Ciidae
Encyclopedia
The minute tree-fungus beetles, family
Ciidae, are a sizeable group of beetle
s which inhabit Polyporales
bracket fungi or coarse woody debris
. Most numerous in warmer regions, they are nonetheless widespread and a considerable number of species
occur as far polewards as Scandinavia
for example.
e consist of 8–10 segments. The pronotum is wider than long and often forming a quite prominent helmet
-like structure. The elytra do not taper noticeably over most of their length. The legs
are short, the tibiae of the forelegs often beat characteristic extensions at the ends.
or more rarely Corticiaceae
bracket fungi. The larva
e as well as the adults burrow inside the fungi, often choosing old specimens or old tissue. The whole development, from egg to adult, often takes as little as two months; some are parthenogenetic. A few species are pest of commercial fungi, as the case of Cis chinensis, which infests dried fruiting-bodies of Ganoderma lucidum.
At least one ciid, Falsocis brasiliensis, is a threatened species
. It occurs only in small forest remnants of the Northeast and Southeast Regions of Brazil
.
Minute tree-fungus beetles are food for many predatory insect
s, like rove beetle
s (Staphylinidae), checkered beetles (Cleridae) and parasitoid wasp larvae.
Family (biology)
In biological classification, family is* a taxonomic rank. Other well-known ranks are life, domain, kingdom, phylum, class, order, genus, and species, with family fitting between order and genus. As for the other well-known ranks, there is the option of an immediately lower rank, indicated by the...
Ciidae, are a sizeable group of beetle
Beetle
Coleoptera is an order of insects commonly called beetles. The word "coleoptera" is from the Greek , koleos, "sheath"; and , pteron, "wing", thus "sheathed wing". Coleoptera contains more species than any other order, constituting almost 25% of all known life-forms...
s which inhabit Polyporales
Polyporales
The Polyporales are an order of fungi in the class Agaricomycetes. The order includes some polypores as well as many corticioid fungi and a few agarics . Species within the order are saprotrophic, most of them wood-rotters...
bracket fungi or coarse woody debris
Coarse woody debris
Coarse woody debris is a term used in English-speaking countries for fallen dead trees and the remains of large branches on the ground in forests. Some prefer the term coarse woody habitat . A dead standing tree is known as a snag and provides many of the same functions as coarse woody debris...
. Most numerous in warmer regions, they are nonetheless widespread and a considerable number of species
Species
In biology, a species is one of the basic units of biological classification and a taxonomic rank. A species is often defined as a group of organisms capable of interbreeding and producing fertile offspring. While in many cases this definition is adequate, more precise or differing measures are...
occur as far polewards as Scandinavia
Scandinavia
Scandinavia is a cultural, historical and ethno-linguistic region in northern Europe that includes the three kingdoms of Denmark, Norway and Sweden, characterized by their common ethno-cultural heritage and language. Modern Norway and Sweden proper are situated on the Scandinavian Peninsula,...
for example.
Description
As their name implies, minute tree-fungus beetles are tiny, about 0.5 to 5 mm long. Their body is short and cylindrical, often convex, sometimes with a smooth coat of fine short hairs, sometimes being covered in long bristly hairs. They are mostly dark brown or blackish. The short antennaAntenna (biology)
Antennae in biology have historically been paired appendages used for sensing in arthropods. More recently, the term has also been applied to cilium structures present in most cell types of eukaryotes....
e consist of 8–10 segments. The pronotum is wider than long and often forming a quite prominent helmet
Helmet
A helmet is a form of protective gear worn on the head to protect it from injuries.Ceremonial or symbolic helmets without protective function are sometimes used. The oldest known use of helmets was by Assyrian soldiers in 900BC, who wore thick leather or bronze helmets to protect the head from...
-like structure. The elytra do not taper noticeably over most of their length. The legs
Arthropod leg
The arthropod leg is a form of jointed appendage of arthropods, usually used for walking. Many of the terms used for arthropod leg segments are of Latin origin, and may be confused with terms for bones: coxa , trochanter , femur, tibia, tarsus, ischium, metatarsus, carpus, dactylus ,...
are short, the tibiae of the forelegs often beat characteristic extensions at the ends.
