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© Don Windsor, 2005-2008 Platyphora haroldi	© John Pickering, 2006-2009 passilid beetle 1

Kinds

Acanthocnemidae Aclopidae Aegialiidae Aglycyderidae Agyrtidae Alleculidae -- Comb-clawed beetles Amphizoidae -- Trout-stream beetles Anobiidae -- Death-watch beetles, Spider beetles, Powderpost beetles Anthicidae -- Antlike flower beetles, Ant-like beetles Anthribidae -- Fungus weevils, Fungus Weevils Aphodiidae Apionidae Archeocrypticidae Artematopidae Attelabidae -- Leaf-rolling beetles, Leaf Rolling Weevils Aulonocnemidae Belidae Biphyllidae Boganiidae Bolboceratidae Boridae -- Conifer Bark Beetles Bostrichidae -- Branch and twig borers, Horned powder-post beetles, False powder-post beetles, Borers Bothrideridae Brachyceridae Brachypsectridae Brathinidae -- Grass-root beetles Brentidae -- Straight-snouted beetles, Straight-snouted Weevils, Primitive weevils Bruchidae -- Seed beetles, Weevils Buprestidae -- Metallic wood-boring beetles, Flat-headed wood-borers Byrrhidae -- Pill beetles Byturidae -- Fruitworm beetles, Fruit worms Callirhipidae Cantharidae -- Soldier beetles Carabidae -- Ground beetles, Tiger beetles Cavognathidae Cebrionidae -- Cebrionid beetles Cephaloidae -- False longhorn beetles Cerambycidae -- Long-horned beetles, Longhorned Beetles Ceratocanthidae Cerophytidae -- Cerophytid beetles Cerylonidae Cetoniidae Chaetosomatidae Chalcodryidae Chelonariidae -- Chelonariid beetles Chrysomelidae -- Leaf beetles, Leaf Beetles Cicindelidae -- Tiger beetles Ciidae Cisidae -- Minute tree-fungus beetles Clambidae -- Fringe-winged beetles Clavigeridae -- Ant-loving beetles Cleridae -- Checkered beetles, Checkered Beetles Cneoglossidae Coccinellidae -- Ladybird beetles, Lady Beetles, Lady beetles, Ladybugs, Ladybirds Colydiidae -- Cylindrical bark beetles, Cylindrical Bark Beetles Corylophidae Cryptophagidae -- Silken fungus beetles, Mold beetles, Fungus beetles Cucujidae -- Flat bark beetles, Flat Bark Beetles Cupedidae -- Reticulated beetles Curculionidae -- Snout beetles, Snout Beetles, Aquatic weevils, Bark beetles, Scout beetles, Weevils Cyladidae -- The sweetpotato weevil Dascillidae -- Soft-bodied plant beetles Dasyceridae Dasytidae -- Soft-winged flower beetles Dermestidae -- Dermestids, Skin beetles, Carpet beetles, Dermestid beetles Derodontidae -- Tooth-necked fungus beetles Diabrotica Diphyllostomatidae Discolomidae Drilidae Dryophthoridae -- Palm weevils Dryopidae -- Long-toed water beetles Dynastidae Dytiscidae -- Predaceous diving beetles, Predacious diving beetles Elateridae -- Click beetles, Wireworms Elmidae -- Riffle beetles Elminthidae Endomychidae -- Handsome fungus beetles, Handsome Fungus Beetles Erirhinidae Erotylidae -- Pleasing fungus beetles, Pleasing Fungus Beetles Euchiridae Eucinetidae Eucnemidae -- False click beetles Euglenidae -- Antlike leaf beetles Eulichadidae Georyssidae -- Minute mud-loving beetles Geotrupidae -- Earth-boring dung beetles Glaphyridae -- Bumble Bee Scarab Beetles Glaresidae Gyrinidae -- Whirligig beetles Haliplidae -- Crawling water beetles Helodidae -- Marsh beetles Helotidae Hemipeplidae -- Hemipeplid beetles Heteroceridae -- Variegated mud-loving beetles Histeridae -- Hister beetles, Clown beetles Homalisidae Hybosoridae Hydraenidae Hydrophilidae -- Water scavenger beetles Hydroscaphidae -- Skiff beetles Hygrobiidae Inopeplidae -- Inopeplid beetles Ithyceridae -- New York weevil, New york weevils Jacobsoniidae Kateretidae -- Short-winged Flower Beetles Laemophloeidae -- Lined Flat Bark Beetles, Grain beetles Lagriidae -- Long-jointed beetles Lamingtoniidae