Genus Cercyon

Classification · Explanation of Names · Numbers · Habitat · Remarks · Print References · Internet References · Works Cited

pale apex mushroom beetle, Cercyon? - Cercyon

Wrack-heap Hydrophilidae - Cercyon litoralis

Compost hydrophilid - Cercyon praetextatus

Classification

Kingdom Animalia (Animals)

Phylum Arthropoda (Arthropods)

Class Insecta (Insects)

Order Coleoptera (Beetles)

Suborder Polyphaga (Water, Rove, Scarab, Longhorn, Leaf and Snout Beetles)

Superfamily Hydrophiloidea (Water Scavenger and Clown Beetles)

Family Hydrophilidae (Water Scavenger Beetles)

Subfamily Sphaeridiinae

Genus Cercyon

Explanation of Names

Cercyon (Wiki link) was a figure in Greek mythology. He was a very strong man and the son of Poseidon.

Numbers

39 Nearctic spp., many introduced from the Palearctic region (1)

Habitat

Many spp. found in fungi, dung, carrion, compost and leaf litter.

Remarks

Adults of many spp. are attracted to lights

Print References

Sharp, D. 1882-1887. Biologia Centrali-Americana: Insecta, Coleoptera. Volume I, Part 2. Plate 3 with two spp. of Cercyon.

Smetana, A. 1978. Revision of the subfamily Sphaeridiinae of America north of Mexico (Coleoptera: Hydrophilidae). Memoirs of the Entomological Society of Canada 105: 1–292.

Smetana, A. 1988. Review of the family Hydrophilidae of Canada and Alaska (Coleoptera). Memoirs of the Entomological Society of Canada 142: 1–316.

Staines, C.L. 2008. Hydrophiloidea (Insecta: Coleoptera) of Plummers Island, Maryland. Bulletin of the Biological Society of Washington 15(1): 151-152.

Internet References

Cercyon type specimens at the Harvard MCZ

Tree of Life Web Project. 2007. Cercyon. Version 24 April 2007 (temporary). http://tolweb.org/Cercyon/60905/2007.04.24 in The Tree of Life Web Project, http://tolweb.org/

Works Cited

1.	American Beetles, Volume II: Polyphaga: Scarabaeoidea through Curculionoidea By Arnett, R.H., Jr., M. C. Thomas, P. E. Skelley and J. H. Frank. (eds.)

Contributed by Jim McClarin on 19 September, 2005 - 8:35pm
Additional contributions by Mike Quinn
Last updated 8 February, 2009 - 9:59am

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