Laemophloeidae Explained

Laemophloeidae, "lined flat bark beetles," is a family in the superfamily Cucujoidea characterized by predominantly dorso-ventrally compressed bodies, head and pronotal discs bordered by ridges or grooves, and inverted male genitalia.[1] [2] Size range of adults is 1- in length. Currently, it contains 40 genera and about 450 species,[3] and is represented on all continents except Antarctica; species richness is greatest in the tropics.

Classicification

Historically, Laemophloeidae was treated as a subfamily of Cucujidae, but starting in the middle of the 20th century,[4] most of what had been treated as subfamilies of the Cucujidae were considered to be families.

Habitat and behaviour

Most laemophloeids, adults and larvae, are found under bark of dead trees, where they apparently are primarily fungivores,[5] although some genera with adults having subcylindrical bodies (e.g., Leptophloeus, Dysmerus) occur in the galleries of bark beetles (Curculionidae: Scolytinae), upon which they may feed.[6] A few genera, but most particularly Cryptolestes, contain some species that are pests of stored grain products. The most important of these are Cryptolestes ferrugineus (Stephens), Cryptolestes pusillus (Schönherr), and Cryptolestes turcicus (Grouvelle).[7]

Characteristics

Several genera exhibit unusual modifications to male antennae (especially Cryptolestes, Dysmerus, and Microbrontes), with the scape expanded into hook-like or blade-like structures.[8] [9] Several other genera (Rhinomalus, Rhinophloeus, and Metaxyphloeus) related to Laemophloeus are atypical in that the adults are rostrate to varying degrees.[10] Photographs of most world genera are available at the Florida State Collection of Arthropod website,[11] with most North American species pictured.[12]

Leaping larvae

According to an article published by PLOS ONE, a discovery has been made regarding the larvae of Laemophloeidae. Studies show that when the larvae are in the open, the larvae will straighten themselves out and jump curling up into a ball in the process. It has also been discovered that the larvae can bounce when they are curled up.[13] [14]

Notes and References

  1. Book: Thomas MC . 2002 . Family 83. Laemophloeidae Ganglbauer 1899. . 331–334 . Arnett Jr R, Thomas MC, Skelley PE, Frank JH . American Beetles. Volume 2: Polyphaga: Scarabaeoidea through Curculionoidea. . CRC Press . Boca Raton . xiv + 861pp.
  2. Book: Thomas MC, Leschen RA . 2010 . Laemophloeidae, Ganglbauer, 1899. . 376–380 . Leschen RA, Beutel RG, Lawrence JF . Handbook of Zoology. Coleoptera, Beetles. Volume 2: Morphology and Systematics (Elateroidea, Bostrichiformia, Cucujiformia partim). . Walter de Gruyter . Berlin .
  3. Web site: Laemophloeidae Species List . https://web.archive.org/web/20121023021550/http://insects.tamu.edu/research/collection/hallan/Arthropoda/Insects/Coleoptera/Family/Laemophloeidae.txt . 23 October 2012 . Joel Hallan’s Biology Catalog. . Texas A&M University . 15 May 2012.
  4. Book: Crowson RA . 1955 . The natural classification of the families of Coleoptera. . Nathaniel Lloyd . London . 187 .
  5. Lawrence JF . Coleoptera associated with an Hypoxylon species (Ascomycetes: Xylariaceae) on oak. . The Coleopterists' Bulletin . December 1977 . 31 . 4 . 309–312 . 3999883 .
  6. Book: Thomas MC . 1993 . The flat bark beetles of Florida (Laemophloeidae, Passandridae, Silvanidae). . Arthropods of Florida and Neighboring Land Areas . 15 . i-viii and 1–93 . Florida Department of Agriculture and Consumer Services, Division of Plant Industry .
  7. Halstead DG . Keys for the identification of beetles associated with stored products—II. Laemophloeidae, Passandridae and Silvanidae. . Journal of Stored Products Research. . June 1993 . 29 . 2 . 99–197 . 10.1016/0022-474X(93)90030-8 .
  8. Lefkovitch LP . Unusual antennal characters in some Laemophloeinae (Coleoptera: Cucujidae) and their taxonomic importance. . Proceedings of the Royal Entomological Society of London. Series B, Taxonomy . July 1958 . 27 . 5–6 . 93–100 . Oxford, UK . Blackwell Publishing Ltd. . 10.1111/j.1365-3113.1958.tb00419.x .
  9. Thomas MC . A review of the genus Dysmerus Casey (Coleoptera: Laemophloeidae). . Insecta Mundi . May 2009 . 74 . 1–30 .
  10. Thomas MC . A new Neotropical genus and species of rostrate Laemophloeinae (Coleoptera: Cucujidae) with discussion of the systematic position of the subfamily. . The Coleopterists' Bulletin. . March 1984 . 38 . 1 . 67–83 . 4008144 .
  11. Web site: Thomas MC . Photographic Atlas of Laemophloeid Genera . https://web.archive.org/web/20140201214252/http://www.fsca-dpi.org/Coleoptera2/Mike/LaemophloeidaeLink.html . 1 February 2014 . 31 January 2014 . Florida State Collection of Arthropods .
  12. Web site: Thomas MC . Laemophloeidae of Florida . https://web.archive.org/web/20140201214255/http://www.fsca-dpi.org/Coleoptera2/Mike/FloridaLaemophloeidae/LaemophloeidaeofFlorida.htm . 1 February 2014 . 31 January 2014 . Florida State Collection of Arthropods .
  13. Web site: Bergquist C, Flatow I . These Beetles Go Boing. 2022-01-22. Science Friday. en-US.
  14. Bertone MA, Gibson JC, Seago AE, Yoshida T, Smith AA . A novel power-amplified jumping behavior in larval beetles (Coleoptera: Laemophloeidae) . PLOS ONE . 17 . 1 . e0256509 . 2022-01-19 . 35045081 . 8769368 . 10.1371/journal.pone.0256509 . free .

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