Mycetophagidae

Mycetophagus quadriguttatus, copyright Pierre Bornand.

Belongs within: Tenebrionoidea.

The Mycetophagidae are a group of beetles that may be found as adults or larvae in rotting wood or in association with fungal fruiting bodies (Lawrence & Britton 1991).

Characters (from Lawrence & Britton 1991): Oblong to ovate, somewhat flattened beetles, uniformly brown or with yellow maculae on elytra, densely pubescent. Antennae 11-segmented with three- or four-segmented club; eyes relatively large, coarsely faceted; frontoclypeal suture present or absent; fore coxae transverse, trochantins exposed or concealed, coxal cavities externally open, internally closed; mid coxal cavities contiguous or narrowly separated, laterally open; tibial spurs often well developed and serrate; fore tarsi modified in male, tarsal formula 4-4-4 in female, 3-4-4 in male; abdomen with five ventrites, all free. Larvae elongate and parallel sided, slightly flattened and moderately sclerotised dorsally, with well-developed legs and slightly curved, simple urogomphi, which are more or less approximate at base.

Mycetophagidae [Mycetophaginae] B14
    |--Berginus RD77
    |--Litargus LB91
    |    |--L. balteatus Lec. 1856 L19
    |    `--L. multiguttatus LB91
    |--Typhaea B14
    |    |--T. fumata [=Dermestes fumatus] G89
    |    `--T. stercorea B14
    `--Mycetophagus B14
         |--M. bifasciatus L02
         |--M. irroratus C01
         |--M. punctatus L02
         |--M. quadriguttatus Müller 1821 B14
         |--M. quadripustulatus B14
         `--M. quattuormaculatus L02

*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).

[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.

[G89] Gestro, R. 1889. Viaggio ab Assab nel Mar Rosso dei signori G. Doria ed O. Beccari con il R. Avviso «Esploratore» dal 16 Novembre 1879 al 26 Febbraio 1880. – IV. Coleotteri. Annali del Museo Civico di Storia Naturale di Genova, Serie 2^a, 7: 5–72.

[L02] Latreille, P. A. 1802. Histoire Naturelle, générale et particulière des crustacés et des insectes vol. 3. Familles naturelles des genres. F. Dufart: Paris.

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

[L19] Lea, A. M. 1919. Notes on some miscellaneous Coleoptera with descriptions of new species.—Part V. Transactions of the Royal Society of South Australia 43: 166–261, pls 25–27.

[RD77] Richards, O. W., & R. G. Davies. 1977. Imms' General Textbook of Entomology 10^th ed. vol. 2. Classification and Biology. Chapman and Hall: London.