Species Griburius equestris

Griburius equestris (Olivier)

Orig. Comb: Cryptocephalus equestris Olivier, 1808

5 spp. n. of Mex. (1)

3 mm (Riley et al. 2001)

Our basis for assigning Olivier's name is the dorsal color pattern and the color of the abdomen. His illustration depicts a yellow Griburius beetle with two round, black maculae on each elytron, the anterior-most being isolated and well-separated from the anterior elytral margin. The abdomen is described as black with the sides marked with yellow and with a black median spot. We interpret the latter as a black pygidial spot. (Riley et al. 2001)

TX, FL-GA (1), + NC (NSR per BG data)

mostly April, but also Mar, May (Riley et al. 2001)(BG data)

recorded from Quercus virginiana, Quercus laevis. Also reared from case-bearing larvae collected from lichens on oak in Florida. (Riley et al. 2001)(2)

After study of Olivier's original description and figure, we believe Cryptocephalus equestris Olivier, 1808 is correctly applied to an uncommon and little-known Griburius species of the southeastern United States and Texas. (Riley et al. 2001)

- Range: FL-GA

Griburius larvatus Newman is a similarly colored species that is common in Florida.

Another, yet undetermined Griburius species which is similar in appearance is common in southern Texas and reaches eastward to Louisiana.

Olivier's limited description applies fairly well to all three species.

We have seen specimens of all three species in various collections identified as G. equestris. (Riley et al. 2001)

Newman, E. 1840. Descriptions of eight new Cryptocephali, captured near St. John's Bluff, E. Florida by Edward Doubleday, Esq. The Magazine of Natural History 4: 249-250. Full Text

Riley, E.G., S.M. Clark, and A.J. Gilbert. 2001. New records, nomenclatural changes, and taxonomic notes for select North American leaf beetles (Coleoptera: Chrysomelidae). Insecta Mundi, 15: 1-17. Full PDF