Overview

Most Ciidae feed as adults and larvae on the hyphae comprising the more durable fruiting bodies of various Basidiomycetes, particularly Polyporaceae; but some feed in rotten vines or branches.

Description

Elongate and subcylindrical or moderately flattened to ovate and globose beetles, subglabrous or clothed with decumbent and/or erect hairs or bristles. Head more or less deflexed, usually with distinct frontoclypeal ridge which may be produced in male to form a plate or paired tubercles or horns. Antennal club large and loose with well-developed, multipronged sensoria; maxillae with reduced lobes and fusiform palps; pronotum large, sometimes with anterior plate or paired horns in male; tibiae almost always lacking spurs and with spines along outer edge; fore tibia often with acute tooth or comb of spines at apex; ventrite 1 often with setose fovea in male.

Larvae elongate, subcylindrical, lightly sclerotised with variable armature (usually paired, hook-like urogomphi) on T9 and pygopod-like 10th segment. Antennae very short, with long sensorium arising from near base of terminal segment; mandible often with acute, hyaline process at base; maxilla with reduced, subapical lacinial lobe.

Distribution

One Australian species, Cis bilamellatus , was introduced into Britain and is now generally distributed throughout England and southern Scotland (Hammond 1974; Paviour-Smith 1960). Most Australian species belong to Cis , but Xylographus , Octotemnus and Orthocis are also well represented. [Blair 1940; Lawrence 1973.]