Cremastocheilus retractus incisus

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Cremastocheilus retractus incisus
Scientific classification
Kingdom: Animalia
Phylum: Arthropoda
Class: Insecta
Order: Coleoptera
Family: Scarabaeidae
Subfamily: Cetoniinae
Tribe: Cremastocheilini
Genus: Cremastocheilus
Subgenus: Cremastocheilus
Species: C. retractus incisus
Binomial name
Cremastocheilus retractus incisus
Casey, 1915

One of about thirty-five species of myrmecophilous Cremastocheilus. The host ant is Formica ciliata.

Identification

Distribution

Colorado (Araphahoe Co., Douglas Co., El Paso Co.), Kansas, Nebraska (Scotts Co.), New Mexico (San Miguel Co.), Wyoming (Laramie Co.); Canada (Alberta, Manitoba).

Habitat

Common host is Formica ciliata from Colorado Springs, El Paso County, 19 July 1903. Found on sand dunes.

Biology

Nomenclature

Type Material: Colorado, Araphahoe Co., Denver, no date. Larimer Co., Fort Collins, no date. Kansas.


Description

Legs rufous or rufopiceous, apical parts of head and pronotal angles rufescent; body black, shining; elytra with small narrow punctures; long narrow notch on inside of anterior angles; pygidium surface at apex sparsely punctate; body hairs thick at their bases, becoming sharply pointed apically.

References

  • Alpert, Gary D. 1994. A Comparative Study of the Symbiotic Relationship Between Beetles of the Genus Cremastocheilus (Coleoptera: Scarabaeidae) and their Host Ants (Hymenoptera:Formicidae). Sociobiology 25(1).