HELP: USA/Canada Cerambycid people/collections

[Doug Yanega]

Greetings, and the inevitable apologies for cross-postings. Well, I'm in
the late stages of preparing a Field Guide to the Northeastern Cerambycidae
(under the auspices of the Illinois Natural History Survey), and have
material of all but a tiny handful of the species known to occur in the
area. At this point, I've done all I could with the literature, and would
like to ask two favors from those of you interested in Cerambycidae (I
suspect there are many) on the Net, collections with holdings of NE N
American material, and any similar contacts you all might have who are not
yet on-line.
(1) Basically, I suspect that there must be numerous species for which some
significant range/host/phenology data has not yet made it into the
literature. If anyone has any such novel data that they would be willing to
share (especially as to species occurring in the NE that are not presently
known from the area; I define the geographic limits of the field guide to
be anywhere within a line running straight north from the western edge of
Missouri, and another running straight east from the southern edge of
Missouri), it would make for a *much* better field guide. This may sound
like a massive request, BUT the level of detail planned for the field guide
is concomitant with our understanding of the group, which is -
comparatively speaking - NOT terribly detailed. For instance, the data will
be presented in the following format:
        Tribe Parandrini
Parandra b. brunnea  (F.)                                  [plate 1-1]
Flight Period: March-November, ENA
Feeding Habits: moist, decaying heartwood of nearly all eastern trees.
Notes: occasionally in cavities of living trees, very damaging to
structural wood in soil contact, earning it the name "Pole Borer". Fairly
common and variable in size, color, punctation, esp. males. Adults
attracted to UV lights.
Parandra polita  Say                                       [plate 1-2]
Flight Period: June-July, EUS
Feeding Habits: heartwood of hickory, tuliptree, beech. Notes: extends to
Mesoamerica. Uncommon. Attracted to UV lights. Distinguished from preceding
species by oval, entire (not emarginate) eyes, bristles at tarsal apices,
and more elongate form.

        I am intentionally vague on range and host in particular, because
we know so little about exact geographic and host limitations that it would
be presumptuous and potentially misleading to imply that a given range map
or host list is even *close* to accurate and complete (for example, P.
polita above is not known north of Illinois, nor from New England, but for
me to give a state-by-state list of localities rather than listing the
general range - as simply the Eastern United States - really *would*
presume too much, especially given how few records this is based on). What
I am looking for are *significant* data points from NE North America that
involve things like species whose hosts were previously unknown, recent
introductions or other new additions to the NE fauna (Ted MacRae's 1993
paper on Missouri Cerambycids has been exemplary in this regard), and other
such details. In the case above, a record of P. polita from Nova Scotia
would merit a change in the text, a record from Pennsylvania would not. New
host records from species which are known generalists will rarely be of
interest, since the present text (e.g., "various hardwoods, esp. oak") will
not change as a result in such a case, though definitive rearings of
hardwood-associated species on conifers (or vice-versa) might be
noteworthy.
        I can offer nothing in return for contributions other than sincere
personal thanks and a formal acknowledgment in the book.
(2) there are a few species for which I have been so far unable to locate
some photogenic material (plans are to use photos of *every* species, most
likely a mix of B&W and color plates), and if anyone has specimens they
could loan (or donate to the INHS, if really feeling charitable), I would
be grateful for that help, as well. The list: Penichroa fasciata, Zamodes
obscurus, Obrium rubidum LeC., Phymatodes maculicollis (preferrably a NE
specimen), Physocnemum andreae, Neoclytus j. jouteli, Xylotrechus gemellus,
nitidus, or schaefferi, Centrodera quadrimaculatus, Gaurotes thoracica,
Sachalinobia rugipennis, and Ceratographis biguttata. Note that I plan to
use Linsley & Chemsak as the nomenclatural authority (including the recent
Lamiine volume). I've seen Monne & Giesbert's catalog, and didn't notice
any discrepancies other than the Lamiinae.
        As a final note, I'll mention that I've turned up a few things for
which I'd be grateful for specific information: (1) I've seen specimens of
two European species not presently listed from the US; Ropalopus femoratus
and Phymatodes lividus. Only one of the former, but several of the latter.
I'd be especially interested if there are other known US/Canada collections
of these, esp. published records I might've missed. (2) I am of the
impression that Xylotrechus schaefferi is another European import,
mistakenly given a name by Schott - I'm interested in any records of this
species, but most specifically the location of the primary type material.
(3) We have a series of Chittenden's paratypes of Oberea ulmicola here at
the INHS, and they are clearly NOT synonymous with O. ocellata, as
suggested by Linsley & Chemsak. I'd be grateful if someone could point me
to Chittenden's primary type material of ulmicola. (4) any insight into
whether Arhopalus foveicollis and asperatus are really both valid species
would also be welcome - I've now seen specimens matching both (and
*numerous* intermediates) from throughout the supposed ranges of both, and
am presently considering treating the matter as if only foveicollis is a
valid name, unless someone knows a definitive diagnostic feature other than
the terminal antennal segments or pronotal shape.
        With any luck, a first full draft will be ready by the end of June.
Much thanks in advance to anyone willing to contribute.
Sincerely,

Doug Yanega      Illinois Natural History Survey, 607 E. Peabody Dr.
Champaign, IL 61820 USA     phone (217) 244-6817, fax (217) 333-4949
  "There are some enterprises in which a careful disorderliness
        is the true method" - Herman Melville, Moby Dick, Chap. 82