JUL 8 W74 B R E V fcvftR A Miiseiiin of Comparative Zoology us ISSN 0006-9698 Cambridge, Mass. 28 June 1974 Number 424 THE LARVA OF SPHINDOCIS DENTICOLLIS FALL AND A NEW SUBFAMILY OF GIIDAE (GOLEOPTERA: HETEROMERA) John F. Lawrence^ Abstract. The larva of Sphindocis denticollis Fall is described, and its biology is briefly discussed. A new subfamily of Ciidae — the Sphindociinae — is proposed for Sphindocis and is formally characterized, while the Ciidae and Ciinae are redefined. Speculations are made concerning the phylogenetic relationships of the family Ciidae. The monotypic genus Sphindocis Fall is based on a very interesting fungus-feeding beetle {S. denticollis) that is known only from the Transition Zone forests of the northern California coast. The genus was originally placed in the family Ciidae (Fall, 1917), but it was recently removed from that family and tentatively placed in the Tetratomidae (Lawrence, 1971). At the suggestion of R. A. Crowson, I made a more detailed study of the Sphindocis larva, comparing it and the adult with various Ciidae, Tetratomidae, Pterogeniidae, and related Heteromera. As as result, I have come to the conclusion that Sphindocis represents the closest living relative or sister group of the Ciidae and should either be returned to that family or form the basis for a new group of equal rank. The former alternative appears more reasonable, since the number of families in the Heteromera is already excessive. The following treatment includes a descrip-tion of the Sphindocis larva, the proposal of a new subfamily for the inclusion of this genus, and a recharacterization of the family Ciidae and subfamily Ciinae. The larval description is based on more than 50 specimens collected with adults in the fruiting bodies of Trametes sepium ^Museum of Comparative Zoology, Cambridge, Mass. 02138.
BioStor
