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Family Sphaeriusidae - Minute Bog Beetles

Representative Images

Specimen 1, dorsal - Sphaerius Specimen 2, ventral close - Sphaerius Specimen 3, dorso-lateral, wings spread - Sphaerius Specimen 3, lateral close (left palp missing) - Sphaerius minute bog beetles Sphaerius sp. - Sphaerius Beetle - Sphaerius Beetle - Sphaerius Beetle - Sphaerius

Classification

Kingdom Animalia (Animals)
Phylum Arthropoda (Arthropods)
Subphylum Hexapoda (Hexapods)
Class Insecta (Insects)
Order Coleoptera (Beetles)
Suborder Myxophaga
Family Sphaeriusidae (Minute Bog Beetles)

Synonyms and other taxonomic changes

Microsporidae Crotch 1873, Sphaeriidae Erichson 1845

Explanation of Names

Sphaeriusidae Erichson 1845

Numbers

a single genus, with 3 nominal spp. in our area(1), ~20 spp. worldwide

Size

0.5-1.2 mm(1)

Identification

Very small beetles with clubbed antennae, large hind coxal plates, and abdominal sternites of unequal width(1)

Range

worldwide except S. America; in our area, so. US & WA(1)

Habitat

Along rivers and streams, in bog mosses, and moist leaf litter(1)

Food

Algae(1)

Print References

International Committee of Zoological Nomenclature. 2000. Opinion 1957, Sphaerius Waltl, 1838 (Insecta, Coleoptera): conserved; and Sphaeriidae Erichson, 1845 (Coleoptera): spelling emended to Sphaeriusidae, so removing the homonymy with Sphaeriidae Deshayes, 1854 (1820) (Mollusca, Bivalvia). Bulletin of Zoological Nomenclature 57(3):182-184.
Jäch, M. A. 1999. Case 3052. Sphaerius Waltl, 1838 and Sphaeriusidae Erichson, 1845 (Insecta, Coleoptera): proposed conservation by the partial revocation of Opinion 1331. Bulletin of Zoological Nomenclature 56(2):117-120.

Works Cited

1.American Beetles, Volume I: Archostemata, Myxophaga, Adephaga, Polyphaga: Staphyliniformia
Arnett, R.H., Jr., and M. C. Thomas. (eds.). 2000. CRC Press LLC, Boca Raton, FL.
Contributed by Brad Barnd on 27 June, 2010 - 5:19pm
Additional contributions by Phillip Harpootlian, v belov
Last updated 16 January, 2014 - 2:52pm

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