About 10 species are currently recognised. [3]
Zorion is endemic to New Zealand and is widespread throughout the North and South Island. Some species are also found on offshore islands:
They are often found in great numbers on flowers. Canopies and bushes are also common locations that Zorion often inhabit. Additionally, some species can also be found on flowering Chinese Privet ( Ligustrum sinense) . [4] Other examples include:
Adults are usually 3-7mm long, often colourful and striking. The species Z. guttigerum (blue with orange spots) has been considered New Zealand's most strikingly colourful beetle. [10] Equally striking is Z. minutum, displaying an eye catching orange with yellow spots.
They have a tarsal formula of 5-5-5, although appearing as 4-4-4. [10]
Species of the genus Zorion have a slim body shape [11] and a smooth exterior, [12] with a distinct waist separating its thorax from the elytra. [11] Their heads are wider than their prothorax, with filliform antennae [11] [12] that are as long as their bodies (or longer), in both males and females. [11] Eyes are usually small and emarginate [10] [13] , where the inner margin is concave or with a 'notch'. [14] Pronotum is cylindrical and divided in three areas with a triangular scutellum. [11] [12] It has five segments on its abdomen that is covered by the elytra. [11] The elytra is short in Zorion, [13] with a pointed to rounded apex. [11] The legs increase in length from anterior, and reaching the longest at its posterior. [13]
Females in the genus Zorion are morphological similar, except for a less prominent head, antennae slightly shorter than its elytra, and a slightly wider waist. [12]
Zorion species are known to utilise a wide range of exotic and native plants for the purpose of oviposition. [11] Females of certain species have also been observed to oviposit in cut branches of Eucalyptus sp. [4] Host plants for these species include freshly dead branches of both native and exotic plants.
Females lay their eggs in or on these host plants and the larvae hatches in approximately 6-25 days depending on species and temperature. [15] As the larvae are wood-borers, they make tunnels that allow them to feed internally.
Similarly, the larval stage varies depending on environmental factors such as species, climate and temperature, however, the length of this stage is usually between 2-36 months, [15] prior to pupation.
Pupating occurs in September with adults common towards November. [16] Most pupate within a host plant, but there are some that do so within the soil instead. [15] There is a tendency for the adult to remain - for a length of time - within the pupae after eclosion, and before emergence. [15]
Since many Cerambycids do not hibernate, and can feed all year round, they can therefore overwinter at any stage in the life-cycle (excluding the egg stage). [15]
Zorion mainly feed on pollen from a variety of flowers. [11] [15] They also feed on foliage, bark and even live shoots [15] prior to the beetle's sexual maturation. [10] When feeding on flowers, they notably consume small flowers that are arranged into an inflorescence such as the Hebe (Scrophulariaceae) and Pomaderris (Rhamnacaea). [11] Zorion species also have the habit of feeding between the bark and the sap wood. [11] Feeding and mating are most prominent between October to March. [17]
Their larvae are wood-borers [18] and are known to feed internally on Corynocarpus laevigatus (Karaka) [11] where they are sometimes laid in broken branches.
It has been suggested that their behaviour contributes to pollination in plants, where the wide visitation range encourages a lower degree of specialisation. Despite being wood-feeders and having their initial life-cycle within woody substrates, the adults often frequent flowering plants and shrubs for food. [19] [20] Zorion adults are commonly found in a wide range of environments ranging from canopies to shrubs, to dead wood to flowers. It could be suggested that the degree of specialisation in pollination might increase within a species, rather than as an entire genus, given the wide variety of plants and flowers Zorion frequents.
Their range of habitat and frequency to forage in and around flowering plants suggests that it is important to the pollination of New Zealand plants and trees. The plants and trees it frequents for oviposition and food, may also benefit from its presence when it comes to pollination. While adult feeding is insignificant to plants, visiting flowers certainly helps pollinations through feeding and other activities such as mating.
In the genus Zorion, these beetles consume pollen and have the unique characteristic of a specialised structure similar to that in corbiculate bees. [11] It utilises a 'pollen basket', and is suggested to be an important pollinator for plants like the harakeke, amongst others. As an additional example, Z. minutum confines itself almost exclusively to flowers [19] and notably helps pollinate the flowers of the Swamp Lawyer ( Rubus australis). [21] Relationships between insect pollinator and flower has evolved unique characteristics that facilitate effective pollination. [22]
Commonly known as the flower longhorn beetle, it was first described by Pascoe in 1867 and belongs to the tribe Aphneopini. Listed below are the 10 recognised species:
Beetles are insects that form the order Coleoptera, in the superorder Holometabola. 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. Some others also have unusual characteristics, such as fireflies, which use a light-emitting organ for mating and communication purposes.
