Review of the genus Stenodera with a description of the first instar larva of S. puncticollis (Coleoptera: Meloidae)

Abstract

Abstract. The first instar larva, or triungulin, of Stenodera puncticoHis (Chevrolat, 1829) is described. Its characters indicate that Stenodera is the most primitive member of the subfamily Nemognathinae and support the recognition of the monotypic tribe Stenoderini, as previously proposed on the basis of adult morphology. The bionomic information on this genus is summarized, and an annotated catalogue and key to the species based on adults are presented.

Revision of first instar larvae ofMeloe, subgeneraEurymeloeandCoelomeloe, with new descriptions and a key to the species (Coleoptera: Meloidae)

“…The first larval instars of all of them are adapted to phoresy on bees, with different degrees of specialization at the level of antennal sensorium, head setation, mandibles, femurs, claws, etc. (Bologna & Pinto 1992, 1995, 1998Pinto & Bologna 1993;Di Giulio et al 2002;Bologna & Di Giulio 2011). In particular, the antennal sensorium, a chemoreceptive structure that in Coleoptera larvae seems to be involved in prey/host finding (Giglio et al 2008), is reduced in species that are highly adapted to phoresy, since they do not look for the host species (Pinto & Bologna 1993).…”

Revision of the genus Teratolytta (Coleoptera: Meloidae)

“…The terminology of larval structures follows MacSwain (1956), Lawrence (1991), and Bologna & Pinto (2001). Certain characters used in the larval chaetotaxy were adopted from notational conventions suggested by Selander (1990) and Bologna & Di Giulio (2002).…”

“…The dorsal position of the mesothoracic spiracle is common to Lytta and Lydus Dejean, 1821, Alosimus Mulsant, 1857, andProlytta Kaszab, 1959 (only in some species: Bologna & Di Giulio, 2002 Generic diagnosis. The genus Teratolytta is generally characterized by species with a marked sexual dimorphism.…”

The Meloidae (Coleoptera) of Australasia: a generic review, descriptions of new taxa, and a challenge to the current definition of subfamilies posed by exceptional variation in male genitalia

“…Male genitalia in meloids often differ enough as to be useful for species separation but these differences are relatively minor usually involving, for example, variation in aedeagal hook size and position, or at most, the presence of one or two dorsal hooks (e.g. Selander 1960;Bologna and Di Giulio 2008). In Palaestra, the aedeagus may bear one, two or three pairs of lateral hooks of considerably variable size, or none at all.…”