Ampedus Xanthomus
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''Ampedus'' is a genus of
click beetles Elateridae or click beetles (or "typical click beetles" to distinguish them from the related families Cerophytidae and Eucnemidae, which are also capable of clicking) are a family of beetles. Other names include elaters, snapping beetles, s ...
in the family Elateridae. There are currently 461 recognized species of ''Ampedus'' beetles. It has a cosmopolitan distribution, but is found mostly in the
Holarctic The Holarctic realm is a biogeographic realm that comprises the majority of habitats found throughout the continents in the Northern Hemisphere. It corresponds to the floristic Boreal Kingdom. It includes both the Nearctic zoogeographical region ...
region, primarily in North America, Europe, and Asia. The oldest known fossil from this genus was found in
Eocene The Eocene ( ) Epoch is a geological epoch (geology), epoch that lasted from about 56 to 33.9 million years ago (mya). It is the second epoch of the Paleogene Period (geology), Period in the modern Cenozoic Era (geology), Era. The name ''Eocene' ...
Baltic amber, estimated to be from 38.0–33.9 million years ago.


Natural history


Life cycle

''Ampedus'' larvae burrow in rotting wood, pupating in mid-summer. The larvae feed on wood, with a preference for wood in more advanced stages of decay, and are also observed to be cannibalistic on other
saproxylic Xylophagy is a term used in ecology to describe the habits of an herbivorous animal whose diet consists primarily (often solely) of wood. The word derives from Greek ''ξυλοφάγος'' (''xulophagos'') "eating wood", from ''ξύλον'' (') ...
larvae. They emerge as adults a few weeks later, but remain in the pupal cell through the following winter. Adult ''Ampedus'' beetles are thought to be diurnal. As adults, they are pollen-feeders, found in large numbers on flowers and vegetation. ''Ampedus'' females attract males for mating through chemical communication, using specialized pheromone glands, and lay their eggs in fallen wood to develop. Life cycle duration has been estimated to range from less than one year for smaller species, to up to 4-5 years for larger ones.Ramberg, Frank Baker. 1979. A Revision of the Species of the Genus Ampedus (Coleoptera, Elateridae) of America North of Mexico. Doctoral Thesis. Cornell University


Habitat

''Ampedus'' beetles are primarily found in temperate forests, with a preference for higher altitudes. They are generalists, with a single species often found in both hardwood and softwood, and on multiple different tree species. In North America, they are most commonly collected from deciduous forests in the East and from coniferous forests in the West.


Description

North American species of ''Ampedus'' beetles vary in size from 3-4mm, up to 13-14mm. Their coloration is variable, even within species, but they are often bicolored. They can be identified by their complete, downturned, rounded frontal carina, and excavated prosternal sutures. Like the larvae of other Elaterids (wireworms), ''Ampedus'' larvae are elongate, hard, and subcyclindrical. The ninth abdominal segment, which varies in shape between elaterid larvae, is rounded in this genus, ending in a sharp point. ''Ampedus'' larvae have pointed nasales, featuring a single tooth.


Taxonomy

The genus was originally named by the French entomologist Pierre François Marie Auguste Dejean in 1833, previously Elater. One taxonomic study of the genera within the tribe Ampedini, which used nuclear and mitochondrial data, found monophyly of ''Ampedus'' to be highly supported. Another molecular study using DNA barcoding data found ''Ampedus'' to be paraphyletic, with the genus ''Reitterelator'' nested within it.
Megapenthes In Greek mythology, Megapenthes (; Ancient Greek: Μεγαπένθης ''Megapénthēs'' means "great sorrow") is a name that refers to two characters: * Megapenthes, a son of Proetus. * Megapenthes, a son of Menelaus.Pausanias, 3.19.9 Notes ...
is the most closely related North American genus to ''Ampedus''.


Conservation status

According to the
IUCN Red List The International Union for Conservation of Nature (IUCN) Red List of Threatened Species, also known as the IUCN Red List or Red Data Book, founded in 1964, is the world's most comprehensive inventory of the global conservation status of biol ...
, multiple species of European ''Ampedus'' beetles are considered endangered, mostly due to the threats posed by logging and wood harvesting to saproxylic beetles. They are also negatively impacted by
salvage logging Salvage logging is the practice of logging trees in forest areas that have been damaged by wildfire, flood, severe wind, disease, insect infestation, or other natural disturbance in order to recover economic value that would otherwise be lost. Alt ...
, the practice of removing wind-thrown trees after storms and other natural disturbances.


