Glaresidae Preudhomme de Borre, 1886

Glaresidae Preudhomme de Borre, 1886 View in CoL

Figs 4F, 6D

Diagnosis. Glaresidae are represented by small species (2.5–6 mm) similar to the genus Trox Fabricius, 1775 ( Trogidae ) ( Scholtz et al. 1987). However, Glaresidae can be easily separated from Trogidae by a conspicuous characteristic of the large bulbous eyes divided by a prominent canthus ( Fig. 6D; which is absent in species of Trogidae as showing in Fig. 6E).

Remarks. Glaresidae are a monogeneric family with 92 species described worldwide ( ZÍdek 2015, Keller and Skelley 2020, Schoolmeesters 2023). Glaresis Erichson, 1848 was originally classified as a genus of the Trogidae , or sometimes as Scarabaeidae , until the phylogenetic study conducted by Scholtz (1986). One year later, the group was elevated to the rank of family by Scholtz et al. (1987). The proposal made by Scholtz et al. (1987) was supported by both morphological ( Browne and Scholtz 1999) and molecular ( Smith 2006, Ahrens et al. 2014) phylogenies, and is followed today.

Regarding the Brazilian territory, only one species, Glaresis pardoalcaidei MartÍnez, Pereira & Vulcano, 1961 , has been reported from Paraná state (see Costa-Silva and Vaz-de-Mello 2023a). It is not uncommon to find specimens of Glaresidae in Brazilian collections, indicating that G. pardoalcaidei – as well as other related new morphotypes still undescribed – has a wider geographical distribution in the country than previously thought. However, without a formal revision of the group, which needs to be urgently undertaken, this information will remain unknown to the scientific community.

Specimens of Glaresidae are often found in sandy habitats such as riverbanks and dune systems ( Paulsen 2016). They can be collected actively, using flight interception traps or light traps.