The insects of the beetle family Chrysomelidae are commonly known as leaf beetles, and include over 37,000 species in more than 2,500 genera, making up one of the largest and most commonly encountered of all beetle families. Numerous subfamilies are recognized, but the precise taxonomy and systematics are likely to change with ongoing research.
The longhorn beetles (Cerambycidae), also known as long-horned or longicorns, are a large family of beetles, with over 35,000 species described.
Hylotrupes is a monotypic genus of woodboring beetles in the family Cerambycidae, the longhorn beetles. The sole species, Hylotrupes bajulus, is known by several common names, including house longhorn beetle, old house borer, and European house borer. In South Africa it also is known as the Italian beetle because of infested packing cases that had come from Italy. Hylotrupes is the only genus in the tribe Hylotrupini.
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.
Athous haemorrhoidalis is a species of European and Asian click beetles in the genus Athous. Several variations are recognized.
Coccinella leonina, common name orange-spotted ladybird, is a species of ladybird native to New Zealand. It is black with orange spots. A predator species, it is present in a variety of habitats.
Brachyta interrogationis is the species of the Lepturinae subfamily in Cerambycidae family. This species was described in 1758 by Carl Linnaeus in the 10th edition of Systema Naturae under the name Leptura interrogationis.
Gaurotes virginea is a species of the Lepturinae subfamily in the long-horned beetle family.
Pachyta quadrimaculata is a species of the Lepturinae subfamily in long-horned beetle family.
Clytus rhamni is a species of round-necked longhorn beetle belonging to the family Cerambycidae, subfamily Cerambycinae.
Clytra quadripunctata is a species of leaf beetle in the subfamily Cryptocephalinae. Its common name is Four spotted leaf beetle.
Heteronychus arator is a species of beetle in the subfamily Dynastinae. It is commonly called African black beetle or black lawn beetle. It is native to Africa and it is an introduced species in Australia, Norfolk Island and the North Island of New Zealand.
Styloxus fulleri is a species of beetle in the family Cerambycidae. It was described by George Henry Horn in 1880.
Hexatricha pulverulenta, commonly known as the squeaking longhorn, is a beetle in the family Cerambycidae, the only species in the monotypic genus Hexatricha. It is endemic to New Zealand. It was first described by John O. Westwood in 1843 as Lamia pulverulenta, and later moved into the genus Hexatricha.
Hycleus pustulatus is a species of blister beetle found in India, Sri Lanka, China and Java.
Anisodactylus binotatus is a species of ground beetle native to Europe. It was discovered as being introduced to Canterbury, New Zealand in 1938. Anisodactylus binotatus is a species of Carabidae, also known as the ground beetle family. Although this species of beetle has no official recorded common names, literature from England refers to it as the common shortspur beetle.
Alosterna tabacicolor is a species of beetle in family Cerambycidae.
Oemona hirta, the lemon tree borer, also known as the whistling beetle or the singing beetle, is a longhorn beetle endemic to New Zealand. Its larvae are generalist feeders, boring into the wood of a wide variety of trees, native and introduced. When citrus orchards were first established in New Zealand, this beetle started inflicting serious damage, and so gained the name "lemon tree borer". Four species within the genus Oemona have been identified, suggesting that more species could be found. When disturbed by predators or humans, the adult beetle stridulates creating a "rasp" or "squeak" sound by rubbing its thorax and head together against an area of thin ridges. Māori would eat a liquid called "pia manuka", which was produced by manuka trees when its wood was damaged by the larvae. When Captain Cook first arrived in NZ, his naturalists, Banks and Solander, collected a lemon tree borer in their first collection between 1769 and 1771. This oldest collected specimen can be found in the British Museum. A few years after the first collection, the species would be first described by the Danish naturalist Fabricius in 1775.
Zorion guttigerum, commonly known as the Flower long-horn beetle, is an endemic species of beetle in New Zealand. It is found on the flowers of many plant species and feeds on nectar and pollen.
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