Species

Ampedus tristis1.jpg, '' Ampedus tristis'' Ampedus nigricollis.jpg, '' Ampedus nigricollis'' * '' Ampedus aethiops'' (Lacordaire, 1835) * ''
Ampedus amamiensis ''Ampedus'' is a genus of click beetles in the family Elateridae. There are currently 461 recognized species of ''Ampedus'' beetles. It has a cosmopolitan distribution, but is found mostly in the Holarctic region, primarily in North America, Eur ...
'' Ôhira, 1968 * '' Ampedus anthracinus'' (LeConte, 1869) * ''
Ampedus apicalis ''Ampedus'' is a genus of Click beetle, click beetles in the family Elateridae. There are currently 461 recognized species of ''Ampedus'' beetles. It has a cosmopolitan distribution, but is found mostly in the Holarctic realm, Holarctic region, p ...
'' (Reitter, 1889) * '' Ampedus apicatus'' (Say, 1834) * '' Ampedus areolatus'' (Say, 1823) * '' Ampedus aritai'' Ohira & SatO, 1964 * ''
Ampedus assingi ''Ampedus'' is a genus of click beetles in the family Elateridae. There are currently 461 recognized species of ''Ampedus'' beetles. It has a cosmopolitan distribution, but is found mostly in the Holarctic region, primarily in North America, Euro ...
'' Schimmel, 1996 * ''
Ampedus atripennis ''Ampedus'' is a genus of click beetles in the family Elateridae. There are currently 461 recognized species of ''Ampedus'' beetles. It has a cosmopolitan distribution, but is found mostly in the Holarctic region, primarily in North America, Euro ...
'' (Horn, 1871) * ''
Ampedus azurescens ''Ampedus'' is a genus of click beetles in the family Elateridae. There are currently 461 recognized species of ''Ampedus'' beetles. It has a cosmopolitan distribution, but is found mostly in the Holarctic region, primarily in North America, Eur ...
'' (Candeze, 1865) * '' Ampedus balcanicus'' Dolin, 1983 * '' Ampedus balteatus'' (Linnaeus, 1758) * '' Ampedus behrensi'' (Horn, 1871) * '' Ampedus brevis'' (Van Dyke, 1932) * '' Ampedus callegarii'' Platia & Gudenzi, 2000 * '' Ampedus canalicollis'' (Lewis, 1894) * '' Ampedus canaliculatus'' (Reitter, 1918) * '' Ampedus carbonicolor'' (Eschscholtz, 1829) * '' Ampedus carbunculus'' (Lewis, 1879) * '' Ampedus cardinalis'' (Schiödte, 1865) * '' Ampedus carinthiacus'' Bouwer, 1984 * '' Ampedus cinnaberinus'' (Eschscholtz, 1829) * '' Ampedus coenobita'' (Costa, 1881) * '' Ampedus collaris'' (Say, 1825) * '' Ampedus cordifer'' (LeConte, 1859) * '' Ampedus fastus'' (LeConte, 1884) * '' Ampedus forticornis'' (Schwarz, 1900) * '' Ampedus francolinus'' Bouwer, 1984 * '' Ampedus fuentei'' Sanchez-Ruiz, 1996 * '' Ampedus fuscatus'' (Melsheimer, 1846) * '' Ampedus glycereus'' (Herbst, 1784) * '' Ampedus hispanicus'' Platia & Gudenzi, 1999 * '' Ampedus hypogastricus'' (Candèze,1873) * '' Ampedus impressicollis'' Bouwer, 1984 * '' Ampedus japonicus'' Silfverberg, 1977 * ''
Ampedus karneri ''Ampedus'' is a genus of click beetles in the family Elateridae. There are currently 461 recognized species of ''Ampedus'' beetles. It has a cosmopolitan distribution, but is found mostly in the Holarctic region, primarily in North America, Euro ...
'' Schimmel, 1996 * ''
Ampedus koschwitzi ''Ampedus'' is a genus of click beetles in the family Elateridae. There are currently 461 recognized species of ''Ampedus'' beetles. It has a cosmopolitan distribution, but is found mostly in the Holarctic region, primarily in North America, Eur ...
'' Schimmel, 1990 * '' Ampedus laesus'' (LeConte, 1853) * '' Ampedus linteus'' (Say, 1839) * '' Ampedus luctuosus'' (LeConte, 1853) * '' Ampedus macedonicus'' Schimmel, 1996 * '' Ampedus magistrettii'' Platia & Schimmel, 1988 * '' Ampedus mannerheimi'' Suzuki, 2013 * '' Ampedus melanotoides'' Brown, 1933 * ''
Ampedus melsheimeri ''Ampedus'' is a genus of click beetles in the family Elateridae. There are currently 461 recognized species of ''Ampedus'' beetles. It has a cosmopolitan distribution, but is found mostly in the Holarctic region, primarily in North America, Eur ...
'' (Leng, 1918) * '' Ampedus militaris'' (Harris, 1836) * '' Ampedus minos'' Wurst, 1997 * '' Ampedus mixtus'' (Herbst, 1806) * ''
