A monograph of the Australopacific Saprininae (Coleoptera, Histeridae)
Author
Lackner, Tomas
Author
Leschen, Richard A. B.
text
ZooKeys
2017
689
1
263
http://dx.doi.org/10.3897/zookeys.689.12021
journal article
http://dx.doi.org/10.3897/zookeys.689.12021
1313-2970-689-1
2F40BF4AD35F4CC697D5976EC201E652
Hypocacculus Bickhardt, 1914
Figs 111, 112, 113-118, 119-127, 755
Hypocacculus
Bickhardt, 1914: 311. Type species
Saprinus metallescens
Erichson, 1834, designated by Bickhardt 1916: 96.
Diagnosis.
Diagnosis of this genus is here based solely on the species
H. hyla
that has been recorded from the Australopacific Region. A small, ovoid beetle, cuticle dark brown with a faint metallic tinge; frontal stria complete, supraorbital stria lacking, frontal disc punctate. Pronotal depressions absent, almost entire dorsal surface in punctures. Prosternal foveae large; outer margin of protibia with 6-8 low teeth topped by denticle.
Biology.
Hypocacculus
species are normally distributed in open landscapes, often in arid places, where they are usually found on carrion or in mammal excrement. Examined specimens of
H. hyla
do not carry any biological information on their labels.
Distribution.
The bulk of species of
Hypocacculus
are distributed in Palaearctic and Afrotropical Regions, with several species occurring also in the Oriental Region
(
Mazur 2011
).
Hypocacculus (H.) hyla
(Marseul, 1864) was described from New Guinea and is the sole representative of the genus present in the Australopacific Region (Fig. 755).
Remarks.
Species of the genus
Hypocacculus
are similar in size and general habitus to those of
Hypocaccus
or
Chalcionellus
. They differ from members of the genus
Hypocaccus
by having a punctate frons, which is smooth and adorned with several deep rugae in
Hypocaccus
, and from
Chalcionellus aeneovirens
, the sole species of the genus
Chalcionellus
present in the region, by the absence of pronotal depressions, present in
C. aeneovirens
.