Journal Article

PUBDB-2025-01064

http://join2-wiki.gsi.de/foswiki/pub/Main/Artwork/join2_logo100x88.png The Morphology of the Rare Beetle Silphopsyllus desmanae (Leiodidae), a Commensal of the Semiaquatic Russian Desman

Jałoszyński, P. ; Meira, O. M.Extern* ; Yavorskaya, M. I.Extern* ; Prokin, A. ; Grabe, V. ; Beutel, R. G. (Corresponding author)Extern*

2025
Wiley Malden, Mass. [u.a.]

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Please use a persistent id in citations: doi:10.1002/jmor.70031  doi:10.3204/PUBDB-2025-01064

Abstract: Silphopsyllus desmanae, a species of the small subfamily Platypsyllinae of Leiodidae, lives in the fur of the semiaquatic Russian desman, and is apparently adapted to this highly specialized life style. Even though the morphology of adults of the species was described almost 70 years ago, we re-examined it with modern methods and documented its external and internal features in detail, and discuss them with respect to phylogeny and function. Our analyses of morphological data place Leptinillus as the sister group of the remaining genera of Platypsyllinae, and Leptinus as the sister group of Silphopsyllus + Platypsyllus. Platypsyllinae are supported by many putative autapomorphies: supraantennal ridges directed mesad but not extending beyond the antennal insertions and not forming a transverse ridge; tentorium without connected laminatentoria anterior to the tentorial bridge; submentum subrectangular; labrum about as wide as the maxillary-labial complex; elongate and posteriorly projecting lateral lobes of the mentum; antennomeres lacking periarticular gutters (and Hamann's organs); cervical sclerites absent; precoxal prosternal region distinctly longer than the coxal rests; mesocoxal cavities situated closer to the body midline than to the lateral mesothoracic margins; metanepisterna fused with the metaventrite; metascutum laterally overlapping the meso- and metapleural regions; procoxae subglobose or only slightly elongate; mesocoxae subglobose. Platypsyllinae are most likely the sister group of Coloninae + Cholevinae. Eight unique apomorphies differentiating Platypsyllus from all the remaining Platypsyllinae are mainly adaptations for living in the fur of beavers. Silphopsyllus is much less adapted to life on a semiaquatic host than Platypsyllus.

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Contributing Institute(s):

1. DOOR-User (DOOR ; HAS-User)
2. Helmholtz-Zentrum Hereon (Hereon)

Research Program(s):

1. 6G3 - PETRA III (DESY) (POF4-6G3) (POF4-6G3)

Experiment(s):

1. PETRA Beamline P05 (PETRA III)
2. DORIS Beamline BW2 (DORIS III)

Appears in the scientific report 2025

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Database coverage:
; ; ; BIOSIS Previews ; Biological Abstracts ; Clarivate Analytics Master Journal List ; Current Contents - Life Sciences ; DEAL Wiley ; Essential Science Indicators ; IF < 5 ; JCR ; Nationallizenz ; SCOPUS ; Science Citation Index Expanded ; Web of Science Core Collection ; Zoological Record

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