Mordellidae
Encyclopedia
Mordellidae is a family
of beetle
s commonly known as tumbling flower beetles for the typical irregular movements they make when escaping predators, or as pintail beetles due to their abdominal
tip which aids them in performing these tumbling movements. Worldwide, there are about 1500 species
.
The apparently tumbling movements are composed of a series of very rapid separate jumps (each jump of a duration of approximately 80 ms).
They result from the beetle's efforts to get itself back into take-off position for flight when it has been in either lateral or dorsal position.
Each individual jump should be considered as an extended rotation, performed by one leg of the third leg pair (Metapodium ). Depending on whether the left or the right metapodium is used as the leg that provides the leverage for take-off, change occurs in the direction of the jump. The energy for propulsion varies with the beetle's immediate muscle work. Resultantly, jump lengths and heights vary, with rotation frequencies recorded up to 48 rotation per second (Mordellochroa abdominalis) around the gravitation centre of the body's longitudinal axis. Additional revolving round the transverse axis (at lower frequency) effects spiralling summersaults that are perceived as tumbling.
The pintail (pygidium) is of no significance for the jump.
Technically similar jumps, though less powerful, can be observed in family Serropalpidae (genus: Orchesia) and family Scrabtiidae (genus: Anaspis). As both these groups of beetles are closely related to family Mordellidae, it may be assumed that it is due to their common phylogenetic roots that they have the same capacity of this tumbling form of locomotion. It can, therefore, not be ascribed specifically to Mordellidae.
This family has two living subfamilies – Mordellinae and Ctenidiinae – and a prehistoric one known only from fossil
s (Praemordellinae). Another fossil genus, Liaoximordella, was previously treated as distinct monotypic
family Liaoximordellidae, but is now regarded as very primitive and probably basal member of the Mordellidae.
of tumbling flower beetles, with some notable species
also listed, include:
Basal/incertae sedis
†Praemordellinae (fossil
)
Ctenidiinae
Mordellinae
Tribe Conaliini Ermisch, 1956
Tribe Mordellini Latreille, 1802
Tribe Mordellistenini Latreille, 1802
Tribe Reynoldsiellini Latreille, 1802
Tribe Stenaliini Latreille, 1802
Family (biology)
In biological classification, family is* a taxonomic rank. Other well-known ranks are life, domain, kingdom, phylum, class, order, genus, and species, with family fitting between order and genus. As for the other well-known ranks, there is the option of an immediately lower rank, indicated by the...
of beetle
Beetle
Coleoptera is an order of insects commonly called beetles. The word "coleoptera" is from the Greek , koleos, "sheath"; and , pteron, "wing", thus "sheathed wing". Coleoptera contains more species than any other order, constituting almost 25% of all known life-forms...
s commonly known as tumbling flower beetles for the typical irregular movements they make when escaping predators, or as pintail beetles due to their abdominal
Abdomen
In vertebrates such as mammals the abdomen constitutes the part of the body between the thorax and pelvis. The region enclosed by the abdomen is termed the abdominal cavity...
tip which aids them in performing these tumbling movements. Worldwide, there are about 1500 species
Species
In biology, a species is one of the basic units of biological classification and a taxonomic rank. A species is often defined as a group of organisms capable of interbreeding and producing fertile offspring. While in many cases this definition is adequate, more precise or differing measures are...
.
The apparently tumbling movements are composed of a series of very rapid separate jumps (each jump of a duration of approximately 80 ms).
They result from the beetle's efforts to get itself back into take-off position for flight when it has been in either lateral or dorsal position.
Each individual jump should be considered as an extended rotation, performed by one leg of the third leg pair (Metapodium ). Depending on whether the left or the right metapodium is used as the leg that provides the leverage for take-off, change occurs in the direction of the jump. The energy for propulsion varies with the beetle's immediate muscle work. Resultantly, jump lengths and heights vary, with rotation frequencies recorded up to 48 rotation per second (Mordellochroa abdominalis) around the gravitation centre of the body's longitudinal axis. Additional revolving round the transverse axis (at lower frequency) effects spiralling summersaults that are perceived as tumbling.
