Family LYMEXYLIDAE

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Introduction

The Lymexylidae, formerly known as Lymexylonidae, are a relatively small family of seven genera and about 60 species worldwide (Wheeler 1986). The family is represented in Australia by three genera and 10 species. Atractocerus Palisot de Beauvois also occurs in Africa, southern Asia, Indonesia, North and South America (Wheeler 1986); Melittomma Murray has a similar worldwide distribution (Wheeler 1986) while Australmexylon Wheeler is an Australian endemic. Wheeler (1986) has provided a key to the world genera and given information on the phylogeny, morphology and known biology each of the genera. During the 20th century, the Lymexylidae had usually been classified in its own superfamily. However, the family's relationship with the Cleroidea, Clavicornia and Tenebrionoidea in the Cucujiformia remains enigmatic to this day (Crowson 1981; Lawrence & Newton 1982).

Adult lymexylids are short lived in contrast to the long development time of the woodboring larvae. Larvae bore into hard wood of dead or dying trees where they cultivate and feed on an Ascomycete fungus which grows on the tunnel walls. Special vaginal pouches on the ovipositor contain fungal spores which are deposited in a slimy substance when the females lay their eggs. Francke-Grosmann (1967) noted that the first instar larvae carry these spores into the wood on their bodies.

A few species of lymexylids have been serious pests in the past. Hylecoetus dermestoides Linnaeus sometimes causes damage to cut wood in Europe (Dominik & Kinelski 1976), Lymexylon navale (Linnaeus) was a serious pest of structural wood and wooden ships in Europe and Scandanavia (Downie & Arnett 1996) while Melittomma sericeum (Harris) caused problems in chestnut timber during the 19th century (Craighead 1950). Protomelittomma insulare (Fairmaire) breeds in several cultivated coconuts and wild palms and has been a serious pest of plantation coconut palms in the Seychelles (Vesey-FitzGerald 1941; Brown 1954). The Australian Atractocerus kreuslerae Pascoe was a well known pest of commercial timber in Western Australia causing darkly stained pinholes in timber (Clarke 1925).

General References

Brown, E.S. 1954. The biology of the coconut pest Melittomma insulare (Col., Lymexylonidae), and its control in the Seychelles. Bulletin of Entomological Research 45(1): 1-66

Clark, J. 1925. Forest Pests. The pin-hole borer (Atractocerus kreuslerae Pasc.). Journal of Department of Agriculture of Western Australia 2: 138-142

Craighead, F.C. 1950. Insect enemies of eastern forests. United States Department of Agriculture, Miscellaneous Publication 657: 679 pp.

Crowson, R.A. 1981. The Biology of the Coleoptera. London : Academic Press xii 802 pp.

Dominik, J. & Kinelski, S. 1976. Bradania nad chemiczna dezynsekcja surowca opanowanego przez rytla (Hylecoetus dermestoides L. Col. Lymexylonidae). Zeszyty problemowe Postepów nauk rolniczych 178: 129-133

Downie, N.M. & Arnett, R.H. 1996. The Beetles of Northeastern North America. Gainesville : Sandhill Crane Press Vol. 2 x 891-1721 pp.

Francke-Grosmann, H. 1967. Ectosymbiosis in wood-inhabiting insects. pp. 141-205 in Henry, S.M. (ed.). Symbiosis. New York : Academic Press Vol. 2 443 pp.

Lawrence, J.F. & Newton, A.F., Jr 1982. Evolution and classification of beetles. Annual Review of Ecology and Systematics 13: 261-290

Vesey-FitzGerald, D. 1941. Melittomma insulare Fairm. (Col., Lymexylonidae), a serious pest of coconut in the Seychelles. Bulletin of Entomological Research 31: 383-402

Wheeler, Q.D. 1986. Revision of the genera of Lymexylidae (Coleoptera: Cucujiformia). Bulletin of the American Museum of Natural History 183(2): 113–210

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