Oncid ID: Tool for Diagnosing Adult Twig Girdlers (Cerambycidae: Lamiinae: Onciderini)
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Genus: Hypselomus

Diagnostic Features
  • Description: Elongate-ovate, robust, moderate to large-sized, ranging from about 15–30 mm in length. Integument generally dark brown or black with brown, ferrugineous, and ochraceous pubescence. Head with frons elongate, about as wide as width of 1 1/2 to two lower eye lobes. Eyes with lower lobes large, oblong; area connecting upper and lower lobes taller than upper lobe. Genae elongate, about as tall to distinctly shorter than lower eye lobes. Antennal tubercles prominent, narrowly separated, contiguous at base; tubercles not armed at apex; antennae distinctly shorter than overall body length (females), or about as long (males); scape bowed, gradually expanded to apex, longer than antennomere IV; antennomere III variable in shape, from nearly straight to curved to sinuate, about as long or shorter than scape and longer than antennomere IV. Pronotum transverse, strongly conical, wider at base, without lateral tubercles; pronotum with distinct, basal, transverse sulcus. Elytra with sides strongly attenuate; elytral apices individually rounded; elytra generally uniformly brownish; base of elytra with two obtuse tubercles at humeri as well as two longitudinal, arcuate, strongly elevated crests, each crest studded with several round, shiny tubercles. Basal 1/3 of elytra without punctation. Procoxae without projection. Mesocoxae with distinct, obtuse tubercle. Mesosternal process with apex deeply emarginate. Metafemora long to moderate in length, about 1/2–1/3 as long as elytra.

  • The combination of the following characters will help to distinguish this genus: large eyes; narrowly separated antennal tubercles, contiguous at base; bowed scape, gradually expanded to apex; and base of elytra with two longitudinal, arcuate, strongly elevated crests, each crest studded with several round, shiny tubercles.

  • Similar genus/genera: strongly resembles Jamesia and Typhlocerus.
Geographic Distribution
  • South America (Argentina, Bolivia, Brazil, Paraguay)
Host Plants/Trees
  • Convolvulaceae (Ipomoea batatas [sweet potato]); Papilionaceae (Myroxylon balsamum)
Girdling Behavior
  • Unknown
Notes

The genus Hypselomus currently contains one species:
  Hypselomus cristatus Perty, 1832 [♀ specimen]

Generic Synonymies
  • Clytemnestra
Selected References
 

Hypselomus cristatus
♀ 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.