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Home » Guide » Arthropods (Arthropoda) » Hexapods (Hexapoda) » Insects (Insecta) » Beetles (Coleoptera) » Polyphaga » Series Cucujiformia » Longhorn and Leaf Beetles (Chrysomeloidea) » Longhorn Beetles (Cerambycidae) » Prioninae » Prionini » Prionus » subgenus Prionus (Prionus subgenus Prionus) » California Root Borer (Prionus californicus)
Photo#319175
What is this??? - Prionus californicus
Copyright © 2009 Liz Baker-Bullock

What is this??? - Prionus californicus
Yucca Valley, San Bernardino County, California, USA
June 17, 2009
Size: 1 1/2 in.
I'm a bit confused. I submitted this a while back and was told it was a male Prionus but I then submitted a different one last night and was told it was a Palo Verde Root Borer. I want to make sure I label them right and would appreciate any help on this.
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Contributed by Liz Baker-Bullock on 12 August, 2009 - 12:06pm
Last updated 5 January, 2010 - 10:26am

Moved
Moved from Prionus heroicus.
… v belov, 5 January, 2010 - 10:26am login or register to post comments

Pardon the disagreement, but
Pardon the disagreement, but P. heroicus is thus far not known from CA, and this looks a bit more like P. californicus ;)
… Ian Swift, 20 November, 2009 - 8:48am login or register to post comments

Moved
Moved from California Root Borer.
… margarethe brummermann, 12 August, 2009 - 12:24pm login or register to post comments

Moved
Moved from ID Request.
… margarethe brummermann, 12 August, 2009 - 12:18pm login or register to post comments

Male Prionus.
BOTH beetles probably occur in your area.
… Eric R. Eaton, 12 August, 2009 - 12:12pm login or register to post comments

 
Thanks!
Much appreciated. All of you and BUG Guide have been so helpful!
… Liz Baker-Bullock, 12 August, 2009 - 12:16pm login or register to post comments

This is indeed a Prionus
P. heroicus. The antennae are nearly comb shaped - not the case in the Derobrachus. It's also stouter in appearance and the side of the pronotum has different teeth. They do have similarities - they are both in the subfamily Prioninae.
… margarethe brummermann, 12 August, 2009 - 12:11pm login or register to post comments

 
Changed to P. heroicus
the easiest characteristic to tell P heroicus from P californicus is the width of the pronotum. Including the teeth it is about as wide as the elytra in heroicus, narrower in californicus. (Info from Fred Skillman) You have both spp in your area.
… margarethe brummermann, 12 August, 2009 - 12:23pm login or register to post comments

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