Sepidiini

The Sepidiini is a tribe of ground-dwelling darkling beetles (Tenebrionidae), that occurs across Africa, the Mediterranean Basin, the Arabian Peninsula and Mesopotamia. It is composed of many hundreds of species. The larvae of some species are known to damage crops.

Morphology
Their morphology is complex due to their richly divergent forms. They are distinguished from the diurnal taxa, by their well-developed and true hypomera of the elytra, the free mobility of the thorax and hind body, and the free and non-fused pleurital and pleural margins of the sterna and elytra respectively.

Biology
Their morphology is believed to facilitate moisture absorption and accumulation, via the open body sutures and the loosely joined body parts. Subtribe Trachynotina excepting, they show an almost uniform tendency to be nocturnal, crepuscular or shade-loving. Like the tribe Tentyriini, their daily rhythm is based on a strictly nocturnal ancestral disposition. Their open and non-connate body sutures suggest the enjoyment of nocturnal conditions and night moisture.

At night, a surface secretion of a sometimes pruinescent or waxy substance has been noted on the bodies of genera Brinckia, Namibomodes,  Synhimba and Ocnodes (or Phanerotomea). This is assumed to prevent evaporation.

Taxonomy
The tribe Sepidiini is made up of 6 subtribes, about 55 genera, and more than 900 species. These genera belong to the tribe Sepidiini:

 Amiantus Fåhraeus, 1870
 Argenticrinis Louw, 1979
 Arturium Koch, 1951
 Bombocnodulus Koch, 1955
 Brachyphrynus Fairmaire, 1882
 Brinckia Koch, 1962
 Cyrtoderes Dejean, 1834
 Decoriplus Louw, 1979
 Dichtha Haag-Rutenberg, 1871
 Dimoniacis Koch, 1958
 Distretus Haag-Rutenberg, 1871
 Echinotus Solier, 1843
 Epairopsis Koch, 1955
 Ethmus Haag-Rutenberg-Rutenberg, 1873
 Euphrynus Fairmaire, 1897
 Glyptophrynus Fairmaire, 1899
 Histrionotus Koch, 1955
 Huilamus Koch, 1953
 Hypomelus Solier, 1843
 Iugidorsum Louw, 1979
 Melanolophus Fairmaire, 1882
 Microphligra Koch, 1955
 Miripronotum Louw, 1979
 Moluris Latreille, 1802
 Namibomodes Koch, 1952
 Ocnodes Fåhraeus, 1870(= Phanerotomea Koch, 1958)
 Ossiporis Pascoe, 1866
 Oxura Kirby, 1819
 Oxycerus Koch, 1955
 Palpomodes Koch, 1952
 Peringueyia Koch, 1958
 Phrynocolus Lacordaire, 1859
 Phrynophanes Koch, 1951
 Physophrynus Fairmaire, 1882
 Psammodes Kirby, 1819(= Parmularia Koch, 1955)
 Psammophanes Lesne, 1922
 Psammoryssus Kolbe, 1886
 Psammotyria Koch, 1953
 Pterostichula Koch, 1952
 Sepidiopsis Gestro, 1892
 Sepidiostenus Fairmaire, 1884
 Sepidium Fabricius, 1775
 Somaticus Hope, 1840
 Stenethmus Gebien, 1937
 Stridulomus Koch, 1955
 Sulcipectus Louw, 1979
 Synhimba Koch, 1952
 Tarsocnodes Gebien, 1920
 Trachynotidus Péringuey, 1899
 Trachynotus Latreille, 1828
 Triangulipenna Louw, 1979
 Trichethmus Gebien, 1937
 Uniungulum Koch, 1962
 Vieta Laporte, 1840
 Vietomorpha Fairmaire, 1887

Gallery

References

External links
 Molurini , micro*scope
 
 

Category:Pimeliinae
Category:Polyphaga tribes