Alexiidae

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Alexiidae
Sphaerosoma pilosum (Panzer, 1793) Size: 1.5 mm.
Scientific classification Edit this classification
Domain: Eukaryota
Kingdom: Animalia
Phylum: Arthropoda
Class: Insecta
Order: Coleoptera
Infraorder: Cucujiformia
Superfamily: Coccinelloidea
Family: Alexiidae
Imhoff, 1856
Genus: Sphaerosoma
Stephens, 1832
Synonyms
  • Sphaerosoma Samouelle, 1819 (Nom. Nud.)
  • Alexia Stephens, 1833
  • Hygrotophila Chevrolat in Dejean, 1836
  • Lamprosphaerula Apfelbeck, 1910
  • Neosphaerula Apfelbeck, 1910
  • Arthrosphaerula Apfelbeck, 1915

Alexiidae is a family of

Palearctic. Species of Sphaerosoma are very small, around 1 to 2 mm in length rounded beetles with clubbed antennae. They are fungivores, having been observed feeding on mushrooms, and have also been found in leaf litter and on decaying bark.[1]

Taxonomy

There has been considerable confusion regarding the type species and authorship of the genus; most older sources consider the author and species to be Sphaerosoma quercus Samouelle, 1819. That name is now considered to be a nomen nudum, and the valid name for Samouelle's species is Sphaerosoma piliferum (Müller, 1821). The type species is now considered to be Sphaerosoma quercus Stephens, 1832, which is itself a junior synonym of Sphaerosoma pilosum (Panzer, 1793).[2] Alexiidae has been recovered as part of the superfamily Coccinelloidea as the sister group of Latridiidae.[3]

Species

References

  1. ^ Ślipinśki, Adam and Tomaszewska, Wioletta. "10.30. Alexiidae Imhoff, 1856". Volume 2 Morphology and Systematics (Elateroidea, Bostrichiformia, Cucujiformia partim), edited by Willy Kükenthal, Richard A.B. Leschen, Rolf G. Beutel and John F. Lawrence, Berlin, New York: De Gruyter, 2011, pp. 432-434.
  2. .
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External links