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Migneauxia lederi Reitter, 1875

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POLYPHAGA Emery, 1886

CUCUJOIDEA Latreille, 1802

LATRIDIIDAE Erichson, 1842

CORTICARIINAE Curtis, 1829

Migneauxia Jacquelin du Val, 1859

Originally described from India (although the genus seems to be native to the Mediterranean region) and soon recorded from Japan, Colombia, Indochina and Denmark, this species occurs among many stored products, although it is not classified as a pest, and has thus been widely transported and sometimes established across the world e.g. it was first reported from North America in 1989 (Andrews, 1989) and is now common at several desert sites in the southern United States and Northern Mexico. The species is regularly imported to Europe and it appears to be spreading e.g. it was first recorded from Germany in 1985 and is now widespread, having become established in the wild. It has also become established in the UK although its origin remains unknown; it occasionally occurs among compost or wood chippings in south-east England and it appears to be spreading. Adults have been recorded throughout the year on the continent.

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1.2-1.6 mm. Elongate, discontinuous in outline and weakly convex. Body finely pubescent and entirely pale brown or with the forebody darker, appendages brown. Head flat between protruding and coarsely-faceted eyes, temples strongly converging to a broad neck, cheeks converging to a narrow clypeal margin, surface very finely punctured and microsculptured throughout. Antennae 10-segmented with a long and loose 3-segmented club. Pronotum transverse, broadest about the middle and narrowed to a rounded apical margin and protruding posterior angles, lateral margin strongly dentate, at least towards the base, basal margin simple and almost straight. Pronotal surface depressed towards the lateral margins, otherwise evenly convex, finely but not densely punctured throughout. Elytra smoothly curved from rounded shoulders to a continuous apical margin, each with 16 rows of fine punctures, each bearing a pale and semi-erect seta, these being obvious along the lateral margins. Femora broad and unarmed, tibiae narrow, only weakly expanded from the base and without apical spurs. Tarsi with three simple segments. Claws smooth and not toothed at the base. Easily distinguished among our fauna by the 10-segmented antennae and the form of the pronotum.

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