Cameron County Texas Beetles Described by

Charles Frederick August Schaeffer

Texas Beetle Information

Return to Texas Entomology - Compiled by Mike Quinn

Charles Schaeffer (1860-1934) was an important coleopterist who was among the first to make extensive collections in the Lower Rio Grande Valley of Texas. The following biological sketch of Schaeffer was extracted from Burke (2004).

Schaeffer's collections there were so extensive that they can almost be considered as a turn-of-the-20th Century baseline for the Lower Rio Grande beetle fauna.

His favorite collecting site in the Lower Rio Grande Valley was the Esperanza Ranch [which is now surrounded by the City of Brownsville, TX]. Many species of Coleoptera, as well as members of other orders, have the Esperanza Ranch site as their type locality.

Taxa of many families of Coleoptera received the attention of Schaeffer. His favorite were the Chrysomelidae, but he also described new genera and species in the Cerambycidae, the Buprestidae, and over 20 other families. He was a true beetle generalist.

Schaeffer had a special attraction for anthribids. In his 1906 paper on new species of this group he stated: "The family is exceedingly well represented in Brownsville, Texas, if we take in consideration the small number of species within the limits of the United States. From this interesting semitropical region twenty-one species are known, of which seven are new.

Schaeffer described 21 species of anthribids, 19 of which are still considered valid. According to Valentine (1998), there are 88 described species of Anthribidae in the Nearctic region. Schaeffer described about 22% of these, a significant contribution to the descriptive taxonomy of the family.

As a descriptive taxonomist, Charles Schaeffer contributed significantly to the knowledge of Coleoptera of the United States. He is truly representative of the often self-taught and dedicated entomologists of his era.

Link to over 50 of Schaeffer's publications

List of Cameron County Beetle Species Described by Charles Schaeffer

Schaeffer described:

109 species/subspecies in

91 genera in

26 families that occur in Cameron County, Texas.

Note: The vast majority, but not all, species were described from specimens first collected in Cameron County.
Also, seven Schaeffer patronyms that occur in Cameron County are included here as well.

Family Anobiidae

			        
	 Trichodesma pulchella Schaeffer - Range: southmost TX /  Mex.

			
         Trichodesma texana Schaeffer - Range: southmost TX / ne. Mex.

Family Anthribidae

			
         Araeoderes texanus Schaeffer - Range: Gulf Coast: TX, AL

			  
         Discotenes nigrotuberculata (Schaeffer) - Range: southmost TX to C. Amer.

			  
         Eusphyrus eusphyroides (Schaeffer) - Range: e. & s. TX

			
	 Eusphyrus rectus Schaeffer - Range: se coastal states

			 
         Ormiscus albofasciatus (Schaeffer) - south TX

			
         Ormiscus irroratus (Schaeffer) - Range: southmost TX

			 
         Ormiscus sextuberculatus (Schaeffer) - Range: TX, FL

         Ormiscus submetallicus (Schaeffer)  

			   
         Phoenicobiella schwarzi (Schaeffer) - Range: southmost TX / ne. Mex.
			
			 
	Toxonotus bipunctatus (Schaeffer) - southmost TX to C. Amer.

			 
	Toxonotus penicellatus (Schaeffer) - southmost TX to C. Amer.

Family Attelabidae

                          
         Temnocerus macrophthalmus (Schaeffer) - Range: southmost TX

Family Brentidae

	 		   
	 Heterobrenthus texanus Schaeffer - Range: southmost TX

Family Buprestidae

			
         Actenodes flexicaulis Schaeffer - Range: southmost TX / Mex.
 
			 
	Agrilus dolli Schaeffer - Range: s. TX 

			
         Agrilus subtropicus Schaeffer - Range: southmost TX / Mex.

			  
         Lampetis (Spinthoptera) cupreopunctata (Schaeffer) - southmost TX / Mex. 

			   
         Spectralia prosternalis (Schaeffer) - Range: s. TX
         
			 
	 Taphrocerus schaefferi Nicolay & Weiss - Range: e. NA

			
         Trigonogya reticulaticollis (Schaeffer) - Range: southmost TX

Family Cantharidae

			         
	Tytthonyx ruficollis Schaeffer - southmost TX

Family Carabidae


			 
	Aztecarpalus schaefferi Ball - c. TX to ne Mex.

