Identification
Black, with spines on pronotum. Associated with cactus. Some (or all?) species flightless.
Of the six species listed in Nomina Insecta Nearctica:
Moneilema blapsides has mottled black and white elytra.
Moneilema semipunctatum has antennae with alternating black and white
Moneilema appressum has striated elytra
The remaining three have dotted, not striated elytra, and the antennae are either entirely black or have white only on the 4th antennomere.
Moneilema gigas has pronotal spines at least as long as the 9th antennomere
Moneilema armatum has pronotal spines smaller than the 9th antennomere
Moneilema annulatum has the pronotal spines reduced to flat tubercles
Some additional notes from Ted MacRae: "Another character that separates annulatum and appressum from the other species is the internally produced antennal scape (small inward-facing spur at the apex). Distribution can also be used in a few cases to narrow the choices - blapsides occurs only in southcentral Texas (and south into Mexico), and armatum occurs in more easterly areas of the southwest while semipunctatum is in the more westerly areas of same (the two species are largely allopatric)."
Range
Southwestern United States. M. gigas is reported from Arizona. M. armata reported from Colorado, New Mexico, and Texas.
Food
Adults feed on cactus, esp. cholla, Opuntia species.
Remarks
Guide TBA--PC (life history, origin name, range species)
Print References
Werner, p. 64--M. gigas
(2)
Arnett and Jacques, #171--M. armata
(3)
