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Nanosella

W. Eugene Hall
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Nanosella
Containing group: Nanosellini

Introduction

Nanosella is widely distributed in nearctic and neotropical areas. It is commonly associated with polypore fungi, and in the United States is abundant in the eastern and southern regions. This genus is represented by the smallest beetles known, some records listing species of Nanosella as small as .25 or .26 mm. in total length.

An outline on the confusion surrounding the species of Nanosella is discussed in Barber (1924: 168). The nanoselline genus Mycophagous may be a synonym of Nanosella. A revision of both genera is currently being conducted.

Characteristics

Nanosella can be separated from other nanosellines (Dybas, 1990) by the 'arrowhead' shaped mesosternal process pointing posteriorly; 10-segmented antennae; elongate-oval form; mesocoxal suture directed anteriorly; prothorax widest at basal angles; pygidial spine of varying shape (acute, bifid).

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Bifid pygidium of Nanosella

Bifid pygidium of Nanosella

Dybas (1976) described the larva from a series of specimens collected at Cerro Punta, Chiriqui Province, Panama. As with many other genera of Nanosellinae, larvae and adults can be found inhabiting the same host fungus.

Geographic Distribution

Nanosella occurs in North, Central and South America. Unpublished records extend the distribution of Nanosella beyond these regions.

References

Barber, H.S. 1924. New Ptiliidae related to the smallest known beetle. Proc. Ent. Soc. Wash. 26(6): 167 - 178.

Dybas, H.S. 1990. Ptiliidae. in Soil Biology Guide, Daniel L. Dindail, editor. Wiley-Interscience, New York.

Dybas, H.S. 1976. The larval characters of featherwing and limulodid beetles and their family relationships in the Staphylinoidea (Coleoptera: Ptiliidae and Limulodidae). Fieldiana. Zoology. 70(3): 29 - 78.

Title Illustrations
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Nanosella
Scientific Name Nanosella
Image Use creative commons This media file is licensed under the Creative Commons Attribution-NonCommercial-ShareAlike License - Version 3.0.
Copyright © 1997
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University of Arizona

Page: Tree of Life Nanosella. Authored by W. Eugene Hall. The TEXT of this page is licensed under the Creative Commons Attribution-NonCommercial-ShareAlike License - Version 3.0. Note that images and other media featured on this page are each governed by their own license, and they may or may not be available for reuse. Click on an image or a media link to access the media data window, which provides the relevant licensing information. For the general terms and conditions of ToL material reuse and redistribution, please see the Tree of Life Copyright Policies.

Citing this page:

Hall, W. Eugene. 1997. Nanosella. Version 01 January 1997 (under construction). http://tolweb.org/Nanosella/9652/1997.01.01 in The Tree of Life Web Project, http://tolweb.org/

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