Brown Spruce Longhorn Beetle
Tetropium fuscum
This record describes Tetropium fuscum (species). Recorded family: Cerambycidae. Recorded order: Coleoptera.
Identification and Appearance
Tetropium fuscum, the brown spruce longhorn beetle, is a species of beetle in the family Cerambycidae. It was described by Johan Christian Fabricius in 1787. Tetropium fuscum is native to Europe and Northern Asia, and has been introduced to Nova Scotia, Canada. Brown spruce longhorn is a pest of spruce trees.
Wikipedia reference for Tetropium fuscum: https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Tetropium fuscum.
Classification
- Kingdom
- Animalia
- Phylum
- Arthropoda
- Class
- Insecta
- Order
- Coleoptera (Beetles)
- Suborder
- Polyphaga
- Superfamily
- Chrysomeloidea
- Family
- Cerambycidae (Longhorn Beetles)
- Subfamily
- Spondylidinae
- Tribe
- Asemini
- Genus
- Tetropium
Imported taxonomy record. Source availability varies; see the source references and editorial policy below.
Habitat and Range
Geographic Range
native to, and widespread across the Palaearctic , adventive in NA (Atlantic Canada)
Additional species information
Species notes from the sources
Etymology: Tetropium fuscum (Fabricius 1787)
About Primitive Winged Insects: the wider group
Order-level background for Coleoptera, the group containing Tetropium fuscum. Species-specific details appear above.
Group overview
Coleoptera is the largest order of insects with over 400,000 described species, representing ~25% of all known animal species and ~40% of all insects. In the U.S. alone, nearly 30,000 beetle species have been identified.
Ecological role of the group
Beetles are prominent decomposers, especially in forests, breaking down dead wood and recycling nutrients. As predators, they reduce populations of pest insects. Many species are also important pollinators of flowering plants.
Economic and practical significance of the group
Beetles have major economic significance: leaf beetles (Chrysomelidae) and weevils (Curculionoidea) are among the most destructive agricultural pests globally, costing billions annually, while predatory species like ladybugs provide natural pest control.
Recorded sources for this group: Britannica, Smithsonian, NCSU Entomology. Imported estimates may describe particular regions or reporting periods.
Photos of Brown Spruce Longhorn Beetle (4)
Photo credits: (c) Karim Strohriegl, all rights reserved, uploaded by Karim Strohriegl | (c) Gilles San Martin, some rights reserved (CC BY-SA), uploaded by Gilles San Martin | (c) Martin Andersson, some rights reserved (CC BY-SA) | Contributed by Phillip Harpootlian; Additional contributions by Beatriz Moisset , v belov