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Cimiciopsis
There are three species in this Tenebrionidae genus, with Cimiciopsis namaqua being myrmecophilous. Cimiciopsis namaqua spec. nov. from Namaqualand, western South Africa, is described and distinguished from the two hitherto known congeners. The external morphology is examined also by scanning electron microscopy. The species is associated with ants of the genus Crematogaster and possesses a stridulatory organ (a smooth carina on the inner surface of the middle femora as active part and an opposite file-like epipleural carina as passive part). This organ might act as defense against possible predators like ants.
This is a myrmecophilous genus of Tenebrionidae with one species.
| Genus and species | Author and Year | Ant Host | Distribution | Notes |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Cimiciopsis namaqua | Schawaller, 2007 | Crematogaster | Africa |
REFERENCES
- Schawaller, W., 2007. A new myrmecophilous species of Cimiciopsis Koch from Namaqualand in South Africa with a stridulatory organ, and a checklist of the genera of Adelostomini (Coleoptera: Tenebrionidae). Annals of the Transvaal Museum 44: 203–208.