Rhizophaginae. 13spp., 2 genera. Shining, appearing glabrous except beyond X100 when small setae are visible. Pronotum with rounded hind angles, front angles rounded or slightly emarginate, without basal fovea. Procoxal cavities transverse.
Monotominae. 9spp. of Monotoma. Well developed scale-like setae form rows along elytra, visible X10. Pronotum always with a basal fovea and well developed anterior angles, often with lateral teeth. Procoxal cavities rounded.
Rhizophagus are commonly found under bark, mostly near fungi, sap or mould and around decaying animal and vegetable matter. Sometimes among Scolytid burrows. Sieving well decayed compost heaps can be productive. R. parallelocollis Gyll. and R. perforatus Er. are subterranean, the former associated with graveyards and found in coffins, sometimes swarming around graves or rubbish heaps. Development is rapid; R. bipustulatus, fed on fungal hyphae in Scolytid galleries, took between 5 and 7 weeks from egg to pupae, a pupal cell was hollowed out among Scolytid larval frass and the phase lasted about two weeks
Monotoma species live among dung and decaying vegetable matter and can be sieved in large numbers from the outside layers of hot compost heaps, also from birds' nests and recorded from blossom. Extractions from bark and fungus taken around Watford during the winter has been very productive. Separating the beetles from samples can be frustrating as adult Monotoma often remain motionless for a long time even under warm lights, when they do it is very slow.
The most recent guide to their identification is Peacock's RES Handbook.
See ID AIDS
Rhizophagus
dispar
Rhizophagus
dispar
Rhizophagus
dispar
Rhizophagus
dispar
Rhizophagus
dispar
Rhizophagus
bipustulatus
Rhizophagus
bipustulatus