Periergates

Diagnostic Features

Description

Elongate-oblong, moderate-sized, ranging from about 14–17 mm in length. Integument generally dark brown, ferrugineous or black with whitish, ferrugineous, and ochraceous pubescence. Head with frons elongate, about as wide as width of four lower eye lobes; frons surface roughly sculptured or not. Eyes with lower lobes distinctly small, oblong to distinctly pointed apically. Genae elongate, distinctly taller than lower eye lobes. Antennal tubercles prominent, moderately to narrowly separated; tubercles not armed at apex or armed with a small projection. Antennae about as long as overall body length, or as much as twice as long; scape gradually expanded to apex, about as long or longer than antennomere IV; antennomere III nearly straight or curved, about as long or longer than scape and longer than antennomere IV, densely fimbriate beneath; antennomere XI shorter than X (females) or longer than X (males). Pronotum transverse, roughly cylindrical to conical, distinctly narrower at base, with lateral tubercles. Elytra with sides roughly parallel; elytral apices jointly rounded; elytra generally uniform in coloration or speckled; base of elytra without tubercles or with two or more prominent tubercles at humeri. Basal 1/3 of elytra with dense punctation, surface granulate-punctate. Procoxae without projection or with an obtuse tubercle. Mesosternal process with apex subtruncate to feebly emarginate. Metafemora moderate to distinctly short in length, about 1/3–1/5 as long as elytra.

Diagnosis

The combination of the following characters will help to distinguish this genus: distinctly small eyes, widely separated; antennomeres III and IV densely fimbriate beneath; basal 1/3 of elytra with dense punctation, surface granulate-punctate; and elytra with sides roughly parallel.

Similar genus/genera

Strongly resembles Microcanus, Oncideres, and Taricanus.

Geographic Distribution

Central America (Costa Rica, Guatemala, Mexico, Panama)

Host Plants/Trees

Unknown

Girdling Behavior

According to Lacordaire (1872)Lacordaire (1872):
Lacordaire, J.T. 1872. Histoire Naturelle des Insectes. Genera des Coléoptères, ou exposé méthodique. Librairie Encyclopédique de Roret, 9(2): 411–930.
, P. rodriguezi "...occasionally makes serious ravages in the coffee plantations by girdling the young branches of the trees.

Included Species

The genus Periergates currently contains three species: P. badeni Bates, 1885; P. chiriquensis Bates, 1885; P. rodriguezi Lacordaire, 1872Lacordaire, 1872:
Lacordaire JT. 1872. Histoire Naturelle des Insectes. Genera des Coléoptères, ou exposé méthodique. Librairie Encyclopédique de Roret. 9(2):411–930.
.

More species images are available in the Gallery.

Taxonomy

Periergates Lacordaire, 1872Lacordaire, 1872:
Lacordaire JT. 1872. Histoire Naturelle des Insectes. Genera des Coléoptères, ou exposé méthodique. Librairie Encyclopédique de Roret. 9(2):411–930.

subtribe: Onciderina
type species: Periergates rodriguezi Lacordaire, 1872Lacordaire, 1872:
Lacordaire JT. 1872. Histoire Naturelle des Insectes. Genera des Coléoptères, ou exposé méthodique. Librairie Encyclopédique de Roret. 9(2):411–930.

Selected References

Bates (1880–1886), Bezark and Monné (2013)Bezark and Monné (2013):
Bezark LG, Monné MA. 2013. Checklist of the Oxypeltidae, Vesperidae, Disteniidae and Cerambycidae, (Coleoptera) of the Western Hemisphere.
, Dillon and Dillon (1945)Dillon and Dillon (1945):
Dillon LS, Dillon ES. 1945. The tribe Onciderini (Coleoptera: Cerambycidae) Part I. Reading, Scientific Publications, Reading Public Museum and Art Gallery, Number 5. 186 pp.
, Lacordaire (1872)Lacordaire (1872):
Lacordaire JT. 1872. Histoire Naturelle des Insectes. Genera des Coléoptères, ou exposé méthodique. Librairie Encyclopédique de Roret. 9(2):411–930.
, Monné (2005)Monné (2005):
Monné MA. 2005. Catalogue of the Cerambycidae (Coleoptera) of the Neotropical Region. Part II. Subfamily Lamiinae. Zootaxa. 1023:1–759.

 Periergates rodriguezi,  female specimen; © E.H. Nearns
Periergates rodriguezi, female specimen; © E.H. Nearns
 Periergates rodriguezi,  female specimen; © E.H. Nearns
Periergates rodriguezi, female specimen; © E.H. Nearns
 Periergates rodriguezi,  female specimen; © E.H. Nearns
Periergates rodriguezi, female specimen; © E.H. Nearns
 Periergates rodriguezi , female; © E.H. Nearns
Periergates rodriguezi, female; © E.H. Nearns