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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) » Cerambycinae » Clytini » Placosternus
Photo#591494
Large black Cerambycid with light-yellow markings and red extremities - Placosternus
Copyright © 2011 Emile

Large black Cerambycid with light-yellow markings and red extremities - Placosternus
Saguaro National Park, Tucson, Pima County, Arizona, USA
October 21, 2011
Size: ~ 30 mm
Is this Placosternus difficilis ?

Genus Placosternus has only four species, none of which appear to have Arizona records.
The closest in range would be P. difficilis, as it has been recorded from California and Texas, among other southern places.
P. erythropus has been recorded from Texas, southward to Latin America.
The remaining two species are neotropical, with northernmost records from Mexico.
It might be possible that one of these species has expanded their range northward due to climate change effects ...

Images of this individual: tag all
Large black Cerambycid with light-yellow markings and red extremities - Placosternus Large black Cerambycid with light-yellow markings and red extremities - Placosternus
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Contributed by Emile on 31 October, 2011 - 4:40pm
Last updated 30 September, 2022 - 2:50pm

Dan Heffern says, "most likely Placosternus erythropus,
"...but since no one can examine it then we'll never know for sure. No way is it 30 mm though, maybe 25 mm."
… v belov, 12 November, 2014 - 2:43pm login or register to post comments

 
Thank you & Dan Heffern !
Hopefully one day there will be enough photos on BugGuide to distinguish the species boundary lines based on their color variations.
… Emile, 13 November, 2014 - 4:03pm login or register to post comments

 
nah, slim chance
i don't think the two can be told apart based on color pattern.
Dan says he won't even look at TX photos taken where both spp are present
… v belov, 13 November, 2014 - 4:10pm login or register to post comments

Hi Emile
so I jumped on the wrong genus in the field! We actually have one P. difficilis from Tucson, AZ, 1207 E Speedway found Oct 21 1962 in the UAIC. So it's not common. Great find! I wished I'd gotten a photo, but now I'm adding it to my photo files from the collection
… margarethe brummermann, 1 November, 2011 - 12:48pm login or register to post comments

 
Thanks, Margarethe !
That makes P. difficilis much more plausible.

The wide yellowish pronotal bands are still puzzling, but there seems to be some variation in appearance within the species.
… Emile, 1 November, 2011 - 3:51pm login or register to post comments

 
Emile
in 2018 Tony Palmer found another specimen in the park, again with those wide bands. The discussion about the species is on again.
… margarethe brummermann, 31 October, 2018 - 2:06pm login or register to post comments

 
Neat, Margarethe !
Might it be possible to post Tony's specimen on BugGuide ?
… Emile, 1 November, 2018 - 1:27pm login or register to post comments

cool; difficilis sounds good, but let's wait for the experts
Moved from ID Request.
… v belov, 31 October, 2011 - 5:15pm login or register to post comments

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