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Family Trogossitidae - Bark-gnawing Beetles

Trogossitid larva - Thymalus marginicollis Bark-gnawing Beetle - Temnoscheila another Trogossitidae - Bark-gnawing Beetle - Tenebroides nanus Beetle - Temnoscheila Temnoscheila barbata LeConte - Temnoscheila barbata South Texas Tenebroides Bark Beetle - Tenebroides another ceanothus beetle - Eronyxa pallida trogossitid  - Calitys scabra
Classification
Kingdom Animalia (Animals)
Phylum Arthropoda (Arthropods)
Class Insecta (Insects)
Order Coleoptera (Beetles)
Suborder Polyphaga (Water, Rove, Scarab, Longhorn, Leaf and Snout Beetles)
Superfamily Cleroidea (Bark-gnawing, Checkered and Soft-winged Flower Beetles)
Family Trogossitidae (Bark-gnawing Beetles)
Synonyms and other taxonomic changes
Ostomatidae
Explanation of Names
Author of family is Latreille, 1802. Family name is from that of genus Trogosita, which is New Latin (Olivier, 1790), from Greek, combination of τρωγειν, gnaw, plus σιτοζ, grain (1).
Numbers
Insects of Cedar Creek lists 64 North American species.
Size
2-22 mm, most 5-15 mm
Identification
Antennae usually distinctive, ending in 3-segmented club, with those three segments enlarged on one side (2), here shown juxtaposed with the antennae of a carabid:

Most Bark-gnawing Beetles are cylindrical or slightly flattened, and with pronotum and elytra separated by a narrow "waist". The body is typically shiny (2). These tend to live under bark. See, for example, Temnoscheila and Tenebroides:

Some genera are elliptical and flattened with sculptured body, often dull (2). These tend to be associated with bracket fungi. See, for example, Thymalus:

"Although some species of Tenebroides are distinctive (e.g., T. collaris, T. obtusus) many are very similar and difficult to identify, especially from photographs. To maximize the likelihood of a species-level identification photographs of Tenebroides species should include 1) a clear dorsal shot showing the body outline and especially that of the pronotum; 2) a detail shot of the pronotum clearly showing the anterior and basal angles and the basal marginal bead; and 3) a detail shot of the antennal club showing the sensory areas." [M.C. Thomas, 2009]
Habitat
Forests. Some groups found under bark, others found associated with bracket fungi.
Food
Many are predatory on other beetles and their larvae.
Remarks
See Also
Ground beetles, Carabidae, especially Scarites and Clivina -- note the thread-like antennae

Stag beetles, Lucanidae, especially Platycerus -- note the elbowed antennae

Sap-feeding Beetles (Nitidulidae ), such as Prometopia
Print References
Barron, J. R., 1971, A revision of the Trogositidae of America north of Mexico (Coleoptera: Cleroidea): Memoirs of the Entomological Society of Canada, v. 75, 1-143.
The Century Dictionary--entry for Trogosita (1)
White, pp. 208-209, fig. 86, plate 3 (2)
American Beetles, Vol. 2, Chapter 72 (3)
Internet References