Ecology
These beetles usually inhabit PolyporaceaePolyporaceae
The Polyporaceae are a family of bracket fungi belonging to the Basidiomycota. The flesh of their fruiting bodies varies from soft to very tough. Most members of this family have their hymenium in vertical pores on the underside of the caps, but some of them have gills The Polyporaceae are a...
or more rarely Corticiaceae
Corticiaceae
The Corticiaceae are a family of fungi in the order Corticiales. The family formerly included almost all the corticioid fungi, whether they were related or not, and as such was highly artificial...
bracket fungi. The larva
Larva
A larva is a distinct juvenile form many animals undergo before metamorphosis into adults. Animals with indirect development such as insects, amphibians, or cnidarians typically have a larval phase of their life cycle...
e as well as the adults burrow inside the fungi, often choosing old specimens or old tissue. The whole development, from egg to adult, often takes as little as two months; some are parthenogenetic. A few species are pest of commercial fungi, as the case of Cis chinensis, which infests dried fruiting-bodies of Ganoderma lucidum.
At least one ciid, Falsocis brasiliensis, is a threatened species
Threatened species
Threatened species are any speciesg animals, plants, fungi, etc.) which are vulnerable to endangerment in the near future.The World Conservation Union is the foremost authority on threatened species, and treats threatened species not as a single category, but as a group of three categories,...
. It occurs only in small forest remnants of the Northeast and Southeast Regions of Brazil
Brazil
Brazil , officially the Federative Republic of Brazil , is the largest country in South America. It is the world's fifth largest country, both by geographical area and by population with over 192 million people...
.
Minute tree-fungus beetles are food for many predatory insect
Insect
Insects are a class of living creatures within the arthropods that have a chitinous exoskeleton, a three-part body , three pairs of jointed legs, compound eyes, and two antennae...
s, like rove beetle
Rove beetle
The rove beetles are a large family of beetles, primarily distinguished by their short elytra that leave more than half of their abdomens exposed. With over 46,000 species in thousands of genera, the group is the second largest family of beetles after the Curculionidae...
s (Staphylinidae), checkered beetles (Cleridae) and parasitoid wasp larvae.
List of genera
- AcanthocisAcanthocisAcanthocis is a genus of tree-fungus beetles in the family Ciidae.-Species:* Acanthocis inonoti Miyatake, 1955* Acanthocis quadridentatus Nobuchi & Wada, 1959...
Miyatake, 1954 - AnoplocisAnoplocisAnoplocis is a genus of tree-fungus beetle in the family Ciidae.-Species:* Anoplocis poriae Nakane & Nobuchi, 1955* Anoplocis quadridentatus Kawanabe, 1996...
Kawanabe, 1996 - Apterocis Perkins, 1900
- AtlantocisAtlantocisAtlantocis is a genus of tree-fungus beetle in the family Ciidae.-Species:* Atlantocis canariensis Israelson, 1985* Atlantocis gillerforsi Israelson, 1985* Atlantocis lauri Wollaston, 1854...
Israelson, 1985 - CeracisCeracisCeracis is a genus of tree-fungus beetle in the family Ciidae.-Species:* Ceracis cucullatus Mellié, 1848* Ceracis japonus Reitter, 1878* Ceracis laminicollis Miyatake, 1982* Ceracis shikokuensis Miyatake, 1954...
Mellié, 1849 - CisCis (beetle)Cis is a genus of tree-fungus beetle in the family Ciidae.-Species:* Cis auraciacus Peyerimhoff, 1919* Cis aurosericeus Reitter, 1887* Cis bidentatus A.G. Olivier, 1790* Cis bifasciatus Reitter, 1877* Cis bilamellatus Wood, 1884...
Latreille, 1796 - CisarthronCisarthronCisarthron is a genus of tree-fungus beetle in the family Ciidae....
Reitter, 1885 - DichodontocisDichodontocisDichodontocis is a genus of tree-fungus beetle in the family Ciidae...
Kawanabe, 1994 - Dimerapterocis Scott, 1926
- DiphyllocisDiphyllocisDiphyllocis is a genus of tree-fungus beetle in the family Ciidae....
Reitter, 1885 - DolichocisDolichocisDolichocis is a genus of tree-fungus beetle in the family Ciidae.-Species:* Dolichocis laricinus Mellié, 1848* Dolichocis yuasai M. Chûjô, 1941...
Dury, 1919 - EnnearthronEnnearthronEnnearthron is a genus of tree-fungus beetles in the family Ciidae.-Species:* Ennearthron abeillei Caillol, 1914* Ennearthron amamense Miyatake, 1959* Ennearthron chujoi Nakane & Nobuchi, 1955* Ennearthron cornutum Gyllenhal, 1827...
Mellié, 1847 - EuxestocisEuxestocisEuxestocis is a genus of tree-fungus beetles in the family Ciidae.-Species:* Euxestocis bicornutus Miyatake, 1954* Euxestocis formosanus Miyatake, 1982...
