Hexatricha pulverulenta, commonly known as the squeaking longhorn, is a beetle in the family Cerambycidae, the only species in the monotypic genus Hexatricha. It is endemic to New Zealand. It was first described by John O. Westwood in 1843 as Lamia pulverulenta,[2] and later moved into the genus Hexatricha (sometimes incorrectly spelled Hexathrica).[3][4]

Hexatricha
Scientific classification Edit this classification
Domain: Eukaryota
Kingdom: Animalia
Phylum: Arthropoda
Class: Insecta
Order: Coleoptera
Family: Cerambycidae
Genus: Hexatricha
White, 1846
Species:
H. pulverulenta
Binomial name
Hexatricha pulverulenta
(Westwood, 1843)
Synonyms[1]

Species synonymy

  • Hexarthrica pulverulenta Thomson, 1864
  • Lamia pulverulenta Westwood, 1843
  • Lamia (Hexatricha) pulverulenta White, 1846
Pair of Hexatricha pulverulenta on a karaka tree

The squeaking longhorn is so called for the noise it makes, by stridulation, when handled. Female beetles lay an egg under the bark of dead or dying trees, especially Pinus radiata or New Zealand beech (Nothofagus).[5] These hatch in 10–19 days, and larvae live under, and feed off, wood for perhaps two or three years.[5] They pupate for 30 days, hatching from spring to autumn (August to April) into adult beetles which live for up to three months.[6] Adults are reluctant fliers.[5]

References

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  1. ^ "Hexatricha pulverulenta". Global Biodiversity Information Facility. Retrieved 16 February 2022.
  2. ^ Westwood, J.O. 1843: On the longicorn Coleoptera of New Zealand. Arcana entomologica, 2(14): 25–28, plate LVI. doi:10.5962/bhl.title.11771 [Date of publication: 'NO. XIV.-1st JULY, 1843']
  3. ^ Bouchard, Patrice; Bousquet, Yves; Davies, Anthony; Alonso-Zarazaga, Miguel; Lawrence, John; Lyal, Christopher; Newton, Alfred; Reid, Chris; Schmitt, Michael (2011). "Family-Group Names In Coleoptera (Insecta)". ZooKeys (88): 1–972. doi:10.3897/zookeys.88.807. ISSN 1313-2970. PMC 3088472. PMID 21594053.
  4. ^ "Hexatricha pulverulenta". BioLib.
  5. ^ a b c Jeffreys, F.J. (1939). "Hexatricha pulverulenta Westwood" (PDF). Transactions and Proceedings of the Royal Society of New Zealand. 69: 347–360.
  6. ^ Crowe, Andrew (2014). Which New Zealand Insect?. Auckland: Penguin. p. 45. ISBN 978-0-14-100636-9.
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