Forum Entomologi Italiani

Little Malachiidae from South Africa. 3 mm. If it were possible to determine at least to the genus.. that would be great

Hello Maxim,

how many visible antennomeres does it have? 11 or 10 (because 2nd hidden inside the 1st, e.g. like a Protapalochrus)?

G.

Hi, Gabriele!
The antennae with 10 articles clearly. Here some bigger pic - maybe it's better to see it that way.

So, tribe Apalochrini. At least we know who to call for help.

G.

Hello Maxim, can you please take a photo of the underside as well?

Thanks G.

I'll give it a try, although it's pretty complicated right now. It is a very fragile creature and glued to the board plate

Not exactly "Malachiidae" but "Dasytidae" (now Pagurodactylini tribe).
It belongs to the genus Dasytophasis, most probably D. capicola Champion, 1923 (male sex).
The antennae are 11/segmented, this strange construction consists from the 5th + 6th segments.
You can see here a picture of the antenna (page 397) and the original description of D. capicola (page 385) :

https://www.biodiversitylibrary.org/pag ... 1/mode/1up


George

Surprisingly, R. Constantin (2001) considers that Pagurodactylini now belong to the Malachiinae (not to the Dasytinae) !!!
But it is impossible to me, to find his article*, which probably contains also the original descriptions of 3 new genera in this group.

* Constantin R (2001) Révision du genre Pagurodactylus Gorham, 1900 et des genres voisins
d’Afrique australe (Coleoptera, Malachiidae). Entomologica Basiliensia 23: 5–87.

Good point, George.

G.

Well, after that serious conceptualization I just had to do it. On the safe side.
Thanks friends!