LIMNICHIDAE

Author: John F. Lawrence.

Classification

Suborder Polyphaga, Series Elateriformia, Superfamily Byrrhoidea.

Description

Antenae with 7 or 11 segments, filiform or clavate, or with a 1 to 5 segments club. Antennal insertions exposed or concealed. Visible portion of procoxa transverse with the trochantin at least partly exposed. Procoxal cavity externally open and internally open. Mesocoxae separated by more than 1 coxal width, with mesocoxal cavity laterally open. Tarsal formula 5-5-5 or 4-4-4. Number of ventrites 5 with 3 or 5 connate. Body length 0.8-3.5 mm. Ovate to oblong, pubescent to squamose. Antennae usually long and slender, often concealed where head fits into anterior part of pronotum.

Quick identification

Limnichidae is a relatively large family of small beetles, which are usually short, broad, compact and pubescent, with the head inserted deeply into the prothorax and the slender antennae (first figure) forming a weak club - in some cases the antennae cannot be seen because they are concealed within the prothorax (second figure). Unlike lutrochids or dryopids, the eyes are not setose, the transverse metaventral suture is absent and the first 3 ventrites are connate.

Genera occurring in Costa Rica

Cephalobyrrhinae: Throscinus.
Thaumastodinae: Martinius.
Limnichinae: Byrrhinus, Cephalobyrrhinus, Corrinea, Ersachus, Eulimnichus, Euthryptus, Limnichalia, Limnichites, Limnichoderus, Phalacrichus, Physemus....

	© CSIRO Emtomology, 1999	© CSIRO Emtomology, 1999