Pheidoliphila

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There are twenty-six species in this myrmecophilous genus of Histeridae. Lea originally characterised this genus as follows: ‘The species of this genus are all small. The prothorax is strongly raised in front, with the raised portions overhanging the head. The elytra are not depressed immediately begind the scutellar region, but there is a depression close to each shoulder; there is an oblique incision at each shoulder, but the shoulders themselves are not raised above the general level, although clothed internally. All the legs are fitted into grooves.’We have conceived of this group more broadly (Dégallier and Caterino 2005b), in particular including a few species that lack humeral trichomes (P. secqi, P. penatii, and P. oharai). All may still be characterised by the presence of some sort of bifid projection, usually prominent, extending dorsad, and often anterad of anterior pronotal margin. Where trichomes are present, they are small, oblique, and found in the extreme anterolateral corners of each elytron.

Though hosts are now known for only a few species, all records are with ants in the genus Pheidole. Oke (1923) reported P. minuta being carried around by its hosts, held in the ants’ mandibles apparently by the humeral trichome. Pheidoliphila have been found throughout eastern Australia, as well as in Tasmania, and a single species placed here (P. micra) occurs in Papua New Guinea.

List of Pheidoliphila and their Host Ants
Genus and species Author and Year Ant Host Distribution Notes
Pheidoliphila acutistria Dégallier & Caterino, 2005b AUS: Qld
Pheidoliphila arriagadai Dégallier & Caterino, 2005b AUS: Qld
Pheidoliphila bifida Dégallier & Caterino, 2005b AUS: Qld
Pheidoliphila carbo (Lea, 1910) AUS: Vic.
Pheidoliphila dahlgreni Dégallier & Caterino, 2005b AUS: Qld
Pheidoliphila finnigana Dégallier & Caterino, 2005b AUS: Qld
Pheidoliphila granulata (Lea, 1912) AUS: Vic.
Pheidoliphila kapleri Dégallier & Caterino, 2005b AUS: Qld
Pheidoliphila lackneri Dégallier & Caterino, 2005b AUS: Qld
Pheidoliphila macmillani Dégallier & Caterino, 2005b AUS: NSW
Pheidoliphila magna Dégallier & Caterino, 2005b AUS: Qld
Pheidoliphila micra Dégallier & Caterino, 2005b PNG: Madang
Pheidoliphila minuta Lea, 1914 AUS: Vic.
Pheidoliphila oharai Dégallier & Caterino, 2005b AUS: Qld
Pheidoliphila penatii Dégallier & Caterino, 2005b AUS: Qld
Pheidoliphila pseudocephala (Lea, 1912) AUS: Tas.
Pheidoliphila ruginota Dégallier & Caterino, 2005b AUS: Qld
Pheidoliphila rugosa Dégallier & Caterino, 2005b AUS: NSW, Vic.
Pheidoliphila secqi Dégallier & Caterino, 2005b AUS: Qld
Pheidoliphila sternalis (Blackburn, 1891) AUS: SA
Pheidoliphila storeyi Dégallier & Caterino, 2005b AUS: Qld
Pheidoliphila suturalis Dégallier & Caterino 2005b AUS: Qld
Pheidoliphila unita Dégallier & Caterino, 2005b AUS: Qld
Pheidoliphila verityi Dégallier & Caterino, 2005b AUS: Qld
Pheidoliphila wenzeli Dégallier & Caterino, 2005b AUS: Qld
Pheidoliphila yelamosi Dégallier & Caterino, 2005b AUS: Qld

REFERENCES

  • Blackburn, T. (1891). Further notes on Australian Coleoptera, with descriptions of new genera and species. Transactions and Proceedings of the Royal Society of South Australia 14, 65–154.
  • Caterino, M. S. (2000). Descriptions of the first Chlamydopsinae (Coleoptera: Histeridae) from Wallacea. Tijdschrift voor Entomologie 143, 267–278.
  • Dégallier, N., and Caterino, M. S. (2005b). Notes taxonomiques sur les Chlamydopsinae et descriptions d’espèces nouvelles. - II. Genre Pheidoliphila Lea. Bulletin de la Societe Entomologique de France 110, 463–494.
  • Lea, A. (1912). Australian and Tasmanian Coleoptera inhabiting or resorting to the nests of ants, bees and termites. Proceedings of the Royal Society of Victoria 25, 31–78.
  • Lea, A. (1914a). On Australian and Tasmanian Coleoptera with descriptions of new species. Part II. Proceedings of the Royal Society of Victoria 26 (n.s.), 211–227.
  • Oke, C. (1923). Notes on the Victorian Chlamydopsinae, with descriptions of new species. Victorian Naturalist 49, 152–162.