Description

Our familiar European Mycterus is rather atypical of the family as a whole and most species are quite different. They vary from 2 to 12mm, are elongate and usually have the head, pronotum and elytra separately rounded, most are weakly convex although species of Hemipeplus are very flattened, elongate and parallel-sided; so distinctive that they were formerly included in the Cucujidae, they vary from glabrous to densely pubescent and most are rather drab coloured, black to testaceous or bicoloured. The head is usually relatively small but prominent with large convex and protruding eyes and almost all lack a distinct rostrum. Antennae 11-segmented and filiform to serrate, rarely pectinate, inserted laterally in front of the eyes, the insertions visible or hidden from above. Pronotum quadrate to elongate and lacking sculpture although in many with distinct basal fovea, broadest at distinct posterior angles and narrowed anteriorly or evenly rounded laterally and broadest about the middle. Procoxal cavities open behind and often externally also, many species closely resemble Tenebrionidae but here the procoxal cavities are closed behind, in some with a distinct and raised prosternal process, mesocoxae oval and narrowly separated, mesocoxal cavities widely transverse, sometimes reaching the elytral epipleura. Scutellum transverse, oblong to triangular or curved, and usually obvious. Elytra parallel-sided to weakly curved laterally and usually completely covering the abdomen, continuously or separately rounded apically and with well-developed epipleura extending from the base to beyond the middle, often to the apex. Surface variously punctured, often very finely so, and lacking striae. Abdomen with 5 ventrites; 1-3 connate, males often have a patch of dense setae or a tubercle on one or more basal ventrites. Legs generally rather short, thin and lacking teeth or large spurs on the femora and tibiae. Procoxae projecting below the prosternum, with small and concealed trocanters. Tarsi 5-5-4, each with various segments lobed.

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Mycterinae Blanchard, 1845 includes about 17 species of the single genus Mycterus Clairville & Schellenberg, 1798. The distribution is mostly Holarctic with 5 species from the Nearctic, 5 from Asia, and 2 occur in central Europe of which one has been recorded from the U.K. Beyond this 2 species are known from South Africa and several more, including some unidentified, from India. Among the family the genus is very distinctive; very reminiscent of weevils but with serrate antennae and 5-5-4 tarsi, or Salpingidae but with the penultimate tarsal segment lobed. All species are small, 5-11mm, elongate-oval with the pronotum narrower than the elytra and the elytra smoothly rounded apically. All have rather dense adpressed pubescence which varies from pale grey to rich yellow-bronze, even within a species. The head is quadrate with large convex eyes, a distinct rostrum and 11-segmented filiform or serrate antennae. The legs are slender and relatively short with at least one segment of each tarsus lobed. Adults occur on flowers and are often, if sporadically, abundant. The Nearctic M. quadricollis Horn, 1874, the ‘yucca beetle’, is often very abundant on various succulent plants etc. in western desert regions of the United States and has become an occasional pest of ornamental plants in gardens, the adults and larvae burrow through the soft leaves and stems and quickly damage plants.