Upoluna batrisioides
(Motschulsky, 1857)
Upoluna batrisioides is a small rove beetle in the Pselaphinae, first described by Motschulsky in 1857 under the name Circocerus batrisioides. It belongs to a group of myrmecophilous or termitophilous beetles commonly known as ant-loving beetles. The has a documented distribution across the eastern and central United States, with records from Arkansas to New York and south to Texas and Florida.
Pronunciation
How to pronounce Upoluna batrisioides: /uːpoʊˈluːnə bætrɪsiˈɔɪdiːz/
These audio files are automatically generated. While they are not always 100% accurate, they are a good starting point.
Habitat
Found in association with or colonies; specific microhabitat preferences within nests are not documented.
Distribution
Eastern and central United States: Arkansas, Florida, Illinois, Indiana, Kansas, Kentucky, Louisiana, Missouri, Ohio, Oklahoma, Pennsylvania, New York, South Carolina, Tennessee, Texas, and Virginia. A single record from Samoa is considered erroneous.
Host Associations
- Ants (Formicidae) - myrmecophilousInferred from Pselaphinae; specific not documented
- Termites (Isoptera) - termitophilousPossible; not confirmed for this
Similar Taxa
- Other Upoluna species-level characters require examination of male genitalia and detailed microsculpture for separation; U. batrisioides distinguished by original description and geographic range
- Other Tyrini (Pselaphinae)Tribe-level identification requires knowledge of Pselaphinae ; members share compact body form and reduced typical of ant-loving beetles
More Details
Taxonomic history
Originally described as Circocerus batrisioides by Motschulsky in 1857, later transferred to Upoluna. The genus placement reflects revised understanding of Pselaphinae tribal classification.
Data limitations
No specimens have been recorded on iNaturalist. Published biological and ecological information for this is extremely sparse; most knowledge derives from museum specimen records and taxonomic revisions.