Minthea reticulata Lesne

Sittichaya, Wisut, Beaver, Roger, Liu, Lan-Yu & Ngampongsai, Aran, 2009, An illustrated key to powder post beetles (Coleoptera, Bostrichidae) associated with rubberwood in Thailand, with new records and a checklist of species found in Southern Thailand, ZooKeys 26 (26), pp. 33-51 : 48-49

Minthea reticulata Lesne †*

Fig. 3a

Distribution. Australia, Indonesia, Malaysia, New Guinea, Philippines, Taiwan, Vietnam; introduced to Great Britain, USA (including Hawai’i). Not previously recorded from Thailand.

New Records. Thailand, Krabi prov., Muang distr. , 16.VII.2007 (5) ; Nakhon Sri Th ammarat prov., Cha-uat distr. , 08.VII.2007 (2) ; Th ung Song distr. , 08.VII.2007 (4) ; Th ung Yai distr. , 08.VII.2007 (2) ; Phang Nga prov., Thap Put distr. , 17.VII.2007 (6) ; Muang distr. , 17.VII.2007 (2) ; Phattalung prov., Khao Chaison distr. , 09.XI.2007 (1) ; Satun prov., Khuan Kalong distr. , 7.VII.2007 (7) (all coll. W. Sittichaya) .

Hosts. Previously recorded from Dyera costulata, Gonystylus spp, Hevea brasiliensis, Dillenia spp. ( Ho 1995b).

Biology. The biology of the species does not seem to have been studied in detail, but is assumed to be similar to Minthea rugicollis (Walker) and other Lyctini ( Beeson and Bhatia 1937, Lesne 1924, Liu et al. 2008b). Only the larvae are xylophagous. The life cycle takes 2–6 months depending on the starch and moisture content of the wood as well as temperature. Th e average life span of adults is 77 days ( Ho 1995b).

Tribe Trogoxylini

Cephalotoma tonkinea Lesne †

Fig. 4b

Distribution. Previously recorded only from Vietnam ( Lesne 1932). New to Thailand.

New records. Thailand, Krabi prov., Muang distr. , 07.VII.2007 (5) ; Nakhon Sri Th ammarat prov., Chawang distr. , 25.VII.2007 (4) (all coll. W.Sitthichaya) .

Hosts. None recorded. Th e species was obtained from debarked logs of Hevea brasiliensis .

Biology. Adults were captured from logs infested by Heterobostrychus aequalis , Sinoxylon anale and S.unidentatum . Only 2 – 3 specimens were obtained from each infested log. Observations by Lesne (1932) on species of the closely related genus Lyctoderma , indicate that the adult lives in the adult gallery of larger bostrichids, where its small size and strongly flattened form enable it to slip beneath the larger beetle and avoid being crushed against the walls of the gallery. Th e adult feeds on small particles of wood in the gallery of the larger species. It can thus be classed as a commensal of other bostrichids. Th e larvae are presumed to be xylophagous.

Figures

Figure 3. Dorsal views of Minthea reticulata Lesne, 1931 a Minthea rugicollis (Walker, 1858) b and Lyctoxylon dentatum (Pascoe, 1866) c.

Figure 4. Dorsal views of Lyctoderma coomani Lesne, 1932 a Cephalotoma tonkinea Lesne, 1932 b.