Family Rhipiceridae - Cicada Parasite Beetles

Classification · Other Common Names · Synonyms and other taxonomic changes · Explanation of Names · Numbers · Size · Range · Life Cycle · Remarks · Works Cited

Beetle with fan shaped antenna - Sandalus niger - male

Deathwatch Beetle ( Ptilinus basalis) - Sandalus niger - male

A Sandalus Trio - Sandalus niger - male - female

Sandalus niger ovipositing? - Sandalus niger - female

Classification

Kingdom Animalia (Animals)

Phylum Arthropoda (Arthropods)

Subphylum Hexapoda (Hexapods)

Class Insecta (Insects)

Order Coleoptera (Beetles)

Suborder Polyphaga

No Taxon (Series Elateriformia)

Superfamily Dascilloidea

Family Rhipiceridae (Cicada Parasite Beetles)

Other Common Names

Cedar Beetles

Synonyms and other taxonomic changes

Sandalidae

Explanation of Names

Rhipiceridae Latreille 1834

rhipi = fan cera = horn

Numbers

5 spp. in a single genus in our area(1), ~70 spp. in 7 genera total(2)

Size

11-25 mm(3)

Range

all major regions of the world(3)

Life Cycle

In fall, they form mating aggregations on tree trunks, sporting their impressive jaws. Mated females deposit their eggs in cracks and crevices of the tree bark. The new hatched larvae must rely on themselves to find an underground host.(4)

Remarks

The larva is quick moving until it finds its host, then it molts and is sluggish.(4)

Works Cited

1.	American Beetles, Volume II: Polyphaga: Scarabaeoidea through Curculionoidea Arnett, R.H., Jr., M. C. Thomas, P. E. Skelley and J. H. Frank. (eds.). 2002. CRC Press LLC, Boca Raton, FL.

2.	Order Coleoptera Linnaeus, 1758. In: Zhang Z.-Q. (ed.) Animal biodiversity: An outline of higher-level classification... Ślipiński S.A., Leschen R.A.B., Lawrence J.F. 2011. Zootaxa 3148: 203–208.

3.	Lawrence J.F., et al. (2000-2005) Elateriformia (Coleoptera): descriptions, illustrations, identification...

4.	Hidden Company that Trees Keep: Life from Treetops to Root Tips James B. Nardi. 2023. Princeton University Press.

Contributed by Phillip Harpootlian on 14 March, 2004 - 7:46pm
Additional contributions by cotinis, v belov, Marci Hess
Last updated 22 October, 2023 - 2:11pm

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