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COLEOPTERA, Leptinidae -- <Images> & <Juveniles> These "mammal nest beetles," are sometimes parasitic on
ants. It is very small family,
closely related to the rove beetles.
The various species live in the nests or ectoparasitic in the fur of
small mammals (mostly rodents, e.g. beavers, shrews and moles). They feed on
on other insects or mites. Two species in Europe are, Leptinus testaceus (on
small rodents) and Platypsyllus
castoris (on beavers). Both lack
eyes and are adapted to the life in the fur of their host. The family
includes four genera with palearctic, nearctic or holoarctic distribution. = = = = = = = = = = = = = = = References: Please refer to <biology.ref.htm>, [Additional references
may be found at: MELVYL
Library] Freude, H., Harde, K.W. & Lohse, G.A. 1971. Band 3. Adephaga 2, Palpicornia, Histeroidea, Staphylinoidea 1. Die Käfer Mitteleuropas. Goecke & Evers
Verlag, Krefeld.: 365 pp Grzimek, B. (ed.) 1973-1975. Het leven der dieren. Uitgeverij Het Spectrum, Utrecht/Antwerpen.: 16
vols Lawrence,
J.F. 1982. Coleoptera. In Parker, S.P., Synopsis and Classification
of Living Organisms, vol. 2. McGraw-Hill, New York: 482-553 Parks, J.
J. & J. W. Barnes. 1955. Notes on the family Leptinidae including a
new record of Leptinillus validus
(Horn) in North America. Ann. Ent. Soc. Amer. 48(5): 417-421. |