Subfamilia: CERAMBYCINAE / Tribus: TRACHYDERINI
Purpuricenus wachanrui ♂ [Photo © M.Hoskovec]
We observed massive emergence or "swarming" of this species in Nemrut Dağı National Park during the first decade of June 1996. Many hundreds of beetles mated on Echinops leaves and blossoms or flew around these remarkable Asteraceae plants. Moreover, in June 2011, we observed Purpuricenus wachanrui female laying eggs in the freshly pre-made hole in the basal part of Echinops stalk. So, with high probability, in South-East Turkey Echinops serves as host plant for this beautiful Cerambycid.
Body length: 10 - 22 mm Life cycle: 1 - 2 years [?] Adults in: June - July Host plant: probably Echinops sp. (Asteraceae) Distribution: Armenia, Turkey, Iran
The depicted living beetles were collected on Echinops in the plateaus under summit of Nemrut Dagi Mt.. and the mounted couple was collected on Echinops in Karadut village environs (both localities: Nemrut Dağı Millî Parkı, Kahta district, Adiyaman province, Anatolia, SE Turkey). [❖]Collected by M.Hoskovec
[❖]
Rejzek M. and Hoskovec M.:
Cerambycidae of Nemrut Dagi National Park (Anatolia, South-East Turkey).
Biocosme Mésogéen, Nice 15 (4): 257-272, 1999. [download]
[Photo © M.Hoskovec]
Purpuricenus wachanrui ♂ [Photo © M.Hoskovec]
Purpuricenus wachanrui ♀ [Photo © M.Hoskovec]
Subfamilia: Cerambycinae Latreille, 1802
Tribus: Trachyderini Dupont, 1836
Genus: Purpuricenus Dejean, 1821
Species: Purpuricenus wachanrui Levrat, 1858