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Ulochaetes leoninus
Classification
Diagnostic Features of Larvae
- Larva. Form elongate, robust, cylindrical; integument thin, shining, very sparsely clothed with very fine, short, whitish hairs. Head subcordate, widest just behind middle; mouth-frame dark, corneous, in sharp contrast to white head; epistoma straight, often bearing two small tubercles; clypeus thin; labrum transverse, fungiform, clothed with slender yellowish hairs; mandible triangular from side, shining rugose at base, bearing a deep oblique sulcus on apical dorsal face; antennae very fleshy, retractile, articulating membrane large, conical, first joint shorter than second, third minute; one ocellus, scarcely visible; gena rapidly tapering, beset with short fine hairs as well as anterior part of front and hypostoma. Ventral mouth-parts fleshy; lacinia large, fleshy, broadened at apex, sparsely haired; basal joint of maxillary palpi largest, second and third subequal, third conical, last labial shorter than basal, cylindrical; ligula short, thick, with a median groove; gular sutures rectangular, longer than wide, parallel, prominent, protuberant. Prothorax transversely elliptical, well covered with fine asperities; pronotum rectangular, anteriorly glabrous, posteriorly covered with fine asperities. Eusternum triangular, finely asperate; mesonotum and metanotum and mesosternum and metasternum more finely asperate; legs fleshy, five-jointed (including coxa), tarsus thick, chitinous tipped. Abdomen cylindrical; ampullae prominent, finely asperate, with two lateral curved sutures impressed on each side; epipleurum narrow, distinct on all segments. Spiracles large, oval, posterior margin finely carinate; peritreme thin. Pupa. The pronotum is armed with a number of conical spines, chitinous tipped, disposed on central area; abdominal terga bearing similar spines in a transverse band on each side, last tergum with two long, conical, fleshly cerci having recurved, chitinous tips. Adapted from Craighead (1923).
Biology and Economic Importance
- Larvae of most species develop for about one year in the trunk or branches of dead trees (or dead portions of leaving trees). Some species can have two broods per year. Adults are relatively short lived, probably most living less than 1 month. Most feed conspicuously on flowers as adults and thus are important pollinators (summarized from Linsley, 1961; Lawrence, 2007, and other sources).
Adults mimic both morphologically and behaviourally certain hymenopterans; Necydalis apparently larger wasps, Ulochaetes resembles bumblebees. Some species of Necydalis may visit flowers, but generally the subfamily is not typically floricolous or pollinophagous (Svacha & Lawrence, in review).
Selected References to Larvae Specimens
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