Conophthorus

Type species

Pityphthorus coniperda Schwarz

Adapted from Wood 1982, p. 982-991

Diagnosis

Conophthorus is distinguished from Pityophthorus Eichhoff by their usually larger size and by the anterior asperitiesasperities:
pertaining to surface roughenings or dot-like elevations that are not pointed
which spread to the basebase:
part of any appendage that is nearest the body
in the lateral areas.

Description

Species in this genus range from 2.2 to 4.1 mm in length and are approximately 2.3 to 2.4 times as long as wide. Their color ranges from brown to black. The pronotumpronotum:
the upper or dorsal surface of the first thoracic segment
is longer than wide. The scutellumscutellum:
a shield-like bony plate or scale, as on the thorax of some insects
is small. The declivitydeclivity:
the apical portion of the beetle elytra that slopes downward
is sulcatesulcate:
having narrow, deep furrows or grooves
(concave) to bisulcatebisulcate:
a structure that is grooved in two places, often contiguous at both sides of a central line
. The vestiturevestiture:
a surface covering of scales or setae on the body, wing, or other appendage
consists of hair-like setaehair-like setae:
setae that are thin and similar to a hair
. The metepisternummetepisternum:
the sclerite between the first and second lateral thoracic sutures
is only visible anteriorly. The anterior margin of the compound eye is emarginateemarginate:
notched or indented
. The scapescape:
the first and basal segment of the insect's antennae
is longer than the 5-segmented funiclefunicle:
the antennal segments located between the scape and the club in some Coleoptera
. The clubclub:
the apical segment of the insect antennae that is enlarged or thickened such that it is anatomically differentiated from the preceding segments
is oval, with two to three procurvedprocurved:
pertaining to structure (antennae, setae) which is basally perpendicular to the body and whose apical part is curved anteriorly
sutures, the first can be straight. The procoxaeprocoxae:
extra segment occasionally preceding coxa (hip joint) of the first or anterior pair of legs of arthropods
are contiguouscontiguous:
sharing an edge or boundary; touching
.

Distribution

Canada to Mexico

World fauna

Number of species: 13, Native species: 8, Introduced species: 0

Hosts

Pinus

            Conophthorus ponderosae , dorsal view

Conophthorus ponderosae, dorsal view

            Conophthorus ponderosae , lateral view

Conophthorus ponderosae, lateral view

            Conophthorus ponderosae , posterior view   (declivity)

Conophthorus ponderosae, posterior view (declivity)

            Conophthorus ponderosae , anterior view

Conophthorus ponderosae, anterior view

            Conophthorus ponderosae , club

Conophthorus ponderosae, club