Cucujus

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Cucujus
Cucujus coccinatus.JPG
Cucujus coccinatus
Scientific classification OOjs UI icon edit-ltr.svg
Kingdom: Animalia
Phylum: Arthropoda
Class: Insecta
Order: Coleoptera
Suborder: Polyphaga
Infraorder: Cucujiformia
Family: Cucujidae
Genus: Cucujus
Fabricius, 1775

Cucujus is a genus of beetles in the family Cucujidae, the flat bark beetles. It contains 25 currently recognized species and subspecies excluding the doubtful C. coloniarius . [1] [2] [3] [4] [5] [6]

Contents

Description

Species of Cucujus are of moderate size (6-25mm), greatly dorso-ventrally compressed, and brightly colored, often red or red and black. Additionally, they can be distinguished from other members of the family by the head being generally wider than the pronotum with prominent temples, and the elongate, inverted male genitalia with a flagellum. [7] The genus occurs throughout the Holarctic region, with indigenous species in North America, Europe, and Asia. It is most diverse in Asia. [3]

Ecology

The biology of most species in the genus is poorly known. All life stages live under dead bark, where they apparently are predacious. [8] Larvae also are dorso-ventrally compressed. Cucujus clavipes puniceus, which occurs in western North America, has been the subject of considerable research interest due to its ability to produce natural antifreeze compounds. [9] [10]

Species

References

  1. ↑ Lee, C.; Pütz, A. "A new species of Cucujus Fabricius, 1775 from China and key to the east-Palaearctic species of the genus (Coleoptera: Cucujidae)". Entomologische Zeitschrift. 118 (5): 211–213. ISSN   0013-8843.
  2. ↑ Lee, C.; Satô, M. (2007). "A review of the genus Cucujus Fabricius (Insecta: Cucujoidea: Cucujidae) from Taiwan, Japan, and China, with descriptions of two new species and the larvae of Cucujus mniszechi Grouvelle" (PDF). Zoological Studies (46): 311–321. Archived from the original (PDF) on 2017-08-09. Retrieved 2018-11-02.
  3. 1 2 Bonacci, Teresa; Mazzei, Antonio; Horak, Jakub; Brandmayr, Pietro (2012-07-30). "Cucujus tulliae sp. n. – an endemic Mediterranean saproxylic beetle from genus Cucujus Fabricius, 1775 (Coleoptera, Cucujidae), and keys for identification of adults and larvae native to Europe". ZooKeys (212). Pensoft Publishers: 63–79. Bibcode:2012ZooK..212...63B. doi: 10.3897/zookeys.212.3254 . ISSN   1313-2970. PMC   3428704 . PMID   22933850.
  4. ↑ "Contribution to the Knowledge of the Genus Cucujus Fabricius (Coleoptera, Cucujidae) from China". Novataxa. 6 February 2019. Retrieved 11 February 2019.
  5. ↑ Hsiao, Y. (2020). "A taxonomic study of Cucujus Fabricius, 1775 from Asia (Coleoptera: Cucujidae), with descriptions of new species and notes on morphological classification". Insect Systematics & Evolution. 52 (3): 247–297. doi:10.1163/1876312X-bja10012.
  6. ↑ Jiang, R.X.; Chen, X.S. (2025-10-17). "Taxonomic notes of the Cucujus costatus Species-group, with description of a new species from Yunnan, China (Coleoptera, Cucujidae)". Zootaxa. 5711 (2): 287–293. doi:10.11646/zootaxa.5711.2.9.
  7. ↑ Thomas, M. C.; Leschen, R. A. B. (2010). "Cucujidae Latreille, 1802". In Leschen, R. A. B.; Beutel, R. G.; Lawrence, J. F. (eds.). Handbook of Zoology. Vol. Coleoptera, Beetles Vol. 2: Morphology and Systematics (Elateroidea, Bostrichiformia, Cucujiformia partim). Berlin: Walter de Gruyter. pp. 350–354.
  8. ↑ Smith, D. B.; Sears, M. K. (1982). "Mandibular Structure and Feeding Habits of Three Morphologically Similar Coleopterous Larvae: Cucujus Clavipes (Cucujidae), Dendroides Canadensis (Pyrochroidae), and Pytho Depressus (Salpingidae)". The Canadian Entomologist. 114 (2). Cambridge University Press (CUP): 173–175. doi:10.4039/ent114173-2. ISSN   0008-347X. S2CID   85407055.
  9. ↑ Carrasco, M. A.; et al. (2012). "Investigating the deep supercooling ability of an Alaskan beetle, Cucujus clavipes puniceus, via high throughput proteomics". J Proteomics. 75 (4): 1220–34. doi:10.1016/j.jprot.2011.10.034. PMID   22094879.
  10. ↑ Sformo, T.; et al. (2010-01-19). "Deep supercooling, vitrification and limited survival to -100°C in the Alaskan beetle Cucujus clavipes puniceus (Coleoptera: Cucujidae) larvae". Journal of Experimental Biology. 213 (3). The Company of Biologists: 502–509. doi: 10.1242/jeb.035758 . ISSN   0022-0949. PMID   20086136.
  11. ↑ Kadej, M.; et al. (2022). "Disentangling phylogenetic relations and biogeographic history within the Cucujus haematodes species group (Coleoptera: Cucujidae)". Molecular Phylogenetics and Evolution. 173 107527. doi:10.1016/j.ympev.2022.107527.


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