Pediacus Shuckard
|
publication ID |
https://doi.org/ 10.11646/zootaxa.3754.1.2 |
|
publication LSID |
lsid:zoobank.org:pub:D873973D-A4F5-455F-83DD-4B3E564DB630 |
|
DOI |
https://doi.org/10.5281/zenodo.6139864 |
|
persistent identifier |
https://treatment.plazi.org/id/03E78793-A935-FFAD-0AEE-15A1C8CDB469 |
|
treatment provided by |
Plazi |
|
scientific name |
Pediacus Shuckard |
| status |
|
Pediacus Shuckard, 1839: 150 View in CoL , 185.
Type species. Cucujus dermestoides Fabricius, 1792: 96 View in CoL , by monotypy.
Diagnosis. Pediacus species may be distinguished from the other two genera known from Asia and Australasia, Cucujus and Platisus , by the following characters: size small (length 2.6 –4.7 mm), temples absent or reduced to a small tooth-like projection, antennae with a well-developed three-segmented club.
Description. As for Thomas (2004) but with the following changes: pronotum with anterior angle obtuse to acute; elytra broadly rounded to moderately costate or carinate sublaterally.
Biology. There is little information available about the biology of Pediacus . As for other cucujids, Pediacus are apparently found under bark. In his revision of the North American fauna, Thomas (2004) noted that they are predominantly found under bark of dead conifers. There is minimal collection data available among the specimens examined in this revision. This includes: ‘dead oak bark’; ‘large cut tree- Quercus sp.’; ‘on spruce’; ‘small cut sapling’; ‘light trap’; ‘insect flight trap’ and ‘sifted moss and bark’. Several specimens were collected from high altitudes, ranging up to 2000 m, and for one species, P. montivagus , ca. 2500 to 3600 m.
Little is known about Pediacus larvae. They are likely to be predacious, as is apparently the case for the larvae of Cucujus and Platisus zelandicus Marris & Klimaszewski ( Smith & Sears 1982; Watt et al. 2001).
Key to Pediacus adults of Asia and Australasia
1. Pronotum strongly explanate with broad glabrous lateral margins ( Figs. 1 View FIGURE 1 A, B), pronotal disc broadly planar P. at e r Grouvelle
- Pronotum not strongly explanate and lacking broad glabrous lateral margins, pronotal disc convex to impressed.......... 2
2(1) Head with small but distinct postocular denticle ( Figs. 7 View FIGURE 7 F, 9B)................................................. 3
- Head lacking a distinct postocular denticle................................................................. 4
3(2) Pronotum usually with disc distinctly darker than surrounding areas, anterior denticle small and broadly obtuse ( Fig. 9 View FIGURE 9 B); male genitalia with short, globular parameres ( Fig. 9 View FIGURE 9 D)....................................... Pediacus sinensis sp. nov.
- Pronotum colouration uniform, anterior denticle more or less obsolete ( Fig. 7 View FIGURE 7 F); male genitalia with elongate parameres ( Fig. 7 View FIGURE 7 G)............................................................................. P. montivagus Champion View in CoL
4(2) Elytra broad (<1.95× longer than wide).................................................................... 5
- Elytra elongate (>2.00× longer than wide).................................................................. 8
5(4) Elytra with sublateral margins of disc carinate ( Fig. 3 View FIGURE 3 I).................................. Pediacus carinatus sp. nov.
- Elytra with sublateral margins of disc costate to broadly curved................................................. 6
6(5) Pronotum anterior angles rounded ( Fig. 5 View FIGURE 5 A), disc of pronotum convex............................. P. f us c us Erichson
- Pronotum anterior angles with an acute projecting denticle, disc of pronotum weakly to moderately impressed.......... 7
7(6) Pronotum with sides convergent anteriorly, anteromedial denticle distinctly produced ( Fig. 8 View FIGURE 8 A) Pediacus pendleburyi sp. nov.
- Pronotum with sides subparallel anteriorly, anteromedial denticle weak to obsolete ( Fig. 3 View FIGURE 3 A)...... P. bhutanicus Sen Gupta View in CoL
8(4) Eyes large, coarsely faceted, with facets distinctly convex ( Figs. 2 View FIGURE 2 A, B); body colour pale orange-brown ( Figs. 2 View FIGURE 2 E, F)..................................................................................... Pediacus australis sp. nov.
- Eyes variable in size, finely faceted, with facets faintly convex; body colour variable.............................. 9
9(8) Pronotum anterior angles with a distinctly produced, acute to narrowly obtuse denticle............................. 10
- Pronotum anterior angles broadly obtuse, blunt or rounded, lacking a distinct denticle.............................. 14
10(9) Pronotum with sides convergent anteriorly ( Figs. 4 View FIGURE 4 A, 10A)................................................... 11
- Pronotum with sides parallel in anterior half............................................................... 12
11(10) Antennae relatively broad, antennomere III distinctly broader than IV ( Fig. 10 View FIGURE 10 C)............... Pediacus thomasi sp. nov.
- Antennae relatively slender, antennomere III faintly broader than IV ( Fig. 4 View FIGURE 4 B)................... P. elongatus Sen Gupta View in CoL
12(10) Pronotum anterior angles with a small but distinct denticle ( Fig. 8 View FIGURE 8 E), disc deeply impressed anteriorly... P. rufipes Grouvelle View in CoL
- Pronotum anterior angles with a strongly produced acute to narrowly obtuse denticle, disc not deeply impressed anteriorly. 13
13(12). Eyes large and strongly projecting (ocular index <0.70), relatively coarsely faceted; pronotum with weakly projecting obtuse denticles ( Fig. 10 View FIGURE 10 E)............................................................ Pediacus taiwanensis sp. nov.
- Eyes smaller and less strongly projecting (ocular index>0.70), finely faceted; pronotum anterior angles with strongly projecting acute denticles ( Fig. 7 View FIGURE 7 A)........................................................... Pediacus leei sp. nov.
14(9) Elytra strongly elongate (>2.20× longer than wide) ( Fig. 4 View FIGURE 4 H)............................ Pediacus fujianensis sp. nov.
- Elytra less strongly elongate (<2.20× longer than wide)...................................................... 15
15(14) Eyes small, weakly projecting (ocular index>0.80) ( Fig. 6 View FIGURE 6 E)................................... P. kurosawai Sasaji View in CoL
- Eyes larger, more strongly projecting (ocular index <0.78).................................................... 16
16(15) Pronotum with disc deeply impressed, setation short and inconspicuous, punctures sparse and weakly impressed medially ( Fig. 9 View FIGURE 9 F)........................................................................ P. smi rnovi Nikitsky and Belov
- Pronotum with disc moderately impressed, setation conspicuous, punctures dense and more strongly impressed medially.. 17
17(16) Pronotum colouration uniform, anterior angles broadly obtuse ( Fig. 5 View FIGURE 5 F).................. Pediacus japonicoides sp. nov.
- Pronotum usually with disc distinctly darker than surrounding areas; anterior angles rounded ( Fig. 6 View FIGURE 6 A).. P. japonicus Reitter View in CoL
No known copyright restrictions apply. See Agosti, D., Egloff, W., 2009. Taxonomic information exchange and copyright: the Plazi approach. BMC Research Notes 2009, 2:53 for further explanation.
|
Kingdom |
|
|
Phylum |
|
|
Class |
|
|
Order |
|
|
Family |
Pediacus Shuckard
| Marris, John W. M. & Ślipiński, Adam 2014 |
Pediacus
| Shuckard 1839: 150 |