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Family Histeridae - Clown Beetles
Classification Kingdom Animalia (Animals)
Phylum Arthropoda (Arthropods)
Subphylum Hexapoda (Hexapods)
Class Insecta (Insects)
Order Coleoptera (Beetles)
Suborder Polyphaga (Water, Rove, Scarab, Long-horned, Leaf and Snout Beetles)
No Taxon (Series Staphyliniformia)
Superfamily Hydrophiloidea (Water Scavenger and Clown Beetles)
Family Histeridae (Clown Beetles)
Other Common Names Hister Beetles Synonyms and other taxonomic changes Histeridae Gyllenhaal 1808 Explanation of Names Latin histrio 'actor' (1). There is some dispute about the origin of the name (2). One idea is that the beetles "act" of feigning death is the reference. Hister was also used by the classical poet Juvenal to mean a low or dirty individual. Another idea is that the flattened legs recall the baggy pants of clowns and other actors ( Wikipedia). Numbers ~440 spp. in 58 genera in our area, ca. 4000 spp. in ~330 genera worldwide (3)(4); sample local faunas: CA 165 spp. (5), FL 139 spp. (6), WI 97 spp. (7), LA 96 spp. (8), Canada 135 spp. (9), Atlantic Canada 37 spp. (10), NB 42 (11)...
Overview of our fauna:
Family HISTERIDAE
Taxa not yet in the guide are marked (*)
Hypocaccus, Hypocacculus, Neopachylopus, *Monachister, Philoxenus, Geomysaprinus, Xerosaprinus, Saprinus, Euspilotus, Chelyoxenus, Aphelosternus, Gnathoncus, Eremosaprinus
Notes on some genera listed in (3): the alleged NA species of Euclasea, Chrysetaerius, and Mroczkowskiella are in fact members of Renclasea, Aritaerius, and Pinaxister, respectively (12). Identification Small to medium-sized, compact, sturdy beetles, typically black and shiny (a few are brightly colored). Family characteristics (2)(13):
elytra short, do not reach tip ( apex) of abdomen, exposing two tergites
species that live under bark very flattened
elytra typically striate and punctate
legs short, tibiae usually compressed, front tibiae modified for digging, middle tibiae often with long spines--provide traction on substrate
five visible abdominal sternites, the first one long, last very short
antennae distinctive: short, elbowed, with "abrupt" 3-segmented club, i.e., geniculate and capitate--fold into cavities on underside of pronotum
tarsal formula 5-5-5 (five tarsal segments on each leg)
Habitat dung, carrion, decomposing fungi, under bark, in ant nests, forest litter, flood debris, treeholes, bird nests, mammal/reptile burrows, at sap flows, under wrack on beaches, and on sandy beaches. Food Adults and larvae predatory on other insects (such as maggots), other small invertebrates. See Also other critters that may be mistaken for [micro]histerids:
Print References Mazur S. (1997) A world catalogue of the Histeridae (Coleoptera: Histeroidea). Biologica Silesiae, Wroclaw. 373 pp. Works Cited | 1. | Dictionary of Word Roots and Combining Forms
Donald J. Borror. 1960. Mayfield Publishing Company. |  |
| 2. | A Manual of Common Beetles of Eastern North America
Dillon, Elizabeth S., and Dillon, Lawrence. 1961. Row, Peterson, and Company. | |
| 9. | The insects and arachnids of Canada. Part 24. Coleoptera Histeridae
Bousquet Y., Laplante S. 2006. NRC Research press, Ottawa. 485 pp. | |
| 11. | New Coleoptera records from New Brunswick, Canada: Histeridae
Webster R.P., Makepeace S., Demerchant I., Sweeney J.D. 2012. Zookeys 179: 11-26. | |
| 13. | Peterson Field Guides: Beetles
Richard E. White. 1983. Houghton Mifflin Company. | |
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