Discovery of Two Aleocharine Staphylinid Species (Coleoptera) Associated with Coptotermes formosanus (Isoptera: Rhinotermitidae) from Central Japan, with a Review of the Possible Natural Distribution of C. formosanus in Japan and Surrounding Countries

• Main Author: Ryutaro Iwata
• Format: Article
• Language: English
• Published: Universidade Estadual de Feira de Santana 2014-09-01
• Series: Sociobiology
• Subjects: Aleocharine Staphylinid Species; Rhinotermitidae; C. formosanus
• Online Access: http://periodicos.uefs.br/index.php/sociobiology/article/view/534

Two termitophilous staphylinid beetles, Japanophilus hojoi Maruyama & Iwata and Sinophilus yukoae Maruyama & Iwata (Staphylinidae: Aleocharinae) are known to inhabit nests of a termite species, Coptotermes formosanus Shiraki (Rhinotermitidae). Previously, these beetles had only been collected from C. formosanus nests in the Nansei Archipelago, between Kyushu and Taiwan. Here, were report their existence in nests in the coastal regions of Wakayama Prefecture, Central Japan. A review of published records strongly supports the hypothesis that Nansei Archipelago, Kyushu and the coastal areas of Kii Peninsular of Honshu, constitute, at least, part of the natural geographic range of C. formosanus.