Penthe obliquata, also known as the oblique polypore fungus beetle is a species of polypore fungus beetle in the family Tetratomidae. It is found in North America.[1][2][3]

Penthe obliquata
Scientific classification Edit this classification
Domain: Eukaryota
Kingdom: Animalia
Phylum: Arthropoda
Class: Insecta
Order: Coleoptera
Family: Tetratomidae
Genus: Penthe
Species:
P. obliquata
Binomial name
Penthe obliquata
(Fabricius, 1801)

This species is primarily dark-colored with a characteristic, brightly-orange scutellum which distinguishes it from the only other species of Penthe in North America: Penthe pimelia. [4]

Description

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Penthe obliquata in soil or decaying wood

Penthe obliquata are found in North America, along the Eastern and Midwest regions of the United States and Canada.[2] They range in size from 11–14 mm,[5] and have a dark, rounded body but an orange scutellum.[6] Penthe obliquata can be found under the loose bark of decaying and decomposing trees as well as in dry fungi.[5][7] They inhabit a wide range of habitats, including mature hardwood forests, floodplain forests, swamps, pine forests. and other forested habitats.[8] Known fungi hosts of this insect include Polyporus versicolor,[9] Polyporus varius, Fomitopsis pinicola, and other fleshy and woody polypore fungi.[10] Population levels of Penthe obliquata are thought to be secure, but large portions of the range do not have a status rank from NatureServe.[11]

References

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  1. ^ "Penthe obliquata Report". Integrated Taxonomic Information System. Retrieved 2019-09-24.
  2. ^ a b "Penthe obliquata". GBIF. Retrieved 2019-09-24.
  3. ^ "TETRATOMIDAE". uk beetles. Retrieved 2023-02-21.
  4. ^ a b "Species Penthe obliquata". bugguide.net.
  5. ^ bugman (1 July 2014). "Fungus Beetle: Penthe obliquata - What's That Bug?".
  6. ^ Evans, Arthur V. (Jun 8, 2014). Beetles of Eastern North America. Princeton Nature. p. 560. ISBN 9780691133041.
  7. ^ Webster, RP; Sweeney, JD; Demerchant, I (2012). "New Coleoptera records from New Brunswick, Canada: Mycetophagidae, Tetratomidae, and Melandryidae". ZooKeys (179): 215–42. doi:10.3897/zookeys.179.2598. PMC 3337062. PMID 22539895.
  8. ^ Weiss, HB (1920). "Coleoptera Associated With Polyporus Versicolor L. in New Jersey" (PDF). Psyche: A Journal of Entomology.
  9. ^ Webster, RP; Sweeney, JD; Demerchant, I (2012). "New Coleoptera records from New Brunswick, Canada: Mycetophagidae, Tetratomidae, and Melandryidae". ZooKeys (179): 215–42. doi:10.3897/zookeys.179.2598. PMC 3337062. PMID 22539895.
  10. ^ "Oblique Polypore Fungus Beetle".

Further reading

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  • Lobl, I.; Smetana, A., eds. (2013). Catalogue of Palaearctic Coleoptera, Volume 5: Tenebrionoidea. Apollo Books. ISBN 978-90-04-26090-0.
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