
(a species of minute brown scavenger-beetle)
Basis for Tasmanian occurrence
TMAG collections
Classification
Order: Coleoptera
Suborder: Polyphaga
Superfamily: Coccinelloidea
Family: Latridiidae
Subfamily: Corticariinae
Morphology
Flightedness: winged and assumed capable of flight
Morphology (characterised by L. Forster): — Antennae with elongate club — Body with warty black pustules and long setae.
Source literature on morphology and taxonomy (*primary taxonomic source, where identified):
*Rücker, W.H.. (1989). Beitrag zur systematischen Einteilung der Familien Merophysiidae, Latridiidae und Dasyceridae (Coleoptera). Entomol. Blatt. 85 (1–2), 99–111; 2: 371–434.
Ecology
Association with dead wood or old trees: at least facultatively saproxylic
Ecological attributes: — May occupy logs or trunks of Eucalyptus obliqua, at least temporarily, since found having emerged within six years of felling (Grove et al., 2009).
Collection method(s) for TMAG material: — Baited trapping (funnel trap) — Beating foliage of Dicksonia antarctica (Jones, 2007) — Emergence trapping from cut billets of Eucalyptus obliqua (Harrison, 2007) — Emergence trapping from log of Eucalyptus obliqua — Pitfall trapping.
Source ecological literature:
Hopkins, A.J.M. et al. (2005). Wood decay fungi and beetle assemblages associated with living Eucalyptus obliqua trees: early results from studies at the Warra LTER Site, Ta
Baker, S.C. (2000). Forest litter beetles and their habitat: a comparison of forest regenerated by wildfire and logging practices. Hons. thesis, Univ. of Tasmania, Hobart.
Grove, S. et al. (2009). A long-term experimental study of saproxylic beetle … succession in Tasmanian Eucalyptus … logs… In: Fattorini, S. (Ed.), Insect Ecology and Conservation. Research Signpost, pp. 71-114.
Harrison, K.S. (2007). Saproxylic beetles associated with habitat features in Eucalyptus obliqua trees in the southern forests of Tasmania. PhD thesis, Dept. of Zoology, Univ. of Tasmania, Hobart.
Yee, M. (2005). The ecology and habitat requirements of saproxylic beetles native to Tasmanian wet eucalypt forests: potential impacts of commercial forestry practices. PhD thesis, Univ. of Tasmania, Hobart.
