British insects: the families of Coleoptera

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L. Watson and M. J. Dallwitz

Eucinetidae

~Crypromeridae.

Plate-thigh Beetles.

General appearance. 3.2–4 mm long. Body length/maximum body width 1.3–1.85. Elytral length/pronotal length 4–5.8. Base of prothorax not or scarcely narrower than the combined elytral bases. Greatest prothoracic width not narrower or only slightly narrower than the greatest elytral width. Beetles oval to elongate-oval; dorsally somewhat convex; conspicuously necked, or not necked; not waisted. Upper surfaces of body non-glabrous; not bristly; with neither scales nor scale-like setae.

Detailed morphology. The head covered by the thorax. Inclination of the head slight to strong. Eyes strongly protuberant, or not strongly protuberant; without bristles; coarsely facetted. Antennae short; 11 segmented; filiform. Antennal insertions visible from above, or hidden from above; not in fossae. Mandibular prosthecae well developed, or absent. Pronotal length/maximum pronotal width 0.25–0.5. Prothorax without notopleural sutures. The scutellum not elevated. Metaventrite without a transverse groove. Tarsal segmentation formula 5, 5, 5. The tarsi exhibiting bilobed segments (on the front tarsi); without ‘hidden’ segments. Front tarsi with as many segments as the mid-tarsi; 5-segmented. Mid-leg tarsi 5-segmented; pentamerous. The claws of the mid-leg tarsi not appendaged. The claws of the mid-leg tarsi simple; with an empodium between them (this with no more than two setae). Hind tarsi with as many segments as the mid-tarsi; 5-segmented. Elytral length/maximum width across the elytra 1.2–1.55. Elytra exposing no more than part of the terminal tergite. Scutellary striole absent. Elytra non-glabrous. Wings well developed, or absent or much reduced. Exposed abdominal sternites 5–7; comprising both fused and movable components; immovably joined 2. Abdominal segment 8 with apparently functional spiracles.

Classification. Suborder Polyphaga; Infraorder Elateriformia; Superfamily Eucinetoidea.

Worldwide and British representation. About 40 species worldwide; genera 9. 1 species in Britain (E. meridionalis); genera in Britain 1; Eucinetus.


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Cite this publication as: ‘Watson, L., and Dallwitz, M.J. 2003 onwards. British insects: the families of Coleoptera. Version: 2nd January 2012. http://delta-intkey.com’.

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