[= Aegomorphus wojtylai Hilszczanski et Bystrowski, 2005]
[= Acanthoderes (Psapharochrus) obscurior Pic, 1904]
Subfamilia: LAMIINAE / Tribus: ACANTHODERINI
[Photo © Jacek Kurzawa]
The taxonomy of European Aegomorphus genus was for years relatively simple, with two known species only - a common pan-European Aegomorphus clavipes (Schrank, 1781) and rare Aegomorphus krueperi Kraatz, 1859 from Balcan peninsula (Greece, Bulgaria). A new species, Aegomorphus francottei was described by Gianfranco Sama in 1994 also from Balcan peninsula [❖]. Situation become complicated after description of the fourth species by Jacek Hilszczański and Cezary Bystrowski in 2005, Aegomorphus wojtylai, from Poland [✧]. This interesting species, very close relative to Aegomorphus clavipes, was eventually synonymized with Aegomorphus obscurior Pic, 1904, and Aegomorphus francottei was moreover reported also from Poland [✧].
Enigmatic Aegomorphus obscurior, in reality widespread Eurasian species, has been probably only overlooked or misidentified as generally known sympatric Aegomorphus clavipes. After description of synonymic Aegomorphus wojtylai, the species has been recorded from many localities in Russia from Moscow to the Far East, from Kazakhstan [✱], and also from Latvia and Mongolia.
Body length: 10 - 14 mm Life cycle: 2 years Adults in: May - August Host plant: Quercus, Alnus, Betula [✱] Distribution: Poland, Kazakhstan, Latvia, Russia, Mongolia
The depicted beetles were reared from larvae collected in a dead oak (Quercus) found in Biebrzański Park Narodowy (Biebrza National Park; Województwo podlaskie, NE Poland).Collected and photographed by our friend Jacek Kurzawa
[❖]
Sama G.:
Note sulla nomenclatura dei Cerambycidae della regione mediterranea. II. Revisione di alcuni tipi di Kraatz, v. Heyden e Stierlin.
Lambillionea 94 (3): 321-334, 1994.
[✧]
Hilszczanski J. and Bystrowski C.:
Aegomorphus wojtylai, a new species from Poland, with a key to European species of Aegomorphus Haldeman (Coleoptera: Cerambycidae).
Genus, Wroclaw 16 (2): 201-207, 2005. [download]
Hilszczanski J.:
The synonymy and distribution of Aegomorphus obscurior (Pic, 1904), new status and occurrence of A. francottei Sama, 1994 in Poland (Coleoptera: Cerambycidae).
Genus, Wroclaw 19 (1): 61-63, 2008. [download[✱]
Danilevsky M. and Shapovalov A.M.:
The occurrence of Aegomorphus wojtylai Hilszczanski et Bystrowski, 2005 (Coleoptera, Cerambycidae) in Russia.
Eversmannia 9: 8-10, 2007. [download
Subfamilia: Lamiinae Latreille, 1825
Tribus: Acanthoderini Thomson, 1860
Genus: Aegomorphus Haldeman, 1847
Species: Aegomorphus obscurior Pic, 1904