Phyllobaenus rufipes ( Newman, 1840 )

Chapman, Eric G., Leavengood, John M. & Dupuis, Julian R., 2025, The Cleridae and Thanerocleridae of eastern North America, with illustrated keys, updated distributions, and special emphasis on the Kentucky fauna, Zootaxa 5639 (1), pp. 1-88 : 59

Phyllobaenus rufipes ( Newman, 1840) ; Cleridae : Clerinae : Hydnocerini

Illustrations: Plate 4-G. Phyllobaenus key, couplet 8-C

Distribution: TX to FL to SC to AR. Uncommonly collected.

- Recorded from: AL, AR, FL, GA, SC, and TX ( Newman, 1840; Wickham & Wolcott, 1912; Wolcott, 1947; Corporaal, 1950; Papp, 1960).

- New State Records: GEORGIA: Appling County: Hwy 121, along Satilla River , 7-IV-1996, R . Morris ( FSCA, 1); Emanuel County: Swainsboro, “5-7-37”, P. W. Fattig ( NMNH, 2); 5.6 miles southwest of Swansboro , 4- VIII-1976, R . H. Turnbow ( RHTC, 1); Johnson County: 1 mile east of Kite , on Quercus laevis , 7-IV-1977, 29-IV-1976, 11-V-1976, 25-V-1976, 22-VI-1976, R . H. Turnbow ( FSCA, 11); 1 mile east of Kite , 29-IV-1977, 19-V-1977, R . H. Turnbow ( FSCA, 2); 1 mile east of Kite , on Quercus laevis , 7-IV-1977, 29-IV-1976, 11-V-1976, 25-V-1978, R . H. Turnbow ( RHTC, 27); 1 mile east of Kite , 15-IV-1978, 16-IV-1977, 29-IV-1976, 29- IV-1977, 26-VIII-1977, 20-IX-1979, 24-IX-1977, R . H. Turnbow ( RHTC, 19); 1 mile east of Kite , sticky trap, 29-IV-19-V-1977, R . H. Turnbow ( RHTC, 10); southeast of Kite , 18-V-1992, R . Morris ( RFMC, 3); Tattnall County: 3miles east of 147 along Ohoopee River , 8-10-V-1998, R . Morris ( RFMC, 2) ; SOUTH CAROLINA: Beaufort County: east of 119, 3 miles on 17, 2-VI-1991, R . Morris ( FSCA, 1); east of 119, 3 miles on 17, 2-VI-1991, R . Morris ( RFMC, 1); Dorchester County: Summerville, 19-IV-1946, G. H. Dieke ( NMNH, 1); Florence County : Sardis , oak leaves, 1-V-1959, V . M. Kirk ( CUAC, 1); Kershaw County: Camden , 19-V-1962, V . M. Kirk ( FMNH, 1) ; TEXAS: ex Musaeo James Thomson, Museum Paris ex. Coll. R . Oberthur ( MNHN, 1) .

Natural History: Very little has been published on the life history of this species. Turnbow & Franklin (1981) reported it as a predator of the buprestid Brachys tesselatus (F.). Leavengood (2008b) reported that adults have been collected from alfalfa ( Medicago sativa ) and turkey oak ( Quercus cerris ) and have been collected with Malaise, malt bait, and blacklight traps in Florida. Label data above for Georgia indicate collections from a different oak species commonly called turkey oak ( Quercus laevis ).