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Home » Guide » Arthropods (Arthropoda) » Hexapods (Hexapoda) » Insects (Insecta) » Beetles (Coleoptera) » Polyphaga » Series Cucujiformia » Cucujoidea » Erotylid series » Pleasing Fungus Beetles (Erotylidae) » Pleasing Fungus Beetles (Erotylinae) » Encaustini » Megalodacne

Genus Megalodacne

Classification · Pronunciation · Explanation of Names · Numbers · Identification · Range · Life Cycle · Remarks · Print References · Internet References · Works Cited
Pleasing Fungus Beetle - Megalodacne heros Red and black beetle - Megalodacne fasciata Megalodacne heros Megalodacne héros - Megalodacne heros Megalodacne fasciata Megalodacne fasciata? - Megalodacne fasciata Beetle - Megalodacne fasciata Megalodacne heros
Classification
Kingdom Animalia (Animals)
Phylum Arthropoda (Arthropods)
Subphylum Hexapoda (Hexapods)
Class Insecta (Insects)
Order Coleoptera (Beetles)
Suborder Polyphaga
No Taxon (Series Cucujiformia)
Superfamily Cucujoidea
No Taxon (Erotylid series)
Family Erotylidae (Pleasing Fungus Beetles)
Subfamily Erotylinae (Pleasing Fungus Beetles)
Tribe Encaustini
Genus Megalodacne
Pronunciation
meg-al-o-DAK-nee
Explanation of Names
Author of genus is Crotch, 1873.
Numbers
Two Nearctic species.
Identification
Adults large, brightly colored/patterned.
Larvae (found in bracket fungi) are highly sclerotized.
Range
Eastern United States and Canada
Life Cycle
Larvae feed on bracket fungi. Adults overwinter under bark, often in groups.
Remarks
Megalodacne fasciata is easily confused with Megalodacne heros. M. heros is larger, and lacks the rows of fine punctures on the elytra that are characteristic of M. fasciata.
Side by side comparison (M. fasciata on left, M. heros on right):


Note also different form of scutellar macula, and pronotal sides near hind angles (slightly concave in heros / straight to slightly convex in fasciata).
Print References
(1)
(2)
Internet References
Erotylidae of North America
Works Cited
1.A Manual of Common Beetles of Eastern North America
Dillon, Elizabeth S., and Dillon, Lawrence. 1961. Row, Peterson, and Company.
2.How to Know the Beetles
Ross H. Arnett, N. M. Downie, H. E. Jaques. 1980. Wm. C. Brown Publishers.
Contributed by Troy Bartlett on 16 February, 2004 - 12:32pm
Additional contributions by cotinis, Stephen_WV, Boris Bueche, roar
Last updated 23 February, 2016 - 4:39am

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