Leiodidae

Anisotoma humeralis

The Leiodidae are a family of beetles within the superfamily of Staphylionidea. It originally included only the sponge ball beetles which are now grouped in the subfamily Leiodinae. Other beetle families such as the nest beetles, the colonists beetles and flea beetles fur were incorporated over time in the Leiodidae family as subfamilies.

Features

The Leiodidae are uniformly very small beetles. They reach a length between just one and a maximum of seven millimeters long. Her eyes are reduced or absent in many cases, that has to do with the hidden, partly subterranean habits of most species. Many species are flightless, they have lost their hind wings in the course of evolution. The color is unobtrusive, light brown to translucent.

Dissemination

Most subfamilies of Leiodidae are found worldwide, spread a focus lies on the northern hemisphere of the earth in the Holarctic region.

System

After a revision by Al Newton in 1998, the family Leiodidae is divided into six subfamilies. These subfamilies were formerly independent families and will continue to be maintained by many authors as families.

Subfamilies and selected genera and species:

• Subfamily Camiarinae (28 genera, probably not monophyletic ) Afropelasia
• Agyrtodes Portevin, 1907
• Agyrtolasia
• Alsobius
• Paragyrtodes Szymczakowski, 1966
• Zenocolon

• Catopocerus Motschulsky, 1870
• Perkovskius Lafer, 1989
• Pinodytes Horn, 1880
• Glacicavicola Westcott, 1968

• Catops ( Paykull, 1798)
• Choleva ( Latreille, 1796) Segeberger cave beetle ( Choleva septentrionis holsatica )

• Colon ( Fall, 1797)
• Colonellus ( Szymczakowski, 1964)

• Agathidium ( Panzer, 1797) Agathidium bushi
• Agathidium cheneyi
• Agathidium rumsfeldi
• Agathidium vaderi

• Leptinillus Horn, 1882
• Leptinus Müller, 1817
• Platypsyllus Ritsema, 1869
• Silphopsyllus Olsufiev, 1923