Discovery of termitophilous tenebrionid beetles in China (Coleoptera: Tenebrionidae)

Abstract

<jats:title>Abstract</jats:title> <jats:p>Two termitophilous tenebrionid genera, <jats:italic>Nepaloplonyx</jats:italic> Bremer, 2014 and <jats:italic>Xenotermes</jats:italic> Wasmann, 1896, are reported from mainland China for the first time. <jats:italic>Nepaloplonyx yunnanensis</jats:italic> Jiang, Wang &amp; Wang, sp. nov. (Yunnan Province), <jats:italic>Nepaloplonyx qiului</jats:italic> Jiang, Wang &amp; Wang, sp. nov. (Yunnan Province), and <jats:italic>Xenotermes</jats:italic> sp. (Yunnan Province) are described, figured and compared with their congeners. New distributional records for <jats:italic>Ziaelas formosanus</jats:italic> Hozawa, 1914 from Guangdong, Guangxi, Yunnan, and Jiangsu Provinces are provided. Biological information, collection data and distribution map of all four species are also provided.</jats:p>

Laocnemis borowieci gen. et sp. nov., a New Termitophilous Amarygmini (Coleoptera: Tenebrionidae) from Laos

“…The taxonomy of the Oriental termitophilous Amaryg mini was recently treated by Ando (2019), Bremer (2013Bremer ( , 2014Bremer ( , 2019, Bremer & Grimm (2017), Han et al (2021) and Masumoto et al (2016). Furthermore, Jiang et al (2019Jiang et al ( , 2021 collected new taxa directly in termite nests in southern China (Yunnan, Fujian) and gave deep insights into their mode of life. These hidden underground fungi in termite nests represent an enormous food resource for a variety of different insect species, mainly for their larval forms, particularly in dry and harsh environments (Girard & Lamotte 1990).…”

“…Furthermore, Jiang et al . (2019, 2021) collected new taxa directly in termite nests in southern China (Yunnan, Fujian) and gave deep insights into their mode of life. These hidden underground fungi in termite nests represent an enormous food resource for a variety of different insect species, mainly for their larval forms, particularly in dry and harsh environments (Girard & Lamotte 1990).…”