Vandykea

Subfamily

Cerambycinae

Diagnosis - adult

Body length: 11–15mm.
Eyes: eye interommatidial setaeseta:
a sclerotized hair-like projection of the cuticle
absent, eye deeply emarginateemarginate:
notched at the margin
> half width, eye ommatidial density coarse.
AntennaeAntenna:
in larval and adult insects, paired segmented appendages, borne one on each side of the head, functioning as sense organs and bearing a large number of sensilla
: antennal length reaching/surpassing end of body, antennal flagellar segments elongateelongate:
much longer than wide
, scapescape:
the first proximal segment of the antenna
smooth/punctate at apexapex:
end of any structure distad to the base
, antennal segment 3 > scapescape:
the first proximal segment of the antenna
.
Pronotumpronotum:
the upper and dorsal part of the prothorax
: pronotumpronotum:
the upper and dorsal part of the prothorax
shape longer than wide, pronotumpronotum:
the upper and dorsal part of the prothorax
lateral armature blunt tubercule.
Prosternum: prosternal process not dilated at apexapex:
end of any structure distad to the base
, procoxal cavities closed posteriorly.
ElytraElytron:
the leathery forewing of beetles, serving as a covering for the hind wings, commonly meeting opposite elytron in a straight line down the middle of the dorsum in repose
: elytral length reaching or close to end of abdomen, elytral apicesapex:
end of any structure distad to the base
rounded or truncatetruncate:
cut off squarely at the tip
, elytral color brown or reddish, elytral color pattern absent.
Legs: visible tarsomeres: 4, femora slender, protibial spurs: 2, tarsal claws simple.

Form elongateelongate:
much longer than wide
, slender. Head short; antennaeantenna:
in larval and adult insects, paired segmented appendages, borne one on each side of the head, functioning as sense organs and bearing a large number of sensilla
nearly twice as long as body in male, very slender, segments neither spinosespinose:
armed with thorny spines, more elongate than echinate
nor dentate; eyes deeply emarginateemarginate:
notched at the margin
, embracing basebase:
the part of any appendage or structure that is nearest the body
of antennaeantenna:
in larval and adult insects, paired segmented appendages, borne one on each side of the head, functioning as sense organs and bearing a large number of sensilla
. Pronotumpronotum:
the upper and dorsal part of the prothorax
subcylindrical, with a deep subapical constriction and an obtuse, postmedian lateral tubercletubercle:
a small knoblike or rounded protuberance
, basebase:
the part of any appendage or structure that is nearest the body
scarcely constricted; anterior coxae prominent; intercoxal process of prosternum very narrow, not attaining posterior margin of coxae; metepisterna narrow, a little attenuated apically. ElytraElytron:
the leathery forewing of beetles, serving as a covering for the hind wings, commonly meeting opposite elytron in a straight line down the middle of the dorsum in repose
narrow, parallel-sided, without costae; apicesapex:
end of any structure distad to the base
narrowly rounded. Legs elongateelongate:
much longer than wide
, slender; femora not clavateclavate:
thickening gradually toward the tip
 (Linsley 1962Linsley 1962:
Linsley, E.G. 1962. The Cerambycidae of North America. Part III. Taxonomy and classification of the subfamily Cerambycinae, tribes Opsimini through Megaderini. University of California Publications in Entomology, Vol. 20. 188 pp.
).

Differential diagnosis

A unique looking genus with two lateral pronotal tubercles, a smaller one anteriorly, and larger one postmedian.

Distribution

Napa County and Lake County, California

Recorded host plants

Cupressus goveniana

Remarks

One species. This peculiar species is known only from northern California, and lives in the Sargent cypress, a tree confined to isolated, serpentine areas in the foothill regions (Linsley 1962Linsley 1962:
Linsley, E.G. 1962. The Cerambycidae of North America. Part III. Taxonomy and classification of the subfamily Cerambycinae, tribes Opsimini through Megaderini. University of California Publications in Entomology, Vol. 20. 188 pp.
).

Taxonomy

Vandykea Linsley, 1932, Pan-Pacific Ent., 8: 118.

  Vandykea tuberculata  dorsal

Vandykea tuberculata dorsal

  Vandykea tuberculata  ventral

Vandykea tuberculata ventral

  Vandykea tuberculata  frontal

Vandykea tuberculata frontal

  Vandykea tuberculata  lateral

Vandykea tuberculata lateral