Dascillus
Latreille, 1796
soft-bodied plant beetles
Species Guides
1- Dascillus davidsoni(Davidson's Beetle)
Dascillus is a of soft-bodied beetles in the Dascillidae, containing approximately 20-24 described . The genus belongs to the Dascillinae, which comprises free-living beetles found primarily in forested areas of the Northern Hemisphere and Australia. Species of Dascillus have been described from China, including Hubei and Sichuan provinces, as well as from Europe.
Pronunciation
How to pronounce Dascillus: //ˈdæ.sɪ.ləs//
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Identification
Dascillus are distinguished from one another by body length, shape of the scutellar shield (particularly whether anteriorly ), presence and pattern of glabrous spots on abdominal ventrites, shape of the female ventrite 5 apex, and genitalia . Dascillus emarginatus can be separated from D. attenuatus by greater body length, anteriorly emarginate scutellar shield, glabrous spots on each side of abdominal ventrites in both genders, and emarginate apex of female ventrite 5.
Images
Habitat
Forested areas. Specific records include montane regions of Shennongjia Nature Reserve in Hubei, China, and Sichuan Province, China.
Distribution
Northern Hemisphere and Australia. Documented from Europe (Denmark, Norway, Sweden) and Asia (China: Hubei Province, Sichuan Province).
Behavior
Free-living; not associated with subterranean termites (unlike the related Karumiinae).
Similar Taxa
- Karumiinae (subfamily)Morphologically modified within Dascillidae; some associated with subterranean termites, unlike free-living Dascillinae to which Dascillus belongs
- Dascillus attenuatusSimilar congeneric distinguished by smaller body length, different scutellar shield shape, and absence of glabrous spots on abdominal ventrites
More Details
Taxonomic Uncertainty
counts vary between sources: Wikipedia cites approximately 10 species, while taxonomic literature references more than 20 described species. This discrepancy may reflect recent descriptions or differing taxonomic treatments.
Subfamily Placement
Dascillus is placed in Dascillinae, which is distinguished from Karumiinae by free-living habits and less morphological modification.