Brachysomida nigripennis ( LeConte, 1850 )

Chapman, Eric G., Richards, Austin B. & Dupuis, Julian R., 2023, The longhorn beetles (Coleoptera: Cerambycidae) of Kentucky with notes on larval hosts, adult nectar use, and semiochemical attraction, Zootaxa 5229 (1), pp. 1-89 : 58-59

Brachysomida nigripennis ( LeConte, 1850) ; Rhagiini [new state record?]

Taxonomic note: This species was recently erected from synonymy with B. bivittata by Bousquet et al. (2017). The synonymy of B. nigripennis under B. bivittata was by Leng (1890), which most subsequent authors followed ( Bousquet et al. 2017). Chemsak (2005) has a single dot in Kentucky for the distribution map of B. bivittata . Since they listed no locality data or museum housing the specimen(s), it is impossible to discern which species this record belongs to. Because of this, it is unclear whether this is in fact a new state record.

Distribution: Because of its newly found species status, it is tricky to determine the range of this species with public databases that have not been updated in this regard. Bousquet et al. (2017), who raised this name out of synonymy, state this, noting that it is known from southern BC south to MS and NC; Additional states include SC, IA, MN, and WI (BG) and IL (iNat), whose records have been updated to reflect this change. Kentucky collections are scattered across the state, but most are from the eastern half (Map 026).

Kentucky counties: Carter (1), Fayette (2), Letcher (1), McCreary (1), Rowan (2), Warren (3), Webster (1), Wolfe/Menifee (1)

Years: 1940 (1), 1947 (1), 1948 (1), 1967 (2), 1985 (2), 2011 (2), 2014 (1), 2017 (2)

Months: April (5), May (7)

Collections (12 records, 12 specimens): BG (3), EGCCRC (1), PDBC (1), UKIC (5), WKUC (2)

Collection methods: Flowers: Chrysanthemum (1), Erigeron (1), unspecified (1); Malaise trap (1)

Larval host plants: Unknown

Adult flower hosts: Uncertain (see Comments)

Comments: Brachysomida bivittata is attracted to flowers of Anemone , Cornus, Galium, Geranium, Melilotus , Sorbus and Viburnum ( Bousquet et al. 2017) , and it is likely that B. nigripennis is also attracted to at least some of these.