Miyatake, 1954 - Falsocis Pic, 1916
- HadrauleHadrauleHadraule is a genus of tree-fungus beetles in the family Ciidae.-Species:* Hadraule elongulata Gyllenhal, 1827* Hadraule fukudai M. Chûjô, 1940* Hadraule heiroglyphica Reitter, 1877* Hadraule japonica Nobuchi, 1955...
Thomson, 1859 - HyalocisHyalocisHyalocis is a genus of tree-fungus beetles in the family Ciidae....
Kawanabe, 1993 - LipopterocisLipopterocisLipopterocis is a genus of tree-fungus beetles in the family Ciidae....
Miyatake, 1954 - Malacocis Gorham, 1886
- Neoapterocis Lopes-Andrade, 2007
- NeoennearthronNeoennearthronNeoennearthron is a genus of tree-fungus beetles in the family Ciidae.-Species:* Neoennearthron bicarinatum Miyatake, 1954* Neoennearthron hisamatsui Miyatake, 1959...
Miyatake, 1954 - NipponapterocisNipponapterocisNipponapterocis is a genus of tree-fungus beetles in the family Ciidae.-Species:* Nipponapterocis brevis Miyatake, 1954* Nipponapterocis hirsutus Kawanabe, 1995* Nipponapterocis inermis Kawanabe, 1995...
Miyatake, 1954 - NipponocisNipponocisNipponocis is a genus of tree-fungus beetles in the family Ciidae.-Species:* Nipponocis ashuensis Nobuchi, 1959* Nipponocis longisetosus Nobuchi, 1955* Nipponocis magnus Nobuchi, 1955* Nipponocis unipunctatus Nakane & Nobuchi, 1956...
Nobuchi & Wada, 1955 - OctotemnusOctotemnusOctotemnus is a genus of tree-fungus beetles in the family Ciidae.-Species:* Octotemnus aculeatus Kawanabe, 2002* Octotemnus chinensis J.-K...
Mellié, 1847 - OdontocisOdontocisOdontocis is a genus of tree-fungus beetles in the family Ciidae....
Nakane & Nobuchi, 1955 - OrthocisOrthocisOrthocis is a genus of tree-fungus beetles in the family Ciidae.-Species:* Orthocis alni Gyllenhal, 1813* Orthocis alnoides Reitter, 1884* Orthocis auriculariae Lawrence, 1991* Orthocis coluber Abeille de Perrin, 1874...
Casey, 1898 - Paratrichapus Scott, 1926
- ParaxestocisParaxestocisParaxestocis is a genus of tree-fungus beetles in the family Ciidae....
Miyatake, 1954 - Phellinocis Lopes-Andrade & Lawrence, 2005
- Plesiocis Casey, 1898
- Polynesicis Zimmerman, 1938
- Porculus Lawrence, 1987
- RhopalodontusRhopalodontusRhopalodontus is a genus of tree-fungus beetles in the family Ciidae.-Species:* Rhopalodontus armifrons Reitter, 1913* Rhopalodontus baudueri Abeille de Perrin, 1874* Rhopalodontus camelus Abeille de Perrin, 1876...
Mellié, 1847 - Scolytocis Blair, 1928
- Sphindocis Fall, 1917
- StrigocisStrigocisStrigocis is a genus of tree-fungus beetles in the family Ciidae.-Species:* Strigocis bicornis Mellié, 1848* Strigocis tokunagai Nobuchi, 1960...
Dury, 1917 - SulcacisSulcacisSulcacis is a genus of tree-fungus beetles in the family Ciidae.-Species:* Sulcacis bidentulus Rosenhauer, 1847* Sulcacis fronticornis Panzer, 1805* Sulcacis japonicus Nobuchi, 1960* Sulcacis nitidus Fabricius, 1792...
Dury, 1917 - SyncosmetusSyncosmetusSyncosmetus is a genus of tree-fungus beetles in the family Ciidae....
Sharp, 1891 - Trichapus Friedenreich, 1881
- Tropicis Scott, 1926
- WagaicisWagaicisWagaicis is a genus of tree-fungus beetles in the family Ciidae....
Lohse, 1964 - XylographellaXylographellaXylographella is a genus of tree-fungus beetles in the family Ciidae....
Miyatake, 1985 - XylographusXylographusXylographus is a genus of tree-fungus beetles in the family Ciidae.-Species:* Xylographus bostrichoides Dufour, 1843* Xylographus scheerpeltzi Nobuchi & Wada, 1956* Xylographus tomicoides Reitter, 1901...
Mellié, 1847