Dichtha

The white-legged toktokkies (genus Dichtha) are ground-dwelling, Afrotropical beetles in the family Tenebrionidae.[2] They are stout, black beetles of about 2 – 2.5 cm in length. The antennae and legs are covered in pale[3] to brownish[4] down. Like the related genus Psammodes, the adults tap out a rhythm on the ground to attract and locate mates. They feed on both plant and animal material.[3] Some species, like D. inflata, may feign death.[4]

White-legged toktokkies
D. cubica
Scientific classification
Kingdom:
Animalia
Phylum:
Arthropoda
Class:
Insecta
Order:
Coleoptera
Family:
Tenebrionidae
Tribe:
Sepidiini
Genus:
Dichtha

Species

The species include:[5]

  • Dichtha cubica Guérin-Méneville, 1845 — White-legged toktokkie
  • Dichtha inflata Gerstaecker, 1854 — Red-backed toktokkie, Kafadala
  • Dichtha modesta Robiche, 2013
  • Dichtha transvalica Brancsik, 1914
  • Dichtha quedenfeldti Kolbe, 1886

A catalogue of the Sepidiini tribe from 2019[5] considers Dichtha incantatoris Koch, 1952 a nomen nudum and therefore invalid. A likely source of this erroneous name is the popular Field Guide to Insects of South Africa by M Picker, C Griffiths & A Weaving. Specimens identified under this name are likely Dichtha cubica (see this explanation by iNaturalist curator Riaan Stals).

References
  1. in Harold, Coleopt. Hefte, 7, 39
  2. "Dichtha cubica". MBLWHOI Library. uBio. Retrieved 13 May 2013.
  3. Picker, Mike; et al. (2004). Field Guide to Insects of South Africa. Cape Town: Struik Publishers. pp. 230–233. ISBN 978-1-77007-061-5.
  4. Morris, Brian (2006). Insects and Human Life. Berg. p. 251. ISBN 9781845209490.
  5. Kamiński, M. J., Kanda, K., Lumen, R., Ulmer, J. M., Wirth, C. C., Bouchard, P., Aalbu, R., Mal, N., & Smith, A. D. (2019). World catalogue of the tribe Sepidiini (Tenebrionidae, Coleoptera). In O. Bánki, Y. Roskov, M. Döring, G. Ower, L. Vandepitte, D. Hobern, D. Remsen, P. Schalk, R. E. DeWalt, M. Keping, J. Miller, T. Orrell, R. Aalbu, R. Adlard, E. M. Adriaenssens, C. Aedo, E. Aescht, N. Akkari, S. Alexander, et al., Catalogue of Life Checklist (Version 22, 2019-04). https://doi.org/10.48580/dfq8-3gm

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