longicorn n : long-bodied beetle having very long antennae [syn: long-horned beetle, longicorn beetle]

The longhorn beetles or long-horned beetles (Cerambycidae) are a cosmopolitan family of beetles, typically characterized by extremely long antennae, which are often as long as or longer than the beetle's body. In various members of the family, however, the antennae are quite short (e.g., Neandra brunnea, figured below) and such species can only be recognized with difficulty from related beetle families such as Chrysomelidae. The family is large, with over 20,000 species described. Several are serious pests, with the larvae boring into wood, where they can cause extensive damage to either living trees or to wood in buildings; the old-house borer (Hylotrupes bajulus) being a particular problem indoors. A number of species mimic ants, bees, and wasps, though a majority of species are cryptically colored. The rare giant long-horned beetle (Titanus giganteus) from northeastern South America is often considered the largest (though not the heaviest, and not the longest including legs) insect, with a maximum known body length of just over 16 centimeters.

Classification

As with many large families, different authorities have tended to recognize many different subfamilies, or sometimes split subfamilies off as separate families entirely (e.g., Disteniidae, Oxypeltidae, and Vesperidae; http://www.sea-entomologia.org/PDF/M3M_PRIBES_2002/193_206_Vanin.pdf); there is thus some instability and controversy regarding the constituency of the Cerambycidae (e.g http://www.mapress.com/zootaxa/2006f/z01212p244f.pdf).

Notable species

• Cactus longhorn beetle
• Citrus long-horned beetle
• Phymatodes nitidus
• Asian long-horned beetle
• Milkweed beetle
• Valley elderberry longhorn beetle

Selected photos

• Visual gallery of Cerambycidae

References

Further reading

• (2005) Electronic Checklist of the Cerambycidae of the Western Hemisphere. PDF Cerambycids.com

External links

• cerambycoidea.com
• Photo gallery of word-wide long-horned beetles
• Photo gallery "Longhorn beetles (Cerambycidae) of the West Palaearctic Region"
• Iberodorcadion Coleotera, Cerambycidae, Dorcadion - RedIRIS
• VIDEOS - Longicornes (Dorcadion, Cerambycidae,Coleoptera)
• Cerambycidae of Borneo pdf
• Digital Library of free papers about Cerambycidae