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jewel beetles         ladybirds         darkling beetles       ant beetles ____________________________________________________________________________________________ COLEOPTERA OEDEMERIDAE OF THÁSOS Vázquez (2002) records 45 species of Oedemeridae from Greece. Twenty-nine species are shown as occurring in north-east Greece but it is not possible from his maps to determine how many species have been reported from Thásos. The only  records previously published for Thásos appear to be those of Karnozickij (1959), who recorded five species from the island in May 1943. These include 'Chrysanthia viridis', which is likely to refer to C. varipes (X.A. Vázquez, pers. comm.) but the record needs confirmation. My own collecting has added four more species to the island list (asterisked below) and I am grateful to Dr Brian Levey for help with identification. The species recorded so far from Thásos are all widespread in Greece and most are also widely distributed throughout Europe, although Oedemera rufofemorata, and Anogcodes seladonius turcicus are south-eastern species restricted to the Balkan region and extending further east.  Oedemerids are comparatively large beetles (mainly around 10mm in length) and are conspicuous on flowers during the day in early to mid summer. Some species have enlarged hind femora (giving rise to the name 'thick-legged flower beetles') whilst others have curiously shaped elytra partially exposing the hindwings. With their elongate antennae and narrow elytra they resemble small longhorn beetles. The larvae of most species develop within rotten spongy wood of dead conifers and broad-leaved trees, but some species occur within the dead stems of herbaceous plants. Oedemerids contain the toxin cantharadin within their body fluids as a chemical defense mechanism, like the oil beetles to which they are closely related, and handling them can cause prominent blisters on the skin. Identification of all European species of Oedemerids is now possible with the recent publication of Vázquez (2002), which includes distribution maps and colour illustrations of all taxa.  CHECKLIST Anogcodes ruficollis (F.)* Anogcodes seladonius turcicus (W. Schmidt)* Anogcodes ustulatus (Scopoli)* Chrysanthia cf. varipes (Keisenwetter) Oedemera femorata (Scopoli) Oedemera flavipes (F.) Oedemera lurida (Marsham) Oedemera rufofemorata Germar Opsimea ventralis Miller*   REFERENCES   Karnozickij, N. 1959. Materialien zur Koleopteren-Fauna der Agäischen Küste und Insel Thasos. Izv. zool. Inst. Sof., 8: 237-253. Vázquez, X.A. 2002. European Fauna of Oedemeridae. Barcelona, Arganio Editio.