The pintail (pygidium) is of no significance for the jump.
Technically similar jumps, though less powerful, can be observed in family Serropalpidae (genus: Orchesia) and family Scrabtiidae (genus: Anaspis). As both these groups of beetles are closely related to family Mordellidae, it may be assumed that it is due to their common phylogenetic roots that they have the same capacity of this tumbling form of locomotion. It can, therefore, not be ascribed specifically to Mordellidae.
Systematics
Fossil
Fossils are the preserved remains or traces of animals , plants, and other organisms from the remote past...
s (Praemordellinae). Another fossil genus, Liaoximordella, was previously treated as distinct monotypic
Monotypic
In biology, a monotypic taxon is a taxonomic group with only one biological type. The term's usage differs slightly between botany and zoology. The term monotypic has a separate use in conservation biology, monotypic habitat, regarding species habitat conversion eliminating biodiversity and...
family Liaoximordellidae, but is now regarded as very primitive and probably basal member of the Mordellidae.
Selected genera
GeneraGenera
Genera is a commercial operating system and development environment for Lisp machines developed by Symbolics. It is essentially a fork of an earlier operating system originating on the MIT AI Lab's Lisp machines which Symbolics had used in common with LMI and Texas Instruments...
of tumbling flower beetles, with some notable species
Species
In biology, a species is one of the basic units of biological classification and a taxonomic rank. A species is often defined as a group of organisms capable of interbreeding and producing fertile offspring. While in many cases this definition is adequate, more precise or differing measures are...
also listed, include:
Basal/incertae sedis
Incertae sedis
, is a term used to define a taxonomic group where its broader relationships are unknown or undefined. Uncertainty at specific taxonomic levels is attributed by , , and similar terms.-Examples:*The fossil plant Paradinandra suecica could not be assigned to any...
- †Liaoximordella Wang, 1993 (fossilFossilFossils are the preserved remains or traces of animals , plants, and other organisms from the remote past...
)
†Praemordellinae (fossil
Fossil
Fossils are the preserved remains or traces of animals , plants, and other organisms from the remote past...
)
- †Bellimordella Liu, Zhao & Ren, 2008
- †Mirimordella Liu, W.Lu & Ren, 2007
- †Praemordella Scegoleva-Barovskaja, 1929
Ctenidiinae
- Ctenidia Laporte de Castelnau, 1840
Mordellinae
Tribe Conaliini Ermisch, 1956
- Conalia Mulsant and Rey, 1858
- Glipodes LeConte, 1862
- Isotrilophus Liljeblad, 1945
- Pseudoconalia
- Xanthoconalia
Tribe Mordellini Latreille, 1802
- Glipa LeConte, 1859
- Hoshihananomia Kôno, 1935
- MordellaMordellaMordella is the type genus of the tumbling flower beetle family , its subfamily Mordellinae and the tribe Mordellini. It is widely distributed in the Holarctic and adjacent regions.-Selected species:Species of Mordella include:...
- Paramordellaria Costa, 1854
- Tolidomordella Schilsky, 1908
- Tomoxia Ermisch, 1968
- Variimorda
- Variimorda villosaVariimorda villosaVariimorda villosa is a species of tumbling flower beetles belonging to the family Mordellidae subfamily Mordellinae. These very small beetles are present in most of Europe...
- Variimorda villosa
- Yakuhananomia Ermisch, 1950
Tribe Mordellistenini Latreille, 1802
- Falsomordellistena Ermisch, 1941
- Glipostenoda Ermisch, 1950
- Mordellistena Costa, 1854
- Mordellochroa Emery, 1876
- Pseudotolida Ermisch, 1950
- Tolidopalpus Ermisch, 1952
Tribe Reynoldsiellini Latreille, 1802
- Reynoldsiella
Tribe Stenaliini Latreille, 1802
- Pselaphostena Franciscolo, 1950
- Stenalia
- Stenaliodes