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Home » Guide » Arthropods (Arthropoda) » Hexapods (Hexapoda) » Insects (Insecta) » Beetles (Coleoptera) » Water, Rove, Scarab, Long-horned, Leaf and Snout Beetles (Polyphaga) » Series Cucujiformia » Long-horned and Leaf Beetles (Chrysomeloidea) » Long-horned Beetles (Cerambycidae) » Flat-faced Longhorns (Lamiinae) » Tetraopini » Milkweed Longhorns (Tetraopes) » Red Milkweed Beetle (Tetraopes tetrophthalmus)

Species Tetraopes tetrophthalmus - Red Milkweed Beetle

Classification · Other Common Names · Synonyms and other taxonomic changes · Explanation of Names · Size · Identification · Range · Habitat · Food · Life Cycle · Print References · Internet References · Works Cited

Longhorned beetle - Tetraopes tetrophthalmus

Tetraopes tetrophthalmus (Forster) - Tetraopes tetrophthalmus

Red, spotted beetle - Tetraopes tetrophthalmus

Red Milkweed Beetle - - Tetraopes tetrophthalmus

Classification

Kingdom Animalia (Animals)

Phylum Arthropoda (Arthropods)

Subphylum Hexapoda (Hexapods)

Class Insecta (Insects)

Order Coleoptera (Beetles)

Suborder Polyphaga (Water, Rove, Scarab, Long-horned, Leaf and Snout Beetles)

No Taxon (Series Cucujiformia)

Superfamily Chrysomeloidea (Long-horned and Leaf Beetles)

Family Cerambycidae (Long-horned Beetles)

Subfamily Lamiinae (Flat-faced Longhorns)

Tribe Tetraopini

Genus Tetraopes (Milkweed Longhorns)

Species tetrophthalmus (Red Milkweed Beetle)

Other Common Names

RMB

Synonyms and other taxonomic changes

Syn: tetraophthalmus (spelling)

Explanation of Names

Tetraopes tetrophthalmus (Forster 1771)

tetrophthalmus = 'four-eyed' (each compound eye is completely divided)

Size

8-15 mm(1)

Identification

combination of broad, disk-shaped hump (callus) on pronotum, strong elytral spots, especially the elongated subhumeral spot, and unringed antennae are distinctive for this species(1)

Range

e. NA (QC-MB-ND to GA-TX-CO)(2)(3), BG data matches the distribution of A. syriaca, basically the NE quadrant of N. America

Habitat

very common where primary host plant (A. syriaca) is present, very rare in TX(4) where A. syriaca is nonexistent.

Food

Hosts: milkweed (Asclepias spp.), esp. (or exclusively) A. syriaca(5). "Tetraopes tetrophthalmus feeds on Asclepias syriaca throughout its range (Farrell, 1991; Hartman, 1977), though an isolated population in a disturbed site in Illinois was reported on A. verticillata, where the adults may suffer reduced fitness (Price & Willson, 1976)." See: The Timing of Insect/Plant Diversification.

But, according to others, also A. purpurascens and A. viridiflora(6)), and on dogbane (Apocynum)(1)

Life Cycle

Eggs laid on stems near ground or just below surface; larvae bore into stems, overwinter in roots, and pupate in spring; adults emerge in early summer(7)

Print References

Rasmann S., Agrawal A.A. (2011) Evolution of specialization: a phylogenetic study of host range in the red milkweed beetle (Tetraopes tetrophthalmus). Am Nat. 177: 728-737 (Full text)

Internet References

Cerambycidae Catalog

U. Wisconsin, Milwaukee

Works Cited

1.	Field Guide to Northeastern Longhorned Beetles (Coleoptera: Cerambycidae) Douglas Yanega. 1996. Illinois Natural History Survey.

2.	Beetles of Eastern North America Arthur V. Evans. 2014. Princeton University Press.

3.	Checklist of beetles (Coleoptera) of Canada and Alaska. Second edition Bousquet Y., Bouchard P., Davies A.E., Sikes D.S. 2013. ZooKeys 360: 1–402.

4.	Texas A&M University Insect Collection (TAMUIC)

5.	The timing of insect/plant diversification: might Tetraopes (Col.: Cerambycidae) and Asclepias (Asclepiadaceae) have co-evolved? Farrell B.D., Mitter C. 1998. Biol. J. Linn. Soc. 63: 553–577.

6.	Insect herbivores of 12 milkweed (Asclepias) species. Betz, R.F., W.R. Rommel & J.J. Dichtl. 2000. Pp. 7-19. In: C. Warwick (ed.). Proceedings of the 15th North American Prairie Conference, Natural Areas Association, Bend, OR.

7.	National Audubon Society Field Guide to Insects and Spiders Lorus and Margery Milne. 1980. Knopf.

Contributed by Cotinis on 24 March, 2004 - 4:25am
Additional contributions by Beatriz Moisset, Robin McLeod, Mike Quinn, v belov
Last updated 23 February, 2019 - 9:06am

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