Cerylonidae

COLEOPTERA > POLYPHAGA > CUCUJOIDEA > Cerylonidae

A small family represented in Britain by just five species in two genera, Cerylon (x3), and Murmidius (x2) which are only rarely seen in stored food products. The three Cerylon species are saproxylic and, as their common name suggests, are typically found under loose bark of decaying timber or on the surface at night when they become active, but also at sap-runs and on various fungi upon which they feed, and occasionally in accumulated litter around deadwood. They are slightly flattened, robust little beetles with a shining elongate body, punctured pronotum and striate elytra.

The most frequently observed member of the genus is Cerylon ferrugineum, which is entirely pale brown and around 2mm long. The rarest species is Cerylon fagi with very few records and has never been recorded locally.

Cerylon histeroides is a widespread, but rather localised species, which seems to be far more common across central and south eastern areas than it is in the south, west or north. It hasn't been officially recorded and verified from either Dorset (VC9) or South Hampshire (VC11) for many years. Adults are dark reddish-brown to black with slightly paler appendages. They are superficially similar to the rare form Cerylon fagi, but more streamlined and readily distinguished by the antennae where segments 4-7 are quadrate to slightly elongate, rather than transverse. They're a tad larger than Cerylon ferrugineum at 1.8-2.3mm. In Europe they are often found in old Beech forests, which is the same habitat as where the individual featured here was seen in the New Forest.

New family added, April 26 (v.1)