Dendrocranulus

Type species

Dendrocranulus tardus Schedl

Adapted from Wood 1982, p. 708-723

Diagnosis

Dendrocranulus is distinguished from other Dryocoetina with difficulty except from Dryoxylon Bright by the longer body aspect. It can be separated from Dryoxylon by its two sutured clubclub:
the apical segment of the insect antennae that is enlarged or thickened such that it is anatomically differentiated from the preceding segments
.

Description

Species in this genus range from 1.2 to 2.7 mm in length and are elongated, approximately 2.5 to 3.0 times as long as wide. Their color ranges from yellowish brown to dark reddish brown. The pronotumpronotum:
the upper or dorsal surface of the first thoracic segment
is longer than wide and asperateasperate:
of a surface or texture which is rough
on its anterior half. 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 convex to broadly excavatedexcavated:
a pit, groove, or depression of the integument; a concave area on a surface
and unarmedunarmed:
having no granules, teeth, tubercles, spines, or other protective structures
, but in one species north of Mexico it is flat to concave. The vestiturevestiture:
a surface covering of scales or setae on the body, wing, or other appendage
consists of long and erect hair-like setaehair-like setae:
setae that are thin and similar to a hair
. 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 usually as long as 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 near circular with two procurvedprocurved:
pertaining to structure (antennae, setae) which is basally perpendicular to the body and whose apical part is curved anteriorly
sutures. 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

Central United States to Argentina

World fauna

Number of species: 44, Native species: 3, Introduced species: 0

Hosts

Cayaponia, Cucurbita, Polakowskia, Sechium

            Dendrocranulus knausi , dorsal view

Dendrocranulus knausi, dorsal view

            Dendrocranulus cucurbitae , lateral view

Dendrocranulus cucurbitae, lateral view

            Dendrocranulus knausi , posterior view   (declivity)

Dendrocranulus knausi, posterior view (declivity)

            Dendrocranulus knausi , anterior view

Dendrocranulus knausi, anterior view

            Dendrocranulus knausi , club

Dendrocranulus knausi, club