Dichtha
Genus of beetles
From Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia
The white-legged toktokkies (genus Dichtha) are ground-dwelling, Afrotropical beetles in the family Tenebrionidae.[2] They are stout, black beetles of about 2 – 2.5 cm in length. The antennae and legs are covered in pale[3] to brownish[4] down. Like the related genus Psammodes, the adults tap out a rhythm on the ground to attract and locate mates. They feed on both plant and animal material.[3] Some species, like D. inflata, may feign death.[4]
| White-legged toktokkies | |
|---|---|
| |
| D. cubica | |
Scientific classification  | |
| Kingdom: | Animalia |
| Phylum: | Arthropoda |
| Class: | Insecta |
| Order: | Coleoptera |
| Suborder: | Polyphaga |
| Infraorder: | Cucujiformia |
| Family: | Tenebrionidae |
| Tribe: | Sepidiini |
| Genus: | Dichtha Haag-Rutenberg JG, 1871[1] |
Species
The species include:[5]
- Dichtha cubica Guérin-Méneville, 1845 — White-legged toktokkie
- Dichtha inflata Gerstaecker, 1854 — Red-backed toktokkie, Kafadala
- Dichtha modesta Robiche, 2013
- Dichtha transvalica Brancsik, 1914
- Dichtha quedenfeldti Kolbe, 1886
A catalogue of the Sepidiini tribe from 2019[5] considers Dichtha incantatoris Koch, 1952 a nomen nudum and therefore invalid. A likely source of this erroneous name is the popular Field Guide to Insects of South Africa by M Picker, C Griffiths & A Weaving. Specimens identified under this name are likely Dichtha cubica (see this explanation by iNaturalist curator Riaan Stals).
