Psammoecus
Latreille, 1829
Species Guides
1A of small, cryptic beetles in the Silvanidae. are typically found in forested , often associated with leaf litter, decaying wood, and bark. The genus exhibits considerable diversity with over 80 described species distributed across multiple continents. At least one species, Psammoecus lordhowensis, has evolved flightlessness (brachyptery) on an oceanic island, representing a documented case of the 'island ' in this group.
Pronunciation
How to pronounce Psammoecus: //ˈpsæm.oʊ.iː.kəs//
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Habitat
Closed temperate rainforest; collected by sieving leaf litter, in pitfall traps, and under bark of fallen trees. Specific vegetation associations on Lord Howe Island include: Drypetes austrasica-Cryptocarya triplinervis forest, Howea belmoreana , Dracophyllum/Metrosideros scrub, Chionanthus quadristamineus forest, Syzygium fullagarii forest, and Dracophyllum/Metrosideros nervulosa scrub.
Distribution
Lord Howe Island (New South Wales, Australia); Africa; Europe (Denmark, Norway, Sweden).
Behavior
Flightless documented: Psammoecus lordhowensis is brachypterous with hindwings reduced to approximately 1/4 the length of the and lacking venation, rendering it incapable of . This represents the first record of brachyptery in the and exemplifies 'island ' of flight loss.