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Genus Melanophthalma

2mm seedhead beetle - Melanophthalma Minute Brown Scavenger Beetle - Melanophthalma Teeny Tiny Beetle - Melanophthalma corticariine - Melanophthalma Unknown - Melanophthalma Unid. beetle - Melanophthalma beetle - Melanophthalma Small brown-ish beetle - Melanophthalma
Classification
Kingdom Animalia (Animals)
Phylum Arthropoda (Arthropods)
Subphylum Hexapoda (Hexapods)
Class Insecta (Insects)
Order Coleoptera (Beetles)
Suborder Polyphaga
No Taxon (Series Cucujiformia)
Superfamily Coccinelloidea
No Taxon (Coccinellid group)
Family Latridiidae (Minute Brown Scavenger Beetles)
Subfamily Corticariinae
Genus Melanophthalma
Explanation of Names
Melanophthalma Motschulsky 1866
Numbers
2 subgenera, with 21 spp. in our area(1) and ~130 worldwide (5 spp. in Cortilena, the rest in Melanophthalma s.str.)(2)
Size
1.2-1.9 mm
Identification
Most spp. with a shallow, if any, transverse prebasal depression on the pronotum. Male protibia simple. Elytra rather short, well rounded at sides (also applies to Corticarina). In Cortinicara, male protibia with subapical spine, and symmetrical genitalia lack parameres (well-developed in Melanophthalma); females may be unidentifiable.
Separating subgenera, Cortilena vs Melanophthalma:
antennal club 2- vs 3-segmented(1)(3)
pubescence shorter, less conspicuous (M. picta appears glabrous)(1)(3)(4)
6th abdominal ventrite concealed in males (small yet visible in females) vs visible in both sexes(4)
Works Cited
1.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.
2.Rücker W.H. (1998-2014) Latridiidae & Merophysiinae
3.Latridiidae (Coleoptera) of Atlantic Canada: New records, keys to identification, new synonyms, distribution, and zoogeography
Majka C.G., Langor D., Rücker W.H. 2009. The Canadian Entomologist 141: 317-370.
4.Revision of the Lathridiidae of Boreal America
Fall H.C. 1899. Transactions of the American Entomological Society 26: 101–190.