Revelieria

Perris, 1869

Revelieria is a of small in the Latridiidae, established by Perris in 1869. The genus contains two described : Revelieria genei (originally described by Aubé in 1850) and Revelieria california (described by Fall in 1899). Latridiidae beetles are commonly known as plaster beetles or .

Pronunciation

How to pronounce Revelieria: /rɛvəˈlɪəriə/

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Identification

As a of Latridiidae, Revelieria likely share characteristics including small size (usually 1–3 mm), elongate-oval body form, and with a distinct . The genus can be distinguished from other Latridiidae genera by specific combinations of antennal counts, pronotal shape, and elytral sculpturing patterns, though precise diagnostic features require examination of .

Habitat

Members of Latridiidae, including Revelieria, are generally associated with moist microhabitats rich in fungal growth, such as decaying vegetation, leaf litter, and under bark.

Distribution

Revelieria genei has been recorded in Europe (the epithet references Gene, likely an Italian ). Revelieria california is known from western North America, specifically California as indicated by its species name.

Ecological Role

As part of the Latridiidae , Revelieria likely function as , feeding on fungal spores and in decaying matter.

Similar Taxa

  • LatridiusLatridius is another in Latridiidae with similar small, , oval body form; distinguished by differences in structure and elytral punctation patterns.
  • EnicmusEnicmus shares characteristics but typically exhibits more pronounced elytral or ridges and differs in pronotal outline.

More Details

Nomenclatural history

Revelieria genei was originally described in the Lathridius by Aubé in 1850 before being transferred to Revelieria. The genus name honors an individual, likely a French given Perris's nationality, though the specific etymology is not widely documented.

Taxonomic rarity

With only two described and limited iNaturalist observations (11 records), Revelieria appears to be a rarely encountered , possibly due to its small size and specialized microhabitat preferences rather than true rarity.

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Sources and further reading