Monocrepidius exsul

Monocrepidius exsul
Scientific classification Edit this classification
Kingdom: Animalia
Phylum: Arthropoda
Clade: Pancrustacea
Class: Insecta
Order: Coleoptera
Suborder: Polyphaga
Infraorder: Elateriformia
Family: Elateridae
Genus: Monocrepidius
Species:
M. exsul
Binomial name
Monocrepidius exsul
(Sharp, 1877)
Distribution of Monocrepidius exsul from iNaturalist (as of August 2026)
Synonyms

Conoderus exsul (Sharp, 1877)

Monocrepidius exsul, known generally as the pasture wireworm or sugarcane wireworm, is a species of click beetle in the family Elateridae. It is native to New Zealand[1], Australia and Hawaii. It has been introduced to North America[2] and to Europe, such as France and Spain[3].

Description

Monocrepidius exsul are large click beetles with sexual size dimorphism as adults. Males are 8.5mm - 12 mm in length, while larger females are 11mm - 13mm in length[4]. Adults have elongated and narrow bodies with a cylindrical or flat body. They can be brown or black in colour[5].

The larvae of Monocrepidius exsul are white when young, however they become more cream in colour through moults[4]. A full grown larvae can be 15mm - 19mm long and 2.2mm - 2.8mm wide[4].

Pupae are opaque white at the start, but over time begin to appear cream in colouration with dark spots. These can vary from 8mm - 14mm in length and 2.5mm - 3.4mm in width[4].

Pasture wireworm larva

Diet

Monocrepidius exsul are omnivores; they feed on plants and insects. Such as wheat seeds[6], grass grub, and larvae of white-fringed weevil and soldier flies[7][8]. In Hawaii and Australia, Monocrepidius exsul mainly eats sugar cane shoots[9]. As larvae, they feed on grass roots[9].

Lifecycle

Eggs are laid from June to early September. The eggs hatch into larvae, where they will remain in larval stage for 8 to 12 months. After the larval stage, there is the pupae stage, which can range from 14 to 18 days. The average adult stage length is 38 days[4].

Habitat

Monocrepidius exsul can be found underground in open areas[10] mainly dominated by grass[11]. They can be found in places like grasslands and pastures[12]. Larvae can be found within the soil[5].


References

  1. ↑ Sharp, D. (1877-05-01). "XXXIX.—On the Elateridæ of New Zealand". Annals and Magazine of Natural History. 19 (113). Taylor & Francis: 396–413. doi:10.1080/00222937708682163. ISSN 0374-5481.
  2. ↑ Johnson, P.; Steury, Brent (2021-01-01). "The Elateroid Beetles of the George Washington Memorial Parkway, Virginia, USA, including new state records". 8: 31–51. {{cite journal}}: Cite journal requires |journal= (help)
  3. ↑ Zapata de la Vega, José Luis; Sánchez Ruiz, Antonio (2022). "Nuevas aportaciones al catálogo de la familia Elateridae (Coleoptera) en la Península Ibérica e Islas Baleares, VIII". Arquivos Entomolóxicos (25). Fernando Prieto Piloña: 373–441. ISSN 1989-6581.
  4. 1 2 3 4 5 Stone, M.W. (October 1976). Notes on the Biology of the Introduced Elaterid Conoderus exsul (Sharp). The Pan-Pacific Entomologist.{{cite book}}: CS1 maint: date and year (link)
  5. 1 2 Barker, G. M.; Watt, J. C.; Klimaszewski, J. (October 1997). Coleoptera: Family-Group Review and Keys to Identification (Coleoptera). Balogh Scientific Books. ISBN 978-0-478-09312-4.
  6. ↑ Williams, E. M.; Galbreath, R. A. (January 1987). "Diet and development in Conoderus exsul and Agrypnus variabilis (Coleoptera: Elateridae)". New Zealand Journal of Zoology. 14 (1): 85–88. doi:10.1080/03014223.1987.10422684. ISSN 0301-4223.
  7. ↑ Robertson, L.n. (1987). "Food habits of pasture wireworm, Conoderus exsul (Coleoptera: Elateridae)". New Zealand Journal of Zoology. 14 (4): 535–542. doi:10.1080/03014223.1987.10423026. ISSN 1175-8821.
  8. ↑ Robertson, L. N.; Firth, A. C.; Davison, R. H. (1981-07-01). "Predation on Australian soldier fly, Inopus rubriceps (Diptera: Stratiomyidae), in pasture". New Zealand Journal of Zoology. 8 (3). John Wiley & Sons, Ltd: 431–439. doi:10.1080/03014223.1981.10430624. ISSN 1175-8821.
  9. 1 2 Stone, M. W. (1975). "Distribution of Four Introduced Conoderus Species in California (Coleoptera: Elateridae)". The Coleopterists Bulletin. 29 (3). The Coleopterists Society: 163–166. doi:10.5962/p.372772. ISSN 0010-065X. JSTOR 3999792.
  10. ↑ Watts, Corinne H.; Clarkson, Beverley R.; Didham, Raphael K. (2008-02-01). "Rapid beetle community convergence following experimental habitat restoration in a mined peat bog". Biological Conservation. 141 (2): 568–579. Bibcode:2008BCons.141..568W. doi:10.1016/j.biocon.2007.12.008. ISSN 0006-3207.
  11. ↑ "Insect diversity in forests and pastoral areas in Whangamata New Zealand". www.fao.org. Retrieved 2026-08-28.
  12. ↑ McClean, John A.; Jones, Diane C. (2006). "Beetle diversity in forest and pastoral areas, Whangamata, Coromandel Peninsula". New Zealand Natural Sciences. doi:10.26021/358. hdl:10092/100582. {{cite journal}}: Cite journal requires |journal= (help)


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