Genus Mordellistena

Classification · Synonyms and other taxonomic changes · Explanation of Names · Numbers · Size · Identification · Range · Print References · Works Cited

Mordellistena ornata? - Mordellistena ornata

Red/Orange and Black Beetle - Mordellistena attenuata

Mordellidae, lateral - Mordellistena cervicalis

Classification

Kingdom Animalia (Animals)

Phylum Arthropoda (Arthropods)

Subphylum Hexapoda (Hexapods)

Class Insecta (Insects)

Order Coleoptera (Beetles)

Suborder Polyphaga

No Taxon (Series Cucujiformia)

Superfamily Tenebrionoidea

Family Mordellidae (Tumbling Flower Beetles)

Tribe Mordellistenini

Genus Mordellistena

Synonyms and other taxonomic changes

formerly treated in a much broader sense, more or less coextensive with the current tribe(1)(2)

Explanation of Names

Mordellistena Costa 1854

Numbers

>130* spp. in our area(3), ~230 total(4)

*incl. 17 taxa of unclear status (known only from original descriptions)

Size

2-4 mm, rarely up to 5 mm

Identification

Larva: Mordellistena is the only genus in this family which larvae have characteristic tergal processes and paired urogomphi (comment by Artjom Zaitsev)

Range

cosmopolitan, incl. all of NA(5)(3)

Print References

Ford E.J., Jackman J.A. (1996) New larval host plant associations of tumbling flower beetles (Coleoptera: Mordellidae) in North America. Coleopterists Bulletin 50: 361-368.

Works Cited

1.	Nomenclatural changes for selected Mordellidae (Coleoptera) in North America J.A. Jackman & W. Lu. 2001. Insecta Mundi 15(1): 31-34.

2.	Taxonomic changes for fifteen species of North American Mordellidae (Coleoptera) Lisberg A.E. 2003. Insecta Mundi 17: 191-194.

3.	American Beetles, Volume II: Polyphaga: Scarabaeoidea through Curculionoidea Arnett, R.H., Jr., M. C. Thomas, P. E. Skelley and J. H. Frank. (eds.). 2002. CRC Press LLC, Boca Raton, FL.

4.	BioLib.cz

5.	Australian Faunal Directory

Contributed by Beatriz Moisset on 12 June, 2005 - 7:48pm
Additional contributions by cotinis, Mike Quinn, Tim Moyer, Boris Bueche, v belov, lee_penner
Last updated 16 June, 2023 - 6:46pm

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