Aethina

Erichson, 1843

Species Guides

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Aethina is a of beetles in the Nitidulidae with nearly distribution. The genus contains approximately 11 described , with () being the most economically significant due to its status as a major pest of colonies. Most species are poorly studied, and the genus is best known through research on its member A. tumida.

Aethina tumida by no rights reserved, uploaded by kcthetc1. Used under a CC0 license.Aethina tumida by (c) Rosario, some rights reserved (CC BY), uploaded by Rosario. Used under a CC-BY license.Aethina tumida 5025048 by James D. Ellis, University of Florida. Used under a CC BY 3.0 us license.

Pronunciation

How to pronounce Aethina: /ˈaɪθɪnə/

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Distribution

Nearly . Native range includes sub-Saharan Africa. has been introduced to North America (first detected Florida 1998), Australia, Central and South America ( Rica 2015, Nicaragua 2014, El Salvador 2013, Guatemala 2020), and Asia (South Korea 2016, China). Other distributions are poorly documented.

Human Relevance

() is a significant economic pest of European honey bee (Apis mellifera) colonies, causing millions of dollars in damage annually to apiculture. Larvae consume honey, pollen, and , and their promotes fungal fermentation that spoils hive products. The has been investigated for potential use in circular economy applications, converting excess -collected pollen into animal feed and biomanure in controlled settings. Other Aethina have no documented economic importance.

Similar Taxa

  • Other Nitidulidae generaAethina may be confused with other small sap beetles in the Nitidulidae. A. tumida specifically can be distinguished from other Aethina species and nitidulids by its association with colonies, though morphological differentiation requires examination of antennal club structure and body proportions.

More Details

Species composition

The includes: A. argus (Grouvelle, 1890), A. concinna (Jelinek & Kirejtschuk, 1986), A. concolor (Macleay, 1872), A. flavicollis (Reitter, 1884), A. inconspicua (Nakane, 1967), A. jelineki (Kirejtshuk, 1986), A. latens (Blanchard, 1853), A. pubescens (Erichson, 1843), A. quadrata (Sharp, 1891), A. suturalis, and A. tumida (Murray, 1867). Most remain biologically obscure.

Research bias

Scientific literature on the Aethina is overwhelmingly dominated by studies of A. tumida due to its pest status. Biological and ecological information for other is extremely limited or absent.

Sources and further reading