			 
	Lebia (Lebia) bumeliae Schaeffer - Range: s. TX to Mex.

			
	Lebia (Lebia) rufopleura Schaeffer - Range: w. to c. to s. TX / Mex.

        Selenophorus discoderoides Schaeffer - Range: southmost TX

Family Cerambycidae

			
         Anelaphus niveivestitus (Schaeffer) - Range: c. to s. TX

			 
         Ataxia tibialis Schaeffer - Range: southmost TX

			 
         Elaphidion mimeticum Schaeffer - Range: coastal s. TX to Belize

			
         Lochmaeocles cornuticeps cornuticeps Schaeffer    

			 
         Parmenonta wickhami Schaeffer  
			
			
         Pentanodes dietzii Schaeffer  

			
	 Rhopalophora angustata Schaeffer

			
         Pygmaeopsis viticola Schaeffer

			
	 Urgleptes celtis (Schaeffer)

Family Chrysomelidae

			
	Acanthoscelides compressicornis (Schaeffer) 

			 
         Acanthoscelides macrophthalmus (Schaeffer)  
         Acanthoscelides quadridentatus (Schaeffer)  

			 
         Altica texana Schaeffer  

 			
         Babia (Archaebabia) tetraspilota texana Schaeffer  

			 
         Brachypnoea rotundicollis (Schaeffer)  

			 
	 Brachypnoea texana (Schaeffer)
 
			 
	 Chlamisus texanus (Schaeffer)  

			  
         Chrysomela (Microdera) texana (Schaeffer)  

			   
         Coptocycla (Psalidonota) texana (Schaeffer)  

			 
         Cryptocephalus brunneovittatus Schaeffer  

			 
         Cryptocephalus duryi Schaeffer  

			 
         Cryptocephalus guttulatellus Schaeffer  

			   
         Derospidea ornata (Schaeffer)
	 	
			 
	 Diplacaspis prosternalis (Schaeffer) 

			
         Disonycha stenosticha Schaeffer  

 			
         Fidia clematis Schaeffer  

			
	 Glenidion flexicaulis (Schaeffer)

			 
	Glyptoscelis prosopis Schaeffer


			
        Leptinotarsa texana Schaeffer  

			
         Malacorhinus acaciae (Schaeffer)  

	 		 
	 Metachroma texanum Schaeffer

			 
	 Monomacra bumeliae (Schaeffer)

			 
         Myochrous magnus Schaeffer  

			 
	 Neltuminus texanus (Schaeffer)

			
          Nesaecrepida infuscata (Schaeffer)  

			  
         Rhabdopterus weisei (Schaeffer)  

			  
	 Saxinis sinuata Schaeffer

			
	 Systena pallicornis Schaeffer

			 
	Stator subaeneus (Schaeffer)

			  
         Urodera (Boreurodera) crucifera texana Schaeffer  

	 		 
	 Zenocolaspis subtropica (Schaeffer)

Family Ciidae

	Ceracis schaefferi Dury

Family Cleridae

Cymatodera obliquefasciata Schaeffer - Cymatodera obliquefasciata

Bogcia obliquefasciatus (Schaeffer)

			 
	 Monophylla pallipes (Schaeffer)

			  
	 Pelonides granulatipennis (Schaeffer)

			 
         Pelonium maculicolle Schaeffer    

	 Parapelonides nigrescens (Schaeffer)

Family Coccinellidae

			 
	 Hyperaspis schaefferi Gordon      

			  
	 Hyperaspis trifurcata Schaeffer  

			   
         Hyperaspis weisei Schaeffer

Family Colydiidae

			
	 Bitoma vittata Schaeffer

Family Curculionidae

			   	 
         "Chalcodermus" semicostatus Schaeffer

			
	 Chramesus subopacus Schaeffer

			 
         Conotrachelus rubescens Schaeffer  

			  
         Conotrachelus texanus Schaeffer  

			
         Myrmex texanus (Schaeffer)  
 
			 
         Phloeotribus texanus Schaeffer  

			 
	 Platyomus flexicaulis (Schaeffer)  

			
         Sibinia pallida (Schaeffer)

Family Elateridae

			 
	 Aeolus scutellatus (Schaeffer)

			 
	 Aeolus subornatus (Schaeffer)

	 		
                Conoderus similis (Schaeffer)