Lampyridae -- Lightningbugs, Fireflies Languriidae -- Lizard beetles, Lizard Beetles Lathridiidae -- Minute brown scavenger beetles Leiodidae -- Round fungus beetles, Round Fungus Beetles Lepiceridae Leptinidae -- Mammal-nest beetles Leptodiridae -- Small carion beetles Limnebiidae -- Minute moss beetles Limnichidae -- Minute marsh-loving beetles Limulodidae -- Horseshoe crab beetles Lucanidae -- Stag beetles Lutrochidae Lycidae -- Net-winged beetles Lyctidae -- Powder-post beetles Lymexylidae -- Ship-timber beetles Lymexylonidae -- Timberworm beetles Malachiidae -- Soft-winged flower beetles Melandryidae -- False darkling beetles Meloidae -- Blister beetles, Ship-timber beetles Melyridae -- Soft-winged Flower Beetles Micromalthidae -- Micromalthid beetles Micropeplidae Monoedidae -- Monoedid beetles Monommidae -- Monommid beetles Monotomidae -- Small flattened bark beetles Mordellidae -- Tumbling flower beetles Murmidiidae -- Murmidiid beetles Mycetaeidae -- Mycetaeid fungus beetles Mycetophagidae -- Hairy fungus beetles Mycteridae Nemonychidae -- Pine-flower snout beetles Nitidulidae -- Sap beetles Nosodendridae -- Wounded-tree beetles Noteridae -- Burrowing water beetles Ochodaeidae Oedemeridae -- False blister beetles Omethidae Ommatidae Orphnidae Orsodacnidae -- Orsodacnid Leaf Beetles Orthoperidae -- Minute fungus beetles Ostomidae -- Bark-gnawing beetles Othniidae -- False tiger beetles Oxycorynidae -- Oxycorynid weevils Pachypodidae Passalidae -- Bess beetles, Patent leather beetles Passandridae -- Parasitic Flat Bark Beetles Pedilidae -- Pedilid beetles Perimylopidae Perothopidae -- Perothopid beetles Phalacridae -- Shining flower beetles Phengodidae -- Glow-worms, Glowworm beetles Phloeostichidae Phloiophilidae Phycosecidae Platypodidae -- Pin-hole borers Platypsyllidae -- Beaver parasites Pleocomidae Propalticidae Prostomidae Protocucujidae Pselaphidae -- Short-winged mold beetles Psephenidae -- Water-penny beetles Pterogeniidae Ptiliidae -- Feather-winged beetles Ptilodactylidae -- Ptilodactylid beetles, Toe-winged beetles Ptinidae -- Spider beetles Pyrochroidae -- Fire-colored beetles Pythidae -- Dead Log Beetles Raymondionymidae Rhinorhipidae Rhipiceridae -- Cedar beetles, Cicada parasite beetles Rhipiphoridae -- Wedge-shaped beetles, Wedge-shaped Beetles Rhizophagidae -- Root-eating beetles Rhychophoridae -- Billbugs, Grain weevils,Braod-nosed bark beetles Rhynchitidae -- Tooth-nosed snout beetle Rhysodidae -- Wrinkled bark beetles Salpingidae -- Narrow-wasted bark beetles, Narrow-waisted Bark Beetles Scaphidiidae -- Shining fungus beetles Scarabaeidae -- Scarab beetles, Scarabs, Dung beetles, Flower beetles, Rain beetles, Tumblebugs Scirtidae -- Marsh beetles Scolytidae -- Bark or Engraver beetles,Ambrosia or Timber beetles, Ambrosia, Ambrosia beetles, Bark beetles, Engraver beetles, Engrave beetles Scraptiidae Scydmaenidae -- Antlike stone beetles, Ant-like Stone Beetles Silphidae -- Carrion beetles, Carrion Beetles Silvanidae -- Flat grain beetles, Silvanid flat bark beetles Sphaeriidae -- Minute bog beetles Sphaeritidae -- False clown beetles Sphaeriusidae Sphaerosomatidae Sphindidae -- Dry-fungus beetles Sphinidae Staphylinidae -- Rove beetles Synchroidae Synteliidae Telegeusidae -- Telegeusid beetles Tenebrionidae -- Darkling beetles Termitotrogidae Tetratomidae -- Polypore Fungus Beetles Throscidae -- Throscid beetles, False metallic wood-boring beetles Torridincolidae Trictenotomidae Trogidae -- Hide or skin beetles Trogositidae Trogossitidae -- Bark-gnawing Beetles, Bark-gnawing beetles, Cadelles Unknown Zopheridae -- Ironclad Beetles

