Los Coleoptera comestibles de México

Abstract

WE RECORDED 126 SPECIES OF EDIBLE INSECTS IN 18 MEXICAN STATES, BELONGING TO 20 FAMILIES, WITH THE FOLLOWING TAXONOMIC DISTRIBUTION: MELOLONTHIDAE (24), CERAMBYCIDAE (22), DYTISCIDAE (18), PASSALIDAE (13), HYDROPHILIDAE (7), T ENEBRIONIDAE (7), CURCULIONIDAE ( 4), MELOIDAE (4), CHRYSOMELIDAE ( 4), ELATERIDAE (4), HALIPLIDAE (4), BUPRESTIDAE (2), CICINDELIDAE (2), GYRINIDAE (2); HISTERIDAE (2), LUCANIDAE ( 2), ZOPHERIDAE ( 2), EROTYLIDAE ( 1), NOTORIDAE ( 1), AND STAPHYLINIDAE (1). THE MOST ABUNDANT FAMILY WAS MELOLONTHIDAE FOLLOWED BY CERAMBYCIDAE, DYTISCIDAE AND PASSALIDAE. FAMILIES WITH MOST EDIBLE GENERA ARE : CERAMBYCIDAE (15), MELOLONTHIDAE (9), PASSALIDAE (6), DYTISCIDAE (6) AND TENEBRIONIDAE (5), 49.23 % OF THE GENERA ARE MONOSPECIFIC, 27.69% ARE BISPECIFIC, 10.76% ARE TRISPECIFIC AND 12.29% HAVE 4-6 EDIBLE SPECIES. THE DISTRIBUTION IN LOCALITIES OF THE STATES SO FAR STUDIED IS INDICATED, AS WELL THE UTILIZATION OF SOME COSMOPOLITAN SPECIES IN OTHER COUNTRIES.