The Nitidulidae and Kateretidae (Coleoptera: Cucujoidea) of Sicily: Recent records and updated checklist

Abstract

This paper compiles an updated checklist of Sicilian species of Nitidulidae and Kateretidae from historical bibliographical data, and new Sicilian material collected by the first author and several other Italian and European entomologists in the last few decades. The paper is completed with an updated checklist of the species so far recorded from the island, including those based on unpublished data or extracted from recently examined material. A total of 88 species are reported (81 Nitidulidae and 7 Kateretidae). The new records for the Island include 10 Nitidulidae and 1 undescribed Kateretidae, and the neotropical Colopterus abdominalis (Erichson, 1843) is first recorded for Europe. The presence in SE Sicily of the invasive beehive pest Aethina tumida Murray, 1867, recently introduced to Calabria (Summer 2014), is also confirmed. Eight species, previously doubtfully recorded for Sicily, are to be excluded from the Sicilian fauna.