Hidden among the spores: adult and larval morphology of Phanerota vecta (Pace, 1990) (Coleoptera: Staphylinidae), a mycophilous beetle newly record from Brazil
DOI:
https://doi.org/10.11606/1807-0205/2026.66.special-issue-1.022Keywords:
Aleocharinae, Fungus, Gyrophaenina, Neotropical, TaxonomyAbstract
The rove beetle subtribe Gyrophaenina comprises obligatory inhabitants of mushroom fruiting bodies, with 1,126 described species. However, their diversity and life histories in Neotropics remain poorly understood. Here, we report the first record of Phanerota vecta (Pace, 1990) from Brazil, significantly expanding its known distribution in South America. A detailed redescription of the adult is provided, elucidating unique diagnostic features of the aedeagus and morphological details in tergite VIII that were not documented in the original description. We also present the first complete larval description for the species, contributing to the limited knowledge of Gyrophaenina immature stages. Furthermore, the association of P. vecta with the poroid fungus Favolus sp. is reported, broadening the known host range for the genus. These findings provide crucial data for taxonomy, ecology and evolutionary understanding of specialized mycophagous Aleocharinae.
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Copyright (c) 2026 Ruan Felipe da Silva, Sônia A. Casari, Carlos Moreno
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Funding data
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Coordenação de Aperfeiçoamento de Pessoal de Nível Superior
Grant numbers 88887.757692/2022-00 -
Fundação de Amparo à Pesquisa do Estado de São Paulo
Grant numbers 2023/14925-8 -
Idea Wild
Grant numbers FELIBRAZ0624-00
