The minute tree-fungus beetles, family Ciidae, are a sizeable group of beetles which inhabit

Polyporales The Polyporales are an order of about 1800 species of fungi in the division Basidiomycota. The order includes some (but not all) polypores as well as many corticioid fungi and a few agarics (mainly in the genus ''Lentinus''). Many species within ...

bracket fungi or coarse woody debris. Most numerous in warmer regions, they are nonetheless widespread and a considerable number of species occur as far polewards as Scandinavia for example.

Description

As their name implies, minute tree-fungus beetles are tiny, about 0.5 to 5 mm long. Their body is short and cylindrical, often convex, sometimes with a smooth coat of fine short hairs, sometimes being covered in long bristly hairs. They are mostly dark brown or blackish. The short

antenna Antenna ( antennas or antennae) may refer to: Science and engineering * Antenna (radio), also known as an aerial, a transducer designed to transmit or receive electromagnetic (e.g., TV or radio) waves * Antennae Galaxies, the name of two collid ...

e consist of 8–10 segments. The pronotum is wider than long and often forming a quite prominent helmet-like structure. The elytra do not taper noticeably over most of their length. The

legs A leg is a weight-bearing and locomotive anatomical structure, usually having a columnar shape. During locomotion, legs function as "extensible struts". The combination of movements at all joints can be modeled as a single, linear element ...

are short, the tibiae of the forelegs often bear characteristic extensions at the ends.

Ecology

These beetles usually inhabit

Polyporaceae The Polyporaceae are a family of poroid fungi belonging to the Basidiomycota. The flesh of their fruit bodies varies from soft (as in the case of the dryad's saddle illustrated) to very tough. Most members of this family have their hymeniu ...

or more rarely

Corticiaceae The Corticiaceae are a family of fungi in the order Corticiales. The family formerly included almost all the corticioid (patch- or crust-forming) fungi, whether they were related or not, and as such was highly artificial. In its current sense, ...

bracket fungi. The larvae as well as the adults burrow inside the fungi, often choosing old specimens or old tissue. The whole development, from egg to adult, often takes as little as two months; some are parthenogenetic. A few species are pests of commercial fungi, as in the case of '' Cis chinensis'', which infests dried fruiting-bodies of ''

Ganoderma lucidum ''Ganoderma lucidum'' is a red-colored species of ''Ganoderma'' with a limited distribution in Europe and parts of China, where it grows on decaying hardwood trees. Wild populations have been found in the United States in California and Utah, but ...

''. At least one ciid, '' Falsocis brasiliensis'', is a threatened species. It occurs only in small forest remnants of the Northeast and Southeast Regions of Brazil. Minute tree-fungus beetles are food for many predatory insects, like rove beetles (Staphylinidae),

checkered beetle Cleridae are a family of beetles of the superfamily Cleroidea. They are commonly known as checkered beetles. The family Cleridae has a worldwide distribution, and a variety of habitats and feeding preferences. Cleridae have many niches and feed ...

s (Cleridae) and parasitoid wasp larvae.

List of genera

* ''

Acanthocis ''Acanthocis'' is a genus of tree-fungus beetles in the family Ciidae The minute tree-fungus beetles, family (biology), family Ciidae, are a sizeable group of beetles which inhabit Polyporales bracket fungi or coarse woody debris. Most numero ...

'' Miyatake, 1954 * ''

Aliocis ''Aliocis'' is a genus of tree-fungus beetle in the family Ciidae. It was described by Sandoval-Gómez and Lopes-Andrade in 2015, as a replacement name for the genus ''Anoplocis'', preoccupied by a genus of true weevils.Apterocis ''Apterocis'' is a genus of beetles in the family Ciidae The minute tree-fungus beetles, family (biology), family Ciidae, are a sizeable group of beetles which inhabit Polyporales bracket fungi or coarse woody debris. Most numerous in warmer ...

'' Perkins, 1900 * ''

Atlantocis ''Atlantocis'' is a genus of tree-fungus beetle in the family Ciidae The minute tree-fungus beetles, family (biology), family Ciidae, are a sizeable group of beetles which inhabit Polyporales bracket fungi or coarse woody debris. Most numerous ...

'' Israelson, 1985 * '' Ceracis'' Mellié, 1849 * ''

Cis Cis or cis- may refer to: Places * Cis, Trentino, in Italy * In Poland: ** Cis, Świętokrzyskie Voivodeship, south-central ** Cis, Warmian-Masurian Voivodeship, north Math, science and biology * cis (mathematics) (cis(''θ'')), a trigonome ...

