Dorcasomini (Cerambycidae)

Madagascar is well known for its intriguing ecological features and geographical history, which has resulted in a high degree of micro-endemism and several notable island-endemic adaptive radiations. The longhorn beetle tribe Dorcasomini (Cerambycinae; formerly placed in subfamily Dorcasominae) is extraordinarily species-rich and shows a high rate of endemism. Of the 348 described species of Dorcasomini, approximately 70% are found only in Madagascar. Moreover, all Malagasy Dorcasomini are endemic. Malagasy Dorcasomini also collectively exhibit highly diverse morphology. They vary in size from 6-42mm, have various colors and shapes, and mimic other kinds of insects including various Hymenoptera and even other beetles. This page provides photos of 139 holotypes, 63 lecto- or paratypes, and 17 non-types of Afrotropical and Malagasy Dorcasomini in the collection of the Muséum National d'Histoire Naturelle (MNHN), Paris. This page is part of a project in the McKenna Lab that seeks to reconstruct the phylogeny and evolutionary history of Dorcasominae, with a particular focus on the species in Madagascar, their geographic distributions, geographic origins, and patterns of ecological and taxonomic diversification and endemism. For more information, please contact Soohyun Jeong (S.Jeong@memphis.edu).