Rhagium mordax


Rhagium mordax, the black-spotted longhorn beetle, is a species of long-horned beetle. This beetle is found throughout Europe and to Kazakhstan and Russia. Larvae develop in silver fir, hazel, European weeping birch, European beech, and the European chestnut. Ischnoceros rusticus is an ichneumonid parasitoid wasp that feds on Rhagium mordax larvae.

Description

Rhagium mordax grows from long. In colour, they are mixed ochre and black, with one black splotch on each elytron accompanied by two pale lines on either side. The beetles' bodies are covered with small yellow hairs, although one distinguishing feature of the species is two bald spots on its elytra.
Rhagium mordax has a long, narrow head with a distinct neck. The insect's face bears a suture and the temples are elongate with some stiff hairs. The antennae are relatively short and the first segment is wider at its tip and longer.

Taxonomy

Rhagium mordax was first named Leptura mordax by Charles De Geer in 1775.

Subtaxa

There are five formally described varieties:Rhagium mordax var. altajense Plavilstshikov, 1915 Rhagium mordax var. klenkai Heyrovský, 1914 Rhagium mordax var. mediofasciatum Plavilstshikov, 1936 Rhagium mordax var. morvandicum Pic, 1927 Rhagium mordax var. subdilatatum Pic, 1917