'' Latreille, 1796 * ''

Cisarthron ''Cisarthron'' is a genus of tree-fungus beetle in the family Ciidae The minute tree-fungus beetles, family (biology), family Ciidae, are a sizeable group of beetles which inhabit Polyporales bracket fungi or coarse woody debris. Most numerous ...

'' Reitter, 1885 * ''

Dichodontocis ''Dichodontocis'' is a genus of tree-fungus beetle in the family Ciidae The minute tree-fungus beetles, family (biology), family Ciidae, are a sizeable group of beetles which inhabit Polyporales bracket fungi or coarse woody debris. Most numer ...

'' Kawanabe, 1994 * ''

Dimerapterocis ''Dimerapterocis apterus'' is a species of beetle in the family Ciidae The minute tree-fungus beetles, family (biology), family Ciidae, are a sizeable group of beetles which inhabit Polyporales bracket fungi or coarse woody debris. Most numer ...

'' Scott, 1926 * ''

Diphyllocis ''Diphyllocis'' is a genus of tree-fungus beetle in the family Ciidae The minute tree-fungus beetles, family (biology), family Ciidae, are a sizeable group of beetles which inhabit Polyporales bracket fungi or coarse woody debris. Most numerou ...

'' Reitter, 1885 * ''

Dolichocis ''Dolichocis'' is a genus of tree-fungus beetle in the family Ciidae The minute tree-fungus beetles, family Ciidae, are a sizeable group of beetles which inhabit Polyporales bracket fungi or coarse woody debris. Most numerous in warmer region ...

'' Dury, 1919 * ''

Ennearthron ''Ennearthron'' is a genus of tree-fungus beetles in the family Ciidae. Species * ''Ennearthron abeillei'' Caillol, 1914 * ''Ennearthron amamense'' Miyatake, 1959 * ''Ennearthron chujoi'' Nakane & Nobuchi, 1955 * ''Ennearthron cornutum'' Gyllenh ...

'' Mellié, 1847 * ''

Euxestocis ''Euxestocis'' is a genus of tree-fungus beetles in the family Ciidae The minute tree-fungus beetles, family (biology), family Ciidae, are a sizeable group of beetles which inhabit Polyporales bracket fungi or coarse woody debris. Most numerou ...

'' Miyatake, 1954 * ''

Falsocis ''Falsocis'' is a genus of beetles in the family Ciidae, containing the following species:

'' Pic, 1916 * '' Grossicis'' Antunes-Carvalho, Sandoval-Gómez & Lopes-Andrade, 2012 * ''

Hadreule ''Hadreule'' is a genus of tree-fungus beetle in the family Ciidae The minute tree-fungus beetles, family Ciidae, are a sizeable group of beetles which inhabit Polyporales bracket fungi or coarse woody debris. Most numerous in warmer regions ...

'' Thomson, 1859 * ''

Hyalocis ''Hyalocis'' is a genus of tree-fungus beetles in the family Ciidae The minute tree-fungus beetles, family (biology), family Ciidae, are a sizeable group of beetles which inhabit Polyporales bracket fungi or coarse woody debris. Most numerous ...

'' Kawanabe, 1993 * ''

Lipopterocis ''Lipopterocis'' is a genus of tree-fungus beetles in the family Ciidae The minute tree-fungus beetles, family (biology), family Ciidae, are a sizeable group of beetles which inhabit Polyporales bracket fungi or coarse woody debris. Most numer ...

'' Miyatake, 1954 * ''

Malacocis ''Malacocis'' is a genus of beetles in the family Ciidae The minute tree-fungus beetles, family (biology), family Ciidae, are a sizeable group of beetles which inhabit Polyporales bracket fungi or coarse woody debris. Most numerous in warmer ...

'' Gorham, 1886 * ''

Neoapterocis ''Neoapterocis'' is a genus of beetles in the family Ciidae, containing the following species:

'' Lopes-Andrade, 2007 * ''

Neoennearthron ''Neoennearthron'' is a genus of tree-fungus beetles in the family Ciidae The minute tree-fungus beetles, family (biology), family Ciidae, are a sizeable group of beetles which inhabit Polyporales bracket fungi or coarse woody debris. Most num ...

'' Miyatake, 1954 * ''

Nipponapterocis ''Nipponapterocis'' is a genus of tree-fungus beetles in the family Ciidae The minute tree-fungus beetles, family (biology), family Ciidae, are a sizeable group of beetles which inhabit Polyporales bracket fungi or coarse woody debris. Most nu ...

'' Miyatake, 1954 * ''

Nipponocis ''Nipponocis'' is a genus of tree-fungus beetles in the family Ciidae. Species * ''Nipponocis ashuensis'' Nobuchi, 1959 * ''Nipponocis longisetosus'' Nobuchi, 1955 * ''Nipponocis magnus'' Nobuchi, 1955 * ''Nipponocis unipunctatus'' Nakane & Nobu ...

