Erotylidae (Insecta:Coleoptera:Cucujoidea:Erotylidae): Taxonomy and Biogeography

Description

Erotylinae are also known commonly as the 'pleasing fungus beetles' for their often striking colours, though these do not occur in New Zealand species. The 8 New Zealand erotyline species comprise a relatively small group, considering that nearby Australia has 50 species. Erotylinae are represented in New Zealand by two genera, one of which is endemic. Various authors have described erotyline species, or created lists for them, but none has attempted to evaluate these taxa and update their taxonomy. In Fauna of New Zealand 47, Rich Leschen restructured the family Erotylidae to include the family Languriidae, and examined the status of the higher taxa based on a cladistic analysis of adult characters. He also reviewed the New Zealand species that would have been included in the former family Languriidae. The purpose of this paper is to complement Leschen's review of New Zealand's Erotylidae by covering the species of subfamily Erotylinae. In this Fauna, the fungus-feeding Erotylinae fauna of New Zealand are revised and a key to the adults and illustrations of key characters for all species are presented.