Morimus asper

Morimus asper
	Morimus asper
Scientific classification
Domain:	Eukaryota
Kingdom:	Animalia
Phylum:	Arthropoda
Class:	Insecta
Order:	Coleoptera
Family:	Cerambycidae
Genus:	Morimus
Species:	M. asper
Binomial name
	Morimus asper; (Sulzer, 1776)
Synonyms
	Cerambyx asper Sulzer, 1776; Lamia lugubris Fabricius, 1792; Morimus lugubris (Fabricius) Mulsant, 1839; Morinus asper (Sulzer) Sama, 1991; Lamia tristis (Linnaeus) Fabricius, 1787;

Morimus asper is a species of beetle in family Cerambycidae.

Etymology

The genus name "Morimus" derives from the Greek word "μόριμος" or "mórimos", meaning "destined to die", while the Latin species name "asper" (meaning "rough") refers to the surface of the elytra.

Subspecies

Morimus asper asper (Sulzer, 1767)
Morimus asper funereus Mulsant, 1863
Morimus asper ganglbaueri Reitter, 1884
Morimus asper verecundus (Faldermann, 1836)

Description

Morimus asper can reach a length of 15–40 millimetres (0.59–1.57 in). This large and massive longhorn beetle has a black, elongated and oval body with very short, gray-brown hair and elytra are grainy over the entire surface. Males have more developed antennae. The subspecies Morimus asper funereus has gray-blue elytra with dark spots. The larvae are polyphagous, feeding mainly on deciduous and coniferous trees.

Adults can be found from March to October. They feed on bark, leaves and stems. Usually they hide during the day. Mating and oviposition take places mainly in the evening and at night, when they are active. Fights between the males with severe damages are common.

Distribution

This species is widespread in southwestern, south and southeastern Europe (Albania, Armenia, Azerbaijan, Bosnia and Herzegovina, Bulgaria, Corsica, Croatia, France, Georgia, Greece, Iran, Italy, Montenegro, Romania, Russia, Sardinia, Sicily, Spain, Switzerland, Turkey, Belarus and Ukraine), and Turkmenistan.

In Spain it occupies the northern fringe between the provinces of Aragon, Asturias, Burgos, Catalonia, Navarre and the Basque Country.^[1]

References

^ Romero-Samper, J.; Bahülo, P. (1993). "Algunas observaciones sobre la distribución y biología de Morimus asper (Sulzer, 1776) (Coleoptera: Cerambycidae) en la Península Ibérica" (PDF). Boletín de la Asociación Española de Entomología. 17: 103–122. ISSN 0210-8984. Retrieved 22 April 2017.

Biolib
Fauna Europaea
Worldwide Cerambycoidea Photo Gallery
Müller, Josef 1949: "I Coleotteri della Venezia Giulia. Catalogo ragionato, Vol. II: Coleoptera Phytophaga" Trieste Centro Sperimentale Agrario e Forestale publicazione n.4 1953,

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[Boletin_AEdE-1] Romero-Samper, J.; Bahülo, P. (1993). "Algunas observaciones sobre la distribución y biología de Morimus asper (Sulzer, 1776) (Coleoptera: Cerambycidae) en la Península Ibérica" (PDF). Boletín de la Asociación Española de Entomología. 17: 103–122. ISSN 0210-8984. Retrieved 22 April 2017.

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