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Dorcasomus
gigas
Classification
Diagnostic Features of Larvae
- Mature larva. Length up to 63 mm; breadth (at prothorax) 12 mm. Form elongate, subcylindrical, robust and slightly tapering posteriorly. Head distinctly narrower than prothorax, trapezoidal (maximum head width 6.9 mm), slightly depressed, with sides almost straight and diverging posteriorly. Genae ferruginous, with a deep vertical impression near front margin. Mouthframe rugose, strongly sclerotized and pitchy. Frons not transversely divided; apparently only four epistomal setae present. Antenna 3-segmented. Mandible very short and robust, less than twice as long as basal width; pitchy, strongly shining; ventral apical angle acutely pointed; dorsal angle of inner margin a flattened, striate plate. Labrum transversely oval, testaceous, with fine dense setae. Three pairs of small, round, subcontiguous ocelli present; pigmented spot rather indistinct; posterior to these ocelli is a larger, oval weal which may possibly be another ocellus (vestigial?). Hypostoma smooth, testaceous, except front margin which is narrowly pitchy. Gular sutures parallel, very strongly raised, almost carinate. Maxilla well extended, movable; palpus slender; segment 3 shorter than segment 2; lobe short, robust. Prothorax about twice as broad as long; dorsally obliquely sloping, testaceous. Anterior part of pronotum smooth, posterior area coarsely, vermiculately rugose; lateral grooves deep, very distinct; a short pair of longitudinal, sublateral grooves also present, the posterior margin thus being trilobed. Mesonotum, metanotum and prosternum vermiculately rugose. Abdomen with ampullae present on segments 1-7; each dorsal ampulla with two transverse furrows, the area between and around them densely tuberculate. Abdominal tergite 9 smooth, sparsely setose, unarmed. Legs proportionately short; unguiculus slender, testaceous.
Pupa. Length up to 44 mm; maximum breadth 18 mm. Head elongate, with vertex dome-shaped, glabrous and concealed from above by prothorax; front and clypeus smooth, glabrous. Antennae pectinate, extending as far as abdominal segment 1, where they are strongly curved downward to terminate near apices of mid-tibiae. Eyes and mandibles glabrous. Labrum small, trapezoidal, glabrous. Pronotum slightly transverse, with sides very strongly and acutely tuberculate; front margin strongly rounded; disc transversely striate, with scattered setose papillae. Mesonotum and metanotum with a pair of paramedian groups of pale papillae. Elytra and wings extending to abdominal segment4. Abdomen with tergites l-8 each bearing a transverse group (interrupted medially) of short, ferruginous spines (each with a subapical seta). Tergite 9 with a median group of slightly larger, stronger spines, which are slightly incurved. Sternites glabrous. Pleura strongly protuberant, each with a pair of short spines. Legs completely glabrous; hind tibiae with apical spurs very short; tarsi shorter than tibiae; hind femora extending to abdominal segment 4. Functional spiracles present on segments 1-5; peritreme narrowly oval, thick, strongly raised above general level of cuticle. Adapted from Duffy (1957).
Biology and Economic Importance
- Biology and economic importance for this taxon coming soon.
Selected References to Larvae Specimens
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