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Family Elateridae - Click Beetles
Classification Kingdom Animalia (Animals)
Phylum Arthropoda (Arthropods)
Class Insecta (Insects)
Order Coleoptera (Beetles)
Suborder Polyphaga (Water, Rove, Scarab, Longhorn, Leaf and Snout Beetles)
Superfamily Elateroidea (Click, Firefly and Soldier Beetles)
Family Elateridae (Click Beetles)
Other Common Names Larvae are commonly called wireworms Explanation of Names The word "Elater" means literally a "driver or hurler, " and refers to the elastic power of motion possessed by these beetles (Blatchley, p. 698 (1)). See genus Elater for more details. Numbers About 840 North American species. Many species are quite common.
after Johnson 2009
Family ELATERIDAE
Tribe Cebrionini. Scaptolenus, Selonodon
Tribe Elaterini. Diplostethus, Dolerosomus, Elater, Mulsanteus, Orthostethus, Parallelostethus, Sericus
Tribe Megapenthini. Megapenthes
Tribe Agriotini. Agriotella, Agriotes, Dalopius, Glyphonyx, Leptoschema
Tribe Ampedini. Ampedus, Anchastus, Blauta, Dicrepidius, Dipropus, Elatrinus, Melanotus, Physorhinus
Tribe Agrypnini. Agrypnus, Danosoma, Lacon, Meristhus, Rismethus
Tribe Oophorini (=Conoderini). Aeolus, Conoderus, Deronocus, Heteroderes
Tribe Pseudomelanactini. Anthracalaus, Lanelater
Tribe Pyrophorini. Deilelater, Ignelater, Vesperelater
Tribe Hemirhipini. Alaus, Chalcolepidius, Pherhimius
Tribe Athoini. Athous, Denticollis, Elathous, Euplastius, Hemicrepidius, Limonius, Micrathous
Tribe Oxynopterini. Melanactes, Oistus, Perissarthron
Tribe Prosternini. Actenicerus, Anostirus, Anthracopteryx, Beckerus, Corymbitodes, Ctenicera, Eanus, Hadromorphus, Hypoganus, Liotrichus, Metanomus, Neopristilophus, Nitidolimonius, Oxygonus, Paractenicera, Proludius, Prosternon, Pseudanostirus, Selatosomus, Setasomus, Sylvanelater
Tribe Hypnoidini. Ascoliocerus, Berninelsonius, Cryptohypnus, Desolakkerus, Hypnoidus, Hypolithus, Ligmargus, Margaiostus
Fleutiauxellus, Microhypnus, Migiwa, Negastrius, Neohypdonus, Oedostethus, Paradonus, Zorochros
Notes:
1. Ampedus: Ectamenogonus sometimes used for those species with bicarinate pronotal hind angles.
2. Ctenicera: strictly only C. kendalli (Kirby) is attributable to this genus from North America. All other species cataloged in this genus are undergoing taxonomic review and generic transfer. Identification A key to North American genera is found here (2003). Habitat Adults are found on flowers, under bark or on vegetation. Many of the larvae are found in rotten logs. Pupaes are found in the ground, under bark or in rotten logs. Food Adults usually eat plants. Larvae eat newly planted seeds, roots, etc., some eat other insects. Remarks They are peculiar in being able to "click" and jump; in most related groups the union of prothorax and mesothorax is such that there is little or no movement.
The clicking is made possible by the flexible union of the prothorax and mesothorax and the prosternal spine that fits into a groove on the mesosternum. If they are placed on their backs they use this mechanism to snap and jump usually falling right side up. Print References American Beetles, Vol.2, Chapter 58 (2)
Borror and DeLong's Introduction to the Study of Insects (3)
Peterson Field Guides: Beetles (4) |
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