Tiny Tiny Fungus Beetle II - Malacocis brevicollis

Moved

Moved from Minute Tree-fungus Beetles.

… Stephen_WV, 24 May, 2007 - 7:03am

Identification

That's a Malacocis brevicollis!

… Cristiano Lopes-Andrade, 21 May, 2007 - 1:16pm

Thanks

Thank-you, Cristiano!

… Stephen_WV, 23 May, 2007 - 6:15am

I've made a page for you, Stephen.

Click here. Very nice to have a ciidae specialist on hand to give these little guys names.

… Jim McClarin, 24 May, 2007 - 5:09am

Ciidae is my guess too.

On/in what type of fungus were they found?

… Jim McClarin, 17 February, 2006 - 5:18am

Shelf fungus

Thanks, Jim.

These were inside a type of shelf fungus, most about 1.75 inches across. The fungi were on a fallen log. The fungi were decrepit, with many ancient insect holes, and lots of accumulated frass. They were somewhat woody, dried out but with some moisture still present too.

--Stephen

Stephen Cresswell
Buckhannon, WV
www.stephencresswell.com

… Stephen_WV, 17 February, 2006 - 11:34am

Were the fungi thin, ruffled, parchment-like?

Or was their top membrane thin, but with fins depending from it a little like a finned mushroom? If so, those types are what I've come to know as tree fungi, the home of ciids. I've only found them in older, deteriorating fungi such as you describe. However, I did find a couple in a much larger, fleshier-lobed fungus that looked a little like tree fungus. I've got pix of several types posted in ciid section.

… Jim McClarin, 17 February, 2006 - 5:15pm

Not gilled

This fungus was definitely not gilled. Somewhat thicker than any of the ones I would term parchment-like.

--Stephen

Stephen Cresswell
Buckhannon, WV
www.stephencresswell.com

… Stephen_WV, 18 February, 2006 - 4:04am

Like these?

… Jim McClarin, 18 February, 2006 - 4:41am

Similar

Similar, though mine was drier than yours appears to be, and was thoroughly riddled with insect holes. Darker.

I agree that the pronotum and antennae of your photos looks quite a bit like the pronotum and antennae in mine, although in most of your photos the elytra are longer than the ones in my photos. Still, both elytra lengths seem appropriate for this family. Moving to Ciidae page.

--Stephen

Stephen Cresswell
Buckhannon, WV
www.stephencresswell.com

… Stephen_WV, 18 February, 2006 - 5:11am

Excellent!

Many ciids are said to be very host-specific. It sounds like your fungus is one I might not have found or checked locally, so it's no surprise to me that your ciids have a different look to them.

btw, I visited your Web site and now have a face in mind when I see your name.

… Jim McClarin, 18 February, 2006 - 4:42pm