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Genus Phileurus
Classification Kingdom Animalia (Animals)
Phylum Arthropoda (Arthropods)
Class Insecta (Insects)
Order Coleoptera (Beetles)
Suborder Polyphaga (Water, Rove, Scarab, Longhorn, Leaf and Snout Beetles)
Superfamily Scarabaeoidea (Scarab, Stag and Bess Beetles)
Family Scarabaeidae (Scarab Beetles)
Subfamily Dynastinae (Rhinoceros Beetles)
Tribe Phileurini
Genus Phileurus
Other Common Names Loving Scarabs Synonyms and other taxonomic changes Phileurus Latreille, 1807. Explanation of Names Appears to be from phil- Greek, lover plus -eurus Greek, wide, extensive, well. Blatchley, p. 995 gives the meaning as Greek "love + well" (1). Numbers Nearctica.com lists three species for North America: P. truncatus, valgus, and vitulus. Identification Large scarabs, rather flattened. Pronotum has longitudinal groove, usually with a depression at the apex (front) and a tubercle there. Range P. truncatus is found in the southeastern United States. P. valgus ranges slightly farthern north, to Indiana, south to Florida and into neotropics. Genus is mostly neotropical. Life Cycle P. valgus (adult? larva?) reported under the bark of decomposing trees. P truncatus reported, in particular, under the bark of dead oaks. (2)
Both sexes come to lights. Reported to have structures for sound production (stridulation). (2)See Also Rhinoceros Beetle, Xyloryctes jamaciensis, is somewhat similar. Print References Taber, pp. 147-148, describes life history briefly, photograph, fig. 127--P. truncatus (2)
Harpootlian, p. 115, figs 229, 279 (3)
Deyrup, p. 96 has a photo of P. truncatus, though it is not identified as such. (4)
Brimley, p. 207, lists P. truncatus and P. floridanus (=valgus) for North Carolina. (5)Internet References Biologia Centrali-Americana has illustrations of three neotropical species: cylindroides, dejeani and laevicauda.
Beetle Experience page on P. valgus.
Clemson Univ.--illustration of P. truncatus
North Carolina State University Entomology Collection lists for that state: P. castaneus (=valgus, 7 pinned), P. truncatus (50 pinned).
Beetles of Florida lists P. truncatus and P. valgus.
Works Cited | 4. | Florida's Fabulous Insects
By Mark Deyrup, Brian Kenney, Thomas C. Emmel |  |
Contributed by Cotinis on 8 July, 2004 - 12:53pm Last updated 5 September, 2009 - 11:28am |
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