Monotomidae

Graveyard beetle Rhizophagus parallelocollis, copyright Udo Schmidt.

Belongs within: Cucujoidea.

The Monotomidae are a group of elongate, parallel-sided beetles generally found under wood or in decaying vegetable matter (Bouchard 2014).

Characters (from Lawrence & Britton 1991): Elongate, parallel-sided, subcylindrical to flattened, may be glabrous or clothed with decumbent setae, elytra may be truncate, exposing pygidium. Head usually abruptly narrowed posteriorly, forming distinct tempora (temples) behind eyes; antenna ten-segmented with one- or two-segmented club. Pronotum crenulate or dentate laterally; fore coxae globose, trochantins concealed, fore coxal cavities closed externally and internally. Mid coxae moderately separated, cavities open laterally. Tarsal formula 5-5-5 or 4-4-4, may be 5-5-4 in male. Abdomen with five visible ventrites, all free. Larva elongate, slightly flattened, slightly tapered posteriorly and lightly pigmented above but with tuberculate dorsal surface and sometimes lateral tergal processes on thorax and abdomen. Mala falciform; mandibular prostheca narrow and sometimes serrate; urogomphi weakly developed.

<==Monotomidae [Rhizophagidae] B14
    |  i. s.: Phyconomus marinus B14
    |         Mimemodes laticeps LB91
    |         Shoguna LB91
    |         Monotomopsis LB91
    |         Thione B70
    |--Monotominae B14
    |    |--Lenax mirandus Sharp 1877 B14
    |    `--Monotoma americana LB91
    `--Rhizophaginae B14
         |--Crowsonius meliponae Pakaluk & Ślipiński 1993 B14
         `--Rhizophagus B14
              |--R. aeneus C01
              `--R. parallelocollis B14

*Type species of generic name indicated

REFERENCES

[B14] Bouchard, P. (ed.) 2014. The Book of Beetles: A lifesize guide to six hundred of nature's gems. Ivy Press: Lewes (United Kingdom).

[B70] Britton, E. B. 1970. Coleoptera (beetles). In: CSIRO. The Insects of Australia: A textbook for students and research workers pp. 495–621. Melbourne University Press.

[C01] Csiki, E. 1901. Bogarak [Coleopteren]. In: Horváth, G. (ed.) Zichy Jenő Gróf Harmadik Ázsiai Utazása [Dritte Asiatische Forschungsreise des Grafen Eugen Zichy] vol. 2. Zichy Jenő Gróf Harmadik Ázsiai Utazásának Állattani Eredményei [Zoologische Ergebnisse der Dritten Asiatischen Forschungsreise des Grafen Eugen Zichy] pp. 75–120. Victor Hornyánszky: Budapest, and Karl W. Hierseman: Leipzig.

[LB91] Lawrence, J. F., & E. B. Britton. 1991. Coleoptera (beetles). In: CSIRO. The Insects of Australia: A textbook for students and research workers 2^nd ed. vol. 2 pp. 543–683. Melbourne University Press: Carlton (Victoria).