			
	 Glyphonyx bimarginatus Schaeffer  

			
         Glyphonyx ferruginosus Schaeffer  

			
         Megapenthes nigriceps Schaeffer

			
 	 Mulsanteus variatus (Schaeffer)

Family Erotylidae

			
         Dasydactylus cnici Schaeffer  

			
         Truquiella Champion 

			
         Languria denticulata Schaeffer  
			
			
         Loberus ornatus Schaeffer  

			 
         Toramus chamaeropis (Schaeffer)

Family Histeridae

         Teretriosoma sexualis Schaeffer

Family Kateretidae [=Brachypteridae]

			 
	Brachypterus schaefferi Grouvelle

Family Laemophloeidae

         		
	Metaxyphloeus texanus (Schaeffer)

Family Limnichidae

			       
	Throscinus schwarzii Schaeffer

Family Nitidulidae

			
         Camptodes texanus Schaeffer

Family Phengodidae

			
         Cenophengus pallidus Schaeffer

Family Ptilodactylidae

                        
          Lachnodactyla texana Schaeffer

Family Rhipiphoridae

			  
         Trigonodera schaefferi Rivnay

Family Scarabaeidae

			  
         Diplotaxis beyeri Schaeffer  

			    
         Diplotaxis pubipes Schaeffer 

			 
	 Onthophagus landolti texanus Schaeffer


			  
         Onthophagus schaefferi Howden & Cartwright

Family Staphylinidae

			
	Caccoplectus spinipes Schaeffer

			 
	Nisaxis caudata Schaeffer

Family Tenebrionidae


			          
	 Adelina bidens (Schaeffer)                          
         Anaedus pallidus Schaeffer

Family Throscidae

                        
         Aulonothroscus rugosiceps Schaeffer

Family Trogossitidae

                              
         Euschaefferia hicoriae (Schaeffer)

Bibliography

Ball, G.E. 1970. The species of the Mexican genus Aztecarpalus new genus (Coleoptera: Carabidae: Harpalini). Coleopterists Bulletin, 24(4): 97-123. (JSTOR)

Burke, H.R. 2004. Notable Weevil Specialists of the Past. Curculio, 49: 5-7.

Davis, W.T. 1942. In memory of Charles Schaeffer. Compiled from memoranda found among the papers of the late Charles W. Leng. Journal of the New York Entomological Society, 50: 209-210.

Dury, C. 1917. Synopsis of the Coleopterous Family Cisidae (Cioidae) of America North of Mexico. Journal of the Cincinnati Society of Natural History 22: 1-27. (Full Text)

Gordon, R.D. 1985. The Coccinellidae (Coleoptera) of America north of Mexico. Journal of the New York Entomological Society 93(1): [4] + 912 pp.

Howden, H.F. & O.L. Cartwright. 1963. Scarab beetles of the genus Onthophagus Latreille north of Mexico (Coleoptera: Scarabaeidae). Proceedings of the United States National Museum 114(no. 3467): 1-135.

Nicolay, A.S. & H.B. Weiss. 1920. The group Traches in North America, part I. The genera Pachyschelus and Taphrocerus. Journal of the New York Entomological Society 28(2): 136-150.

Osborn, H. 1946. Charles F. A. Schaeffer (1860-1934). Pp. 109-110. In: Fragments of Entomological History, Part II (privately published). Columbus, Ohio.

Schaeffer, C. 1901. Synopsis of the species of Trechus, with the description of a new species. Bulletin American Museum of Natural History 14: 209-212.

Schaeffer, C. 1903. Two new Ptinidae. Canadian Entomologist, 35(9): 263-264. (Full Text)

Schaeffer, C. 1904. New genera and species of Coleoptera. Journal of the New York Entomological Society 12(4): 197-236. (Full Text).

