DESCRIPTION OF THE LARVA OF HELLUOMORPHOIDES PRAEUSTUS BICOLOR HARRIS WITH COMMENTS ON THE RELATIONSHIPS OF THE HELLUONINI (COLEOPTERA: CARABIDAE)

Abstract

AbstractThe larva of Helluomorphoides praeustus bicolor Harris is described and illustrated from two specimens. This is the first larva of Helluomorphoides Ball, a New World genus belonging to the tribe Helluonini, described although parts of an undetermined species of the genus were figured by Thompson (1979). Analysis of larval characters of the tribes Helluonini and Anthiini supports the hypothesis that these two groups are closely related. At least three autapomorphic character states are identified for members of Helluonini and Anthiini: the antacoria between the antennomeres II and III is represented by a suture or is absent; the stipes has a medial excrescence which may or may not be fused with the first galeomere; and the urogomphi are stout, fixed dorsally to the ninth tergite, and possess numerous long setae in the first instar. The sister group of the Helluonini–Anthiini lineage could not be identified but a number of the synapomorphies of this complex also occur in the Galeritini and Pseudomorphini.