HOST PREFERENCE IN CIID BEETLES (COLEOPTERA: CIIDAE) INHABITING THE FRUITING BODIES OF BASIDIOMYCETES IN NORTH AMERICA JOHN F. LAWRENCE CONTENTS Introduction 163 Methods 164 Acknowledgments 165 The Host Fungi 166 Stmcture and Development of the Fruit-ing Body 166 Classification of Host Fungi 167 Annotated List of Host Species 169 Other Fungus Species Mentioned in Text 175 Nature of the Fungus Substrate 175 Biology of the Ciidae 177 Life Cycle 177 Ecological Role, Competitors, Predators, Parasites 178 Patterns of Host Preference 179 Host Range and "Niche Breadth" 179 Headquarters and Host Preference Groups 182 Discussion 188 Ciidae and Their Host Fungi 190 Host Fungi and Associated Ciidae 207 Literature Cited 209 Tables in Text Table 1. Summaiy of Host Data for North American Ciidae 180 Table 2. Host Preference Groups in Nortli American Ciidae 184 Abstract. Host records are summarized for 74 species of North American ciid beetles occurring in the fruiting bodies of 117 species of basidiomycete fungi, and the data are analyzed to determine pat-teiTis of host preference. The morphology' and classification of the host fungi are re\iewed and the life history and ecological role of the Ciidae are discussed. For species with five or more breed-ing records, an attempt is made to determine degree of host specificity, using a modified equa-tion for "niche breadth." Few North American ciids are monophagous and probabl}^ none are indiscriminate, but most appear to be group-specific, preferring to breed in one or two hosts but occurring in several more, which are often phylogenetically related. The majority of host fungi may be placed into one of four host prefer-ence groups, on the basis of shared ciid inliabitants. These groups and their associated Ciidae are not mutually exclusive, but, with the exception of a few eurytrophic species, the beetles rarely breed in fungi of the "wrong" group. Each host preference group is discussed with respect to its faunal com-position in each of four major geographical regions of North America. Speculations are made on the possible mechanisms of host selection, and certain zoogeographical and evolutionary factors are dis-cussed. INTRODUCTION Beetles of the family Ciidae are the most common, if not the most conspicuous, ar-thropods inhabiting the relatively large and often woody or leathery fruiting bodies of the Polyporaceae and related higher fungi. Within this habitat, the Ciidae are repre-sented by many more species than other inhabitants, such as tenebrionid beetles or tineid moths, and, although the individual size is small ( usuallv 1 to 3 mm ) , the large populations constitute a major portion of the consumer biomass and contribute sig-nificantly to the breakdow^n of fungus conks (Matthe^^-lnan and Pielou, 1971). This paper deals \^'ith patterns of host pref-erence in 74 species of American Ciidae occurring north of the Mexican border, and is based on o\er 2000 host records gathered by myself and \-arious colleagues. Bull. Mus. Comp. Zool., 145(3): 163-212, June 1973 163
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