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Family Trogidae - Hide 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 Scarabaeoidea (Scarab, Stag and Bess Beetles)
Family Trogidae (Hide Beetles)
Other Common Names Skin Beetles Synonyms and other taxonomic changes Was until recently considered to be a subfamily of the Scarabaeidae in the NA literature. Additionally, older literature treat Omorgus as a subgenus of Trox.
American Beetles (1) is followed here. Explanation of Names Author of family is MacLeay, 1819 ( William Sharp MacLeay, British, 1792-1865). Family name is taken from the Greek "Trox," meaning a weevil or a gnawer. Greek, τρωξ, from τρωγειν, gnaw (2). Numbers Nearctica.com lists one North American genus, Trox, with 37 species.
Arnett, p. 414 (3), lists one genus, Trox, with 42 species. See remarks. Identification "Roughly sculptured, often covered with a crust of soil" (3). Found on carrion at late stages of decomposition, also in bird and mammal nests.
Two genera;
Trox - 3-12mm, rounded scutellum [left]
Omorgus - 9-20mm, hastate scutellum [right]
Habitat Found in/on owl pellets, carrion, bird nests, etc. Season Year round, at least in the South. Food Feeds on hair, skin and feathers. Print References The Century Dictionary--entry for Trox (2)
Vaurie, P. 1955. A revision of the genus Trox in North America (Coleoptera, Scarabaeidae). Bulletin of the AMNH ; v. 106, article 1 (Download PDF) Omorgus is considered a synonym of Trox [suberosus group].
Vaurie, P. and H.F. Howden, 1957. Two new species of Trox from Florida (Coleoptera, Scarabaeidae). American Museum novitates; no. 1818 (Download PDF)
America Beetles, Vol. 2, Chapter 27 (1)
Dillon, p. 559, plate LV (4)
Papp, p. 194, fig. 662-665 (7)
Internet References Insects of Cedar Creek--lists as subfamily of Scarabs, genus Trox.
TAMU Entoblitz--image of Omorgus. Works Cited | 8. | How to Know the Beetles
By Ross H. Arnett, N. M. Downie, H. E. Jaques | |
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