Sotol stalk pupa -- REALLY dark now - Thrincopyge alacris

Thanks Phillip and Joshua.

Thanks also to Rick Westcott, who emailed me that it was Thrincopyge alacris LeConte. I should have another one-to-several gnaw their way out of the sotol stalk section I brought back to New Hampshire from my Dec. 24 - 31 trip to Las Cruces NM. This one is keeping us in suspense :-)

Just for fun, I've moved this to species page. I can move it again if needed after it expupates.

… Jim McClarin, 28 March, 2006 - 5:33pm

only thing I can think of is ..

Thrincopyge sp., maybe ambiens or alacris (only 2 spp.). A couple of Acmaeodera spp. are recorded from Dasylirion wheeleri, but those just don't look right to me. Shouldn't be long now and we'll know for sure.

Nelson, G. H. 1980. A review of the genus Thrincopyge LeConte (Coleoptera: Buprestidae). The Pan-Pacific Entomologist 56(4): 297-310.

… Phillip Harpootlian, 28 March, 2006 - 9:23am

host info

Villalón M. L., Reyes-Castillo P., Sánchez-Ramos G., Hernández Sandoval L. - 1997 - Thrincopyge alacris LeConte, borer of the inflorescences of ponytail palm, Beaucarnea recuvata Lem. (Nolinaceae) in Tamaulipas, México. - The Coleopterists Bulletin 51(1):21.

another photo of Thrincopyge alacris and this - evidently quite variable

… Phillip Harpootlian, 28 March, 2006 - 3:07pm

Phillip, I have 6 or so of th

Phillip, I have 6 or so of the T. alacris and among those specimens I think there is 3 variations. So, I agree also that this species varies alot.
Joshua

… Joshua P. Basham, 28 March, 2006 - 4:34pm

I agree, I think it is Thrinc

I agree, I think it is Thrincopyge spp. I think it is Thrincopyge alacris instead of T. ambiens.

… Joshua P. Basham, 28 March, 2006 - 1:07pm

Wrong link

I fouled up, the link above to T. ambiens actually shows alacris

… Phillip Harpootlian, 4 April, 2006 - 8:06am