Mordellidae

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Mordellidae
Temporal range: Middle Jurassic–Recent
Mordella aculeata MHNT Profil.jpg
Mordella aculeata ; note the "pintail"
Scientific classification OOjs UI icon edit-ltr.svg
Domain: Eukaryota
Kingdom: Animalia
Phylum: Arthropoda
Class: Insecta
Order: Coleoptera
Suborder: Polyphaga
Infraorder: Cucujiformia
Superfamily: Tenebrionoidea
Family: Mordellidae
Latreille, 1802
Subfamilies
Synonyms

Liaoximordellidae

The Mordellidae are a family of beetles commonly known as tumbling flower beetles for the typical irregular movements they make when escaping predators, or as pintail beetles due to their abdominal tip which aids them in performing these tumbling movements.[ citation needed ] Worldwide, there are about 1500 species. [1]

Contents

Anatomy

The apparently tumbling movements are composed of a series of very rapid separate jumps (each jump of a duration of approximately 80 ms). They result from the beetle's efforts to get itself back into take-off position for flight when it has been in either lateral or dorsal position. Each individual jump should be considered as an extended rotation, performed by one leg of the third leg pair (metapodium). Depending on whether the left or the right metapodium is used as the leg that provides the leverage for take-off, change occurs in the direction of the jump. The energy for propulsion varies with the beetle's immediate muscle work, so that jump lengths and heights vary, with rotation frequencies recorded up to 48 per second (Mordellochroa abdominalis) around the gravitation centre of the body's longitudinal axis. Additional revolving around the transverse axis (at lower frequency) effects spiralling somersaults that are perceived as tumbling. The pintail (pygidium) is of no significance for the jump. While the pintail is no significance for the jump, meta-trochanter-femur (thighs and surrounding rings of the third leg pair)has a great capacity of free rotation (up to 270 degrees, at one level only). This capacity is due to a screw joint that connects the base of metacoxa to the head of trochanter. The nut gradient is 21 degrees (as seen under a scanning electron microscopy SEM, 1985). Technically similar jumps, though less powerful, can be observed in family Melandryidae (=Serropalpidae) (genus Orchesia) and family Scraptiidae (genus Anaspis). Their coxa-trochanter-joints are of similar structure. It can be assumed that the capacity of a tumbling form of locomotion is rooted in a common phylogeny and can therefore not be ascribed specifically to Mordellidae. [2] Meanwhile, other authors have also pointed out the speciality of the real screw joint in nature. (2011) The weevil of the genus Trigonopterus , Curculionidae in the Asian tropical rainforest, for example, has an even tighter connective construction in the Coxa -Trochanter joint than is found in Mordellidae. This construction, however, does not facilitate an equally high angular velocity of the torque. The joint here serves to provide a better grip on plants and easier climbing. [3]

Systematics

Adult Tomoxia lineella (Mordellinae: Mordellini) Tomoxia lineella46134594.tumbl.web.jpg
Adult Tomoxia lineella (Mordellinae: Mordellini)
Larva of Mordellistena sp. (Mordellinae: Mordellistenini) larva inside a goldenrod gall made by the fly Eurosta solidaginis Solidago.gall.w.jpg
Larva of Mordellistena sp. (Mordellinae: Mordellistenini) larva inside a goldenrod gall made by the fly Eurosta solidaginis
Adult female Tolidopalpus nitidicoma (Mordellinae: Mordellistenini) from side Tolidopalpus nitidicoma female lateral.jpg
Adult female Tolidopalpus nitidicoma (Mordellinae: Mordellistenini) from side

This family has two living subfamilies – Mordellinae and Ctenidiinae – and a prehistoric one known only from fossils (Praemordellinae). [4] Another fossil genus, Liaoximordella , was previously treated as distinct monotypic family Liaoximordellidae, but is now regarded as very primitive and probably basal member of the Mordellidae.

Subfamily Ctenidiinae Franciscolo, 1951

Subfamily Mordellinae Latreille, 1802

Related Research Articles

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Bean weevil</span> Subfamily of beetles

The bean weevils or seed beetles are a subfamily (Bruchinae) of beetles, now placed in the family Chrysomelidae, though they have historically been treated as a separate family. They are granivores, and typically infest various kinds of seeds or beans, living most of their lives inside a single seed. The subfamily includes about 1,650 species and are found worldwide.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Dytiscidae</span> Family of beetles

