Sepidiini
| Sepidiini | |
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| File:Somaticus aeneus.jpg | |
| Somaticus aeneus, subtribe Trachynotina | |
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Sepidiini
Eschscholtz, 1829
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The Sepidiini is a tribe of ground-dwelling darkling beetles (Tenebrionidae),[1] that occurs across Africa, the Mediterranean Basin, the Arabian Peninsula and Mesopotamia. It is composed of many hundreds of species.[2] The larvae of some species are known to damage crops.[3]
Morphology
Their morphology is complex due to their richly divergent forms.[2] They are distinguished from the diurnal taxa, by their well-developed and true hypomera of the elytra, the free mobility of the thorax and hind body, and the free and non-fused pleurital and pleural margins of the sterna and elytra respectively.[2]
Biology
Their morphology is believed to facilitate moisture absorption and accumulation, via the open body sutures and the loosely joined body parts. Subtribe Trachynotina excepting, they show an almost uniform tendency to be nocturnal, crepuscular or shade-loving.[2] Like the tribe Tentyriini, their daily rhythm is based on a strictly nocturnal ancestral disposition. Their open and non-connate body sutures suggest the enjoyment of nocturnal conditions and night moisture.[2]
At night, a surface secretion of a sometimes pruinescent or waxy substance has been noted on the bodies of genera Brinckia, Namibomodes, Synhimba and Phanerotomea. This is assumed to prevent evaporation.[2]
Taxonomy
It includes the following subtribes and genera:
- Hypomelina Koch, 1955
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- – includes genera Argenticrinis, Bombocnodulosus, Hypomelus, Iugidorsum, Sulcipectus, Trachynotidus, Triangulipenna, Uniungulum
- Molurina Solier, 1834
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- – includes genera Decoriplus, Dichtha, Moluris, Tarsocnodes
- Oxurina Koch, 1955
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- – includes genera Decoriplus, Miripronotum, Namibomodes, Oxura, Palpomodes,[4] Pterostichula, Stenethmus, Synhimba
- Phanerotomeina Koch, 1955
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- – includes genera Brinckia, Phanerotomea, Psammodes, Stridulomus, Tarsocnodes
- Sepidiina Eschscholtz, 1829
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- – includes genera Sepidiopsis, Sepidiostenus, Sepidium, Trichethmus, Vieta, Vietomorpha
- Trachynotina Koch, 1955
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- – includes genera Epairopsis, Ethmus, Histrionotus, Ossiporis, Oxycerus, Microphligra, Phligra, Somaticus, Trachynotus
References
- ↑ Lua error in package.lua at line 80: module 'strict' not found.
- ↑ 2.0 2.1 2.2 2.3 2.4 2.5 Lua error in package.lua at line 80: module 'strict' not found.
- ↑ Lua error in package.lua at line 80: module 'strict' not found.
- ↑ Also treated as a subgenus of Namibomodes, though Koch raised it to genus level
External links
- Molurini , micro*scope
- Tenebrionidae, Biology catalog, Joel Hallan
Data related to Sepidiini at Wikispecies
Media related to Lua error in package.lua at line 80: module 'strict' not found. at Wikimedia Commons
