The Aderids of the Maltese Islands (Central Mediterranean) (Coleoptera, Aderidae)

Abstract

The Aderidae is a small family of beetles within the Heteromera with about 1200 species worldwide (Lawrence et al., 1990). All genera are in need of revision and their phylogenetic relationships within the family are unknown (cf. Lawrence & Newton, 1995). Little information is available on their biology, and only a few larvae have been described (Hayashi, 1972; Lawrence et al., 1990; Young, 1991;Yanega & Leschen, 1995). Only one species has been recorded from the Maltese Islands (Cameron & Caruana Gatto, 1907). The study of recently collected material, confirmed the presence of this species and adds a. new record. The following works were consulted for species identifications: Baguena Corella (1948), Borowiec & Tarnawski (1983), Kaszab (1956, 1969), Pic (1903), Porta (1934) and Werner (1990). The classification and sequence of species follow the checklist of the Italian Fauna (Angelini et al., 1995). All material was collected by one of us (DM), and is deposited in the collections of the authors.