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Home » Guide » Arthropods (Arthropoda) » Insects (Insecta) » Beetles (Coleoptera) » Water, Rove, Scarab, Longhorn, Leaf and Snout Beetles (Polyphaga) » Flower, Flat Bark and Ladybird Beetles (Cucujoidea) » Pleasing Fungus Beetles (Erotylidae) » Pleasing Fungus Beetles (Erotylinae) » Gibbifer » Gibbifer californicus

Species Gibbifer californicus

Classification · Synonyms and other taxonomic changes · Size · Identification · Range · Habitat · Season · Food · Life Cycle · Print References · Internet References · Works Cited

Rough Fungus Beetle - Gibbifer californicus

Unknown Colorado Beetle - Gibbifer californicus

Pleasing Fungus Beetle Exuviae - Gibbifer californicus

Classification

Kingdom Animalia (Animals)

Phylum Arthropoda (Arthropods)

Class Insecta (Insects)

Order Coleoptera (Beetles)

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

Superfamily Cucujoidea (Flower, Flat Bark and Ladybird Beetles)

Family Erotylidae (Pleasing Fungus Beetles)

Subfamily Erotylinae (Pleasing Fungus Beetles)

Genus Gibbifer

Species californicus (Gibbifer californicus)

Synonyms and other taxonomic changes

Cypherotylus asperus

Cypherotylus californicus

described in 1842 by Lacordaire who originally placed it in genus Erotylus

Size

14-18 mm

Identification

Elongated and oval in shape. Head and thorax black, elyrtra dull yellow or purplish and rough, with black spots.

Range

Southwestern United States: Kansas, Wyoming, Colorado, New Mexico, Arizona, south into Mexico

Habitat

Meadows, fields, woodlands, gardens

Season

Summer

Food

Adults feed on nectar, pollen, and some fungi. Larvae feed on fungi that are attacking wood.

Life Cycle

Female lays eggs in bark crevices of fallen, rotting logs. Adults emerge in summer (1).

Print References

Milne, p. 579, plate 139 (1)

Arnett and Jacques, #138 (2)

White, plate 5 (3)

Internet References

Texas Entomology live adult image and species account (Mike Quinn, Texas)

Pleasing Fungus Beetles of North America Family Erotylidae pinned adult image and species account (Paul Skelley, Florida State Collection of Arthropods)

Amazilla.net live adult images from Arizona (Allen Chartier, Michigan)

Works Cited

1.	National Audubon Society Field Guide to Insects and Spiders By Lorus and Margery Milne

2.	Simon & Schuster's Guide to Insects By Dr. Ross H. Arnett, Dr. Richard L. Jacques

3.	Peterson Field Guides: Beetles By Richard E. White

Contributed by Cotinis on 3 March, 2007 - 5:14am
Additional contributions by Robin McLeod, Phillip Harpootlian
Last updated 2 June, 2007 - 10:02pm

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