World Catalogue Of The Dermestidae Coleoptera

The World Catalogue of the Dermestidae (Coleoptera) contains the list of subfamilies, tribes and subtribes, list of genera and subgenera, systematic catalogue of all known taxons including new nomenclatorial acts, new distributional records, list of type depositions, infrasubspecific names, bibliography and alphabetical index of names of genera, subgenera and their synonyms. It contains all the taxa described until February 28, 2014.

The first complete world catalogue of the jewel beetles, the eighth largest beetle family Buprestidae and its small North American sister-group Schizopodidae, since Jan Obenberger's six fascicle (1926-1937) contribution to the Horn & Schenkling Coleopterorum Catalogus. Published in five volumes (3125 pages in total), this catalogue presents a full taxonomic history for all taxa, including fossils, along with distribution and type repository data. The catalogue follows the evolving modern classification which, for Buprestidae, employs 6 subfamilies, 47 tribes, 39 non-nominate subtribes, 513 genera and more than 14700 valid species. In addition, the first large bibliography on the subject concludes the catalogue with more than 8000 citations. In the present volume 1, a 20 page Introduction provides definition, structure and acknowledgment. The catalogue begins with a listing of fossil jewel beetles before commencing with the extant taxa. The small Schizopodidae come before the Buprestidae, which includes the subfamilies Julodinae, Polycestinae (including the first of the six large genera: Acmaeodera), Galbellinae and the first part of Chrysochroinae.

This three-volume series represents a comprehensive treatment of the beetles of Australia, a relatively under-studied fauna that includes many unusual and unique lineages found nowhere else on Earth. Volume 1 contains keys to all 117 beetle families found in Australia, and includes over 1100 illustrations of adults, larvae and anatomical structures. This volume is based in part on Lawrence & Britton’s out-of-print Australian Beetles, but is fully updated and expanded. The biology and morphology for all major beetle lineages is described and illustrated, along with anatomical terms which clarify the characters and terminology used in the keys; few other resources for beetle identification include such a detailed morphological background. A chapter on the fossil record is also included, and family sections provide full descriptions of adults and larvae, including the world distribution of each family. The revised identification keys (currently recognised as one of the most valuable keys worldwide) will aid quarantine agents, biologists and students in identifying members of the most species-rich order of animals.