Mordellidae

The Mordellidae are a family of beetles commonly known as tumbling flower beetles for the typical irregular movements they make when escaping predators, or as pintail beetles due to their abdominal tip which aids them in performing these tumbling movements. Worldwide, there are about 1500 species.

The apparently tumbling movements are composed of a series of very rapid separate jumps (each jump of a duration of approximately 80 ms). They result from the beetle's efforts to get itself back into take-off position for flight when it has been in either lateral or dorsal position. Each individual jump should be considered as an extended rotation, performed by one leg of the third leg pair (metapodium). Depending on whether the left or the right metapodium is used as the leg that provides the leverage for take-off, change occurs in the direction of the jump. The energy for propulsion varies with the beetle's immediate muscle work, so that jump lengths and heights vary, with rotation frequencies recorded up to 48 per second (Mordellochroa abdominalis) around the gravitation centre of the body's longitudinal axis. Additional revolving around the transverse axis (at lower frequency) effects spiralling summersaults that are perceived as tumbling. The pintail (pygidium) is of no significance for the jump. Technically similar jumps, though less powerful, can be observed in family Melandryidae (=Serropalpidae) (genus Orchesia) and family Scraptiidae (genus Anaspis). As both these groups of beetles are closely related to family Mordellidae, it may be assumed that it is due to their common phylogenetic roots that they have the same capacity of this tumbling form of locomotion. It can, therefore, not be ascribed specifically to Mordellidae.

Systematics

This family has two living subfamilies â€" Mordellinae and Ctenidiinae â€" and a prehistoric one known only from fossils (Praemordellinae). Another fossil genus, Liaoximordella, was previously treated as distinct monotypic family Liaoximordellidae, but is now regarded as very primitive and probably basal member of the Mordellidae.

FAMILY Mordellidae Latreille, 1802

• Subfamily Ctenidiinae Franciscolo, 1951
  • CtenidiaLaporte de Castelnau in Brullé, 1840
• Subfamily MordellinaeLatreille, 1802
  • Tribe Conaliini Ermisch, 1956
    • ConaliaMulsant & Rey, 1858
    • ConaliamorphaErmisch, 1968
    • GlipodesLeConte, 1862
    • IsotrilophusLiljeblad, 1945
    • OphthalmoconaliaErmisch, 1968
    • ParaconaliaErmisch, 1968
    • PseudoconaliaErmisch, 1950
    • StenoconaliaErmisch, 1967
    • XanthoconaliaFranciscolo, 1942
  • Tribe Mordellini Siedlitz, 1875
    • AdelptesFranciscolo, 1965
    • AsiamordellaHong, 2002
    • AustromordellaErmisch, 1950
    • BinaghiaFranciscolo, 1943
    • BoatiaFranciscolo, 1985
    • CaffromordaFranciscolo, 1952
    • CalycinaBlair, 1922
    • CephaloglipaFranciscolo, 1952
    • CongomordaErmisch, 1955
    • CothurusChampion, 1891
    • CretanaspisHuang & Yang, 1999
    • CurtimordaMéquignon, 1946
    • GlipaLeConte, 1859
    • GlipidiomorphaFranciscolo, 1952
    • HoshihananomiaKônô, 1935
    • IberomordaMéquignon, 1946
    • IdeorhipistenaFranciscolo, 2000
    • KlapperichimordaErmisch, 1968
    • LarinomordaErmisch, 1968
    • LiaoximordellaWang, 1993
    • MachairophoraFranciscolo, 1943
    • MacrotomoxiaPíc, 1922
    • MirimordellaLiu, Lu & Ren, 2007
    • MordellaLinnaeus, 1758
    • Mordellina Schilsky, 1908
    • MordellapygiumRay, 1930
    • MordellariaErmisch, 1950
    • MordelloidesRay, 1939
    • MordellopalpusFranciscolo, 1955
    • NeocurtimordaFranciscolo, 1950
    • NeotomoxiaErmisch, 1950
    • OphthalmoglipaFranciscolo, 1952
    • ParamordellaPíc, 1936
    • ParamordellanaErmisch, 1968
    • ParamordellariaErmisch, 1968
    • ParaphungiaErmisch, 1969
    • ParastenomordellaErmisch, 1950
    • ParatomoxiaErmisch, 1950
    • ParatomoxiodaErmisch, 1954
    • PhungiaPíc, 1922
    • PlesitomoxiaErmisch, 1955
    • PraemordellaShchegoleva-Barovskaya, 1929
    • PseudomordellariaErmisch, 1950
    • PseudotomoxiaErmisch, 1950
    • SphaeromordaFranciscolo, 1950
    • StenaliamordaErmisch & Chûjô, 1968
    • StenomordaErmisch, 1950
    • StenomordellaErmisch, 1941
    • StenomordellariaErmisch, 1950
    • StenomordellariodesErmisch, 1954
    • SuccimordaKubisz, 2001
    • TolidomordellaErmisch, 1950
    • TolidomoxiaErmisch, 1950
    • TomoxiaCosta, 1854
    • TomoxiodaErmisch, 1950
    • TrichotomoxiaFranciscolo, 1950
    • VariimordaMéquignon, 1946
    • WittmerimordaFranciscolo, 1952
    • YakuhananomiaKônô, 1935
    • ZeamordellaBroun, 1886
  • Tribe Mordellistenini Ermisch, 1941
    • AsiatolidaShiyake, 2000
    • CalyceChampion, 1891
    • CalycemordaErmisch, 1969
    • CalyceoideaErmisch, 1969
    • DellamoraNormand, 1916
    • DiversimordaErmisch, 1969
    • ErmischiellaFranciscolo, 1950
    • FahraeusiellaErmisch, 1953
    • FalsomordellinaNomura, 1966
    • FalsomordellistenaErmisch, 1941
    • FalsopseudomoxiaFranciscolo, 1965
    • GlipostenaErmisch, 1941
    • GlipostenodaErmisch, 1950
    • GymnostenaFranciscolo, 1950
    • MordellinaSchilsky, 1908
    • MordellistenaCosta, 1854
    • MordellistenaliaErmisch, 1958
    • MordellistenochroaHorák, 1982
    • MordellistenodaErmisch, 1941
    • MordellistenulaStchegoleva-Barowskaja, 1930
    • MordellochroaEmery, 1876
    • MordellochroideaErmisch, 1969
    • MordelloxenaFranciscolo, 1950
    • MorphomordellochroaErmisch, 1969
    • NeomordellistenaErmisch, 1950
    • PalmordaErmisch, 1969
    • Palpomorda Ermisch, 1969
    • ParamordellistenaErmisch, 1950
    • PhunginusPíc, 1922
    • PselaphokentronFranciscolo, 1955
    • PseudodellamoraErmisch, 1942
    • PseudotolidaErmisch, 1950
    • RaymordellaFranciscolo, 1956
    • TolidaMulsant, 1856
    • TolidopalpusErmisch, 1951
    • TolidostenaErmisch, 1942
    • UhligiaHorák, 1990
    • XanthomordaErmisch, 1968
  • Tribe Reynoldsiellini Franciscolo, 1957
    • ReynoldsiellaRay, 1930
  • Tribe Stenaliini Franciscolo, 1956
    • BrodskyellaHorák, 1989
    • PselaphostenaFranciscolo, 1950
    • StenaliaMulsant, 1856
    • StenaliodesFranciscolo, 1956

References

External links

• Nomen.at