Melandrya
Fabricius, 1801
Species Guides
1- Melandrya striata(Striated False Darkling Beetle)
Melandrya is a of beetles in the Melandryidae, established by Fabricius in 1801. The genus comprises at least nine distributed across Europe, Japan, North America, and China. One recently described species, M. helotoides, exhibits unusual raised, pale yellowish-orange elytral spots resembling those of Helotidae. Species within this genus are primarily found in forested , with records from nature reserves in southwest China.
Pronunciation
How to pronounce Melandrya: //mɛˈlændɹiə//
These audio files are automatically generated. While they are not always 100% accurate, they are a good starting point.
Identification
Members of Melandrya can be distinguished from related by their elongate body form typical of Melandryidae. M. helotoides is uniquely characterized among by raised, pale yellowish-orange elytral spots that resemble Helotidae. Subgeneric classification exists: are placed in either Melandrya (s. str.) or Melandrya (Bonzicus).
Images
Habitat
Forest ; specifically documented from Leigongshan National Nature Reserve in Guizhou Province, China. European and North American occur in temperate forest environments.
Distribution
Europe (including Denmark, Norway, Sweden), Japan, North America (including Vermont, USA), and China (Guizhou Province).
Similar Taxa
- HelotidaeM. helotoides specifically resembles Helotidae in having raised, pale yellowish-orange elytral spots, which is unusual for the .
More Details
Subgeneric classification
The is divided into at least two subgenera: Melandrya (s. str.) and Melandrya (Bonzicus). M. helotoides belongs to the nominate subgenus, while M. incostata and M. coccinea are placed in Bonzicus.