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Home » Guide » Arthropods (Arthropoda) » Hexapods (Hexapoda) » Insects (Insecta) » Beetles (Coleoptera) » Polyphaga » Scarabaeoidea » Bess Beetles (Passalidae) » Odontotaenius » Horned Passalus (Odontotaenius disjunctus)
Photo#12071
Please help identify a beetle we found, Pensacola, Florida, Escambia County - Odontotaenius disjunctus
Copyright © 2005 Eric Struxness

Please help identify a beetle we found, Pensacola, Florida, Escambia County - Odontotaenius disjunctus
Pensacola, Escambia County, Florida, USA
February 26, 2005
Size: 4cm
We found it in our back yard while cleaning up some tree branches.

Images of this individual: tag all
Please help identify a beetle we found, Pensacola, Florida, Escambia County - Odontotaenius disjunctus Please help identify a beetle we found, Pensacola, Florida, Escambia County - Odontotaenius disjunctus
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Contributed by Eric Struxness on 27 February, 2005 - 6:16pm
Last updated 26 February, 2007 - 11:26am

Horned Passalus, or "Bess Beetle"
Yes, see guide page for this species.

They are harmless, burrow in old logs.

Patrick Coin
Durham, North Carolina
… Cotinis, 28 February, 2005 - 4:33am login or register to post comments

 
Better than harmless
If they are recyclers of old logs they are better than harmless, they are beneficial.
… Beatriz Moisset, 1 March, 2005 - 6:18pm login or register to post comments

 
"Patent leather beetle"
"Patent leather beetle" is another name for this insect. They are almost social in their behavior, adults and larvae co-existing in rotting logs, and even communicating with each other via stridulation (sound produced by rubbing one body part against another). At least seventeen distinct sounds are known.
… Eric R. Eaton, 28 February, 2005 - 11:05am login or register to post comments

Horned Passalus?
Looks like Odontotaenius disjunctus to me but I am no expert.
Look at these images http://www.biosurvey.ou.edu/okwild/misc/hornpass.html
… Charles Schurch Lewallen, 27 February, 2005 - 8:38pm login or register to post comments

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