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Fam. Tenebrionidae. (PI. V, Fig. 71) (Fam. Cistelidae also similar but no
species recorded in Maharashtra). Generally black, common in deserts and
drier places, herbivorous, body hard, flat, globular, elytra fitting over body
or soldered in apterous forms. L. 2-15 mm. Larvae in ground, look like
wire worms, tough, cylindrical. Feed on vegetable matter, a few damage
flours and grains badly. About 10,000 species known, 400 in the Indian
region, about 30 in Maharashtra.
Ethas sp. Keeled, long thin thorax and head, abdomen slightly broader.
Derosphoerus sp. Long, cylindrical, black, thin ridges and furrows. L. 15-
22 mm, Both in decaying wood. P. scriptipennis. Brownish orange, black
band on elytra. L. 1-2 mm. in decaying wood. Ceropria spp. Shining black,
10 mm., in rotton wood or under bark. T. castaneum and ferrugineum.
Small, 5 mm. brown, flattish. Cosmopolitan pests of stored products e.g.
flours, grain, insect store, furniture etc. Gonocephalum spp. Black to
brownish, elongate thorax as broad as abdomen, edges curved up,
generally covered up with sand. L. 8-14 mm. Larva yellowish brown,
feeds on rootlets of sugarcane, coffee, weeds etc. M. villiger. Black or
brown, flat, 7-8 mm. Cosmopolitan A nuisance in houses, fall from the
root and cover the whole ground. Breed in decaying leaves, old trees,
decaying vegetable matter and thatched roofs. C depresses. Resembles
seed. Thorax, elytra produced into curved thin lamella, like a Cassid
beetle. L. 13-15 mm.
See Gardner J. C. M. (1929-31) Ind. For. Rec. 14:16 Immature stages of
Indian Coleoptera.
Fam. Ptinidae and Anobiidae. Small, intendment hard, cylindrical, head
merged in thorax, antennae fully clubbed. Larvae thick set, white, fine
haired, hunch backed. Almost all borers in drugs, tobacco, dried fruit,
flours, mealy powders and furniture. Larval head small, eyes distinct body
finely wrinkled. Tunnel into the food, feed and pupate inside. About 500
species described, a few recorded from India. Some important ones found
in Maharashtra.
FAUNA 488