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Larval morphology and preliminary ecological observations of the uniquely phytophagous rove beetle Himalusa thailandensis (Coleoptera: Staphylinidae: Aleocharinae)

Published online by Cambridge University Press:  22 March 2016

K.T. Eldredge*
Affiliation:
Department of Ecology and Evolutionary Biology, Division of Entomology, Biodiversity Institute, 1501 Crestline Dr., Suite 140, University of Kansas, Lawrence, Kansas, 66045-2811, United States of America
T.D. Center
Affiliation:
Invasive Plant Research Laboratory, Agricultural Research Service, United States Department of Agriculture, 3225 College Ave., Fort Lauderdale, Florida, 33314, United States of America
E.D. Mattison
Affiliation:
Invasive Plant Research Laboratory, Agricultural Research Service, United States Department of Agriculture, 3225 College Ave., Fort Lauderdale, Florida, 33314, United States of America
*
1Corresponding author (e-mail: taroeldredge@ku.edu).

Abstract

Immature stages of the uniquely phytophagous staphylinid, Himalusa thailandensis Pace, Klimaszewski, and Center, 2010 (Coleoptera: Staphylinidae: Aleocharinae) are described. Adults chew or scrape leaf surfaces while larvae bore into leaf petioles where they mature, and then drop to the ground to pupate in silken cocoons. Compared to other aleocharines, the larval body form is unusually compact and rotund, and may be an adaptation to living within the confines of plant tissue. Mandible and maxilla morphology is unique among known larval aleocharines in being robust and dentate, and we suggest this is adaptive for scraping and squeezing plant tissue. The larval defensive gland is ribbed and gland sac ducts are kinked and apically bifid. We suggest that H. thailandensis may share this derived gland morphology with Autaliini, Bolitocharina, Gyrophaenina, Homalotina, Leptusina, and Silusina of Homalotini, and possibly Liparocephalini. The morphology and ecology detailed here for H. thailandensis is the first comprehensive description of immature stages among aleocharines where adults feed externally on plants.

Résumé

Les stades immatures du Staphylinidae exclusivement phytophage, Himalusa thailandensis Pace, Klimaszewski, and Center, 2010 (Coleoptera: Staphylinidae: Aleocharinae) sont décrits. Les adultes mâchent ou râpent la surface des feuilles tandis que les larves creusent à l’intérieur des pétioles où elles finissent leur développement. Elles tombent alors au sol où elles se nymphosent dans des cocons de soie. Le corps de la larve est exceptionnellement compact et globalement rond et pourrait être le reflet d’une vie au sein des tissus de la plante. La morphologie de la mandibule et celle de la maxille sont uniques parmi les larves d’Aléocharines en étant robustes et dentées, et nous avons suggéré qu’elles sont adaptées pour râper et presser les tissus de la plante. La morphologie de la glande défensive des larves est dérivée : le sac est ridé et les canaux du sac de la glande sont vrillés et apicalement bifides. Nous avons suggéré que la morphologie dérivée de cette glande chez H. thailandensis est partagée avec les Autaliini, Bolitocharina, Gyrophaenina, Homalotina, Leptusina, Silusina, et Liparocephalini. Les descriptions de la larve et de l’écologie de H. thailandensis sont les premières descriptions complètes des stades immatures parmi les Aléocharines dont les adultes se nourrissent clairement de végétaux.

Type
Systematics & Morphology
Copyright
© Entomological Society of Canada 2016 

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Footnotes

Subject editor: Patrice Bouchard

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