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Tithoes maculatus
Classification
Diagnostic Features of Larvae
- Mature larva. Length up to 160 mm; maximum breadth (at prothorax) 28 mm. Form cylindrical, very robust, gradually tapering posteriorly. Head moderately depressed, slightly transverse (maximum width 17 mm). Gena very strongly shouldered, rugose, broadly pitchy and with a deep longitudinal carina beneath ocelli and acutely pointed beneath antennal foramen. Mouthframe extremely strongly sclerotized, broadly pitchy; setal punctures very deep. Front margin of frons pitchy, very heavily sclerotized, flattened; upper boundary flattened, slightly produced above clypeus, with front margin straight but with edge crenate; lower boundary produced over clypeus, more strongly so laterally, with front margin curved and strongly pectinate. Postcondylar carina deep, with upper boundary straight. Subfossal process acutely conical. Antenna salient, 2-segmented; segment 2 elongate, gradually narrowed to apex where it is obliquely truncate. Mandible very robust, pitchy, shining, with outer face very strongly rugose and bearing numerous scattered short setae on basal half of outer face. Labrum oval, leathery, ferruginous, with anterior margin very densely fringed with short bristle-like setae; posterior margin with a deep fovea medially. Three pairs of ocelli present beneath antennal foramen (possibly indistinct in some specimens); oceIlar lens strongly convex; pigmented spot indiscernible owing to strong sclerotization of lens. Ventral mouthparts strongly sclerotized and ferruginous to pitchy for the greater part, particularly the ligula, mentum, submentum and part of the maxillary stipes. Prothorax slightly obliquely sloping anteriorly, about twice as broad as long. Pronotum rectangular, delimited laterally by a pair of shallow grooves; median cleavage line indistinct, strongly rugose, sparsely setose and with a transverse, somewhat irregular, broad, pitchy band. Eusternum separated from presternum by a distinct W-shaped suture; presternum bearing numerous scattered setal punctures, eusternum sclerotized, ferruginous to pitchy in large specimens, the greater part covered with corneous tubercles. Mesonotum and metanotum rugose, very sparsely setose. Abdomen almost entirely moderately strongly sclerotized, varying from pale testaceous to castaneous; ampullae present on segments 1-7; each with two transverse furrows and sometimes corneous or callose, particularly around furrows. Pleural discs present and distinct on segments 1-8; each radially striate, with a deep pore, pale testaceous, thus contrasting with the surrounding cuticle which is more or less ferruginous. Segments 8 and 9 smooth, glabrous, the latter slightly extended. Segment 10 trilobed, the cleft very deep and bearing a few pale short setae. Legs shorter than maxillary palpi, ferruginous, setose. Spiracles with peritreme rather narrowly oval, very thick and scarcely raised above general level of cuticle. Adapted from Duffy (1957).
This larva possesses several unusual features, of which the most striking is the comparatively strong and very extensive sclerotization of the mouthparts and abdominal segments in larger specimens of over 120 mm. in length. Another peculiarity, apparently so far unique in the Cerambycidae, is the presence of eight pairs of very distinct pleural discs; previously only six pairs, at the most, have been observed, the posterior pairs usually being rather indistinct. The pectinate frons and presence of a sub-antenna! process are also striking modifications. 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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