The resurrection of Cerasommatidiidae, an enigmatic group of coccinelloid beetles (Coleoptera: Coccinelloidea) based on molecular and morphological evidence
Author
Arriaga-Varela, Emmanuel
Author
Tomaszewska, Wioletta
Author
Szawaryn, Karol
Author
Robertson, James
Author
Seidel, Matthias
Author
Ślipiński, Adam
Author
Fikáček, Martin
text
Zoological Journal of the Linnean Society
2023
2022-11-24
197
4
1078
1115
http://dx.doi.org/10.1093/zoolinnean/zlac082
journal article
10.1093/zoolinnean/zlac082
0024-4082
99842C3A-879F-4552-96B7-204D79CF3EDF
BIOLOGY OF
CERASOMMATIDIIDAE
Information about the biology of this group of beetles is scarce, but some data can be gleaned from the habitats and methods by which they were collected. Specimens of
Yamuy
and
MahaƲelo
species
were mostly collected by sifting leaf litter. One specimen was collected directly from a slime mould fruiting body; another one from a flight intercept trap. These observations can indicate that with high probability, the food source of
Cerasommatidiidae
is various species of slime moulds or other fungi-like organisms.
Cerasommatidiidae
are also active fliers. The coarsely facetted eyes of all taxa indicate that they probably have a nocturnal lifestyle.
Yamuy constratus
was collected in rainforest habitat,
Y. marginatus
in sparse montane forest and
MahaƲelo madagasus
in dry spiny forest biotope at low elevation. That indicates that these beetles inhabit different
types
of forest habitat, both rainforests (
Puerto Rico
), as well as dry spiny forest (
Madagascar
), at a variety of elevations ranging from lowland (
110 m
) to montane areas (
1350 m
). Although incomplete, this information can help locate additional habitats and new taxa of
Cerasommatidiidae
in the future.