HomeGuideID RequestRecentFrassForumsDonateHelp

Clickable Guide

Calendar

Upcoming Events

Photos of insects and people from the 2024 BugGuide gathering in Idaho July 24-27

Moth submissions from National Moth Week 2024

Photos of insects and people from the 2022 BugGuide gathering in New Mexico, July 20-24

Photos of insects and people from the Spring 2021 gathering in Louisiana, April 28-May 2

Photos of insects and people from the 2019 gathering in Louisiana, July 25-27

Photos of insects and people from the 2018 gathering in Virginia, July 27-29

Previous events

TaxonomyBrowse

Info

ImagesLinksBooksData

Home » Guide » Arthropods (Arthropoda) » Hexapods (Hexapoda) » Insects (Insecta) » Beetles (Coleoptera) » Polyphaga » Series Cucujiformia » Cucujoidea » Nitidulid series » Sap-feeding Beetles (Nitidulidae) » Carpophilinae » Caplothorax » Caplothorax melanopterus

Species Caplothorax melanopterus

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

Carpophilus sp., Yucca Beetle - Caplothorax melanopterus

Yucca Nit - Carpophilus melanopterus - Caplothorax melanopterus - female

Yucca Nitidulid - Caplothorax melanopterus

Uncle - Caplothorax melanopterus - male - female

Uncle - Caplothorax melanopterus - female

Carpophilus melanopterus - Caplothorax melanopterus - male - female

little beetley thang - Caplothorax melanopterus

Classification

Kingdom Animalia (Animals)

Phylum Arthropoda (Arthropods)

Subphylum Hexapoda (Hexapods)

Class Insecta (Insects)

Order Coleoptera (Beetles)

Suborder Polyphaga

No Taxon (Series Cucujiformia)

Superfamily Cucujoidea

No Taxon (Nitidulid series)

Family Nitidulidae (Sap-feeding Beetles)

Subfamily Carpophilinae

Genus Caplothorax

Species melanopterus (Caplothorax melanopterus)

Other Common Names

Yucca beetle

Synonyms and other taxonomic changes

Current comb: Caplothorax melanopterus (Erichson, 1843)

Syn: Carpophilus melanopterus Erichson, 1843

Size

3.2-4.5 mm(1)

Identification

https://site.caes.uga.edu/carpophiline-id/caplothorax-melanopterus-erichson-1843/

Range

e. NA, Calif. (QC-FL to ON-IL-TX); CA; Mexico - Map (2)(3)(4), mostly e. US

Season

mostly May-July (BG data)

Food

host: Yucca; larvae mine base of calyx and corolla(3)

Life Cycle

pupation in soil; adults emerge within weeks but remain in earthen pupal cells until following spring(3)

Internet References

Discover Life

USDA

Works Cited

1.	An annotated checklist of Wisconsin sap and short-winged flower beetles (Coleoptera: Nitidulidae, Kateretidae) Price M.B., Young D.K. 2006. Insecta Mundi 20: 69‒84.

2.	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.

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

4.	Global Biodiversity Information Facility (GBIF)

Contributed by Jim McClarin on 17 November, 2005 - 8:13pm
Additional contributions by john and jane balaban, Beatriz Moisset, Mike Quinn, ceiseman, v belov, mfdigiro
Last updated 10 August, 2023 - 10:07am

Disclaimer: Dedicated naturalists volunteer their time and resources here to provide this service. We strive to provide accurate information, but we are mostly just amateurs attempting to make sense of a diverse natural world. If you need expert professional advice, contact your local extension office.

Contributors own the copyright to and are solely responsible for contributed content.
Click the contributor's name for licensing and usage information.
Everything else copyright © 2003-2024 Iowa State University, unless otherwise noted.

Bugguide is hosted by:

Printer Friendly Version