Explanation of Names
Author of genus is LeConte, 1850. "Typocerus" means "waxy-shaped". Latin typo, shape plus cerus, wax.
Identification
Prominent genus of flower longhorns. Many, if not most, have a zebra-like or spotted pattern. This is probably mimicry of hymenoptera. Several are distinctively marked on elytra: T. velutina, zebra, lunulatus. However there is some variability, some T. velutina, in particular, are weakly marked. Other species must be identified under magnification or from very high-quality photographs. These include T. acuticauda and T. deceptus.
Range
Eastern and central North America into mountain west. Most species occur in east, southeast. Ranges, laregely from
Beetles of Florida and Yanega
(1):
T. acuticauda: eastern US, southern Canada
T. badius: Georgia to Florida
T. balteatus: Arizona, Colorado, north into Canada?
T. confluens: central North America
T. deceptus: Indiana, Pennsylvania to Florida
T. fulvocinctus: Florida endemic
T. gloriosus: western?
T. lugubris: eastern North America
T. lunulatus: Missouri, Pennsylvania to Texas, Florida
T. octonotatus: central and eastern US, into southern Canada
T. serraticornis: Nevada, Utah
T. sinuatus: south-central US
T. sparsa: Great Lakes area
T. velutinus: eastern North America
T. zebra: eastern North America
Habitat
Fields, meadows, with flowers, near woodlands.
Season
Summer, typcially May-August. Earlier in south, April-July.
Food
Adults take nectar and/or pollen on flowers.
Life Cycle
Where life-cycle is known, larvae are decomposers in rotting wood, often pines. Eggs are laid in decaying wood, larvae form tunnels, overwinter, and pupate in spring.
See Also
Strangalia--very attenuate abdomen, Judolia, Strophiona, etc.
Print References
Yanega, pp. 41-42, plates 8-9, describes and illustrates 11 species--the best reference on this group.
Dillon, pp. 611-612, plate LX, describes and illustrates 4 species.
(2)
Papp, pp. 219-220, figs 733 a-c, describes and illustrates 4 species.
(3)
Milne, p. 601, fig. 159--T. sinuatus
(4)
Salsbury, p. 224--T. sinuatus
(5)
Brimley, p. 213, lists T. badius, zebra, lunulata, velutina, lugubris, and sinuata for North Carolina.
(6)Internet References
NCSU Entomology Collection on this genus. It lists for North Carolina, with number pinned: acuticauda (21), deceptus (15), lugubris (15), lunulatus (104), sinuatus (10), velutinus (160), zebra (198).
Beetles of Florida lists ranges of several species.
