Euderces velutinus is a long-horned beetle native to Central America. It is a good ant mimic of the conspicuous species Camponotus sericeiventris.[1]
| Euderces velutinus | |
|---|---|
Scientific classification 
| |
| Domain: | Eukaryota |
| Kingdom: | Animalia |
| Phylum: | Arthropoda |
| Class: | Insecta |
| Order: | Coleoptera |
| Family: | Cerambycidae |
| Genus: | Euderces |
| Species: | E. velutinus
|
| Binomial name | |
| Euderces velutinus (Fisher, 1931)
| |
| Synonyms | |
|
Eplophorus velutinus | |
Description
editE. velutinus is about 1 cm long and 3 mm wide. The general color is black, with short golden hairs on top, patterned in a ways such that it resembles an ant. The hind legs are shaped ant-like. The beetle's head and prothorax together mimic the ant's head, with a pair of black spots simulating the eyes.[1]
It is very similar to E. magnus, but is smaller, has a shorter pronotum, and has the entire apical half of the elytra densely clothed with silky, golden yellow pubescence, which helps giving the impression of C. sericeiventris.[2]
Distribution
editSee also
edit- Myrmecotypus — a spider genus with one species also mimicking C. sericeiventris
References
edit- ^ a b Wheeler, William M. (1931). "The ant Camponotus (Myrmepomis) sericeiventris Guérin and its mimic". Psyche: A Journal of Entomology. 38 (2–3): 86–98. doi:10.1155/1931/98237.
- ^ a b Fisher, W. S. (1931). "A new ant-like cerambycid beetle from Honduras". Psyche: A Journal of Entomology. 38 (2–3): 99–101. doi:10.1155/1931/56513.