Schaeffer, C. 1905a. Additions to the Coleoptera of the United States with notes on some known species. Science Bulletin of the Museum of the Brooklyn Institute of Arts and Sciences, 1(6): 123-140. (Full Text)

Schaeffer, C. 1905b. Some additional new genera and species of Coleoptera found within the limit of the United States. Science Bulletin of the Museum of the Brooklyn Institute of Arts and Sciences, 1(7): 141-179. (Full Text)

Schaeffer, C. 1905c. Three new species of the genus Statira Latreille. Journal of New York Entomological Society, 13: 179-181. (Full Text)

Schaeffer, C. 1906a. New Anthribidae. Transactions of the American Entomological Society 32: 267-278. (Full Text)

Schaeffer, C. 1906b. On new and known genera and species of the family Chrysomelidae. Brooklyn Institute Museum Science Bulletin 1(9): 221-253. (Full Text)

Schaeffer, C. 1906c. New Dascyllidae. Psyche 13: 114-116. (Full Text)

Schaeffer, C. 1906d. Notes on some species of the genus Anomala with descriptions of new species. Journal of the New York Entomological Society, l4(1): 1-5. (Full Text)

Schaeffer, C. 1906e. Two new Oncideres, with notes on some other Coleoptera. Canadian Entomologist 38: 18-23. (Full Text)

Schaeffer, C. 1906f. Six new Pselaphidae. Transactions of the American Entomological Society 32(3&4): 261-278. (Full Text)

Schaeffer, C. 1907a. New Bruchidae with notes on known species and list of species known to occur at Brownsville, Texas, and in the Huachuca Mountains, Arizona. Museum of Brooklyn's Institute for Arts and Sciences, Science Bulletin 1(10): 291-306. (Full Text)

Schaeffer, C. 1907b. New Scarabaeidae. Journal of the New York Entomological Society, 15: 60-75. (Full Text)

Schaeffer, C. 1907c. New Rhynchophora II. Journal of the New York Entomological Society, 15: 75-80. (Full Text)

Schaeffer, C. 1907d. A few new Coleoptera of the genus Bitoma, with notes on other Colydiidae. Proceedings of the Entomological Society of Washington, 8(3-4): 136-141. (Full Text)

Schaeffer, C. 1908a. On North American and some Cuban Copelatus. Journal of the New York Entomological Society 16(2): 16-18. (Full Text)

Schaeffer, C. 1908b. List of the Lampyridae from the Huachuca Mountains, Arizona, with descriptions of new species. Journal of the New York Entomological Society, 16: 61-67. (Full Text)

Schaeffer, C. 1908c. On New and Known Coleoptera of the Families Coccinellidae and Cleridae. Journal of the New York Entomological Society, 16(3): 125-135 (Full Text)

Schaeffer, C. 1908d. New Rhynchophora III. Journal of the New York Entomological Society, 16: 213-222. (Full Text)

Schaeffer, C. 1908e. List of the longicorn Coleoptera collected on the museum expeditions to Brownsville, Texas, and the Huachuca Mts., Arizona, with descriptions of new genera and species and notes on known species. The Museum of the Brooklyn Institute of Arts and Sciences Science Bulletin 1(12): 325-352. (Full Text)

Schaeffer, C. 1909a. New Coleoptera chiefly from Arizona. Science Bulletin of the Museum of the Brooklyn Institute of Arts and Sciences, 1(16): 375-386. (Full Text)

Schaeffer, C. 1909b. Four new Cerambycidae. Journal of the New York Entomological Society 17(3): 99-103. (Full Text)

Schaeffer, C. 1909c. Three Cuban Coleoptera new to the fauna of the United States. Journal of the New York Entomological Society 17(4): 148-150. (Full Text)

Schaeffer, C. 1910a. Additions to the Carabidae of North America with notes on species already known. The Museum of the Brooklyn Institute of Arts and Sciences Bulletin. 1(17): 391-405. (Full Text)

Schaeffer, C. 1910b. New clavicorn Coleoptera. Journal of the New York Entomological Society 26: 210-216. (Full Text)

Schaeffer, C. 1911. New Coleoptera and miscellaneous notes. Journal of the New York Entomological Society 19: 113-126. (Full Text)

Schaeffer, C. 1912. On Metachroma laterale, pallidum and laevicolle (Coleop.). Bulletin of the Brooklyn Entomological Society 8: 25.

Schaeffer, C. 1913. Notes on some North American species of Rhizophagus (Nitidulidae)

Schaeffer, C. 1914. A short review of the North American species of Onthophagus (Coleoptera: Scarabeidae). Journal of the New York Entomological Society 22: 290-300. (Full Text)

Schaeffer, C. 1915. New Coleoptera and miscellaneous notes. Journal of the New York Entomological Society 23: 47-55. (Full Text)

Schaeffer, C. 1916a. New Diptera of the Family Asilidae with Notes on Known Species. Journal of the New York Entomological Society 24: 65-69. (Full Text)

Schaeffer, C. 1916b. New species of Throscidae (Col.). Bulletin Brooklyn Entomological Society 11: 62-63. (Full Text)

Schaeffer, C. 1916c. Two new species of Cebrio. Bulletin Brooklyn Entomological Society. 11: 107-108.

