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Return to Texas Entomology - Compiled by Mike Quinn
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Specimen curated in the arthropod collection at Texas A&M University-Kingsville
Range:
Texas endemic. A female specimen from the collection of (William George?) Dietz was described from Texas without further data (Schaeffer, 1906) and had remained unknown. A second specimen of this distinctive species was subsequently collected by James E. Gillaspy on Padre Island, Kleberg County, Texas on May 19, 1976. No other records are known.
Size: Length 10 mm, width 5 mm.
Similar species:
Anomala is one of the largest genera in the Animal Kingdom, it includes approximately 1,000 species worldwide, but is in serious need of taxonomic study. (Arnett et al. 2002) In Texas, Riley & Wolfe (2003) report 17 species of Anomala plus as many as three unnamed species.
Riley & Wolfe (2003) consider the following species to be "provisional Texas endemics" as they are likely to eventually be found in northeastern Mexico:
Anomala diabla Potts 1976
Recorded in Brewster, Terrell, and Val Verde Counties
Anomala isitiva Robinson 1938
Recorded in Bexar, Cameron, and Hidalgo Counties
Biology:
Adult members of this genus feed on foliage and flowers, including the flowers of grasses, and are diurnal and nocturnal. Larvae are subterranean root feeders. (Arnett et al. 2002)
Etymology: Anomala tibialis Schaeffer 1906
anomal, -o (G). Uneven, irregular
tibi, =a (L). The shin bone
Biography: Charles Frederick August Schaeffer (1860-1934). (Burke, 2004)
Arnett, R.H., Jr., M.C. Thomas, P. E. Skelley & J.H. Frank. (editors). 2002. American Beetles, Volume II: Polyphaga: Scarabaeoidea through Curculionoidea. CRC Press LLC, Boca Raton, FL. xiv + 861 pp.
Borror, D.J. 1960. Dictionary of Word Roots and Combining Forms. National Press Books, Palo Alto. v + 134 pp.
Burke, H.R. 2004. Notable Weevil Specialists of the Past: William George Dietz (1848-1932). Curculio, 48: 7-9.
Burke, H.R. 2004. Notable Weevil Specialists of the Past: Charles Frederick August Schaeffer (1860-1934). Curculio, 49: 5-7.
Cooper, J.B. 1983. A review of the Nearctic genera of the family Scarabaeidae (exclusive of the subfamilies Scarabaeinae and Geotrupinae) (Coleoptera), with an evaluation of computer generated keys. Doctoral Thesis, Department of Biology, Carleton University, Ottawa, Ontario, Canada. 1,121 pp.
Potts, R.W.L. 1974. Revision of the Scarabaeidae: Anomalinae. 1. The genera occurring in the United States and Canada (Coleoptera). Pan-Pacific Entomologist, 50: 148-154.
Potts, R.W.L. 1977a. Revision of the Scarabaeidae: Anomalinae. 2. An annotated checklist of Anomala for the United States and Canada. Pan-Pacific Entomologist, 53: 34-42.
Potts, R.W.L. 1977b. Revision of the Scarabaeidae: Anomalinae. 3. A key to the species of Anomala of America north of Mexico. Pan-Pacific Entomologist, 53: 129-134.
Riley, E.G. & C.S. Wolfe. 2003. An annotated checklist of the Scarabaeoidea of Texas. Southwestern Entomologist, Supplement, no. 26. 37 pp.
Ritcher, P.O. 1966. White Grubs and Their Allies: A Study of North American Scarabaeioid Larvae. Oregon State University Press, Corvallis. 219 pp.
Robinson, M. 1938. Studies in the Scarabaeidae. I. Transactions of the American Entomological Society 64: 107-115.
Samouelle, G. 1819. The entomologist's useful compendium; or an introduction to the knowledge of British insects . . . Thomas Boys, London. 496 pp.
Schaeffer, C. 1906. Notes on some species of the genus Anomala with descriptions of new species. Journal of the New York Entomological Society, l4(1): 1-5.
11 Dec 2008 © Mike Quinn / Texas Entomology / Texas Beetle Information