LARVAE OF WRACK COLEOPTERA 
IN THE FAMILIES CORYLOPHIDAE, 
RHIZOPHAGIDAE, AND LATHRIDIIDAE* 
By Donald S. Chandler 
Department of Entomology 
University of New Hampshire 
Durham, New Hampshire 03824 
Wrack studies in New Hampshire have revealed a number of 
poorly known beetles. The temporary habitat produced by moist 
rotting seaweeds presents an environment which allows certain 
insects to become quite abundant for a short time. After processing 
with a Berlese funnel the siftings of several square meters of wrack 
from Odiorne Point State Park, I noted that large numbers of three 
unfamiliar taxa of beetle larvae were present. Two of these three 
taxa, Orthoperus scutellaris LeConte (Corylophidae) and Mono- 
tonia producta LeConte (Rhizophagidae), were subsequently reared. 
The third taxon is associated with Corticaria valida Fall, the only 
adult lathridiid collected in or near this habitat. Generic characters 
of another described larva of Corticaria confirm this placement. 
Descriptions of these larvae are presented in this paper to aid those 
workers studying wrack fauna. 
All larvae were obtained from beach wrack by the author on June 
15, 1982, at Odiorne Point State Park, Rockingham County, New 
Hamsphire. Adults were reared by July 1, 1982. The two reared 
taxa were processed with a simple program. Plastic boxes with 
removable tops were supplied with a thin layer of sand, enough 
water to saturate the sand, and a piece of rotting wrack. A number 
of the largest larvae of the taxa were separated out, placed in the 
containers, and left undisturbed except for the occasional addition 
of water every 3-4 days. Examination of the gut contents of field 
collected larvae indicated that all three taxa feed on the spores of 
two species of Fungi Imperfecti, Helminthosporium sp. and Alter- 
naria sp., which grow on the rotting kelp. 
♦Scientific Contribution Number 1227 from the New Hampshire Agricultural Exper- 
iment Station. 
Manuscript received by the editor May 8, 1983. 
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