RHIPIPHORIDAE

Author: John F. Lawrence.

Classification

Suborder Polyphaga, Series Cucujiformia, Superfamily Tenebrionoidea.

Description

Antenae 10 or 11 segments, serrate or pectinate or flabellate or plumose. Antennal insertions exposed. Visible portion of procoxa projecting bellow prosternum with the trochantin concealed. Procoxal cavity externally open and internally closed. Mesocoxae contigous to separated by 1 coxal width, with mesocoxal cavity laterally open. Tarsal formula 5-5-4. Number of ventrites 5 to 7 without ventrites connate. Body length 3-15 mm. Distinctive, wedge-shaped body in Trigonodera (elytra complete and apically rounded) and Macrosiagon (elytra shortened, tapering and apically acute). Rhipiphorus with very short, rounded elytra, exposing most of abdomen. Head sharply constricted at base forming narrow neck (concealed within prothorax in Trigonodera).

Quick identification

Rhipiphoridae are highly specialized beetles and include a variety of different types. The Pelecotominae genus Trigonodera (first figure) includes large mordellid-like beetles, but without the abdominal spine. Rhipiphorinae include Macrosiagon (second figure) with tapered, more or less complete elytra and Rhipiphorus (third figure) , with highly reduced elytra and complex antennae. A new genus of Neotropical rhipidiine (forth and fifth figures) currently being worked on by Zack Falin at Univesity of Kansas. Occur from Mexico to Brazil and Bolivia. Size varies from about 2 to 9 mm.

Genera occurring in Costa Rica

Pelecotominae: Trigonodera.
Rhipidiinae: Rhipidius.
Rhipiphorinae: Macrosiagon, Ripiphorus.

© CSIRO Emtomology, 1999 Pelecotominae (Trigonodera)	© CSIRO Emtomology, 1999 Rhipiphorinae (Macrosiagon)	© CSIRO Emtomology, 1999 Rhipiphorinae (Rhipiphorus)

© CSIRO Emtomology, 1999 Rhipidiinae (New Neotropical Genus). 2-9 mm, dorsal view	© CSIRO Emtomology, 1999 Rhipidiinae (New Neotropical Genus). 2-9 mm, lateral view