Mordellidae

Mordellidae
The Mordellidae are a family of beetles 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.
Anatomy
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, so that jump lengths and heights vary, with rotation frequencies recorded up to 48 per second (Mordellochroa abdominalis) around the gravitation centre of the body's longitudinal axis. Additional revolving around the transverse axis (at lower frequency) effects spiralling somersaults that are perceived as tumbling. The pintail (pygidium) is of no significance for the jump. While the pintail is no significance for the jump, meta-trochanter-femur (thighs and surrounding rings of the third leg pair)has a great capacity of free rotation (up to 270 degrees, at one level only). This capacity is due to a screw joint that connects the base of metacoxa to the head of trochanter. The nut gradient is 21 degrees (as seen under a scanning electron microscopy SEM, 1985). Technically similar jumps, though less powerful, can be observed in family Melandryidae (=Serropalpidae) (genus Orchesia) and family Scraptiidae (genus Anaspis). Their coxa-trochanter-joints are of similar structure. It can be assumed that the capacity of a tumbling form of locomotion is rooted in a common phylogeny and can therefore not be ascribed specifically to Mordellidae.
Meanwhile, other authors have also pointed out the speciality of the real screw joint in nature. (2011)
The weevil of the genus Trigonopterus, Curculionidae in the Asian tropical rainforest, for example, has an even tighter connective construction in the Coxa -Trochanter joint than is found in Mordellidae. This construction, however, does not facilitate an equally high angular velocity of the torque. The joint here serves to provide a better grip on plants and easier climbing.
Systematics
This family has two living subfamilies – Mordellinae and Ctenidiinae – and a prehistoric one known only from fossils (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.
Subfamily Ctenidiinae Franciscolo, 1951
Ctenidia Laporte de Castelnau in Brullé, 1840
Subfamily Mordellinae Latreille, 1802
†Angimordella Bao et al. 2019 Burmese amber, Myanmar, Cenomanian
Tribe Conaliini Ermisch, 1956
Conalia Mulsant & Rey, 1858
Conaliamorpha Ermisch, 1968
Glipodes LeConte, 1862
Isotrilophus Liljeblad, 1945
Ophthalmoconalia Ermisch, 1968
Paraconalia Ermisch, 1968
Pseudoconalia Ermisch, 1950
Stenoconalia Ermisch, 1967
Xanthoconalia Franciscolo, 1942
Tribe Mordellini Siedlitz, 1875
Adelptes Franciscolo, 1965
†Asiamordella Hong, 2002 Fushun amber, China, Ypresian
Austromordella Ermisch, 1950
Binaghia Franciscolo, 1943
Boatia Franciscolo, 1985
Caffromorda Franciscolo, 1952
Calycina Blair, 1922
Cephaloglipa Franciscolo, 1952
Congomorda Ermisch, 1955
Cothurus Champion, 1891
Curtimorda Méquignon, 1946
Glipa LeConte, 1859
Glipidiomorpha Franciscolo, 1952
Hoshihananomia Kônô, 1935
Iberomorda Méquignon, 1946
Ideorhipistena Franciscolo, 2000
Klapperichimorda Ermisch, 1968
Larinomorda Ermisch, 1968
Machairophora Franciscolo, 1943
Macrotomoxia Píc, 1922
Mordella Linnaeus, 1758
Mordellina Schilsky, 1908
Mordellapygium Ray, 1930
Mordellaria Ermisch, 1950
Mordelloides Ray, 1939
Mordellopalpus Franciscolo, 1955
Neocurtimorda Franciscolo, 1950
Neotomoxia Ermisch, 1950
Ophthalmoglipa Franciscolo, 1952
Paramordella Píc, 1936
Paramordellana Ermisch, 1968
Paramordellaria Ermisch, 1968
Paraphungia Ermisch, 1969
Parastenomordella Ermisch, 1950
Paratomoxia Ermisch, 1950
Paratomoxioda Ermisch, 1954
Phungia Píc, 1922
Plesitomoxia Ermisch, 1955
Praemordella Shchegoleva-Barovskaya, 1929
Pseudomordellaria Ermisch, 1950
Pseudotomoxia Ermisch, 1950
Sphaeromorda Franciscolo, 1950
Stenaliamorda Ermisch & Chûjô, 1968
Stenomorda Ermisch, 1950
Stenomordella Ermisch, 1941
Stenomordellaria Ermisch, 1950
Stenomordellariodes Ermisch, 1954
†Succimorda Kubisz, 2001 Baltic amber, Eocene
Tolidomordella Ermisch, 1950
Tolidomoxia Ermisch, 1950
Tomoxia Costa, 1854
Tomoxioda Ermisch, 1950
Trichotomoxia Franciscolo, 1950
Variimorda Méquignon, 1946
Wittmerimorda Franciscolo, 1952
Yakuhananomia Kônô, 1935
Zeamordella Broun, 1886
Tribe Mordellistenini Ermisch, 1941
Asiatolida Shiyake, 2000
Calyce Champion, 1891
Calycemorda Ermisch, 1969
Calyceoidea Ermisch, 1969
Dellamora Normand, 1916
Diversimorda Ermisch, 1969
Ermischiella Franciscolo, 1950
Fahraeusiella Ermisch, 1953
Falsomordellina Nomura, 1966
Falsomordellistena Ermisch, 1941
Falsopseudomoxia Franciscolo, 1965
Glipostena Ermisch, 1941
Glipostenoda Ermisch, 1950
Gymnostena Franciscolo, 1950
Mordellina Schilsky, 1908
Mordellistena Costa, 1854
Mordellistenalia Ermisch, 1958
Mordellistenochroa Horák, 1982
Mordellistenoda Ermisch, 1941
Mordellistenula Stchegoleva-Barowskaja, 1930
Mordellochroa Emery, 1876
Mordellochroidea Ermisch, 1969
Mordelloxena Franciscolo, 1950
Morphomordellochroa Ermisch, 1969
Neomordellistena Ermisch, 1950
Palmorda Ermisch, 1969
Palpomorda Ermisch, 1969
Paramordellistena Ermisch, 1950
Phunginus Píc, 1922
Pselaphokentron Franciscolo, 1955
Pseudodellamora Ermisch, 1942
Pseudotolida Ermisch, 1950
Raymordella Franciscolo, 1956
Tolida Mulsant, 1856
Tolidopalpus Ermisch, 1951
Tolidostena Ermisch, 1942
Uhligia Horák, 1990
Xanthomorda Ermisch, 1968
Tribe Reynoldsiellini Franciscolo, 1957
Reynoldsiella Ray, 1930
Tribe Stenaliini Franciscolo, 1956
Brodskyella Horák, 1989
Pselaphostena Franciscolo, 1950
Stenalia Mulsant, 1856
Stenaliodes Franciscolo, 1956
†Subfamily Praemordellinae Shchegoleva-Barovskaya 1929
†Bellimordella Liu et al. 2008 Yixian Formation, China, Aptian
†Cretanaspis Huang and Yang 1999 Lushangfen Formation, China, Aptian
†Mirimordella Liu et al. 2007 Yixian Formation, China, Aptian
†Praemordella Shchegoleva-Barovskaya 1929 Karabastau Formation, Kazakhstan, Oxfordian
†Wuhua Wang and Zhang 2011 Daohugou, China, Callovian
References
External links
Nomen.at
Polyphaga families