Schaeffer, C. 1916d. New species of the family Elateridae. Journal of the New York Entomological Society 24: 256-267. (Full Text)

Schaeffer, C. 1917a. Notes on a few Eucnemidae and descriptions of new Elateridae. Bulletin of the Brooklyn Entomological Society, 12: 39-44. (Full Text)

Schaeffer, C. 1917b. On some new and known Melandryidae. Canadian Entomologist, 49(10): 357-360.

Schaeffer, C. 1917c. On Merium and some blue Callidium. Journal of the New York Entomological Society 25(3): 183-187. (Full Text)

Schaeffer, C. 1918. On some genera and species of the family Ostomidae. Journal of the New York Entomological Society 26: 190-201. (Full Text)

Schaeffer, C. 1918(1919). Miscellaneous coleopterological notes and descriptions. Journal of the New York Entomological Society 26: 211-214. (Full Text)

Schaeffer, C. 1919(1920). Synonymical and other notes on some species of the family Chrysomelidae and descriptions of new species. Journal of the New York Entomological Society 27: 307-340. (Full Text)

Schaeffer, C. 1921. New species of North American clerid beetles of the genus Aulicus. Proceedings of the United States National Museum 59(2365): 151–159.

Schaeffer, C. 1924. On new and old Chrysomelidae. Journal of the New York Entomological Society 32: 138-145.

Schaeffer, C. 1925a. Revision of theNew World species of the tribe Donaciini of the coleopterous family Chrysomelidae. Brooklyn Museum Science Bulletin 3(3): 45-164.

Schaeffer, C. 1925b. New species and varieties of North American Cassidini (Coleoptera, Chrysomeildae). Journal of the New York Entomological Society 33: 233-237.

Schaeffer, C. 1926. New species of Boloschesis (=Chamys) with notes on known species (Coleoptera; Chrysolemidae; Fulcidacinae). Proceedings of the Entomological Society of Washington 28(8): 181-187.

Schaeffer, C. 1928a. Notes on the species of Lina and allied genera (Coleoptera; Chrysom.). The Canadian Entomologist 60: 42-47.

Schaeffer, C. 1928b. The North American species of Hydrothassa with notes on other Chrysomeidae and a description of new species and a variety (Col.). Journal of the New York Entomological Society 36: 287-291.

Schaeffer, C. 1929. The North American species of Parandra (Cerambycidae). Bulletin of the Brooklyn Entomological Society 24: 38-40.

Schaeffer, C. 1931a. On a few new and known Coleoptera. Bulletin of the Brooklyn Entomological Society 26: 174-176.

Schaeffer, C. 1931b. New species of Disonycha and notes (Col. Chrysomelidae). Journal of the New York Entomological Society 39: 279-285.

Schaeffer, C. 1932a. Notes on some Galerucinae with desctriptions of new species (Col., Chrysomelidae). The Canadian Entomologist 64: 236-239.

Schaeffer, C. 1932b. Notes on some Halticinae with desctription os new species (Col., Chrysomelidae). Bulletin of the Brooklyn Entomological Society 27: 239-245.

Schaeffer, C. 1932c. Notes and descriptions of new Cerambycidae. Bulletin of the Brooklyn Entomological Society 27(3): 152-154.

Schaeffer, C. 1933a. Notes on some Hispini and Cassidini and descriptions of new species (Coleoptera, Chrysomelidae). Pan-Pacific Entomologist, 9: 103-109.

Schaeffer, C. 1933b. Short Studies in the Chrysomelidae (Coleoptera). Journal of the New York Entomological Society, 41: 296-325

Schaeffer, C. 1933c(1934). Short Studies in the Chrysomelidae (Coleoptera). Journal of the New York Entomological Society, 41: 457-480.

Valentine, B.D. 1998. A review of Nearctic and some related Anthribidae (Coleoptera). Insecta Mundi 12: 251-296. (Full Text)