Overview

Beetles are an incredibly diverse group of organisms. More species of beetles have been found than for any other group. With a conservative estimate of three million species, Coleoptera is the largest order of insects on the planet. This makes up at least half of the living species on Earth. Coleoptera also has the highest diversity including some of the largest insects like the living Hercules beetle,Dynastes hercules. The name Coleoptera means "sheathed wing," referring to the hardened and thickened fore wings which are used as a sheath to cover the more delicate membranous hind wings. Because of the hardened wings, beetles have a much better fossil record than most other insects. The first fossil record of beetles dates back to the Permian.-- (Berkeley Musuem of Paleontology).

Identification

Aleocharinae -- IDnature guide to genera of these rove beetles in North America Chrysomelidae -- IDnature guide to some leaf beetle species in Panama and parts of South America Beetles have many distinct features, but the most prevalent is the hardened fore wings from which their name is derived (koleos - sheath, pteron - wing). These hardened wings, or elytra, are used to protect the delicate hind wings as well as the abdomen. This protective layer may help them exploit narrow passageways in their habitat (for example, in leaf litter and under bark). Many Coleoptera use their hind wings for flight by opening their elytra just enough to extend the hind wings which are folded under the elytra in a complex manner. Other derived characteristics include uncommon body segmentation. Unlike the common head / thorax / abdomen segmentation, Coleoptera's hind two thoracic segments are joined with the abdomen. The abdomen also houses the retracted genetalia. Coleoptera usually have biting mouthparts and a gula present on the undersurface of the head. Antennae usually have eleven articles.--(David R. Madison, University of Arizona). Coleopterous larvae contain a head, three thoracic segments, and usually eight to ten abdominal segments. Younger larvae may even possess three pairs of small thoracic legs. Pupation usually occurs in a cavity in the earth or near the feeding place. Some species however form cocoons made from fragments of earth or wood slightly cemented together. The pupal stage lasts about one to three weeks. The insect, once emerged, is at first soft and almost colorless. After a few days it begins to gain its color and its elytra begins to harden (Sharp 1922). The Adephaga "may be most easily recognized by the development of the hind coxae which separate the first visible abdominal sternum. In the other suborder (Polyphaga), the hind coxae do not completely separate the first visible abdominal sternum. In addition to this feature, Adephaga usually have the hind trochanters particularly well developed and projecting free from the femur. In Polyphaga the hind trochanters are usually less conspicuous. The presence a well developed notopleural suture, while more difficult to appreciate, will identify this suborder. This suture is absent in Polyphaga."-- Eddie Dunbar, Berkeley (2)

