Melambia Erichson, 1844

Kolibac, Jiri, 2013, Trogossitidae: A review of the beetle family, with a catalogue and keys, ZooKeys 366, pp. 1-194 : 51-53

Genus Melambia Erichson, 1844 Fig. 7 ; Map 5

Melambia Erichson, W. F. 1844: 450.

Type species.

Trogossita gigas Fabricius, 1798 [designated by Kolibáč 2005]

Léveillé, A. 1910: 9. Kolibáč, J. 2005: 68 (redescription). Kolibáč, J. 2006: 111 (phylogeny). Kolibáč, J. 2007a: 364. Mamaev, B. M. 1976: 1652 (larva). Reitter, E. 1876: 24

Remarks.

The placement of the genus in Trogossitini should be revised because my analysis of 2008 disclosed a possible relationship of some its species with Gymnochilini . There are distinct differences in the body shape among the numerous species of Melambia , for example between Melambia grandis (a robust species with a cordate pronotum) and Melambia orientalis (an elongate species with pronotum shaped somewhat like that of Tenebroides ). Consideration of a re-classification of Seidlitzella within Gymnochilini , similar in habitus to Melambia , needs species revision and new phylogenetic analysis with reference to Trogossitini and Gymnochilini , including special attention to the related trogossitine genus Alindria . As a preliminary opinion, I assume that both genera, Melambia and Alindria , form a basal group of Trogossitini .

Description.

Body size: about 20.0-30.0 mm. Body shape elongate. Gular sutures reduced. Frontoclypeal suture absent. Frons: longitudinal groove or depression absent. Cranium ventrally: tufts of long setae at sides absent. Submentum of males: ctenidium present. Antennal groove present. Eyes: size flat. Eyes number: two. Epicranial acumination moderate. Lacinial hooks absent. Galea: shape clavate. Galea: ciliate setae absent. Mediostipes-Lacinia fused together. Palpifer: outer edge denticulate. Mandibular apical teeth number: two, vertically situated. Mola absent. Penicillus (at base) present (fine, often membranous). Pubescence above mola or cutting edge absent. Ventral furrow present. Basal notch moderate. Labrum-Cranium not fused. Epipharyngial sclerite present. Lateral tormal process: projection curved downwards, processes not connected ( Airora ). Ligula: ciliate setae absent. Ligula rigid, weakly retroflexed, deeply emarginate. Hypopharyngeal sclerite absent. Antenna 11-segmented. Antennal club asymmetrical, sensorial fields present. Front coxal cavities externally closed, internally open. Pronotum transverse. Prepectus absent. Middle coxal cavities open. Elytra: long hairs absent. Epipleuron thin. Elytral interlocking mechanism present, carinae conspicuous. Elytral punctation regular, scales absent. Wing: radial cell oblong (or reduced), wedge cell present, cross vein MP3-4 present, cross vein AA1+2-3+4 absent. Front tibiae: spines along side moderate. Hooked spur present. Claws: denticle absent. Parasternites number along ventrites III-VII: two. Spiculum gastrale absent. Tegmen composed of two or three parts.

Larva: Frontal arms V-shaped. Epicranial stem present. Endocarina present. Stemmata number: five. Maxillary palpi 3-segmented. Palpifer absent. Mala simple. Mala: bidentate protrusion absent. Cardo-Stipes not fused. Cardo: size much smaller than stipes. Ligula absent. Labial palpi 2-segmented. Prementum in single part, anterior margin with notch. Thoracic sclerites pattern (dorsally) 2-0-0. Abdominal segment IX not divided. Tergite IX flat. Urogomphi minute; median process absent.

Biology.

Predatory. According to Mamaev (1976), Melambia tekkensis and Melambia cardoni larvae prey on larvae of jewel beetles and longhorn beetles (under the bark of, for example, apricot trees or Grewia ).

Distribution.

South-eastern, southern and central Asia; also several species in Africa from Egypt to South Africa. Such a disjunctive distribution is possible, but the African species need to be checked because of possible confusion with the similar genus Alindria .

Species:

Melambia cardoni Léveillé, 1908; India: “Bengalia” (AL)

Léveillé, A. 1910: 9

Melambia cordicollis Reitter, 1876; Philippines (AL)

Léveillé, A. 1910: 9. Reitter, E. 1876: 25

Melambia crenicollis Guérin, 1846; India: “Bengalia” (AL)

Léveillé, A. 1910: 9

Melambia funebris Pascoe, 1862; Cambodia (AL)

Léveillé, A. 1910: 9. Reitter, E. 1876: 25

Melambia gautardi Tournier, 1872; Egypt (AL)

Léveillé, A. 1910: 9. Kolibáč, J. 2007a: 364. Reitter, E. 1876: 26

Melambia gigas Fabricius, 1798; Guinea, Senegal (AL)

Léveillé, A. 1910: 9. Kolibáč, J. 2005: 68 (redescription). Reitter, E. 1876: 25

Melambia maura Pascoe, 1862; South Africa: “N’gami”, Mauritania (varA)

Léveillé, A. 1910: 9. Mateu, J. 1972: 547

Melambia memnonia Pascoe, 1862; Sri Lanka (AL)

Léveillé, A. 1910: 9

Melambia opaca Reitter, 1876; South Africa: Cap (AL)

Léveillé, A. 1910: 9. Reitter, E. 1876: 25

Melambia pumila Léveillé, 1885; Burma (AL)

Léveillé, A. 1910: 9

Melambia striata Olivier, 1790; Senegal (varA)

Léveillé, A. 1910: 9. Mateu, J. 1972: 547. Reitter, E. 1876: 24

Melambia subcyanea Gerstaecker, 1871; Zanzibar (AL)

Léveillé, A. 1910: 9. Reitter, E. 1876: 26

Léveillé, A. 1910: 9 (syn. Melambia coeruleata Fairmaire, 1882) Somalia (AL)

Melambia tekkensis Koenig, 1889; „Transcaspia”, Turkmenistan (varA)

Léveillé, A. 1910: 9. Kolibáč, J. 2007a: 364. Mamaev, B. M. 1976: 1650 (larva)

Figures

Map 5. A distribution of the tribe Trogossitini.

Figure 7. A Eupycnus lentus B Melambia crenicollis C Melambia striata D Leipaspis lauricola E Nemozoma cornutum F Nemozoma elongatum G Nemozoma caucasicum H Parallelodera quadraticollis I Temnoscheila pini.