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Family Sphaeriusidae - Minute Bog Beetles

Sphaerius sp. - Sphaerius Specimen 1, dorsal - Sphaerius Specimen 3, anterior (left palp missing) - Sphaerius Sphaerius larvae?? - Sphaerius Sphaerius larvae?? - 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.