Semanotus japonicus (Lacordaire, 1869)

(Figs 5 D, 9B)

Sympiezocera japonicus Lacordaire, 1869: 47

Material examined. 2 males, 1 female.

Holotype. Male (MNMH), examined; labelled “Cordifer Zarnina [hand written in pencil]/Thoms/Cap.// MUSEUM PARIS / COLL. J. THOMSON/1952”.

Diagnosis. This species can be separated from other species of Semanotus by the following combination of characters: head and prothorax dark brown; antennae, legs and abdomen reddish-brown; elytra dark brown with 2 pairs of transversely oval yellow spots; elytra with an indistinct, sparsely distributed, row of semi-erect, medium length setae along suture, that extends from base to apical ¼; pronotum with 5 large, impunctate calluses, the basal 3 often joined to form a trident-shaped callus; all three femora long, very weakly clavate to almost cylindrical; elytral disk pubescence present but inconspicuous, medium length, very fine, decumbent to recumbent; ventral pubescence semi-erect to decumbent, moderately dense, medium to short in length, not obscuring ventrites; scutellum densely, minutely punctured; mandibles lacking median tooth.

Hosts. Cryptomeria japonica (L.F.) D. Don (Japanese cedar), Chamaecyparis obtusa (Siebold & Zucc.) Endl. (Japanese cypress) (Ito & Kobayashi 1993).

Flower and associated vegetation records. Unknown.

Distribution. East Asia, Japan, Taiwan, China.

Remarks. This species superficially resembles S. litigiosus, however, it lacks the median mandibular tooth, the row of setae along the elytral suture are more sparse and rather indistinct, the legs are much longer and much less clavate, and the appendages and abdomen are much lighter in color, contrasting with the head and prothorax.

A single specimen of this species was intercepted in British Columbia from a wooden box containing mandarin oranges from Japan, and was sent to the United States for identification.