Saturday, 19 August 2017

zoology - Cockroach-like insect identification (India)


I just saw an insect in my room, and I have never seen anything like it ever before. I captured a photo, please see if you can identify it. It has got quite unique colours on its exodermis and it has 2 pairs of wings ( I was not able to get a picture of them) which are very similar in structure and position to those of a cockroach. In addition to that, it is able to fly, albeit for short distances.


I live in Kolkata, India and the length of the insect is approx. 6-8 cm. Insect 1 insect 2



Answer



It's a longhorn beetle (Cerambycidae).


Most likely, it's a Red-spotted longhorn beetle (Batocera rufomaculata), also known as a mango tree borer, mango stem-borer and tropical fig borer.



See this SE question pertaining to the same insect.


Batocera rufomaculata


From Biolib:



Country check-list: China, India, Israel, Jordan, Laos, Lebanon, Madagascar, Malaysia, Mauritius, Myanmar, Pakistan, Puerto Rico, Sri Lanka, Syria, Thailand, Virgin Islands [Might Not be complete]


Food: Ficus carica L. (Fig), Carica papaya L. (Papaya), Mangifera indica L. (Mango), Shorea robusta Gaertner f. (Sal Tree)



It might also be B. parryi, which, similar to B. rufomaculata, is common in SE Asia (but which is absent from Western Asia or Africa where B. rufomaculata is also found). Since you live in India, both are possible. I will look for a key to determine how to differentiate the 2 species.


Meanwhile, here is a list of related species in the Lamiinae subfamily for further reference.


Also, a great resource (including keys) for wood boring beetles of the world!



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