Overview
The family, as here constituted, includes at least three distinct subgroups, some members of which have been placed in other families: Xenoscelinae, Languriinae and Cryptophilinae. A close relationship exists with Erotylidae and the two families are sometimes merged; the cryptophilines, on the other hand, have been combined with the exotic Toraminae in a separate family, Cryptophilidae (Crowson 1981). Among the Xenoscelinae, the widespread and introduced
Leucohimatium arudinaceum
has been found feeding on smut spores (Basidiomycetes: Uredinales) and occurs in stored products,
Loberus
have been found in decaying vegetation, and
Xenocryptus tenebroides
and some
Hapalips
have been found feeding on the pollen of cycads.
Cryptophilus
occur in leaf litter and mouldy vegetation, and
C. integer
is a minor stored product pest with world-wide distribution.
Description
Moderately to narrowly elongate, subcylindrical to slightly (occasionally strongly) flattened, setose to glabrous, and reddish brown in colour, sometimes with yellow markings or (Languriinae) with black or metallic blue elytra and red prothorax. Head large; eyes coarsely facetted; lateral pronotal margins almost always simple (rarely crenulate or with anterior callosities in
Leucohimatium
); tarsi with setose lobes beneath; elytral epipleura well-developed and complete; ventrite 1 not much longer than 2.
Larvae elongate, cylindrical to flattened, sometimes with lateral thoracic and abdominal processes, and moderately lightly sclerotised, sometimes with upper surfaces granulate or tuberculate. Urogomphi straight or curved, simple or complex; mandibular prostheca with broad base; mala falcate; head without median endocarina, except in
Leucohimatium
.
Distribution
The Australian languriines are placed in the genera
Anadastus
and
Caenolanguria
; nothing is known of their biology, but in some parts of the world languriine larvae are stem-borers. [Aitken 1975; Lawrence 1988a; Sen Gupta 1968a, 1968b; Sen Gupta and Crowson 1971.]