SUBORDERADEPHAGA

Peck, Stewart B., 2016, The beetles of the Lesser Antilles (Insecta, Coleoptera): diversity and distributions, Insecta Mundi 2016 (460), pp. 1-360 : 34

SUBORDERADEPHAGA

9. FAMILY RHYSODIDAE , the wrinkled bark beetles

Adults and larvae are found in dead, wet or moist wood, where they feed on plasmodia of slime molds.

All West Indian species are members of the New World genus Clinidium , which is everywhere wingless.

The beetles probably reach islands by rafting across water gaps in drifting logs. The Lesser Antilles species are all in the guildingi section of the guildingi group of the subgenus Clinidium , and are most closely related to each other, and then to species in the rojasi section (limited to the coastal mountains of central and eastern Venezuela) of the guldingi group (Bell 2001). This initial colonization of the Lesser

Antilles from northern South America . Each species is endemic to its individual higher wet island. Bell and Bell (2009) present a key to all the described species of Clinidium (Clinidium) .

Clinidium (Clinidium) guildingii Kirby 1835: 8 ; Fleutiauxand Sallé 1890: 388; Champion 1898: 403; Bell 1970: 320, 2001: 120. Distribution. St. Vincent; singleisland endemic. Not Cuba, not Guadeloupe. Plate 1.

Clinidium (Clinidium) microfossatum Bell and Bell 1985: 134 ; Bell 2001: 120. Distribution. Martinique; singleisland endemic.

Clinidium (Clinidium) planum (Chevrolat) 1844: 58 ( Rhyzodes ); Bell 1970: 320, 2001: 120. Distribution. Guadeloupe; singleisland endemic.

Clinidium (Clinidium) smithsonianum Bell and Bell 1985: 134 ; Bell 2001: 120. Distribution. Dominica; single island endemic. Notes. Perez-Gelabert 2008: 84 reports this in error from Hispaniola.

Clinidium (Clinidium) undescribed species, near C. planum ; Ivieet al. 2008b: 237. Distribution. Montserrat; singleisland endemic.

Clinidium (Clinidium) undescribed species, new species record. Distribution. St. Lucia * (also mentioned by Daltry 2009: 63); single island endemic.