Scierus

Type species

Scierus annectens LeConte

Adapted from Wood 1982, p. 79-81

Diagnosis

Among the subtribe Hylastina, Scierus can be easily distinguished from Hylastes Erichson and Hylurgops LeConte by having widely separated procoxaeprocoxae:
extra segment occasionally preceding coxa (hip joint) of the first or anterior pair of legs of arthropods
and by the vestiturevestiture:
a surface covering of scales or setae on the body, wing, or other appendage
consisting of paired interstrial rows of short, recumbentrecumbent:
applied to setae which lay in the surface of the body
, hair-like setaehair-like setae:
setae that are thin and similar to a hair
.

Description

Species in this genus range from 2.7 to 4.3 mm in length and are approximately 2.2 to 2.3 times as long as wide. Their color ranges from yellowish brown to reddish brown. The pronotumpronotum:
the upper or dorsal surface of the first thoracic segment
is wider than long and unarmedunarmed:
having no granules, teeth, tubercles, spines, or other protective structures
. 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 with the same vestiturevestiture:
a surface covering of scales or setae on the body, wing, or other appendage
as the elytraelytra:
the two external and hardened or sclerotized forewings of adult Coleoptera, often appearing leather-like in texture
, which consists of a double row of short, recumbentrecumbent:
applied to setae which lay in the surface of the body
interstrial hair-like setaehair-like setae:
setae that are thin and similar to a hair
and granulesgranules:
a small grain-like elevation
. The anterior margin of the compound eye is entire. 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 as long as the 7-segmented funiclefunicle:
the antennal segments located between the scape and the club in some Coleoptera
. The ovateovate:
egg shaped, with the narrow end apically
clubclub:
the apical segment of the insect antennae that is enlarged or thickened such that it is anatomically differentiated from the preceding segments
has three straight suturessutures:
a seam or seam-like line of contact between two sclerites or hardened body parts immovably connected
. The procoxaeprocoxae:
extra segment occasionally preceding coxa (hip joint) of the first or anterior pair of legs of arthropods
are separated.

Distribution

New Mexico to British Columbia, and eastward to Quebec

World fauna

Number of species: 2, Native species: 2, Introduced species: 0

Hosts

Abies, Picea, Pinus, Pseudotsuga