Species Chauliognathus pensylvanicus - Goldenrod Soldier Beetle

Pennsylvania Leatherwing, Le Cantharide de Pennsylvanie (French)

Originally described in 1774 by Charles de Geer as Telephorus pensylvanicus

Chauliognathus pensylvanicus (DeGeer, 1774)

Species name sometimes listed as pensylvanica. Also listed as pennsylvanicus or perhaps pennsylvanica. See Remarks.

pensylvanicus is Latin for "of Pensylvania". As noted in the Remarks, the spelling with one n was in common use at the time (de Geer says in the description that the specimen was sent to him from "Pensylvanie"), so the species name based on it can't be corrected under the rules governing scientific names.

9-12 mm

Distinctive, note round spot on pronotum, compared to dash on the similar Margined Leatherwing, which flies earlier in the season. Perhaps the most easily observed Cantharid in eastern/central North America.

Eastern and central North America

Fields with flowers, esp. goldenrod

Late summer into fall. July-September or later (North Carolina). July-September (Minnesota)

Adult--pollen and nectar of fall flowers, esp. goldenrod (Solidago). Papp states that they feed on "locust eggs, cucumber beetles, and other species of Diabrotica" (1). (He does not say if this is the adult or the larva. He says adults of Cantharidae are predaceous, but I've sure never seen this in Chauliognathus.)

Eggs are deposited in soil or leaf litter. Pupation occurs in spring in the soil.

According to ICZN code, the intended original spelling of the species name (no matter how bizarre) remains valid unless it later can be shown, for example, that it was the result of some inconsistent typographical error. In many cases it is the later writers who, intentionally or unintentionally, corrupt the original spelling which then becomes erroneously entrenched in the literature. Regarding the usage of "pensylvanicus" in the case of a well-known cantharid beetle, here is an insightful excerpt from an article in The Great Lakes Entomologist Vol 39, No 3 & 4, pp 200-218 by careful researcher Andrew H. Williams of UW-Madison:

"The beetle usually referred to as Chauliognathus pennsylvanicus DeGeer over the past century was first described by DeGeer (1774) as Telephorus pensylvanicus. The spelling "pensylvanicus" was used by LeConte (1869, 1881), Hubbard (1880), Schwarz (1880) and Riley (1880), though Riley (1869, 1872, 1873) had earlier used the spelling "pennsylvanicus". At the time of DeGeer's description, "Pensylvania" was a common and apparently acceptable spelling for the colony, so his original spelling should not be considered incorrect. The correct name for this beetle is Chauliognathus pensylvanicus (DeGeer)".

… Peter Messer, 8 July, 2008