Episcapha

Episcapha
Adult of unidentified Episcapha sp.,
Cúc Phương National Park, Vietnam
Scientific classification Edit this classification
Kingdom: Animalia
Phylum: Arthropoda
Clade: Pancrustacea
Class: Insecta
Order: Coleoptera
Suborder: Polyphaga
Infraorder: Cucujiformia
Family: Erotylidae
Subfamily: Dacninae
Genus: Episcapha
Lacordaire, 1842[verification needed]
Type species
Episcapha vestita
Lacordaire, 1842
Synonyms

"Episcapha" Dejean, 1837[verification needed] (nomen nudum)

Episcapha is a genus of pleasing fungus beetles (family Erotylidae). Historically placed in subfamily Dacninae (or tribe Dacinini in subfamily Erotylinae), it is one of the genera which have more recently been moved into a distinct subfamily Megalodacninae (or tribe Megalodacnini).

The species of this genus are found in eastern Asia, from easternmost Siberia to Bhutan, India and Sri Lanka, in Southeast Asia and on the Sunda Shelf. They range out to Japan, Taiwan and the Philippines; a few reach the Wallacea and beyond, but scattered records further away, e.g. Australia, may refer to human-introduced individuals. Still, some beetles e.g. from Africa, traditionally placed in other genera (such als the large and controversial Episcaphula assemblage), may actually belong in Episcapha, making the genus more far-ranging than generally assumed.

Systematics

The 40-50 named species in this genus (with new ones still being described occasionally) have long been divided among three subgenera. However, the distinctness of this genus from its close relative Megalodacne has long been controversial, and the delimitation versus other relatives such as Episcaphula is still not robust.

Episcapha (Ephicaspa) Chûjô, 1969 – East Asian restricted-range endemics: Japan, Ryukyu Islands, Chinese mountain ranges.

Episcapha (Episcapha ) quadrimacula mating, Bukidnon, Philippines
E.quadrimacula larva, Mindanao, Philippines

Episcapha (Episcapha) Lacordaire, 1842 – Lower Amur/Ussuri basin in Russian Far East south through East Asia including Japan and Taiwan to Bhutan and along Bay of Bengal shores to Sri Lanka and into inland India, through Southeast Asia to the Sunda Shelf islands and the Philippines; barely into Wallacea (Lombok, Sulawesi).

Episcapha (Psiloscapha) morawitzi adult, Komaki, Japan

Episcapha (Psiloscapha) Heller, 1918 (1920) – distribution almost like Episcapha (Episcapha), but does not extend around Bay of Bengal; instead, reported beyond Wallacea from Mamberamo River, New Guinea. E.glabra seems to form a trans-Java Sea cryptic species complex with E.hypocrita and E.javanica.

Historically, Episcapha was often included in Megalodacne. In addition, the huge genus Episcaphula contains some species – namely the disputed type species of subgenus Lanugodacne, E.trifasciata – which may be misidentified Episcapha. Proposed members of Episcaphus with unclear validity are:

"E. (Psiloscapha)" semperi is now in Micrencaustes.

References

  1. 1 2 3 4 5 6 7 8 9 10 11 12 13 14 15 16 17 18 19 20 21 22 23 24 25 26 27 28 29 30 31 32 33 34 35 36 37 38 39 40 41 42 43 44 45 46 Chûjô, Michio & Chûjô, Michitaka (1988): A catalog of the Erotylidae (Insecta, Coleoptera) from the old world (excl. the Ethiopian region) I. Esakia 26: 139-185. PDF fulltext.
  2. ↑ Chansri, Kittipum; Somsiri, Kanoktip; Quicke, Donald L.J. & Butcher, Buntika A. (2023): First confirmed parasitism of pleasing fungus beetles (Coleoptera, Erotylidae) by a tropical rhyssine ichneumonid, and first record for Cyrtorhyssa moellerii Bingham (Hymenoptera, Ichneumonidae) from Thailand. J. Hymenopt. Res. 96: 783–804. doi:10.3897/jhr.96.107196
  3. ↑ "Episcapha Dejean, 1833". www.gbif.org. Retrieved 11 March 2021.
  4. 1 2 3 4 5 "Genus Episcapha". iNaturalist. Retrieved 2 July 2026.
  5. 1 2 tcriley: iNaturalist Forum "Subgenus question (Type species)" discussion. 2025-02-25, retrieved 2026-07-02.
  6. 1 2 3 "Episcapha Lacordaire, 1842". BioLib. Retrieved 2026-07-01.
  7. ↑ "Irian Barat (Mamberao Riv.)" in Chûjô & Chûjô (1988) is lapsus.
  8. ↑ Wikispecies: Episcapha
  9. 1 2 3 Delkeskamp, Kurt (1943): Aus Afrikas Erotyliden-Fauna (Col.) 9. Beitrag zur Kenntnis der Erotyliden. ["From the erotylid fauna of Africa. 9th contribution to the knowledge of erotylids." Article in German.] Dt. entomol. Z. 1943: 28-55. PDF fulltext.
  10. ↑ Delkeskamp, Kurt (1953): Dacninæ (Coleoptera Clavicornia) Fam. Erotylidæ. In: de Witte, G.F.; Adam, W.; Janssens, A.; van Meel, L. & Verheyen, R.: Exploration du Parc National de l'Upemba (Mission G.F. de Witte) / Exploratie van het Nationaal Upemba Park (Zending G.F. de Witte) 17(4): 59-82. PDF fulltext