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Home » Guide » Arthropods (Arthropoda) » Insects (Insecta) » Beetles (Coleoptera) » Water, Rove, Scarab, Longhorn, Leaf and Snout Beetles (Polyphaga) » Rove, Carrion and Fungus Beetles (Staphylinoidea) » Rove Beetles (Staphylinidae) » Staphylininae » Platydracus
Photo#112043
What is this thing? - Platydracus
Copyright © 2007 Daedelus

What is this thing? - Platydracus
Atchison County, Missouri, USA
Size: about 1"
I found this thing under a piece of hardboard siding at a compost/mulch pile. When disturbed, it curled its abdomen over its head, revealing a yellow underside with black spots. Apparently, it had wings jammed under what I'm assuming are very small elytra. It stretched them out and flew away.
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Contributed by Daedelus on 23 May, 2007 - 10:23am
Last updated 12 July, 2007 - 7:14am

Moved
Moved from Beetles.
… Boris Büche, 12 July, 2007 - 7:14am login or register to post comments

Platydracus sp.
It looks like the fairly common large rove beetle, Platydracus maculosus. It used to be lumped under the overall genus Staphylinus. There are at least two species, however.
… Ed Corey, 23 May, 2007 - 11:35am login or register to post comments

 
Thanks a bunch. I had tried
Thanks a bunch. I had tried Whats That Bug? but couldn't find anything that looked quite like it.
… Daedelus, 23 May, 2007 - 7:22pm login or register to post comments

Rove Beetle
Rove beetle, family Staphylinidae. The behavior you describe is typical. You're right, small elytra.
… Stephen Cresswell, 23 May, 2007 - 10:39am login or register to post comments

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