Occurrence of Featherwing Beetles (Coleoptera: Ptiliidae) on Polypore Fungi (Basidiomycota: Agaricomycetes) from Costa Rica and a New Species of Cylindrosella
Abstract
Despite being distributed worldwide and easily collected, the biology, ecology, and taxonomy of Ptiliidae Heer, 1843, or featherwing beetles, have not been well studied. In a study from 2007 to 2009, Ptiliidae were extracted from various polypore fungi collected throughout Costa Rica in an effort to expand biogeographic knowledge of Ptiliidae. Fungi and Ptiliidae were identified to genera and collection sites mapped. Beetle genera are able to inhabit different polypore genera and were found at a higher rate of co-occurrence than reported in previous studies. We identified Cylindrosella costariciensissp. n., with the potential of two more new species to be described.
Degree
M.Sc.
Advisors
Oseto, Purdue University.
Subject Area
Biology|Morphology|Conservation biology|Ecology|Latin American Studies|Polymer chemistry
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