Trogossitidae: A review of the beetle family, with a catalogue and keys
Author
Kolibac, Jiri
Moravian Museum, Department of Entomology, Hviezdoslavova 29 a, 627 00 Brno, Czech Republic
text
ZooKeys
2013
2013-12-31
366
1
194
http://dx.doi.org/10.3897/zookeys.366.6172
journal article
http://dx.doi.org/10.3897/zookeys.366.6172
1313-2970-366-1
FFD8DC462108382BCB68FFC9FF97F235
577560
Genus
Melambia Erichson, 1844
Fig. 7
; Map 5
Melambia
Erichson, W. F. 1844: 450.
Type species.
Trogossita gigas
Fabricius, 1798 [designated by
Kolibac
2005
]
Leveille
, A. 1910: 9.
Kolibac
, J. 2005: 68 (redescription).
Kolibac
, J. 2006: 111 (phylogeny).
Kolibac
, J. 2007a: 364. Mamaev, B. M. 1976: 1652 (larva). Reitter, E. 1876: 24
Remarks.
The placement of the genus in
Trogossitini
should be revised because my analysis of 2008 disclosed a possible relationship of some its species with
Gymnochilini
. There are distinct differences in the body shape among the numerous species of
Melambia
, for example between
Melambia grandis
(a robust species with a cordate pronotum) and
Melambia orientalis
(an elongate species with pronotum shaped somewhat like that of
Tenebroides
). Consideration of a re-classification of
Seidlitzella
within
Gymnochilini
, similar in habitus to
Melambia
, needs species revision and new phylogenetic analysis with reference to
Trogossitini
and
Gymnochilini
, including special attention to the related trogossitine genus
Alindria
. As a preliminary opinion, I assume that both genera,
Melambia
and
Alindria
, form a basal group of
Trogossitini
.
Description.
Body size: about 20.0-30.0 mm. Body shape elongate. Gular sutures reduced. Frontoclypeal suture absent. Frons: longitudinal groove or depression absent. Cranium ventrally: tufts of long setae at sides absent. Submentum of males: ctenidium present. Antennal groove present. Eyes: size flat. Eyes number: two. Epicranial acumination moderate. Lacinial hooks absent. Galea: shape clavate. Galea: ciliate setae absent. Mediostipes-Lacinia fused together. Palpifer: outer edge denticulate. Mandibular apical teeth number: two, vertically situated. Mola absent. Penicillus (at base) present (fine, often membranous). Pubescence above mola or cutting edge absent. Ventral furrow present. Basal notch moderate. Labrum-Cranium not fused. Epipharyngial sclerite present. Lateral tormal process: projection curved downwards, processes not connected (
Airora
). Ligula: ciliate setae absent. Ligula rigid, weakly retroflexed, deeply emarginate. Hypopharyngeal sclerite absent. Antenna 11-segmented. Antennal club asymmetrical, sensorial fields present. Front coxal cavities externally closed, internally open. Pronotum transverse. Prepectus absent. Middle coxal cavities open. Elytra: long hairs absent. Epipleuron thin. Elytral interlocking mechanism present, carinae conspicuous. Elytral punctation regular, scales absent. Wing: radial cell oblong (or reduced), wedge cell present, cross vein MP3-4 present, cross vein AA1+2-3+4 absent. Front tibiae: spines along side moderate. Hooked spur present. Claws: denticle absent. Parasternites number along ventrites III-VII: two. Spiculum gastrale absent. Tegmen composed of two or three parts.
Larva: Frontal arms V-shaped. Epicranial stem present. Endocarina present. Stemmata number: five. Maxillary palpi 3-segmented. Palpifer absent. Mala simple. Mala: bidentate protrusion absent. Cardo-Stipes not fused. Cardo: size much smaller than stipes. Ligula absent. Labial palpi 2-segmented. Prementum in single part, anterior margin with notch. Thoracic sclerites pattern (dorsally) 2-0-0. Abdominal segment IX not divided. Tergite IX flat. Urogomphi minute; median process absent.
Biology.
Predatory. According to
Mamaev (1976)
,
Melambia tekkensis
and
Melambia cardoni
larvae prey on larvae of jewel beetles and longhorn beetles (under the bark of, for example, apricot trees or
Grewia
).
Distribution.
South-eastern, southern and central Asia; also several species in Africa from Egypt to South Africa. Such a disjunctive distribution is possible, but the African species need to be checked because of possible confusion with the similar genus
Alindria
.
Species:
Melambia cardoni
Leveille
, 1908; India:
"Bengalia"
(AL)
Leveille
, A. 1910: 9
Melambia cordicollis
Reitter, 1876; Philippines (AL)
Leveille
, A. 1910: 9. Reitter, E. 1876: 25
Melambia crenicollis
Guerin
, 1846; India:
"Bengalia"
(AL)
Leveille
, A. 1910: 9
Melambia
funebris
Pascoe, 1862; Cambodia (AL)
Leveille
, A. 1910: 9. Reitter, E. 1876: 25
Melambia gautardi
Tournier, 1872; Egypt (AL)
Leveille
, A. 1910: 9.
Kolibac
, J. 2007a: 364. Reitter, E. 1876: 26
Melambia gigas
Fabricius, 1798; Guinea, Senegal (AL)
Leveille
, A. 1910: 9.
Kolibac
, J. 2005: 68 (redescription). Reitter, E. 1876: 25
Melambia maura
Pascoe, 1862; South Africa:
"N'gami"
, Mauritania (varA)
Leveille
, A. 1910: 9. Mateu, J. 1972: 547
Melambia memnonia
Pascoe, 1862; Sri Lanka (AL)
Leveille
, A. 1910: 9
Melambia opaca
Reitter, 1876; South Africa: Cap (AL)
Leveille
, A. 1910: 9. Reitter, E. 1876: 25
Melambia pumila
Leveille
, 1885; Burma (AL)
Leveille
, A. 1910: 9
Melambia striata
Olivier, 1790; Senegal (varA)
Leveille
, A. 1910: 9. Mateu, J. 1972: 547. Reitter, E. 1876: 24
Melambia subcyanea
Gerstaecker, 1871; Zanzibar (AL)
Leveille
, A. 1910: 9. Reitter, E. 1876: 26
Leveille
, A. 1910: 9 (syn.
Melambia coeruleata
Fairmaire, 1882) Somalia (AL)
Melambia tekkensis
Koenig, 1889;
"Transcaspia"
, Turkmenistan (varA)
Leveille
, A. 1910: 9.
Kolibac
, J. 2007a: 364. Mamaev, B. M. 1976: 1650 (larva)