title: Identification of larvae of endangered Cucujus cinnaberinus and C. haematodes (Coleoptera: Cucujidae).
abstract: The red flat bark beetle Cucujus cinnaberinus (Scopoli, 1763) is included as a protected species in the Berne Convention and the European Habitat Directive-Annex II and IV (92/43 EU of 21 May 1992) which requires the establishment of special areas of conservation in the European Union, and listing the species in the International Union for Conservation of Nature Red List of Threatened Species under the near-threatened category. Cucujus haematodes Erichson, 1845 is considered to be one of the most threatened saproxylic species, a relic of primeval forests, in many European countries (including Poland) under protection. Morphology of the larvae of two rare European species of the genus Cucujus (cinnaberinus and haematodes) is compared here. We point out differences which allow the two species to be properly distinguished and which, until now, have been omitted or misinterpreted in literature. The best characteristics seem to be the arrangement of minor spines on the top of basal tooth, the shape of frontal suture, size of stemmata, shape of I antennal joint, localization of basal tooth, and morphology of VIII abdominal tergites.
authors.affiliation: Department of Natural Forests, Forest Research Institute, 17-230 Białowieża, Poland.
authors.forename: Jerzy M
authors.initials: JM
authors.lastname: Gutowski
authors.affiliation: Department of Invertebrate Biology, Evolution and Conservation, Faculty of Biology, Evolution and Ecology, University of Wroclaw, Przybyszewskiego 63/77, 51-148 Wrocław, Poland marcin.kadej@uni.wroc.pl.
authors.forename: Marcin
authors.initials: M
authors.lastname: Kadej
authors.affiliation: Department of Invertebrate Biology, Evolution and Conservation, Faculty of Biology, Evolution and Ecology, University of Wroclaw, Przybyszewskiego 63/77, 51-148 Wrocław, Poland.
authors.forename: Adrian
authors.initials: A
authors.lastname: Smolis
authors.affiliation: Department of Invertebrate Biology, Evolution and Conservation, Faculty of Biology, Evolution and Ecology, University of Wroclaw, Przybyszewskiego 63/77, 51-148 Wrocław, Poland.
authors.forename: Dariusz
authors.initials: D
authors.lastname: Tarnawski
mesh_terms: D063147:Animal Distribution; D000818:Animals; D001517:Coleoptera / Q000033:anatomy & histology* / Q000145:classification* / Q000254:growth & development / Q000502:physiology; D003247:Conservation of Natural Resources; D056727:Endangered Species; D007814:Larva / Q000033:anatomy & histology / Q000145:classification / Q000502:physiology; D011044:Poland
keywords: Cucujidae; Cucujus; identification; larva; morphology