MELANDRYIDAE

Author: John F. Lawrence.

Classification

Suborder Polyphaga, Series Cucujiformia, Superfamily Tenebrionoidea.

Description

Antenae with 10 segments, filiform or serrate or clavate. Antennal insertions exposed. Visible portion of procoxa globular or projecting bellow prosternum with the trochantin concealed or at least partly exposed. Procoxal cavity externally open and internally open or closed. Mesocoxae contigous to separated by less than 0.4 X coxal width, with mesocoxal cavity laterally open. Tarsal formula 5-5-4. Number of ventrites 5 with 0 or 2 connate. Body length 1.2-15 mm. Elliptical to elongate and narrow, convex to slightly flattened, pubescent. Eyes large, at least slightly emarginate. Apical maxillary palpomeres often expanded and truncate or securiform. Tibial spurs usually pubescent or serrate and sometimes enlarged.

Quick identification

Melandryidae includes 3 Central American subfamilies: Eustrophine (first figure) have a more or less elliptical body with flattened metacoxae and groups of spines on the hind tibia. Melandryinae are variable, but some like Microscapha (second figure) have long, pectinate hind tibial spurs and are capable of jumping. Osphyinae (last figure) have deeply emarginate eyes and a pair of glands at the base of the labrum.

Genera occurring in Costa Rica

Eustrophinae: Eustrophinus, Eustrophopsis.
Melandryinae: Cuphosis, Microscapha, Phloeotrya, Symphora...
Osphyinae: Osphya.

© CSIRO Emtomology, 1999 Eustrophinae (Eustrophopsis)	© CSIRO Emtomology, 1999 Melandryinae (Microscapha)	© CSIRO Emtomology, 1999 Osphyinae (Osphya)