The pselaphine Bergrothia saulcyi shows features seemingly linked with life in deep soil layers, such as greatly reduced and non-functional compound eyes, a sensorium of long tactile setae, long appendages, and flightlessness. However, the tiny beetles occur in forest leaf litter, together with a community of beetles with wings and well-developed eyes. We hypothesize that B. saulcyi moves into deep soil under dry conditions, and returns to upper layers when humidity increases again. Despite the evolutionary cost of a reduced dispersal capacity, this life strategy may be more efficient and less hazardous than moving to different habitats using flight and the visual sense in an environment periodically drying out. We also discuss cephalic features with potential phylogenetic relevance. Plesiomorphies of B. saulcyi include the presence of anterior tentorial arms, well-developed labral retractors, and a full set of extrinsic maxillary and premental muscles. Apomorphic cephalic features support clades Protopselaphinae + Pselaphinae, and Pselaphinae. A conspicuous derived condition, the clypeo-ocular carina, is a possible synapomorphy of Batrisitae and genera assigned to Goniaceritae. A complex triple set of cephalic glands found in B. saulcyi is similar to a complex identified in the strict myrmecophile Claviger testaceus (Clavigeritae). It is conceivable that glands linked with food uptake in free-living pselaphines were genetically re-programmed in ancestors of inquilines, to enable them to appease the host ants. We suggest that behavioral studies are necessary to understand the poorly known life habits of B. saulcyi. Additional information is required to explain why a species with irreversibly reduced visual sense and other adaptations typical of endogean or cave-dwelling beetles was only collected from the upper leaf litter layer.

• MeSH
• Coleoptera * MeSH
• Ants * MeSH
• Phylogeny MeSH
• Caves MeSH
• Plant Leaves MeSH
• Animals MeSH
• Check Tag
• Animals MeSH
• Publication type
• Journal Article MeSH
• Research Support, Non-U.S. Gov't MeSH

New data on the genus Bryaxis Kugelann, 1974 from Croatia are presented. Two new species, Bryaxis bedeki sp. nov. and Bryaxis biokovensis sp. nov. are described and illustrated. Bryaxis issensis (J. Müller, 1909) is redescribed based on six males collected at the type locality, in the cave Špilja kod Vlore on the island of Vis, and the aedeagus of this species is figured for the first time. New distributional data of Bryaxis scapularis (Reitter, 1881), Bryaxis crepsensis crepsensis (J. Müller, 1947), Bryaxis stolzi (Machulka, 1932), and Bryaxis erichsonii erichsonii (Kiesenwetter, 1849) are also provided.

• MeSH
• Coleoptera anatomy & histology   classification   physiology   MeSH
• Species Specificity MeSH
• Caves MeSH
• Animal Distribution physiology   MeSH
• Animals MeSH
• Check Tag
• Male MeSH
• Female MeSH
• Animals MeSH
• Publication type
• Journal Article MeSH
• Geographicals
• Croatia MeSH

Seven new species of the cavernicolous and anophthalmous genus Thaumastocephalus Poggi, Nonveiller, Colla, Pavićević T. Rađa, 2001 are described: T. bilandzijae sp. n., T. kirini sp. n., T. marsici sp. n., T. rujnicensis sp. n., T. slavkoi sp. n. and T. troglavi sp. n. from Croatia and T. dahnae sp. n. from Bosnia and Herzegovina. Aedeagi of all species are illustrated. A key to all species is provided. The records of all specimens of the genus treated here are given, and their distributions are discussed and shown on maps. The distribution of all genera of cavernicolous Pselaphinae in the Dinarides is discussed.

• MeSH
• Coleoptera * MeSH
• Caves MeSH
• Animal Distribution MeSH
• Animals MeSH
• Check Tag
• Animals MeSH
• Publication type
• Journal Article MeSH
• Geographicals
• Balkan Peninsula MeSH
• Bosnia and Herzegovina MeSH
• Croatia MeSH

Melledobythus bilandzijae, new cavernicolous genus and species of the tribe Bythinini is described from the island of Mljet, Croatia. A detailed morphological study is presented. The new genus belongs to the phylogenetic lineage of small and anophthalmous Bythinini that lack sutural elytral striae.

• MeSH
• Animal Structures anatomy & histology   growth & development   MeSH
• Coleoptera anatomy & histology   classification   growth & development   MeSH
• Ecosystem MeSH
• Caves MeSH
• Animal Distribution MeSH
• Organ Size MeSH
• Body Size MeSH
• Animals MeSH
• Check Tag
• Male MeSH
• Female MeSH
• Animals MeSH
• Publication type
• Journal Article MeSH
• Research Support, Non-U.S. Gov't MeSH
• Geographicals
• Croatia MeSH