Taxonomic Study On Part Group Of The Family Erotylidae From China

Family Erotylidae are important pleasing fungus beetles, and some species are serious pests to the mushroom. So far, about 125 genera and 2500 species (subspecise) have been reported, of which 26 genera and 133 species (subspecies) are from China. In the past, all taxonomic study on family Erotylidae was done by foreign scholars. Compared with the worldwide study, Chinese fanua on Erotylidae is poor, so it is necessary and urgent to begin doing the work in our country.This dissertation is finished by studying on the specimens deposited in the Museum of Hebei Uninersity, collected in field or borrowed. There are more than 200,000 characters, 118 colorized figures, 894 morphologic figures and 12 others figures and tables in the paper. It is divided into two parts: the general part and taxonomic part.In the general part, research history in the world, different taxonomic systems, morphology, biology and economic importance of Erotylidae are introduced briefly. The work is done as follows: (1) The hind wing venations of 22 species belonging to 12 genera are analyzed and discussed. As a result, it indicates that a few species distinctly differentiate in hind wing venation character, such as Nesitis brachptera, whose hind wing degenerates greatly with only one or two veins existing; most of the species differentiate little only in whether r4 and r3 vein are jointed or not.(2) infrastructures of 15 species in 7 genera of the family Erotylidae are observed by scanning electron microscope in stomatic and antennal sensilla, compound eye, mandibles, mentum, eyes, stridulatory files, angle pore of pronotum, fleck on hind wing, lateral binding patch, punctures and medial fleck on elytra. Through doing this work, some new characters are discovered which are useful to classification of family Erotylidae.(3) Phylogenetic relationships among species of genus Aulacochilus are analyzed in Cladistics. The results indicate as follows: Aulacochilus is a monophyletic group, of which A. shinoharai is the most primitive, while the relationships among A. janthinus, A. klapperichi, A. luniferus, A. oblongus A. sibiricus, A. nilgirensis, A. reitteri and A. sericeus are still uncertain.(4) Distribution of the genera both in the Old World and China are analyzed. As a result, it indicates that Oriental realm may be a secondary differentiation center of Erotylidae in the Old World; Southwest China and South China regions are more abundant in Erotylidae than others in China, and Yunnan province may be a secondary differentiation center of genus Aulacochilus who disperse along three respective tracks to Tibet, Taiwan province and noutheastem China.In the taxonomic part, it includes 3 parts: (1) 80 species (subspecies) in 16 genera (subgenera) of Erotylidae from China are normatively described attaching with characteristic figures. Each species is listed in synonyms and citations, specimens and distribution. Keys to subfamilies, genera and species are provided.(2) 3 genera and 25 species are newly recorded to China: Nesitis Bedel, Eutriplax Lewis and Tetratriplax Chujo; 25 species (subspecies): Microsternus cribricollis (Gotham), E. (Psiloscapha) hypocrita Heller, Episcapha (Ephicaspa) lewisi (Nakane), E. (E.) xanthopustulata Gorham, E. (E.) gorhami Lewis, E. (E.) quadrimacula (Wiedemann), Megalodacne promensis Arrow, M. bellula Lewis, Encaustes verticalis gigantea Boheman, E. marginalis andrewesi Kuhnt, E. marginalis birmanica Crotch, E. cruenta MacLeay, Micrencaustes episcaphoides Heller, M. dehaanii (Castelnau), M. wunderlichi Heller, Aulacochilus oblongus Arrow, A. nilgirensis Arrow, A. tricoloratus Gorham, A. episcaphoides Gorham, A. birmanicus Bedei, A. anamensis Heller, Amblyopus vittatus (Olivier), A. substriatus Gorham, Spondotriplax sorror Arrow and S. diaperina (Gorham)。(3) 13 new species to science are described: Dacne fulvasteria sp. nov., Episcapha (Ephicaspa) semipunctata sp. nov., E. (E.) yunnanensis sp. nov., E. (E.) costanotus sp. nov., Nesitis brachptera sp.nov., Micrencaustes acridentata sp. nov., M. biocelliatus sp. nov., Aulacochilus maculatus sp. nov., A. emarginaria sp.nov., Eutriplax quinquepustulatus sp. nov., Amblyopus duplicatus sp. nov., A. tibialis sp. nov., Neotriplax minima sp. nov..All the specimens in this study are deposited in the Museum of Hebei University otherwise mentioned.