The Dytiscidae – based on the Greek dytikos (δυτικός), "able to dive" – are the predaceous diving beetles, a family of water beetles. They occur in virtually any freshwater habitat around the world, but a few species live among leaf litter. The adults of most are between 1 and 2.5 cm (0.4–1.0 in) long, though much variation is seen between species. The European Dytiscus latissimus and Brazilian Megadytes ducalis are the largest, reaching up to 4.5 cm (1.8 in) and 4.75 cm (1.9 in) respectively. In contrast, the smallest is likely the Australian Limbodessus atypicali of subterranean waters, which only is about 0.9 mm (0.035 in) long. Most are dark brown, blackish, or dark olive in color with golden highlights in some subfamilies. The larvae are commonly known as water tigers due to their voracious appetite. They have short, but sharp mandibles and immediately upon biting, they deliver digestive enzymes into prey to suck their liquefied remains. The family includes more than 4,000 described species in numerous genera.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Flea beetle</span> Tribe of small jumping beetles

The flea beetle is a small, jumping beetle of the leaf beetle family (Chrysomelidae), that makes up the tribe Alticini which is part of the subfamily Galerucinae. Historically the flea beetles were classified as their own subfamily.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Cerambycinae</span> Subfamily of beetles

Cerambycinae is a subfamily of the longhorn beetle family (Cerambycidae). The subfamily has a world-wide distribution including: Asia, Europe and the Americas. Within the family, the only subfamily of comparable diversity is the Lamiinae.

<i>Mordella</i> Genus of beetles

Mordella is the type genus of the tumbling flower beetle family (Mordellidae), its subfamily Mordellinae and the tribe Mordellini. It is widely distributed in the Holarctic and adjacent regions. The larvae are primarily dead wood borers.

<i>Glipa</i> Genus of beetles

Glipa is a genus of beetles in the family Mordellidae, containing the following species:

<i>Hoshihananomia</i> Genus of beetles

Hoshihananomia is a genus of tumbling flower beetles in the family Mordellidae. There are at least 40 described species in Hoshihananomia.

Mordellaria is a genus of tumbling flower beetles in the family Mordellidae. There are more than 10 described species in Mordellaria.

<i>Falsomordellistena</i> Genus of beetles

Falsomordellistena is a genus of tumbling flower beetles in the family Mordellidae, containing the following species:

Glipostenoda is a genus of beetles in the family Mordellidae, containing the following species:

Mordellina is a genus of tumbling flower beetles in the family Mordellidae.

<i>Mordellistena</i> Genus of beetles

Mordellistena is a genus of beetles in the family Mordellidae, containing the following species:

Neomordellistena is a genus of beetles in the family Mordellidae, containing the following species:

Stenalia is a genus of beetles in the family Mordellidae. It contains the following species:

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Mordellinae</span> Subfamily of beetles

Mordellinae is a subfamily of beetles commonly known as tumbling flower beetles for the typical irregular movements they make when escaping predators, or as pintail beetles due to their abdominal tip which aids them in performing these tumbling movements.

The Stenaliini are a tribe of beetles in the family Mordellidae.

The Conaliini are a tribe of beetles in the family Mordellidae.

Neomordellistena is a subgenus of the beetle genus Neomordellistena in the family Mordellidae, containing the following species:

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Aleocharinae</span> Subfamily of beetles

The Aleocharinae are one of the largest subfamilies of rove beetles, containing over 12,000 species. Previously subject to large-scale debate whether the subfamily deserved the familial status, it is now considered one of the largest subfamilies of rove beetles.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Saperdini</span> Tribe of beetles

Saperdini is a tribe of longhorn beetles of the subfamily Lamiinae.

References

  1. ↑ Michael A. Ivie (2002). "Mordellidae". In Ross H. Arnett & Michael Charles Thomas (ed.). Polyphaga: Scarabaeoidea through Curculionoidea. American Beetles. Vol. 2. CRC Press. ISBN   978-0-8493-0954-0.
  2. ↑ Michael Reuter (1995). "Studies on the functional morphology of the jump in tumbling-flower beetles (Mordellidae, Coleoptera)". Acta Biologica Benrodis . 7: 99–133. ISSN   0177-9214.
  3. ↑ Van De Kamp, T.; Vagovic, P.; Baumbach, T.; Riedel, A. (2011). "A Biological Screw in a Beetle's Leg". Science. 333 (6038): 52. Bibcode:2011Sci...333...52V. doi:10.1126/science.1204245. PMID   21719669.
  4. ↑ Mordellidae Species List at Joel Hallan's Biology Catalog. Texas A&M University, archived from the original on 7 October 2014, retrieved 8 August 2015
  5. ↑ Horák, Jan; Farkac, Jan; Nakládal, Oto (2012). "Mordellidae (Coleoptera) from Socotra Island" (PDF). Acta Entomologica Musei Nationalis Pragae. 52 (supplementum 2): 253–268. ISSN   0374-1036 . Retrieved 5 February 2013.
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