'' Nobuchi & Wada, 1955 * ''

Octotemnus ''Octotemnus'' is a genus of tree-fungus beetles in the family Ciidae The minute tree-fungus beetles, family (biology), family Ciidae, are a sizeable group of beetles which inhabit Polyporales bracket fungi or coarse woody debris. Most numerou ...

'' Mellié, 1847 * ''

Odontocis ''Odontocis'' is a genus of tree-fungus beetles in the family Ciidae The minute tree-fungus beetles, family Ciidae, are a sizeable group of beetles which inhabit Polyporales bracket fungi or coarse woody debris. Most numerous in warmer region ...

'' Nakane & Nobuchi, 1955 * ''

Orthocis ''Orthocis'' is a genus of tree-fungus beetles in the family Ciidae. Species These 27 species belong to the genus ''Orthocis'': * ''Orthocis alni'' (Gyllenhal, 1813) * ''Orthocis alnoides'' (Reitter, 1884) * ''Orthocis auriculariae'' Lawrence, ...

'' Casey, 1898 * ''

Paratrichapus ''Paratrichapus sechellarum'' is a species of beetle in the family Ciidae The minute tree-fungus beetles, family (biology), family Ciidae, are a sizeable group of beetles which inhabit Polyporales bracket fungi or coarse woody debris. Most nu ...

'' Scott, 1926 * ''

Paraxestocis ''Paraxestocis'' is a genus of tree-fungus beetles in the family Ciidae The minute tree-fungus beetles, family Ciidae, are a sizeable group of beetles which inhabit Polyporales bracket fungi or coarse woody debris. Most numerous in warmer reg ...

'' Miyatake, 1954 * ''

Phellinocis ''Phellinocis'' is a genus of beetles in the family Ciidae The minute tree-fungus beetles, family (biology), family Ciidae, are a sizeable group of beetles which inhabit Polyporales bracket fungi or coarse woody debris. Most numerous in warme ...

'' Lopes-Andrade & Lawrence, 2005 * ''

Plesiocis ''Plesiocis cribrum'' is a species of beetle in the family Ciidae The minute tree-fungus beetles, family Ciidae, are a sizeable group of beetles which inhabit Polyporales bracket fungi or coarse woody debris. Most numerous in warmer regions, ...

'' Casey, 1898 * ''

Polynesicis ''Polynesicis hirsutus'' is a species of beetles in the family Ciidae The minute tree-fungus beetles, family (biology), family Ciidae, are a sizeable group of beetles which inhabit Polyporales bracket fungi or coarse woody debris. Most numero ...

'' Zimmerman, 1938 * ''

Porculus ''Porculus'' is a genus of beetles in the family Ciidae, containing the following species:

'' Lawrence, 1987 * ''

Rhopalodontus ''Ropalodontus'' is a genus of tree-fungus beetles in the family Ciidae. Species * ''Ropalodontus armifrons'' Reitter, 1913 * ''Ropalodontus baudueri'' Abeille de Perrin, 1874 * ''Ropalodontus camelus'' Abeille de Perrin, 1876 * ''Ropalodontus h ...

'' Mellié, 1847 * ''

Scolytocis ''Scolytocis samoensis'' is a species of beetle in the family Ciidae, the only species in the genus ''Scolytocis''.Sphindocis'' Fall, 1917 * ''

Strigocis ''Strigocis'' is a genus of minute tree-fungus beetles in the family Ciidae. There are at least five described species in ''Strigocis''. Species These five species belong to the genus ''Strigocis'': * ''Strigocis bicornis'' (Mellié, 1848) * ''S ...

'' Dury, 1917 * ''

Sulcacis ''Sulcacis'' is a genus of tree-fungus beetles in the family Ciidae. Species These eight species belong to the genus ''Sulcacis'': * ''Sulcacis affinis'' (Gyllenhal, 1827) * ''Sulcacis bidentulus'' (Rosenhauer, 1847) * ''Sulcacis curtulus'' (Cas ...

'' Dury, 1917 * ''

Syncosmetus ''Syncosmetus'' is a genus of tree-fungus beetles in the family Ciidae The minute tree-fungus beetles, family Ciidae, are a sizeable group of beetles which inhabit Polyporales bracket fungi or coarse woody debris. Most numerous in warmer regi ...

'' Sharp, 1891 * ''

Tropicis ''Tropicis'' is a genus of beetles in the family Ciidae The minute tree-fungus beetles, family Ciidae, are a sizeable group of beetles which inhabit Polyporales bracket fungi or coarse woody debris. Most numerous in warmer regions, they are ...

