Heteroceridae
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Variegated mud-loving beetles Temporal range:
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Heterocerus novaeselandiae | |
Scientific classification | |
Domain: | Eukaryota |
Kingdom: | Animalia |
Phylum: | Arthropoda |
Class: | Insecta |
Order: | Coleoptera |
Suborder: | Polyphaga |
Infraorder: | Elateriformia |
Superfamily: | Byrrhoidea |
Family: | Heteroceridae MacLeay, 1825 |
Heteroceridae, the variegated mud-loving beetles, are a widespread and relatively common family of beetles found on every continent except for Antarctica.
Around two hundred and fifty species of heterocerids are known to occur worldwide.[1] They are most diverse in tropical and sub-tropical regions. Currently, 87 species are known from the New World,[2] including 34 from the United States.[3]
Variegated mud-loving beetles are brownish, dorsoventrally depressed shoreline inhabitants. Superficially they resemble small scarabs with the tibiae armed with rows of robust flattened spines. The beetles live in shallow tunnels that they dig in damp soil around fresh and brackish lakes, rivers and ponds. Heterocerids have been reported to live in intertidal sandflats[4] and on remote oceanic islands.[5] The uniform way in which they live seems to have favored the conservation of a "phenotypical uniformity in external morphology".[6] Consequently, it is often quite difficult to identify one of these beetles to species relying on external morphology alone. Therefore, male genitalia are most often relied upon to identify species. Although few studies have been conducted on their ecology, heterocerids have been shown to be an important prey group for passerine birds and frogs (Schmidt et al., 2003; Turner, 1959), and they appear to play a significant role in seed dispersal and burial in sandy soils.[7] They are thought to be detritivores, consuming the substrate to sift for organic matter, microorganisms, and algae.[5]
In the most recent revision of the family,
Taxonomy
Little subsequent taxonomic work was conducted with the family until the late 1980s, when W. V. Miller began describing species from around the world (Miller 1988, 1992). Miller's work included the descriptions of seven new species from North America. These additions brought the number of North American species to 34. A key to 21 northeastern species, produced by Miller, appeared in Downie and Arnett's Beetles of Northeastern North America (1995). This key relies mostly on elytral color patterns for species identification. In his work, Miller chose to apply a taxonomic scheme in which the heterocerids are divided into only five genera worldwide. European authors, namely S. Skalický (Czech Republic) and A. Mascagni (Italy), have described numerous species in the last ten years.
The oldest fossils of the genus are from the Early Cretaceous (Aptian) of China and Mongolia, belonging to the genus Heterocerites.[9]
Genera
These 15 genera belong to the family Heteroceridae:
- Augyles Schiødte, 1866 i c g b
- Centuriatus Pacheco, 1964 i c g
- Efflagitatus Pacheco, 1964 i c g
- Explorator Pacheco, 1964 i c g
- Heterocerites Ponomarenko, 1986 g
- Heterocerus Fabricius, 1792 i c g b
- Lanternarius Pacheco, 1964 i c g
- Lapsus Pacheco, 1964 i c g
- Littorimus g
- Micilus Mulsant & Rey, 1872 g
- Microaugyles Pacheco, 1964 i c g
- Neoheterocerus Pacheco, 1964 i c g
- Peditatus Pacheco, 1964 i c g
- Protoallopygmephorus g
- Tropicus Pacheco, 1964 i c g b
Data sources: i = ITIS,[10] c = Catalogue of Life,[11] g = GBIF,[12] b = Bugguide.net[13]
References
- ^ Bamuel, 1995; Charpentier, 1965; Ivie, 1984; Mascogni, all works listed; Miller, all works listed; Pacheco, 1964, 1969; Skalický, all works listed
- ^ Bamuel, 1995; Ivie, 1984; Mascogni, 1988, 1989, 1994; Miller, all works listed; Pacheco, 1964, 1969
- ^ Marske and Ivie, 2003
- ^ Good, 1999
- ^ S2CID 226725701.
- ^ Charpentier, 1965
- ^ Bernhardt, 1995
- ^ see Arnett 2002
- S2CID 129824564.
- ^ "Heteroceridae Report". Integrated Taxonomic Information System. Retrieved 2018-05-06.
- ^ "Browse Heteroceridae". Catalogue of Life. Retrieved 2018-05-06.
- ^ "Heteroceridae". GBIF. Retrieved 2018-05-06.
- ^ "Heteroceridae Family Information". BugGuide.net. Retrieved 2018-05-06.