Species Trichochrous texanus

Trichochrous texanus (LeConte)

Orig. Comb: Pristoscelis texanus LeConte 1866

3-5 mm (1)

body black, legs rufous or testaceous, strong punctuation of the head and thorax; the antennae are shorter than the head and thorax, with the third joint slender, and the fourth not as wide as the fifth. (1)

uniformly olivaceous above highly polished with reddish legs the upper surface of the body covered with rather dense growth of short whitish hairs. (2)

Det. M. L. Gimmel, 2020

NM-TX-KS (3)(2)(BG data)

In the category of species injuring the [Opuntia] blooms there is only one that is of importance. This is Trichochrous (Pristoscelis) texanus Le Conte. It has been collected at southwestern Texas and in New Mexico. At Albuquerque in the latter State on June 16, Mr. FC Pratt found it in such abundance that no blooms without indications of injury were noticed The great majority of the plants had been fed upon to such an extent that fruiting had ceased. As many as 153 beetles were found in a single bloom. No larvae could be found in the vicinity. It is possible that this species is not at all peculiar to cactus but is to be found in blooms of various kinds. There was a remarkable absence of flowers on all plants except the Opuntias growing at Albuquerque at the time to which reference has been made. This may account for the concentration of the insects in the blooms of the Opuntias and for the damage accomplished. No similar cases had been observed in the numerous observations that had been made in Texas. (2)

Trichochrous pedalis - Thorax finely sparsely punctured. Santa Catalina Island, California. (1)

LeConte, J.L. 1866. Revision of the Dasytini of the United States. Proceedings of the Academy of Natural Science of Philadelphia, 19: 349-361. (1)

Type - MCZ, Harvard