'' Scott, 1926 * '' Wagaicis'' Lohse, 1964 * ''

Xylographella ''Xylographella'' is a genus of tree-fungus beetles in the family Ciidae The minute tree-fungus beetles, family (biology), family Ciidae, are a sizeable group of beetles which inhabit Polyporales bracket fungi or coarse woody debris. Most nume ...

'' Miyatake, 1985 * ''

Xylographus ''Xylographus'' is a genus of tree-fungus beetles in the family Ciidae. Species The genus contains the following species: * ''Xylographus anthracinus'' Mellié, 1849 * ''Xylographus bicolor'' Pic, 1916 * ''Xylographus bostrichoides'' (Dufour, 1 ...

'' Mellié, 1847

References

:''This article draws heavily on the corresponding article in the Dano-Norwegian-language Wikipedia.'' * Gumier-Costa, F., Lopes-Andrade, C. & Zacaro, A. A. 2003. Association of ''Ceracis cornifer'' (Mellié) (Coleoptera: Ciidae) with the bracket fungi ''Pycnoporus sanguineus'' (Basidiomycetes: Polyporaceae). Neotropical Entomology, 32(2): 359–36

* Lawrence, J. F. 1987. A new genus of Ciidae (Coleoptera, Tenebrionoidea) from the Neotropical region. Revista Brasileira de Entomologia, 31(1): 41–47. * Lawrence, J. F. 1991. Three new Asiatic Ciidae (Coleoptera: Tenebrionoidea) associated with commercial, dried fungi. The Coleopterists Bulletin, 45: 286-292. * Lawrence, J. F.; Lopes-Andrade, C. 2008. ''Ciidae Species Listing''. Joel Hallan's Biology Catalog, Onlin

* Lopes-Andrade, C. 2007a. ''Neoapterocis'', a new genus of apterous Ciidae (Coleoptera: Tenebrionoidea) from Chile and Mexico. Zootaxa, 1481: 35-47. * Lopes-Andrade, C. 2007b. Notes on ''Falsocis'' Pic (Coleoptera: Tenebrionoidea: Ciidae), with the description of an endangered Brazilian species. Zootaxa, 1544: 41-58. * Lopes-Andrade, C. 2008 The first record of ''Cis chinensis'' Lawrence from Brazil, with the delimitation of the ''Cis multidentatus'' species-group (Coleoptera: Ciidae). Zootaxa, 1755: 35-46. * Lopes-Andrade, C., Gumier-Costa, F. & Sperber, C. F. (2003) Why do male ''Xylographus contractus'' Mellié (Coleoptera: Ciidae) present abdominal fovea? Evidence of sexual pheromone secretion. Neotropical Entomology, 32: 217-22

* Lopes-Andrade, C., Gumier-Costa, F., Zacaro, A.A. 2003. ''Cis leoi'', a new species of Ciidae (Coleoptera: Tenebrionoidea) from the Neotropical Region. Zootaxa, 161: 1–7. * Lopes-Andrade, C., Madureira, M. S., Zacaro, A. A. 2002. Delimitation of the ''Ceracis singularis'' group (Coleoptera: Tenebrionoidea: Ciidae), with the description of a new Neotropical species. Dugesiana, 9: 59–63. * Lopes-Andrade, C., Zacaro, A. A. 2003a. The first record of ''Ennearthron'' Mellié, 1848 (Coleoptera: Tenebrionoidea: Ciidae) in the Southern Hemisphere, with the description of a distinctive new species. Zootaxa, 395: 1–7. * Lopes-Andrade, C., Zacaro, A. A. 2003b. ''Xylographus lucasi'', a new Brazilian species of Ciidae (Coleoptera: Tenebrionoidea). Dugesiana, 10: 1–6. * Lopes-Andrade, C. & Lawrence, J. F. 2005. ''Phellinocis'', a new genus of Neotropical Ciidae (Coleoptera: Tenebrionoidea). Zootaxa, 1034: 43–60. * Madenjian, J. J., Eifert, J. D. & Lawrence, J. F. 1993. Ciidae: newly recognized beetle pests of commercial dried mushrooms. Journal of Stored Products Research, 29: 45-48. * Orledge, G. M., Reynolds, S. E. 2005. Fungivore host-use groups from cluster analysis: patterns of utilisation of fungal fruiting bodies by ciid beetles. Ecological Entomology, 30(6): 620–641. * Ruta, R. 2003. ''Rhopalodontus lawrencei'' n. sp. – the first ''Rhopalodontus'' species in the Oriental Region. Genus, 14(3): 363–36

{{Taxonbar, from=Q531833 Ciidae, Beetle families