Phylogeny

Taxonomic Category Scientific Name Common Name Phylum Arthropoda Arthropods Class Insecta Insects Order Coleoptera Beetles and Weevils ADEPHAGA Amphizoidae - trout-stream beetles Haliplidae - crawling water beetles Noteridae - burrowing water beetles Rhysodidae - wrinkled bark beetles Caraboidea Carabidae - ground beetles Cicindelidae - tiger beetles Dytiscidae - predaceous diving beetles Gyrinoidea Gyrinidae - whirligig beetles ARCHOSTEMATA Cupedoidea Cupedidae - reticulated beetles Micromalthidae - micromalthid beetles Ommatidae MYXOPHAGA Microsporoidea Hydroscaphidae Lepiceridae Microsporidae (Sphaeriidae) (Sphaeriusidae) Torridincolidae POLYPHAGA Bostrichoidea Anobiidae - anobiid beetles Bostrichidae - branch and twig borers Lyctidae - powder-post beetles Ptinidae - spider beetles Byrrhoidea Byrrhidae - pill beetles Chelonariidae - chelonariid beetles Nosodendridae - wounded-tree beetles Cantharoidea Cantharidae - soldier beetles Lampyridae - lightningbugs, fireflies Lycidae - net-winged beetles Phengodidae - glow-worms Cerambycoidea Cerambycidae - long-horned beetles Chrysomeloidea Bruchidae - seed beetles Chrysomelidae - leaf beetles Cleroidea Cisidae - minute tree-fungus beetles Cleridae - checkered beetles Dasytidae - soft-winged flower beetles Dermestidae - dermestid or skin beetles Malachiidae - soft-winged flower beetles Ostomidae - bark-gnawing beetles Cucujoidea Anthicidae - antlike flower beetles Byturidae - fruitworm beetles Cephaloidae - false longhorn beetles Coccinellidae - ladybird beetles Colydiidae - cylindrical bark beetles Cryptophagidae - silken fungus beetles Cucujidae - flat bark beetles Derodontidae - tooth-necked fungus beetles Endomychidae - handsome fungus beetles Erotylidae - pleasing fungus beetles Euglenidae - antlike leaf beetles Hemipeplidae - hemipeplid beetles Inopeplidae - inopeplid beetles Languriidae - lizard beetles Lathridiidae - minute brown scavenger beetles Monoedidae - monoedid beetles Monommidae - monommid beetles Monotomidae - small flattened bark beetles Murmidiidae - murmidiid beetles Mycetaeidae - mycetaeid fungus beetles Mycetophagidae - hairy fungus beetles Nitidulidae - sap beetles Oedemeridae - false blister beetles Othniidae - false tiger beetles Pedilidae - pedilid beetles Phalacridae - shining flower beetles Pyrochroidea - fire-colored beetles Rhizophagidae - root-eating beetles Salpingidae - narrow-waisted bark beetles Silvanidae - flat grain beetles Sphindidae - dry-fungus beetles Curculionoidea Anthribidae - fungus weevils Apionidae - apionid weevils Attelabidae - leaf-rolling weevils Brentidae - straight-snouted weevils Curculionidae - snout beetles Cyladidae - the sweetpotato weevil Ithyceridae - the New York weevil Nemonychidae - pine-flower snout beetles Oxycorynidae - oxycorynid weevils Platypodidae - oxycorynid weevils Rhynchitidae - tooth-nosed snout beetles Rhychophoridae - billbugs, grain weevils, and broad-nosed bark beetles Scolytidae - bark or engraver beetles, and ambrosia or timber beetles Dascilloidea Dascillidae - soft-bodied plant beetles Helodidae - marsh beetles Ptilodactylidae - ptilodactylid beetles Dryopoidea Dryopidae - long-toed water beetles Elmidae - riffle beetles Georyssidae - minute mud-loving beetles Heteroceridae - variegated mud-loving beetles Limnichidae - minute marsh-loving beetles Psephenidae - water-penny beetles Elateroidea Buprestidae - metallic wood-boring beetles Cebrionidae - cebrionid beetles Cerophytidae - cerophytid beetles Elateridae - click beetles Eucnemidae - false click beetles Perothopidae - perothopid beetles Rhipiceridae - cedar beetles Throscidae - throscid beetles Hydrophiloidea Histeridae - hister beetles Hydrophilidae - water scavenger beetles Hydroscaphidae - skiff beetles Limnebiidae - minute moss beetles Lymexylonoidea Lymexylonidae - timberworm beetles Telegeusidae - telegeusid beetles Melooidea Meloidae - blister beetles Rhipiphoridae - wedge-shaped beetles Mordelloidea Mordellidae - tumbling flower beetles Scarabaeoidea Lucanidae - stag beetles Passalidae - bess beetles Scarabaeidae - scarab beetles Staphylinoidea Brathinidae - grass-root beetles Clambidae - fringe-winged beetles Clavigeridae - ant-loving beetles Leiodidae - roung fungus beetles Leptinidae - mammal-nest beetles Leptodiridae - small carrion beetles Limulodidae - horseshoe crab beetles Orthoperidae - minute fungus beetles Platypsyllidae - beaver parasites Pselaphidae - short-winged mold Ptiliidae - feather-winged beetles Scaphidiidae - shining fungus beetles Scydmaenidae - antlike stone beetles Silphidae - carrion beetles Sphaeriidae - minute bog beetles Sphaeritidae - false clown beetles Staphylinidae - rove beetles Tenebrionoidea Alleculidae - comb-clawed beetles Lagriidae - long-jointed beetles Melandryidae - false darkling beetles Tenebrionidae - darkling beetles

