flat bark beetle - Uleiota truncata

Moved to Uleiota truncatus

...from Silvanid Flat Bark Beetles.

Went to the library and looked up the reference:

Thomas, Michael (2003) The Brontini of the world: A generic review of the tribe (Coleoptera: Silvanidae: Brontinae). Insecta Mundi 17(1-2): 1-31.

Thomas writes:
"Uleiota truncatus has been treated consistently as a subspecies of U. dubius. However, the structure of the male genitalia and pronotum (the long bifid spires are missing in U. truncatus) supports the elevation of U. truncatus to species status, and so it is treated here."

The distribution of U. truncatus is listed as western N.A., while the distributions of U. dubius and U. debilis are listed as northeastern N.A..

… Joyce Gross, 18 April, 2007 - 1:40am

ready to move?

Reading the discussion below and the links, it seems to me that to assume U.truncatus for this one is the only reasonable thing . . .

cheers, Boris

… Boris Büche, 2 April, 2007 - 10:48am

yes I think so.....

I did finally check the UCB collection today. However, a specialist hasn't visited the silvanids there in a while, so the names attached to the specimens may not be up-to-date. All the Uleiota there are under U. dubius, though there are some synonyms on labels that mention truncatus and some specimens labeled U. dubius truncatus....

We should probably go with the SBMNH name, U. truncatus. It's just too bad we don't know what differentiates this species from other Uleiota species. It would be useful to track down a paper on this.

… Joyce Gross, 3 April, 2007 - 2:04am

Uleiota debilis

is what it looks like to me because of the more rounded elytral apex, although I don't know what the range is for this species. There could be a similar western species for all I know.

… Jim McClarin, 22 May, 2006 - 5:28am

Uleiota truncatus (probably)

The latest CA list has only the one sp.; U. truncatus

… Phillip Harpootlian, 22 May, 2006 - 8:21am

which is the current name?

Essig lists only one Uleiota: Uleiota dubius. Brontes truncatus is listed in the Essig database as a junior synonym of Uleiota dubius. What does American Beetles say about either B. truncatus or U. truncatus?

I haven't looked at the actual specimens at Essig -- but likely mine is the same as the one in the collection, whatever its correct name. I can check the specimens next week if it helps.

… Joyce Gross, 22 May, 2006 - 4:48pm

American Beetles ..

only provides detail to genus, but I'd say Mike's list is up to date, and truncatus is considered valid for the western US.

… Phillip Harpootlian, 23 May, 2006 - 10:49am

Not dubius

Dubius has a more squared-off elytral apex.

… Jim McClarin, 22 May, 2006 - 7:10pm