Hylurgops

Type species

Hylastes pinifex Fitch

Adapted from Wood 1982, p. 82-92

Diagnosis

Hylurgops are very similar to and difficult to distinguish from Hylastes Erichson. Most Hylurgops have a characteristic declivitydeclivity:
the apical portion of the beetle elytra that slopes downward
vestiture of scale-like setaescale-like setae:
setae that are wider than hair
, while others have rows of long and hair-like setaehair-like setae:
setae that are thin and similar to a hair
. Declivital hair-like setaehair-like setae:
setae that are thin and similar to a hair
in Hylastes, if present, are not longer than the ground vestiturevestiture:
a surface covering of scales or setae on the body, wing, or other appendage
, and scale-like setaescale-like setae:
setae that are wider than hair
are absent in the majority of these species. One last character that distinguishes the two is the pronotal puncturespunctures:
a small impression on the hard outer parts of the insect body like those made by a needle
which are of different sizes in Hylurgops.

Description

Species in this genus range from 3.1 to 5.7 mm and are approximately 2.4 to 2.8 times as long as wide. The pronotumpronotum:
the upper or dorsal surface of the first thoracic segment
is usually as long as wide, constrictedconstricted:
contracted or compressed at places along the length of a structure
anteriorly and unarmedunarmed:
having no granules, teeth, tubercles, spines, or other protective structures
, also with differently sized puncturespunctures:
a small impression on the hard outer parts of the insect body like those made by a needle
. 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, usually bearing granulesgranules:
a small grain-like elevation
. The vestiturevestiture:
a surface covering of scales or setae on the body, wing, or other appendage
consists of both hair-like and scale-like setaescale-like setae:
setae that are wider than hair
, the last usually restricted to the declivitydeclivity:
the apical portion of the beetle elytra that slopes downward
. The fronsfrons:
the upper anterior portion of the head capsule
usually has a median carinacarina:
a ridge or elevation of the cuticle
above the epistomaepistoma:
the sclerotized region between the lower frontal area and the mouth parts
. The anterior margin of the compound eye is entire. The scapescape:
the first and basal segment of the insect's antennae
is as long as the 7-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 ovateovate:
egg shaped, with the narrow end apically
with two to three straight suturessutures:
a seam or seam-like line of contact between two sclerites or hardened body parts immovably connected
visible. 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

The Holarctic realmholarctic realm:
a faunal region comprising Europe, North Africa, Asia north of the Himalaya Mountains, and North America down to Mexico
, with intrusion into the Neotropics south to Guatemala

World fauna

Number of species: 23, Native species: 6, Introduced species: 1

Established exotic species

Hylurgops palliatus is present in New York, Pennsylvania, and Ohio.

Hosts

Abies, Cedrus, Larix, Picea, Pinus, Pseudotsuga, Tsuga