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 located a few miles east 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 several 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
compiled by E. G. Riley, and H. R. Burke:

Schaeffer described:

86 species/subspecies in

74 genera in

22 families that occur in Cameron County, Texas.

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

Family Anobiidae  

			         
	 Trichodesma pulchella Schaeffer  
         Trichodesma texana Schaeffer  

Family Anthribidae  

			
         Araeoderes texanus Schaeffer  

			 
         Discotenes nigrotuberculata (Schaeffer)  

         Eusphyrus rectus Schaeffer  

         Ormiscus albofasciatus (Schaeffer)  
         Ormiscus irroratus (Schaeffer)  
         Ormiscus sextuberculatus (Schaeffer)  
         Ormiscus submetallicus (Schaeffer)  

			  
         Phoenicobiella schwarzi (Schaeffer)
			
			 
	Toxonotus bipunctatus (Schaeffer)  

			
	Toxonotus penicellatus (Schaeffer)  

Family Brachypteridae  
         Brachypterus schaefferi Grouvelle  

Family Buprestidae  
         Actenodes flexicaulis Schaeffer  
 
			
         Agrilus dolli Schaeffer  

			
         Agrilus subtropicus Schaeffer  

			 
         Lampetis (Lampetis) cupreopunctata (Schaeffer)  

         Spectralia prosternalis (Schaeffer)  
         
			
	 Taphrocerus schaefferi Nicolay & Weiss   

			
         Trigonogya reticulaticollis (Schaeffer)  

Family Cantharidae  

			
         Tytthonyx ruficollis Schaeffer  

Family Carabidae    

			
	Aztecarpalus schaefferi Ball 

			
	Lebia (Lebia) bumeliae Schaeffer 

			
	Lebia (Lebia) rufopleura Schaeffer

Family Cerambycidae   

			
         Anelaphus niveivestitus (Schaeffer)  

			 
         Ataxia tibialis Schaeffer  

         Elaphidion mimeticum Schaeffer  

			
         Lochmaeocles cornuticeps cornuticeps Schaeffer    

			
         Parmenonta wickhami Schaeffer  
			
			
         Pentanodes dietzii Schaeffer  

			
	 Rhopalophora angustata Schaeffer

			
	 Urgleptes celtis (Schaeffer)  

Family Chrysomelidae  

         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

			 
         Myochrous magnus Schaeffer  

			
	 Neltuminus texanus (Schaeffer)  

			
          Nesaecrepida infuscata (Schaeffer)  

			 
         Rhabdopterus weisei (Schaeffer)  

			
	 Systena pallicornis Schaeffer

			 
         Urodera (Boreurodera) crucifera texana Schaeffer  

Family Ciidae        
	Ceracis schaefferi Dury 

Family Cleridae  

			         
	 Monophylla pallipes (Schaeffer)

			 
	 Pelonides granulatipennis (Schaeffer)

			
	 Pelonium maculicolle Schaeffer    

Family Coccinellidae  
	 Hyperaspis schaefferi Gordon      

			   
	 Hyperaspis trifurcata Schaeffer  
         Hyperaspis weisei Schaeffer  

Family Colydiidae  

			         
	 Bitoma vittata Schaeffer  

Family Curculionidae  

			 
	 "Chalcodermus" semicostatus Schaeffer

			
	 Conotrachelus rubescens Schaeffer  
         Conotrachelus texanus Schaeffer  

			
         Myrmex texanus (Schaeffer)  
 
			
         Phloeotribus texanus Schaeffer  

			
	 Platyomus flexicaulis (Schaeffer)  

			
         Sibinia pallida (Schaeffer)  

			
	Temnocerus macrophthalmus (Schaeffer)

Family Elateridae  
         
			
	 Aeolus scutellatus (Schaeffer)

			
	 Glyphonyx bimarginatus Schaeffer  
         Glyphonyx ferruginosus Schaeffer  

         Megapenthes nigriceps Schaeffer  

Family Histeridae    
         Teretriosoma sexuale Schaeffer  

Family Laemophloeidae   
         
			
	Metaxyphloeus texanus (Schaeffer)  

Family Languriidae  

			
         Dasydactylus cnici Schaeffer  

         Hapalips texanus Schaeffer  

			
         Languria denticulata Schaeffer  
			
			
         Loberus ornatus Schaeffer  

			
	Toramus chamaeropis (Schaeffer)

Family Limnichidae  

			         
	Throscinus schwarzi Schaeffer  

Family Nitidulidae  

			
         Camptodes texanus Schaeffer  

Family Phengodidae  

			
         Cenophengus pallidus Schaeffer  

Family Rhipiphoridae  

			 
         Trigonodera schaefferi Rivnay  

Family Scarabaeidae  
         Diplotaxis beyeri Schaeffer  

			
         Diplotaxis pubipes Schaeffer  

			
	Onthophagus schaefferi Howden & Cartwright   

Family Staphylinidae   
	Nisaxis caudata Schaeffer  

Family Tenebrionidae  

			         
	 Adelina bidens (Schaeffer)  

Family Throscidae  
         Aulonothroscus rugosiceps Schaeffer

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

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 (1960-1934). 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. 1906a. New Anthribidae. Transactions of the American Entomological Society 32: 267-278.

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 PDF)

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. 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. 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. 1916b. New species of Throscidae. Bulletin Brooklyn Entomological Society 11: 62-63.

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. 1917b. 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. 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. 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)

13 Aug 2009 © Mike Quinn / Texas Entomology / Texas Beetles