Phloeosinus

Type species

Olonthogaster nitidicollis Motschulsky

Adapted from Wood 1982, p. 286-315

Diagnosis

Phloeosinus can be distinguished from the other Phloeosinina by the 5-segmented antennal funiclefunicle:
the antennal segments located between the scape and the club in some Coleoptera
and the third declivital interstriaeinterstriae:
longitudinally arranged lines, often flat or raised, often having setae, and located between the striae on the elytron
which are armedarmed:
having a sclerotized surface structure, giving a rough texture; may serve as defense
with denticles.

Description

Species in this genus range from 1.5 to 4.1 mm in length and are 1.8 to 2.1 times as long as wide. Their color ranges from brown to black, usually with lighter elytraelytra:
the two external and hardened or sclerotized forewings of adult Coleoptera, often appearing leather-like in texture
, which can be reddish brown to brown. The pronotumpronotum:
the upper or dorsal surface of the first thoracic segment
is usually wider than long and unarmedunarmed:
having no granules, teeth, tubercles, spines, or other protective structures
. The scutellumscutellum:
a shield-like bony plate or scale, as on the thorax of some insects
is large. Crenulationscrenulations:
structures on the surface of the integument an having irregular, wavy, or serrate outline
are present in the anterior margin of the elytraelytra:
the two external and hardened or sclerotized forewings of adult Coleoptera, often appearing leather-like in texture
. The declivitydeclivity:
the apical portion of the beetle elytra that slopes downward
is convex with one or more interstriaeinterstriae:
longitudinally arranged lines, often flat or raised, often having setae, and located between the striae on the elytron
, usually number three, armedarmed:
having a sclerotized surface structure, giving a rough texture; may serve as defense
by pointed tuberclestubercles:
stiff, pointed, tapered processes on the surface of the integument, usually shorter than a spine
. The vestiturevestiture:
a surface covering of scales or setae on the body, wing, or other appendage
consists of hair-like setaehair-like setae:
setae that are thin and similar to a hair
, except for scale-like setaescale-like setae:
setae that are wider than hair
in a few species. The anterior margin of the compound eye is emarginateemarginate:
notched or indented
. The scapescape:
the first and basal segment of the insect's antennae
is longer than the 5-segmented funiclefunicle:
the antennal segments located between the scape and the club in some Coleoptera
. The ovateovate:
egg shaped, with the narrow end apically
clubclub:
the apical segment of the insect antennae that is enlarged or thickened such that it is anatomically differentiated from the preceding segments
is asymmetricalasymmetrical:
not identical on both sides of a central line
, and has three straight suturessutures:
a seam or seam-like line of contact between two sclerites or hardened body parts immovably connected
. The procoxaeprocoxae:
extra segment occasionally preceding coxa (hip joint) of the first or anterior pair of legs of arthropods
are separated.

Distribution

North America to Panama, Europe, Asia to North Africa, and Australia

World fauna

Number of species: 66, Native species: 24, Introduced species: 1

Established exotic species

Phloeosinus armatus is present in California.

Hosts

Chamaecyparis, Cupressus, Juniperus, Libocedrus, Picea, Pinus, Pseudotsuga, Sequoia, Taxodium, Thuja, Tsuga