Prionus

Taxobox
name = Prionus

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image_width = 250px
image_caption = "Prionus californicus" Motschulsky, 1845, female
regnum = Animalia
phylum = Arthropoda
classis = Insecta
ordo = Coleoptera
superfamilia = Chrysomeloidea
familia = Cerambycidae
subfamilia = Prioninae
tribus = Prionini
genus = "Prionus"
genus_authority = Geoffroy, 1762 [ITIS|ID=701988|taxon=Prionus]

subdivision_ranks = Species
subdivision = ~40 species (see text)

"Prionus" Geoffroy, 1762 is a genus of long-horned beetles of the subfamily Prioninae, tribe Prionini, with some 40 species, widespread in Europe, Asia and North America.

Description

The members of this genus are large (25-70 mm) and usually brown or black.

All members of the genus "Prionus" have twelve or more strongly toothed or even flabellate antennomeres on their large antennae. The only species present in England is "The Tanner", "Prionus coriarius" (Linnaeus, 1758).

Common North American species include the "Tile-horned Prionus", "Prionus imbricornis", the "California root borer", "Prionus californicus", and the "Broad-necked root borer", "Prionus laticollis".

Biology

The adults are nocturnal and are attracted to light, while their larvae feed on rotting wood or roots.

References

External links

* [http://www.biolib.cz/en/taxon/id11002/ check-list of world-wide "Prionus"-species]
* [http://www.cerambycoidea.com/specieric.asp?Tipo=R&RIC=prionus gallery of "Prionus"-species]
* [http://bugguide.net/node/view/3142 Bugguide.net page on "Prionus"]
* [http://www.ag.uidaho.edu/pses/Research/r_ent_hoppest_calprionus.htm "Prionus californicus"]
* [http://www.ento.vt.edu/Fruitfiles/Prionus.html Prionus borers]