by: Avery Russell
Stingers are a pretty rare thing – found in aculeate wasps and scorpions, a true sting requires venom glands, a delivery mechanism (i.e. some sharp tool), but most importantly, pierces by its own action.
However, in 2007, a cerambycid (Onychocerus albitarsis) – a longhorn beetle, was discovered in lowland moist forest of Peru that would change everything (well, ok, some things).
Many beetles have toxic chemicals coursing through their hemolymph. This can include quinones, alkaloids, terpenoids, and many other nasty compounds. You might have seen blister beetles for instance staining your skin with brown (literally tanning you). Perhaps you’ve seen the renowned bombardier beetle, with its turret-like abdominal defense mechanism – which sprays boiling hot quinones. In any case, of the 350,000+ species of beetles, there’s plenty of pain to go around.
However, until recently, a stinging delivery system was not described in detail. Although in the late 1800’s another cerambycid had been reported to deliver a stinging sensation, the scientist who discovered it could not find evidence of venom glands and thus a true sting.
Comparison with the telson (terminal segment of the tail, which has the sting) of a scorpion via scanning electron microscopy reveals that there are some very similar features. Two pores, lead to a sharp tip, thus ensuring that venom travels to the deepest part of any wound. Indeed, a sting by this cerambycid results in a lovely mild swelling.
Closely related Onychocerus cerambycids also have sharp aculeate-like antennae, but no expanded segments with venom glands, so the evolutionary hunt continues!
For more information see (from which the above image was taken): A Berkov, N Rodriguez, and P Centeno. 2007. Convergent evolution in the antennae of a cerambycid beetle, Onychocerus albitarsis, and the sting of a scorpion. Naturwissenschaften. DOI 10.1007/s00114-007-0316-1
Stingers are a pretty rare thing – found in aculeate wasps and scorpions, a true sting requires venom glands, a delivery mechanism (i.e. some sharp tool), but most importantly, pierces by its own action.
However, in 2007, a cerambycid (Onychocerus albitarsis) – a longhorn beetle, was discovered in lowland moist forest of Peru that would change everything (well, ok, some things).
Many beetles have toxic chemicals coursing through their hemolymph. This can include quinones, alkaloids, terpenoids, and many other nasty compounds. You might have seen blister beetles for instance staining your skin with brown (literally tanning you). Perhaps you’ve seen the renowned bombardier beetle, with its turret-like abdominal defense mechanism – which sprays boiling hot quinones. In any case, of the 350,000+ species of beetles, there’s plenty of pain to go around.
However, until recently, a stinging delivery system was not described in detail. Although in the late 1800’s another cerambycid had been reported to deliver a stinging sensation, the scientist who discovered it could not find evidence of venom glands and thus a true sting.
Comparison with the telson (terminal segment of the tail, which has the sting) of a scorpion via scanning electron microscopy reveals that there are some very similar features. Two pores, lead to a sharp tip, thus ensuring that venom travels to the deepest part of any wound. Indeed, a sting by this cerambycid results in a lovely mild swelling.
Closely related Onychocerus cerambycids also have sharp aculeate-like antennae, but no expanded segments with venom glands, so the evolutionary hunt continues!
For more information see (from which the above image was taken): A Berkov, N Rodriguez, and P Centeno. 2007. Convergent evolution in the antennae of a cerambycid beetle, Onychocerus albitarsis, and the sting of a scorpion. Naturwissenschaften. DOI 10.1007/s00114-007-0316-1