Species Zopherus tristis

Classification · Size · Identification · Range · Habitat · Season · Print References · Internet References · Works Cited

Classification

Kingdom Animalia (Animals)

Phylum Arthropoda (Arthropods)

Class Insecta (Insects)

Order Coleoptera (Beetles)

Suborder Polyphaga (Water, Rove, Scarab, Longhorn, Leaf and Snout Beetles)

Superfamily Tenebrionoidea (Fungus, Bark, Darkling and Blister Beetles)

Family Zopheridae (Ironclad Beetles)

Subfamily Zopherinae (Ironclad Beetles)

Tribe Zopherini

Genus Zopherus

Species tristis (Zopherus tristis)

Size

Length 10.5-22mm (Triplehorn, 1972)

Identification

Entire dorsum black, with flattened elytral tubercles whose hind margins are more or less truncate; apex of elytra narrows abruptly, and descends more steeply than in other species. Pronotum with coarse punctures (some may have coarsely granulate punctures, similar to Z. granicollis) -(see Triplehorn, 1972; reference below)

Range

AZ, CA, TX (USA), into Mexico (Baja California, Sonora).

Habitat

In California, they're found under the bark of desert trees, including the non-native Tamarix spp.(1)

Season

Spring and summer

Print References

Triplehorn, C.A. 1972. A review of the genus Zopherus of the World (Coleoptera: Tenebrionidae). Smithsonian Contributions to Zoology 108: 1-24.

Internet References

Zopherus tristis photos of Type specimen at Harvard MCZ.

Works Cited

1.	Field Guide to Beetles of California By Arthur V. Evans and James N. Hogue

Contributed by Hartmut Wisch on 3 February, 2009 - 3:50pm
Last updated 17 February, 2009 - 8:16pm

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