Alexiidae

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Alexiidae
Sphaerosoma pilosum (Panzer, 1793) (30152373836).png
Sphaerosoma pilosum (Panzer, 1793) Size: 1.5 mm.
Scientific classification OOjs UI icon edit-ltr.svg
Kingdom: Animalia
Phylum: Arthropoda
Class: Insecta
Order: Coleoptera
Suborder: Polyphaga
Infraorder: Cucujiformia
Superfamily: Coccinelloidea
Family: Alexiidae
Imhoff, 1856
Genus: Sphaerosoma
Stephens, 1832
Synonyms
  • Sphaerosoma Samouelle, 1819 (Nom. Nud.)
  • AlexiaStephens, 1833
  • Hygrotophila Chevrolat in Dejean, 1836
  • LamprosphaerulaApfelbeck, 1910
  • NeosphaerulaApfelbeck, 1910
  • ArthrosphaerulaApfelbeck, 1915

Alexiidae is a family of beetles. It contains a single genus, Sphaerosoma, formerly included within the family Cerylonidae, with around 50 species which are native to the western Palearctic. Species of Sphaerosoma are very small, around 1 to 2 mm in length rounded beetles with clubbed antennae. They are fungivores, having been observed feeding on mushrooms, and have also been found in leaf litter and on decaying bark. [1]

Contents

Taxonomy

There has been considerable confusion regarding the type species and authorship of the genus; most older sources consider the author and species to be Sphaerosoma quercus Samouelle, 1819. That name is now considered to be a nomen nudum, and the valid name for Samouelle's species is Sphaerosoma piliferum (Müller, 1821). The type species is now considered to be Sphaerosoma quercus Stephens, 1832, which is itself a junior synonym of Sphaerosoma pilosum (Panzer, 1793). [2] Alexiidae has been recovered as part of the superfamily Coccinelloidea as the sister group of Latridiidae. [3]

Species

References

  1. ↑ Ślipinśki, Adam and Tomaszewska, Wioletta. "10.30. Alexiidae Imhoff, 1856". Volume 2 Morphology and Systematics (Elateroidea, Bostrichiformia, Cucujiformia partim), edited by Willy Kükenthal, Richard A.B. Leschen, Rolf G. Beutel and John F. Lawrence, Berlin, New York: De Gruyter, 2011, pp. 432-434.
  2. ↑ Löbl, I.; Smetana, A., eds. (2010). "Errata for Volume 4". Catalogue of Palaearctic Coleoptera. Volume 6. Chrysomeloidea. Stenstrup, Denmark: Apollo Books. ISBN   978-87-88757-84-2.
  3. ↑ Cai, Chenyang; Tihelka, Erik; Giacomelli, Mattia; Lawrence, John F.; Ślipiński, Adam; Kundrata, Robin; Yamamoto, Shûhei; Thayer, Margaret K.; Newton, Alfred F.; Leschen, Richard A. B.; Gimmel, Matthew L.; Lü, Liang; Engel, Michael S.; Bouchard, Patrice; Huang, Diying (March 2022). "Integrated phylogenomics and fossil data illuminate the evolution of beetles". Royal Society Open Science. 9 (3) 211771. doi:10.1098/rsos.211771. ISSN   2054-5703. PMC   8941382 . PMID   35345430.


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