Dacne, Latreille 1796

Skelley, Paul E., 2009, Pleasing fungus beetles of the West Indies (Coleoptera: Erotylidae: Erotylinae), Insecta Mundi 2009 (82), pp. 1-94 : 9-12

Genus DACNE Latreille 1796

Dacne Latreille 1796: 12 . Type species: Dermestes bipustulatus Thunberg 1781: 6 , subsequent designation Latreille 1810: 427.

Diagnosis. This genus is generally recognized by its small size (usually less than 2.5 mm), acuminate maxillary and labial palpi, broad mentum, distinctly clubbed antenna, anterior medial pronotal disc somewhat swollen forward, and distinctively pentamerous tarsi.

Remarks. Two Asian species, Dacne (Dacne) picta Crotch (1873c) and D. (D.) japonica Crotch (1873c) , are occasionally pests in dried mushrooms ( Boyle 1956, Savary 1995) and have been intercepted in international shipments of these products. In the past, researchers and agricultural officials from countries worldwide have asked for assistance identifying Dacne specimens intercepted in dried mushrooms. While these species do not seem to be established in countries where they have been intercepted, it is always a possibility, and it is likely these species may eventually be intercepted in the West Indies. Dacne picta and D. japonica can be distinguished from most members of Dacne by their distinctly banded color pattern. Skelley (2004) presented a key to Dacne species of the world.

Within the genus, D. brodzinskyi in amber from the Dominican Republic and Dacne ducke Skelley (2004) from Brazil share characters which indicate they belong to a unique New World clade separate from other members of the genus as discussed in Skelley (2004). Therefore, a new subgenus is here erected for these two species, giving Dacne four subgenera.