Comparative morphology of immatures of neotropical Chauliognathinae (Coleoptera, Cantharidae)

Abstract

Presented here are morphological descriptions and comparisons of the last instar larvae and pupae of Chauliognathus flavipes (Fabricius, 1781), C. humeralis Pic, 1915, C. ignaciosus Pic, 1924, C. spinipennis Pic, 1915, C. unifasciatus Pic, 1928, Daiphron mediofasciatum Pic, 1949, and Macromalthinus brasiliensis (Pic, 1906). First instar larvae of Chauliognathus ignaciosus and Belotus obscurus (Pic, 1906) are also described and illustrated. The last instar larva of Chauliognathus opacipennis Pic, 1925 is redescribed and illustrated based on specimens described by Costa et al. (1988) as C. flavipes. Immatures of BelotusGorham, 1881, DaiphronGorham, 1881 and Macromalthinus Pic, 1919, were unknown prior to this study, and are herein described for the first time. The galea of the maxilla is also studied for the first time in Chauliognathinae. Remarks on the natural history of those groups and morphological comparisons between known immatures of New World Chauliognathinae are also provided, as well as a diagnosis of the subfamily.