Subfamily Aclopinae

Phaenognatha sp.

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Introduction

The Aclopinae are a small, distinctive subfamily of the Scarabaeidae with a world fauna of four genera and 19 species. They have features in common with the Hybosoridae, Ochodaeidae and the ‘Loxosticti' group of Scarabaeidae (Euchirinae, Cetoniinae, Dynastinae and Rutelinae) (Allsopp 1983). Aclopus Erichson and Neophaenognatha Allsopp occur in South America, Phaenognatha Hope in northern Australia and Xenaclopus Arrow in Borneo. Allsopp (1983) reviewed the world fauna, provided a key to genera, and described one new genus.

The Australian fauna consists of eight species of Phaenognatha which are restricted to northern Queensland and the Northern Territory (Allsopp 1981). Phaenognatha was erected by Hope in 1842 for P. erichsoni from Port Essington, Northern Territory, and Arrow (1909) described a further five species. Allsopp (1981) revised the Australian species, described two new species and provided a key for their separation.

BIOLOGY
Virtually nothing is known of the biology of this subfamily and the female is known for only one of the Australian species. Males fly readily to light at night, but the reduction of hind wings and tarsi, absence of clypeal horn and inflation of the abdomen in the female indicate that males live most of their life below ground and only come to the surface to mate (Allsopp 1981).

Diagnosis

Adults are medium sized (7–21 mm), often bicoloured black and brown and somewhat tapered toward the rear of the body. Adults can be separated from other scarabaeid subfamilies by a combination of character states, including: tarsal claws equal; elytra separately rounded and lacking a narrow membranous margin; labrum and mandibles exposed; male hind tarsi very long (three or four times as long as tibiae); and abdomen very hairy. The larvae are unknown.

General References

Allsopp, P.G. 1981. Revision of the Australian species of Phaenognatha Hope (Coleoptera: Scarabaeidae: Aclopinae). Journal of the Australian Entomological Society 20: 185-195

Allsopp, P.G. 1983. Neophaenognatha, a new genus for the Neotropical species of Phaenognatha Hope (Scarabaeidae: Aclopinae) with the description of N. capella n. sp. and designation of lectotypes. The Coleopterists Bulletin 37: 208-211

Arrow, G.J. 1909. On the characters and relationships of the less-known groups of Lamellicorn Coleoptera, with descriptions of new species of Hybosorinae etc. Transactions of the Entomological Society of London 1909: 479-507

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