Dragon beetle
| Dragon beetle | ||||||||||||
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| Pythidae | ||||||||||||
| Solier , 1834 |
The dragon beetles (Pythidae) represent a family of the beetles (Coleoptera).
features
The beetles reach a body length between 7 and 17 millimeters, with large differences in length within individual species. The bodies are dark in color and have a metallic sheen. The body is flattened, with the wing-coverts somewhat widened towards the rear. The 11-part antennas are thread-shaped and end in a slight end lobe. The head is large and tapers behind the eyes. The pronotum is heart-shaped and has large elongated impressions.
Way of life
The representatives of the dragon beetles feed on wood and can be found in coniferous forests. The females lay their eggs in groups under the bark with an egg burner. The flat and elongated larvae live under the bark and feed on decaying plant parts, wood flour and excrement from other bark inhabitants. The larvae develop for several years and finally pupate under the bark in an oval chamber made of chips and sludge glued together. The finished beetles hatch in autumn and overwinter in the pupa chamber.
Systematics
The pseudo weevils (Salpingidae) and hairy weevils (Mycteridae), which were previously classified in this group , now represent families of their own. In Europe, the dragon beetle family is represented by two genera and five species. Two species are found in Central Europe, but only one species is found in the British Isles . The genus Osphyoplesius was originally assigned to the tribe Osphyoplesiini (subfamily Borinae, family Tenebrionidae) by Reitter . The current classification in the family Pythidae is currently not confirmed ( incertae sedis ).
Family Pythidae
Genus Osphyoplesius
- Osphyoplesius anophthalmus Winkler, 1915
- Osphyoplesius loeblis Español, 1975
Genus Pytho
- Pytho abieticola J. Sahlberg, 1875
- Pytho depressus Linnaeus, 1767
- Pytho kolwensis C. Sahlberg, 1833
Web links
credentials
- ↑ Phytidae. Fauna Europaea, accessed March 23, 2007 .
- ↑ Jiři Zahradnik, Irmgard Jung, Dieter Jung et al .: Käfer Central and Northwestern Europe , Parey Berlin 1985, ISBN 3-490-27118-1
- ↑ Osphyoplesius. Fauna Europaea, accessed March 23, 2007 .