Chlamydopsinae

Introduction

The Chlamydopsinae is one of two exclusively inquilinous subfamilies of Histeridae (along with Hetaeriinae). Until recently this was probably the most poorly known of all histerid groups, but it has received some important recent attention (Caterino, 2000; Dégallier & Caterino, 2005a, b; Caterino & Dégallier, 2007). Chlamydopsinae are rather restricted in distribution. Most of the described species are Australian, although additional species have been described from India, Japan, Taiwan, Fiji, New Caledonia, Indonesia, and Malaysia. It is likely that many new species remain be found throughout mainland and insular southeast Asia.

Characteristics

The main synapomorphy of the subfamily is also its best diagnostic character: the antennal scape is inserted high on the frons, above the eye, and is expanded such that it completely hides the eye when the head is withdrawn (the name Chlamydopsis means ‘covered eye’).

Most species have trichomes, or exaggerated secretory structures, on the front corners of the elytra, associated with their inquilinous habits. A few species have lost these structures, and in some they are present on the prothorax.

Discussion of Phylogenetic Relationships

Relationships within Chlamydopsinae have been difficult to resolve, in large part because of the rarity of the species. Pheidoliphila, Orectoscelis, Ceratohister, Eucurtiopsis, Teretriopsis, Papuopsis and Gomyopsis together clearly form a monophyletic group. In all of these the scutellum is hidden by the posterior margin of the pronotum, a strong synapomorphy. Two recently discovered genera from New Caledona, Kanakopsis and Chlamydonia (Caterino, 2006) appear transitional in this regard.

The newly described Quasimodopsis (Caterino & Dégallier, 2007) also has the scutellum hidden, though in this case by the pronotum rather than the bases of the elytra. According to recent analyses this does appear to be the sister group of the remaining 'hidden scutellum' lineage.

Analyses to date place the remaining genera, Chlamydopsis, Eucurtia and Ectatommiphila, as the sister group of all of the above. Given the size and primitive state of knowledge especially of Chlamydopsis, this hypothesis requires further testing.

References

Caterino, M. S. 2000. Descriptions of the first Chlamydopsinae (Coleoptera: Histeridae) from Wallacea. Tijdschrift voor Entomologie 143:267-278.

Caterino, M. S. 2006. Chlamydopsinae from New Caledonia. Memoirs of the Queensland Museum 52:27–64.

Caterino. M. S. and Dégallier, N. 2007. A review of the biology and systematics of Chlamydopsinae. Invertebrate Systematics 21:1-28.

Dégallier, N. 1984. Gomyopsis kuscheli, nouveau genre et nouvelle espece de Chlamydopsinae. Nouvelle Revue Entomologie (N. S.) 1:55-59.

Dégallier, N., and Caterino, M. S. 2005a. Notes taxonomiques sur les Chlamydopsinae et descriptions d’espèces nouvelles. - I. Genres Ceratohister Reichensperger, Eucurtiopsis Silvestri et Orectoscelis Lewis. Bulletin de la Societe Entomologique de France 110:299–326.

Dégallier, N., and Caterino, M. S. 2005b. Notes taxonomiques sur les Chlamydopsinae et descriptions d’espèces nouvelles. - II. Genre Pheidoliphila Lea. Bulletin de la Societe Entomologique de France 110:463–494.

Lea, A. 1912. Australian and Tasmanian Coleoptera. Proceedings of the Royal Society of Victoria 25: 31-78.

Nishikawa, M. 1996. On the genus Eucurtiopsis Silvestri occurring in Japan and Taiwan. Kanagawa-Chuho, Odawara 113:7-11.

Nishikawa, M., and K. Maruyama. 1993. Coleoptera in Zama-shi, Kanagawa pref.:219-308.

Oke, C. 1923. Notes on the Victorian Chlamydopsinae, with descriptions of new species. Victorian Naturalist 49:152-162.

Sawada, K. 1991. New myrmecophilous Coleoptera in Nepal and Japan. Contributions of the Biological Laboratory of Kyoto University 28:357-365.

Information on the Internet

• Lucid Key to the Genera of Chlamydopsinae (Beta version). This site presents an interactive Lucid key to all known Chlamydopsine genera. Most characters, and all taxa are illustrated.

• Color images of species. Supplements to descriptive papers on Chlamydopsis, Pheidoliphila, Orectoscelis, Eucurtiopsis, Ceratohister and Chlamydonia.