Tiger longhorn beetle - Tiger longhorn beetle

A general term for insects belonging to the Clytini group of the Cerambycidae family of the Coleoptera order of the Insecta class. Nearly 1,000 species are known to be distributed around the world, with around 70 species native to Japan. These medium-sized to slightly small, slender beetles have a densely hairy body surface, and many have beautiful markings such as stripes depending on the color of their hair. Their heads protrude forward, but their antennae are short and their legs are slender. Their pronotum is round and close to spherical, but can also be cylindrical, and their upper wings are long and parallel on both sides or taper slightly backward, with bulging shoulders. They gather on dead trees and firewood, and can also be found on tree leaves, but many species gather on flowers. Most are fast-moving and fly well. The larvae usually feed on the inside of dead trees and their branches, but some species, such as the bamboo tiger beetle, live on dead bamboo, while others, such as the red cedar tiger beetle (Acanthurus fasciatus), invade living cedar trees through dead branches and cause damage, and the tiger beetle, which lives on living mulberry trees. The largest species in Japan, the giant tiger beetle, has caused considerable damage to conifers in Hokkaido.

[Takehiko Nakane]

Source: Shogakukan Encyclopedia Nipponica About Encyclopedia Nipponica Information | Legend

昆虫綱甲虫目カミキリムシ科の一群Clytiniに属する昆虫の総称。世界各地に分布しており、1000種近くが知られ、日本産はおよそ70種ほどである。中形からやや小形の細長い甲虫で、体表は密に毛で覆われており、毛色によって縞(しま)模様などのきれいな斑紋(はんもん)を現すものが多い。頭は前に突き出るが触角は短く、肢(あし)は細長い。前胸は丸く球形に近いが、円筒形のこともあり、上ばねは長くて両側が平行かすこし後方へ細くなり、肩が張っている。枯れ木、薪(まき)に集まり、樹葉上にもみられるが、花に集まる種類も少なくない。行動はすばやいものが多く、よく飛ぶ。幼虫は普通枯れ木やその枝の内部を食害するが、タケトラカミキリのように枯れたタケにつくものもあり、スギの生木に枯れ枝から侵入し加害するスギノアカネトラカミキリ（キオビトラカミキリ）や、クワの生木につくトラフカミキリのようなものもある。日本の最大種オオトラカミキリは北海道で針葉樹にかなりの被害を与えたことがある。

［中根猛彦］

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