Scirtoidea
Fleming, 1821
Family Guides
3- Clambidae(Minute Beetles)
- Eucinetidae(Plate-thigh Beetles)
- Scirtidae(Marsh Beetles)
Scirtoidea is a superfamily of small beetles within the suborder Polyphaga, traditionally comprising four : Clambidae, Decliniidae, Eucinetidae, and Scirtidae. Molecular has challenged this circumscription, suggesting Clambidae and Eucinetidae belong to a separate superfamily Clamboidea. Scirtoidea and Clamboidea represent the two earliest diverging lineages of extant polyphagan beetles. The superfamily includes two extinct families known from Mesozoic deposits: †Mesocinetidae (Late Jurassic–Early Cretaceous, Asia) and †Elodophthalmidae (Lebanese amber, Barremian).
Pronunciation
How to pronounce Scirtoidea: /skɪrˈtɔɪdiə/
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Habitat
Scirtidae larvae have been documented in saproxylic , including water-filled wood cavities where they feed as . Terrestrial larvae occur in southern South America (Chile), Borneo, New Zealand, and Australia, with large presternal characteristic of this form.
Distribution
The constituent of Scirtoidea have been recorded across multiple continents. Scirtidae occurs in North America, South America (Chile), Borneo, New Zealand, and Australia. Eucinetidae has been documented in Korea and extends across broader Palearctic regions. The extinct families †Mesocinetidae and †Elodophthalmidae are known from Asian and Lebanese amber deposits respectively.
Diet
Scirtidae larvae are specialized detritus feeders, consuming organic matter in water trapped within wood cavities.
Ecological Role
Scirtidae larvae function as in saproxylic , contributing to decomposition processes in decaying wood.
Similar Taxa
- ClamboideaMolecular studies have transferred Clambidae and Eucinetidae from Scirtoidea to this separate superfamily; both superfamilies represent early-diverging polyphagan lineages with overlapping morphological features including reduced tentorial arms and bulging gula.
Sources and further reading
- BugGuide
- Wikipedia
- iNaturalist taxon
- NCBI Taxonomy
- Catalogue of Life
- Little known Eucinetidae (Coleoptera: Scirtoidea) in Korea
- Catalog of the Scirtidae of America North of Mexico (Coleoptera: Scirtoidea), with Taxonomic and Distributional Notes
- The head morphology of Clambidae and its implications for the phylogeny of Scirtoidea (Coleoptera: Polyphaga)
- South American terrestrial larva of Scirtidae (Coleoptera: Scirtoidea): the adaptation of Scirtidae larvae to saproxylic habitat is more common than expected