Cerylonidae



Cerylonidae are small to tiny (0.8 –), smooth, shiny, hairless beetles, only lightly punctured. There are about 450 species worldwide in 50 or so genera, mostly tropical and subtropical. They are most common under the bark of dead trees, but can also occur in compost and other decaying plant material. Little is known specifically about their biology but they are thought to be either predators that feed on other small animals, or fungus-feeders.

Systematics
The taxonomy is complex. The "Cerylonid Series" is a cluster of highly derived former Cucujoidea families considered by recent authorities to comprise a separate superfamily Coccinelloidea. Several of these families (Alexiidae, Euxestidae, Murmidiidae) used to be included within Cerylonidae.

Cerylonidae in their current circumscription comprise the subfamilies Ceryloninae, Loeblioryloninae and Ostomopsinae in the sense of Ślipiński (1990), with around 344 species in 38 genera:


 * Acautomus Heinze, 1944 (2 spp.) s g
 * Afrorylon Slipinski, 1980 (12 spp.) s g
 * Angolon Dajoz, 1977 (2 spp.) s g
 * Australiorylon Slipinski, 1988 (4 spp.) s g
 * Axiocerylon Grouvelle, 1918 (31 spp.) s g
 * Belingaia Dajoz, 1974 (1 sp.) s
 * Cautomus Sharp, 1885 (22 spp.) s g
 * Cerylon Latreille, 1802 (12 spp.) s i c g b
 * Clavicerylon Ślipiński, 1990 (1 sp.) s g
 * Coccilon Hinton, 1942 (1 sp.) s g
 * Ectomicrus Sharp, 1885 (4 spp.) s g
 * Ellipsorylon Ślipiński, 1990 (1 sp.) s g
 * Glomerylon Ślipiński, 1990 (1 sp.) s g
 * Glyptolopus Erichson, 1845 (5 spp.) s g
 * Gyreleon Hinton, 1942 (4 spp.) s g
 * Ivieus Slipinski, 1990 (1 sp.) s g
 * Johnlawrencella Ślipiński, 2016 (1 sp.) g
 * Lapethinus Ślipiński, 1984 (3 spp.) s g
 * Loebliorylon Slipinski, 1990 (1 sp.) s i c g
 * Mychocerus Erichson, 1845 (45 spp.) s i c g b
 * Neolapethus Sen Gupta & Pal, 1985 (1 sp.) s g
 * Nkolbissonia Dajoz, 1978 (1 sp.) s g
 * Orientrylon Ślipiński, 1990 (2 spp.) s g
 * Oroussetia Dajoz, 1981 (6 spp.) s g
 * Ostomopsis Scott, 1922 (1 sp.) s i c g b
 * Pachylon Sharp, 1885 (2 spp.) s g
 * Pakalukia Ślipiński, 1990 (1 sp.) s g
 * Paracerylon Ślipiński, 1990 (6 spp.) s g
 * Pathelus Dajoz, 1974 (8 spp.) s g
 * Philothermopsis Heinze, 1944 (37 spp.) s g
 * Philothermus Aubé, 1843 (95 spp.) s i c g b
 * Ploeosoma Wollaston, 1854 (1 sp.) s g
 * Pseudocerylon Grouvelle, 1897 (7 spp.) s g
 * Pseudolapethus Ślipiński, 1984 (1 sp.) s g
 * Rostrorylon Ślipiński, 1990 (1 sp.) s g
 * Spinocerylon Ślipiński, 1988 (3 spp.) s g
 * Suakokoia Sen Gupta & Crowson, 1973 (7 spp.) s g
 * Thyroderus Sharp, 1885 (9 spp.) s g

Data sources: s = Ślipiński (1990), i = ITIS, c = Catalogue of Life, g = GBIF, b = Bugguide.net

Extinct genera

 * Protostomopsis Bukejs et al. 2021 ; Baltic amber, Eocene