Ampedus moerens ''Ampedus'' is a genus of click beetles in the family Elateridae. There are currently 461 recognized species of ''Ampedus'' beetles. It has a cosmopolitan distribution, but is found mostly in the Holarctic region, primarily in North America, Eur ...
'' (LeConte, 1861) * '' Ampedus nigricans'' Germar, 1844 * '' Ampedus nigricollis'' (Herbst, 1806) * '' Ampedus nigrinus'' (Herbst, 1784) * '' Ampedus nigroflavus'' (Goeze, 1777) * '' Ampedus occidentalis'' Lane, 1971 * '' Ampedus ochrinulus'' (Reitter, 1887) * ''
Ampedus ochropterus ''Ampedus'' is a genus of click beetles in the family Elateridae. There are currently 461 recognized species of ''Ampedus'' beetles. It has a cosmopolitan distribution, but is found mostly in the Holarctic region, primarily in North America, Eur ...
'' Germar, 1844 * '' Ampedus ogatai'' Kishii, 1983 * '' Ampedus optabilis'' (Lewis, 1894) * '' Ampedus oregonus'' (Schaeffer, 1916) * ''
Ampedus orientalis ''Ampedus'' is a genus of click beetles in the family Elateridae. There are currently 461 recognized species of ''Ampedus'' beetles. It has a cosmopolitan distribution, but is found mostly in the Holarctic region, primarily in North America, Eur ...
'' (Lewis, 1894) * '' Ampedus patricius'' (Gurjeva, 1957) * ''
Ampedus pauxillus ''Ampedus'' is a genus of Click beetle, click beetles in the family Elateridae. There are currently 461 recognized species of ''Ampedus'' beetles. It has a cosmopolitan distribution, but is found mostly in the Holarctic realm, Holarctic region, p ...
'' (Lewis, 1894) * ''
Ampedus phelpsii ''Ampedus'' is a genus of click beetles in the family Elateridae. There are currently 461 recognized species of ''Ampedus'' beetles. It has a cosmopolitan distribution, but is found mostly in the Holarctic region, primarily in North America, Eur ...
'' (Horn 1874) * '' Ampedus phoenicopterus'' Germar, 1844 * '' Ampedus pomonae'' (Stephens, 1830) * '' Ampedus pomorum'' (Herbst, 1784) * '' Ampedus pooti'' Wurst, 1995 * '' Ampedus praeustus'' (Fabricius, 1792) * '' Ampedus pulcher'' (Baudi, 1871) * ''
Ampedus pullus ''Ampedus'' is a genus of click beetles in the family Elateridae. There are currently 461 recognized species of ''Ampedus'' beetles. It has a cosmopolitan distribution, but is found mostly in the Holarctic region, primarily in North America, Eur ...
'' Germar, 1844 * '' Ampedus puniceus'' (Lewis, 1879) * '' Ampedus pusio'' Germar, 1844 * '' Ampedus pyrenaeus'' Zeising, 1981 * '' Ampedus quadrisignatus'' (Gyllenhal, 1817) * '' Ampedus quebecensis'' Brown, 1933 * '' Ampedus rhodopus'' (LeConte, 1857) * '' Ampedus rubricollis'' (Herbst, 1806) * '' Ampedus rubricus'' (Say, 1825) * '' Ampedus rugosus'' Schimmel, 1982 * '' Ampedus sanguineus'' (Linnaeus, 1758) * '' Ampedus sanguinipennis'' (Say, 1823) * '' Ampedus sanguinolentus'' (Schrank, 1776) * '' Ampedus sayi'' (LeConte, 1853) * '' Ampedus sellatus'' (Leng, 1918) * '' Ampedus semicinctus'' (Randall, 1838) * ''
Ampedus sinuatus ''Ampedus'' is a genus of click beetles in the family Elateridae. There are currently 461 recognized species of ''Ampedus'' beetles. It has a cosmopolitan distribution, but is found mostly in the Holarctic region, primarily in North America, Eur ...
'' Germar, 1844 * '' Ampedus soboensis'' Ohira, 1963 * '' Ampedus subcostatus'' (Kolbe, 1886) * '' Ampedus talamellii'' Platia & Gudenzi, 2000 * '' Ampedus tamba'' Kishii, 1976 * '' Ampedus tenuistriatus'' (Lewis, 1894) * '' Ampedus tokugoensis'' W. Suzuki, 1985 * '' Ampedus tristis'' (Linnaeus, 1758) * '' Ampedus vandalitae'' Lohse, 1976 * '' Ampedus varipilis'' (Van Dyke, 1932) * ''
Ampedus vitiosus ''Ampedus'' is a genus of click beetles in the family Elateridae. There are currently 461 recognized species of ''Ampedus'' beetles. It has a cosmopolitan distribution, but is found mostly in the Holarctic region, primarily in North America, Eur ...
'' (LeConte, 1853) * '' Ampedus xanthomus'' Germar, 1844 * '' Ampedus ziegleri'' Zeising & Sieg, 1983 * † '' Ampedus seyfriedii'' Heer, 1847


References


Further reading

*


External links

* {{Taxonbar, from=Q2068124 Elaterinae