Photographs

Geographic distribution

Worldwide, except for Antarctic Checklists GSMNP carabid beetles GSMNP scarab beetles

Natural history

"The oldest beetle fossils are from the Lower Permian (about 265 million years old; Ponomarenko, 1995); since then the group has diversified into many different forms. They range in size from minute featherwing beetles (Ptiliidae), adults of which are as small as 0.3 mm long, to the giant Goliath and Hercules beetles (Scarabaeidae), which can be well over 15 cm. While most species are phytophagous, many are predacious, or fungivores, or are parasitoids. They communicate to one another in many ways, either by use of chemicals (e.g. pheromones), sounds (e.g. stridulation), or by visual means (e.g. fireflies). They live in rainforest canopies, the driest deserts, in lakes, and above treeline on mountains."-- David R. Maddison, University of Arizona (David R. Madison, University of Arizona). "Adephagans diverged from their sister group in the late Permian, with the most recent common ancestor of living adephagans probably existing in the early Triassic, around 240 million years ago (Ponomarenko, 1977; Erwin, 1979). Both aquatic and terrestrial representatives of the suborder appear in the fossil record in the late Triassic, with a Jurassic fauna consisting of trachypachid, carabid, gyrinid, and haliplid-like forms (Ponomarenko, 1977). The familial and tribal diversification of the group spans the Mesozoic period, with a few tribes radiating explosively in the Tertiary (e.g., members of the carabid subfamily Harpalinae, Erwin, 1985). Adephagans are diverse in diet and structure. Most are general predators, although algal feeders (Haliplidae), seed feeders (many harpaline carabids), fungal feeders (rhysodines), specialist predators on snails (licinine and cychrine carabids), and ectoparasitoids of other insects (brachinine and lebiine carabids) or millipedes (peleciine carabids), occur. Many lineages have gone down, into caves, while others have gone up, into the rain forest canopy or alpine habitats. The body forms of some have become highly modified structurally for life in unusual habitats (e.g., gyrinids at the air-water interface, paussine carabids in ants' nests, rhysodines in heartwood). Some are ovoviparous (pseudomorphine carabids, Liebherr and Kavanaugh, 1985). A variety of chemical defense mechanisms have evolved in the group, including the explosive discharge of bombardier beetles (Aneschansley et al., 1969)."-- David R. Maddison, University of Arizona (1)

Links to other sites

coleoptera.org information and images University of California, Berkeley Ground beetles of Canada -- Canadian Biodiversity Information Facility

References

Aneschansley, D. J., T. Eisner, J.M. Widom, and B. Widom. 1969. Biochemistry at 100°C: explosive secretory discharge of bombardier beetles (Brachinus). Science 165: 61-63. Arnold'di, L.V., V.V. Zherikhin, L.M. Nikritin, and A.G. Ponomarenko (eds.). 1977. Mezozoiskie Zhestkokrylye. Akademiya Nauk SSSR, Trudy Paleontologicheskogo Instituta, Vol. 161. Nauka Publishers, Moscow. Erwin, T. L. 1979. Thoughts on the evolutionary history of ground beetles: hypotheses generated from comparative faunal analyses of lowland forest sites in temperate and tropical regions. In T. L. Erwin, G. E. Ball, D. R. Whitehead and A. L. Halpern (ed.), Carabid Beetles: Their Evolution, Natural History, and Classification. The Hague, Dr. W. Junk bv. pp. 539-592. Erwin, T. L. 1985. The taxon pulse: A general pattern of lineage radiation and extinction among carabid beetles. In G. E. Ball (ed.), Taxonomy, Phylogeny and Zoogeography of Beetles and Ants. A volume dedicated to the Memory of Philip Jackson Darlingon, Jr. (1904-1983). Dordrecht, Dr W. Junk. 437-472. Liebherr, J. K. and D. H. Kavanaugh. 1985. Ovoviviparity in carabid beetles of the genus Pseudomorpha (Insecta: Coleoptera). Journal of Natural History 19(6): 1079-1086.

Acknowledgements

John Pickering University of Georgia, Athens. I thank Sabina Gupta, Denise Lim, and Cassie Lloyd, University of Georgia, Athens, for technical and web support in developing this page.