Trox perlatus

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Trox perlatus
Trox perlatus hispanicus

Trox perlatus hispanicus

Systematics
Class : Insects (Insecta)
Order : Beetle (Coleoptera)
Subordination : Polyphaga
Family : Earth beetles (Trogidae)
Genre : Trox
Type : Trox perlatus
Scientific name
Trox perlatus
( Goeze , 1777)
Fig. 1 Trox perlatus perlatus
side view
Fig. 2 wing covers, section, partly tinted
green: dot stripes
yellow: even intervals
red: odd intervals

Trox perlatus is a beetle from the family of the common beetles (Trogidae). These were previously placed with the scarab beetles because the antennae are similar in both families. Occasionally the German name Geperlter Erdkäfer is used for the species. The eight to twelve millimeter long animal feeds on animal remains.

The genus Trox is represented worldwide with 46 species , in Europe with 21 species, all of which belong to the subgenus Trox . About eight species are found in Central Europe. Trox perlatus is synonymous with Trox granulatus Fabricius 1801, Trox chevrolati Harold 1868 and Trox subterraneus Fourcroy 1785. The species occurs in Europe in two subspecies: Trox perlatus perlatus (Fig. 1) and Trox perlatus hispanicus (taxobild). The second subspecies is also considered by some authors as a separate species. Their occurrence is limited to the Iberian Peninsula and the French Pyrenees.

Trox perlatus is classified as Endangered in Germany .

The species name perlatus ( Latin with pearly spots). alludes to the structure of the wing covers. The generic name Trox (from ancient Greek τροξ trox rodent) possibly refers to the fact that the upper jaw is forked ( Latin maxilla bifida)

Physique of the beetle

The beetle is black, as are the antennae and the bristles, which are partially worn off with age. The body is short, obovate and strongly arched.

The head is retracted into the pronotum. The antennae have ten links, the last three links form a fan that appears dull due to the fine hair. The first limb of the flagellum is long and slightly hollowed out on the underside. The mouthparts are directed downwards and lie below the level of the head shield . The upper jaws are short with a small, almost smooth grinding surface. The jaw probes are quite short, the terminal phalanx elongated. The third lip switch element is thickened ovoid.

The pronotum is bordered on the side and at the base. It ends at the side with a row of short bristles. The arched disc is roughly sculpted with a central furrow deepened at the back and some smooth humps on both sides.

The wing covers cover the end of the body. Each wing cover has ten narrow, somewhat meandering stripes with fine distant points (in Fig. 3 partly tinted green). The spaces (intervals) between these strips fall into two types. In the uneven (first, third, fifth, seventh, ninth and eleventh) space (in Fig. 3 partly tinted red) there are large bumps with bristles on the back. These intervals are much wider than the straight spaces (in Fig. 3 partially tinted yellow). On these are small tubercles, which are also bristled on the back. The narrow straight intervals are still significantly wider than the stripes of points that snake between the tubercles. In the hispanus subspecies , the size difference between the tubercles of the even and odd intervals is less serious and the row of dots is almost straight (picture in the taxobox). The sides of the wing covers are edged with a row of short bristles. This distinguishes the species from Trox cotodognanensi , in which the bristles on the edge of the pronotum and the elytra are long.

The front chest (Prosternum) is extended backwards between the front legs. This prosternal process is short and pointed. The abdomen shows only five sternites . The hips of the middle pair of legs are very small and rounded. The legs have five-limbed tarsi. The front legs are designed as grave legs due to the serrated outer edge of the rails.

Way of life

The heat-loving beetles can make chirping noises by rubbing their abdomen against the wing covers. The species can be found on warm and dry slopes, for example in vineyards, sand pits and dunes. They look for dry carrion, bones and excrement, preferably from dogs, foxes, birds of prey, cats and humans. They also stick to wool, rags, and furs. Occasionally they were also found under stones. In Spain, when comparing grassland, forest and areas with bushes, the vast majority of specimens were found in the forest and almost no animals were found in the grassland.

In temperate climates the beetle can be found from spring to autumn, in hot areas mainly in early spring and occasionally in autumn.

The eggs are deposited at different depths near the food source. The larvae dig a passage directly to the food source. They are necrophagous and live below the surface, for example in the ground or inside bird nests. The development to the adult animal takes nine to thirteen weeks.

distribution

The species is mainly found in western and southern Europe, and also occurs in the western part of central Europe. It is reported from England, Belgium, France, northern Spain and Italy, the subspecies hispanus from Spain, Portugal and southern France.

literature

Individual evidence

  1. ↑ a b Trox (Trox) perlatus at Fauna Europaea. Retrieved November 18, 2013
  2. ↑ a b Red Lists at Science4you
  3. ↑ Trox in BioLib
  4. ^ Trox (subgenus) in Fauna Europaea. Retrieved February 10, 2013
  5. ↑ Jiri Zídek: Checklist and bibliography of the Trogidae (Coleoptera: Scarabaeoidea). In: Insecta Mundi. Paper 819 (2013). (download)
  6. ↑ Sigmund Schenkling: Explanation of the scientific beetle names (kind).
  7. ↑ Sigmund Schenkling: Explanation of the scientific beetle names (genus).
  8. ↑ JC Fabricius: Systema entomologiae, sistens insectorum classes… Flensburgi, Lipsiae 1775. Original description of the genus Trox as the 3rd genus of the Eleuterata in GDZ on p. 21.
  9. ↑ Key to the subspecies and differentiation between the two subspecies in Le monde des insectes
  10. ↑ a b c d e Fermín Martín-Piera: Fauna ibérica Editorial CSIC. CSIC Press, 2000.
  11. ↑ J. Zamora, JR Verdu, E. Galante: Species richness in Mediterranean agroecosystems: spatial and temporal analysis for biodiversity conservation, biological conservation. Elsevier, 2007.
  12. ^ Website of the Coleoptera Poloniae

Web links

Commons : Trox perlatus  - collection of images, videos and audio files