Family Cleridae - Checkered Beetles

Checkered Flower Beetles (1)

family classification has been recently revised, with multiple new subfamilies erected(2); the new arrangement seems to have gained the support of clerid specialists worldwide and is followed here

From genus Clerus Fabricius, 1775. That New Latin from Greek klēros (κληρος) "a lot" (object used for casting lots?) (3). Other sources (Merriam-Webster, Perseus Project) refer the original Greek word specifically to Clerus apiarius (= Trichodes apiarius), a predatory associate of bee hives--not mutually exclusive with the "lot" meaning. The origin of the connection to lots is presumably the resemblance of the beetle to boldly-marked pieces of wood, bones, or dice use to cast lots (cleromancy).

almost 300 spp. in 36 genera in our area(4), 50 in Canada(5); >3,600 spp. in >330 genera of 12 subfamilies worldwide(2)

NA fauna catalogued in(6)

Overview of our fauna (classification adapted from(2); * –taxa not yet in the guide; non-native elements in brackets):

Family CLERIDAE

Subfamily THANEROCLERINAE [*Thaneroclerus], Zenodosus

Subfamily ISOCLERINAE Ababa

Subfamily HYDNOCERINAE Phyllobaenus, Isohydnocera, Wolcottia

Subfamily TILLINAE *Bostrichoclerus, Monophylla, Callotillus, Areodontia, Lecontella, Cymatodera, Cymatoderella, *Bogcia

Subfamily CLERINAE Priocera, Perilypus, [*Opilo], Trichodes, Aulicus, Thanasimus, Enoclerus, Placopterus

Subfamily EPIPHLOEINAE Madoniella, Pyticeroides, Ichnea

Subfamily TARSOSTENINAE Tarsostenus

Subfamily PELONIINAE Chariessa, Cregya, Pelonium

Subfamily ENOPLIINAE Boschella, *Parapelonides, Pelonides

Subfamily NEORTHOPLEURINAE *Lebasiella, Loedelia, Neorthopleura

Subfamily KORYNETINAE Necrobia

2-24 mm(4)

Body usually long and narrow, covered with bristly hairs and often marked with red, orange, yellow, or blue; head usually wider than pronotum; pronotum sybcylindrical and narrower than elytra; antennae vary considerably and are of great diagnostic value within the group

Helpful online sources for visual identification:(7)(8)(9)(10)

worldwide and throughout NA; more diverse in the south, esp. in sw. US(4)

predaceous on other insects, larvae mostly on wood- and cone-borers; some adults feed on pollen; a few species are scavengers(4)