Oncid ID: Tool for Diagnosing Adult Twig Girdlers (Cerambycidae: Lamiinae: Onciderini)
Home   ¦   Twig Girdlers   ¦   Key to Genera   ¦   Genus Fact Sheets   ¦   Gallery   ¦   Morphological Atlas   ¦   Glossary   ¦   References   ¦   About


Previous Genus       Next Genus

Genus: Alexera

Diagnostic Features
  • Description: Elongate-oblong, small to moderate-sized, ranging from about 11–17 mm in length. Integument generally dark brown with ochraceous and ferrugineous pubescence. Head with frons elongate, narrow, about as wide as width of one lower eye lobe. Eyes with lower lobes large, oblong. Genae subquadrate to slightly elongate, shorter than lower eye lobes. Antennal tubercles prominent, moderately separated; tubercles armed with a small projection (females) or a with short, blunt horn (males); antennae about as long (females) to 1 1/2 times as long (males) as overall body length; scape clavate, about as long or longer than antennomere IV; antennomere III feebly sinuate, distinctly longer than scape and IV. Pronotum transverse, roughly conical, slightly wider at base, without lateral tubercles. Elytra with sides nearly straight, roughly parallel, slightly attenuate to apex; elytral apices individually rounded; elytra with vague to distinct lines of contrasting color; base of elytra with two prominent tubercles at humeri; each tubercle followed by a long carina to behind middle of elytron. Basal 1/3 of elytra with moderate punctation, surface finely to coarsely punctate. Procoxae without projection (females) or with obtuse tubercle or distinct curved hook (males). Mesosternal process with apex deeply emarginate. Metafemora moderate in length, about 1/3 as long as elytra.

  • The combination of the following characters will help to distinguish this genus: distinctly large eyes; slightly conical pronotum; base of elytra with two prominent tubercles at humeri; and elytra with sides nearly parallel.

  • Similar genus/genera: strongly resembles Neolampedusa and Venustus; superficially resembles Furona, Plerodia, Tulcoides.
Geographic Distribution
  • South America (Bolivia, Brazil, Ecuador, French Guiana, Guyana, Peru)
Host Plants/Trees
  • Unknown
Girdling Behavior
  • Unknown
Notes

The genus Alexera currently contains two species:
  Alexera barii (Jekel, 1861) [♂ specimen]
  Alexera secunda Martins & Galileo, 2007

Generic Synonymies
  • The type species of this genus was originally described in the genus Hesycha.
Selected References
 

Alexera barii
♂ specimen
© E.H. Nearns
 

© 2011-2015 Nearns, E.H., Lord, N.P., and K.B. Miller
The University of New Mexico and Center for Plant Health Science and Technology, USDA, APHIS, PPQ.