Anoplophora chinensis (Forster, 1771) – a species of beetle from the subfamily Lamiinae of the longhorn beetle family (Cerambycidae), known as the citrus longhorned beetle or citrus long-horned beetle. This invasive species poses a serious threat to forestry and agriculture in many regions of the world.

1. Systematics and Description

Taxonomy of the species includes: Kingdom: Animalia, Phylum: Arthropoda, Class: Insecta, Order: Coleoptera, Family: Cerambycidae, Subfamily: Lamiinae, Genus: Anoplophora, Species: Anoplophora chinensis. The species includes two subspecies: Anoplophora chinensis chinensis (nominate subspecies) and Anoplophora chinensis malasiaca.

Morphology

Adults have a body length of 22–40 mm, black or dark brown coloration with white or bluish spots on the elytra. Characteristic features: smooth, shiny elytra with a granular structure at the base, long antennae (exceeding body length in males), pronotum with an uneven surface and spines on the sides.

Eggs are oval, white or cream-colored, about 5 mm in size. Larvae reach up to 45 mm in length, white or yellowish in color, with powerful mandibles adapted for gnawing wood. The pupa develops inside the wood, chewing an exit hole before the adult emerges.

2. Distribution

Native range includes East Asia (China, including Taiwan, Korea, Japan) and Southeast Asia (Myanmar, Vietnam, Philippines, Malaysia, Indonesia). The species actively spreads with wood material (packaging, saplings) to other regions: Europe (Italy, Germany, Netherlands), North America (USA), Oceania (Australia).

3. Ecology and Biology

Larvae develop in living trees, preferring citrus (orange, lemon), maples (Acer spp.), willows (Salix spp.), poplars (Populus spp.), birches (Betula spp.). Over 40 species of host plants have been recorded.

Life Cycle

1. Egg: Female lays eggs in bark crevices.
2. Larva: Develops for 1–2 years, tunneling through wood.
3. Pupa: Forms in a wooden chamber.
4. Adult: Emerges through a round exit hole (10–15 mm in diameter).

Natural Enemies

• Nematodes: Steinernema feltiae (parasitizes larvae).
• Fungi: Beauveria bassiana, B. brongniartii (infect adults).
• Predatory insects: Some species of wasps and beetles.

4. Economic Importance

In China, it's one of the main pests of citrus plantations. In Europe and the US, it threatens forest areas and urban plantings. Control measures include quarantine control of wood materials, pheromone traps for monitoring, biological control (nematodes, fungi) and mechanical destruction of infected trees.

References

1. BioLib – Taxon profile – species Anoplophora chinensis
2. University of Florida IFAS – Anoplophora chinensis
3. EPPO Global Database – Quarantine Pest Data Sheets

*(Material partially based on a Wikipedia article distributed under CC BY-SA 3.0 license.)*