Cryptophilus Explained

Cryptophilus is a genus of pleasing fungus beetles in the family Erotylidae. There are about nine described species in Cryptophilus.

Identification

Cryptophilus adults are brown and slightly hairy beetles, 1.6-2.3 mm long and with 3-segmented antennal clubs.^[1] They resemble beetles of the unrelated family Cryptophagidae.^[2] Unlike cryptophagids, Cryptophilus have procoxal sockets that are closed.

The larvae are long, hairy and have a granulate or tuberculate dorsum. They can be mistaken for larvae of Monotoma (Monotomidae) or Epuraea (Nitidulidae), which occur in similar habitats. Cryptophilus larvae can be recognised by their mandibles, which lack a sub-apical accessory tooth and have a large, subtriangular prostheca.

Ecology

Cryptophilus occur in decaying plant matter (e.g. leaf litter, wood debris, compost heaps, grass cuttings, straw) and also in stored food products (e.g. cereals, beans, flour, dried fruit, nuts).^[3] Adults and larvae are mycophages that feed on mould.

Species

These nine species belong to the genus Cryptophilus:

• Cryptophilus cryptophagoides Grouvelle, 1916
• Cryptophilus fluminalis Casey, 1924
• Cryptophilus integer (Heer, 1841)
• Cryptophilus minimus Grouvelle, 1913
• Cryptophilus mirus Grouvelle, 1913
• Cryptophilus obliteratus Reitter, 1878
• Cryptophilus propinguus Reitter, 1874
• Cryptophilus propinquus Reitter, 1874
• Cryptophilus seriatus Casey, 1924

Further reading

• Book: Erotylidae (Insecta: Coleoptera: Cucujoidea) phylogey and review. 2003. Leschen . Richard A. B.. . Manaaki Whenua Press. Fauna of New Zealand. 47. 978-0-478-09350-6. 0111-5383.
• Book: Catalogue of Palaearctic Coleoptera, Volume 4: Elateroidea - Derodontoidea - Bostrichoidea - Lymexyloidea - Cleroidea - Cucujoidea. 2007. Lobl . I.. Smetana . A.. Apollo Books. 978-8788757675.

Notes and References

1. Web site: Cryptophilus propinquus . 2022-08-05 . uk beetles . en.
2. Ruta . Rafal . Jałoszynski . Pawel . Sienkiewicz . Paweł . Konwerski . Szymon . 2011-10-06 . Erotylidae (Insecta, Coleoptera) of Poland – problematic taxa, updated keys and new records . ZooKeys . 134 . 1–13 . 10.3897/zookeys.134.1673 . 1313-2970 . 3229208 . 22140339. free .
3. Web site: Species Cryptophilus integer . 2022-08-05 . bugguide.net.