Tragidion bicolor Bates

Swift, Ian & Ray, Ann M., 2008, A review of the genus Tragidion Audinet-Serville, 1834 (Coleoptera: Cerambycidae: Cerambycinae: Trachyderini), Zootaxa 1892, pp. 1-25 : 15

Tragidion bicolor Bates

( Figs. 2 C–D, 6B)

Tragidion bicolor Bates, 1885:324 . Type locality: Guanajuato, Mexico.

Tragidion cyanovestis Chemsak and Linsley, 1979:268 . Type locality: Zamorano, Honduras. New synonymy.

Material examined: 23 specimens, including the type of T. cyanovestis at CASC, and the type of T. bicolor at BMNH.

Diagnosis. The male of this species resembles T. coquus . Both species have lightly-impressed elytral costae, almost even with the elytral surface, long, thin, entirely black antennae, and a narrow body form. T. bicolor can be separated from T. coquus by bright metallic blue reflections of the pubescence on the ventral surface in both sexes; the narrower metafemora; the densely pubescent metatibiae with bright metallic blue reflections; the more finely, densely punctate head and antennal scape; and the form of the elytra, which narrows to about % the apex, and becomes somewhat explanate at the apical ½. The female of this species is similar to the female of T. dichromaticum . For a discussion of the differences between the sexes, see the account of T. dichromaticum .

The type of T. bicolor matches very closely with that of T. cyanovestis . Chemsak and Linsley (1979) provided no diagnosis or other means of separating T. cyanovestis from other species of Tragidion , most notably T. bicolor . Chemsak examined and photographed the type of T. bicolor at the BMNH only after his description of T. cyanovestis and later acknowledged the synonymy (J. Chemsak, pers. comm.).

Distribution ( Fig. 6 B). Southern Mexico, Guatemala, and Honduras.

Ecology. The larval host, adult habits, and full geographical distribution of this species are unknown. Most specimens have been collected advantageously on vegetation.

Figures

FIGURE 2. Dorsal habitus photos of Tragidion spp. A, Tragidion auripenne (male); B, T. auripenne (female); C, T. bicolor (male); D, T. bicolor (female); E, T. coquus (male); F, T. coquus (male).

FIGURE 6. Distribution map of Tragidion spp. A, Tragidion armatum; B, T. bicolor; C, T. carinatum; D, T. coquus; E, T. dichromaticum.