INTERGENERIC ASSOCIATIONS OF STIZOPINID TENEBRIONIDS RELATIVE TO THEIR GEOGRAPHICAL-DISTRIBUTION (COLEOPTERA, TENEBRIONIDAE, OPATRINI, STIZOPINA)

All except one species of the southern African stizopinid genus Eremos tibes Koch are found in common burrows with different subspecies of Pa rastizopus armaticeps Peringuey. In the absence of P. armaticeps, they occur with a species of its closest generic relative, Ennychiatus Koc h. Planostibes namaqua Peringuey occupies this niche outside the range of Eremostibes in the Western Care Province. The ranges of the associ ating species show extensive overlap All species are nocturnal, fossor ial detritivores with specific microhabitat requirements, P. armaticep s being subsocial and constructing subterranean foodstores. Eremostibe s opacus Koch is an olfactory mimic and cleptoparasite of P. armaticep s in the Kalahari Desert. Evidence that the other associations are not coincidental is presented, and the taxonomic validity of the genera E remostibes and Planostibes Mulsant & Rey and the subspecies of Parasti zopus is discussed in relation to behavioural, chemical and ecological parameters. Similar associations between freeliving, close generic re latives are unknown in other Coleoptera.