ssp. balchashense (Suvorov, 1911)
Subfamilia: LAMIINAE / Tribus: DORCADIONINI
[Photo © Petr Jelínek]
Typical habitats of Dorcadion balchashense balchashense are clay deserts and semi-deserts with sparse grass vegetation in Betpak-Dala (Бетпақдала) desert NW of Balkhash Lake in Central Kazakhstan. Larvae feed on roots of various grass species (Poaceae). Adults feed on above-ground parts of the same plant species. In warm sunny weather, males are actively moving in search of virgin females. Females are less active and usually staying under plants [❖].
Body length: ♂ 14 - 20 mm / ♀ 15 - 22 mm Life cycle: 1 year Adults in: last decade of April - second half of May Host plant: larvae feed on roots of various grass species (Poaceae) Distribution: Central Kazakhstan
The depicted beetles were collected and photographed in desert 60 km N of Balkhash (Балқаш) city (Kazakhstan) on May 2, 2015.Collected by Petr Jelínek
[❖]
Toropov S.A., Milko D.A.:
Longhorns of the tribe Dorcadionini (Coleoptera, Cerambycidae) of Kazakhstan and Middle Asia.
SatEnto, Bishkek, 103pp, 2013. [download]
Dorcadion balchashense balchashense ♂♂ [Photo © Petr Jelínek]
Dorcadion balchashense balchashense ♀♀ [Photo © Petr Jelínek]
[Photo © Petr Jelínek]
| Subfamilia | Lamiinae Latreille, 1825 |
| Tribus | Dorcadionini Swainson, 1840 |
| Genus | Dorcadion Dalman, 1817 |
| Subgenus | Politodorcadion Danilevsky, 1996 |
| Species | Dorcadion (Politodorcadion) balchashense (Suvorov, 1911) |
| Subspecies | Dorcadion (Politodorcadion) balchashense balchashense (Suvorov, 1911) |