Cyclaxyra

Cyclaxyra is a genus of cucujoid beetles in the family Cyclaxyridae, and the sole extant genus in the family, others being known only from fossils.[1] There are two described species in Cyclaxyra, found on the North Island, South Island, and Stewart Island of New Zealand.[2][3] It is an inhabitant of New Zealand's sooty mould habitat and are mycophagous, feeding on spores, conidia, and hyphae.[3]

Cyclaxyra
Cyclaxyra politula
Scientific classification Edit this classification
Domain: Eukaryota
Kingdom: Animalia
Phylum: Arthropoda
Class: Insecta
Order: Coleoptera
Infraorder: Cucujiformia
Family: Cyclaxyridae
Genus: Cyclaxyra
Broun, 1893
Synonyms
  • Cyclomorpha Broun, 1881
  • Melanochroa Broun, 1882

Cyclaxyra has been treated as part of the family Phalacridae in the past, but is now considered the only living genus of the family Cyclaxyridae.[3][4] Fossil genera include Neolitochropus from Eocene aged Bitterfeld amber in Germany and Electroxyra (formerly considered a member of Cyclaxyra) from Cenomanian aged Burmese amber from Myanmar.

Species

These two species belong to the genus Cyclaxyra:

References
  1. Gimmel, M.L., Szawaryn K., Cai C. & Leschen R.A.B. (2019) Mesozoic sooty mould beetles as living relicts in New Zealand. Proc. R. Soc. B, DOI:10.1098/rspb.2019.2176
  2. "Cyclaxyra". GBIF. Retrieved 2019-03-23.
  3. Gimmel, Matthew L.; Leschen, Richard A. B.; Ślipiński, S. Adam (2009). "Review of the New Zealand endemic family Cyclaxyridae, new family (Coleoptera: Polyphaga)". Acta Entomologica Musei Nationalis Pragae. 49 (2). ISSN 0374-1036.
  4. "Cyclaxyridae Report". ITIS. Retrieved 2019-03-23.


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