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Home » Guide » Arthropods (Arthropoda) » Hexapods (Hexapoda) » Insects (Insecta) » Beetles (Coleoptera) » Polyphaga » Series Staphyliniformia » Staphylinoidea » Featherwing[ed] Beetles (Ptiliidae) » Acrotrichinae » Acrotrichini » Acrotrichis
Photo#33706
sub-1mm beetle - Acrotrichis
Copyright © 2005 Jim McClarin

sub-1mm beetle - Acrotrichis
Hollis, Hillsborough County, New Hampshire, USA
October 1, 2005
Size: 0.9 - 1.0 mm
This minute beetle was apparently on one of the woodland fungi I searched for beetles. My M.O. was to spead a piece of white plastic (an opened-out plastic grocery-type bag) and palpate, crumble and/or mush various fungi over it to scare out the inhabitants. Roves and other beetles would drop onto the plastic where they could be easily collected.

Images leave a lot to be desired, but one at least is the best I have ever taken of a beetle this small. The other contains a small gray springtail for size comparison.

Images of this individual: tag all
sub-1mm beetle - Acrotrichis sub-1mm beetle - Acrotrichis
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Contributed by Jim McClarin on 4 October, 2005 - 8:19pm
Last updated 5 October, 2005 - 8:15pm

Acrotrichis sp.
Jim-

This is a representative of the "featherwinged" beetles, or Ptiliidae (I believe the first one for the 'guide?). There are many, many genera, but this is a dead ringer for the genus Acrotrichus. The genus is widespread and speciose, so if you want a species determination you'd better start making your microscope slide preparations now!

Thanks for tackling a lot of the little critters- there are plenty more things out there not found in the Guide so long as you're ready to go for the small, obscure critters!

cheers,
… Zack Falin, 5 October, 2005 - 9:59am login or register to post comments

 
Thanks Zack!
Yes, it appears to be a first for the family on this site. I think I've contributed several new families so far, which gives me a sense of making a contribution here. Some day maybe I'll get a *real* lens for the tiny subjects. Meantime I'm still finding ways to get better images using my salvaged photocopier lens.
… Jim McClarin, 5 October, 2005 - 8:12pm login or register to post comments

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