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Home » Guide » Arthropods (Arthropoda) » Hexapods (Hexapoda) » Insects (Insecta) » Beetles (Coleoptera) » Polyphaga » Series Cucujiformia » Coccinelloidea » Coccinellid group » Lady Beetles (Coccinellidae) » Coccidulinae » Coccidulini » Rhyzobius

Genus Rhyzobius

Representative Images

Tiny beetle - Rhyzobius lophanthae Scymnine - Rhyzobius lophanthae Lady Beetle - Rhyzobius lophanthae Scymnus? - Rhyzobius forestieri Scymnus? - Rhyzobius lophanthae Rhyzobius lophanthae Lady Beetle - Rhyzobius lophanthae Small Coccinellid... - Rhyzobius

Classification

Kingdom Animalia (Animals)
Phylum Arthropoda (Arthropods)
Subphylum Hexapoda (Hexapods)
Class Insecta (Insects)
Order Coleoptera (Beetles)
Suborder Polyphaga
No Taxon (Series Cucujiformia)
Superfamily Coccinelloidea
No Taxon (Coccinellid group)
Family Coccinellidae (Lady Beetles)
Subfamily Coccidulinae
Tribe Coccidulini
Genus Rhyzobius

Synonyms and other taxonomic changes

First described in 1832 by James Francis Stephens as Rhyzobius. The correct spelling according to the Greek should be Rhizobius, but the rules don't allow a correction in this case. As a result, both spellings are widespread.

Explanation of Names

from Greek rhiza (ριζα)- "root" + bios (βιος)- "life, way of life". The species best known at the time lives at the roots of plants.

Numbers

Two introduced species in North America:
Rhyzobius forestieri
Rhyzobius lophanthae

Size

1.5-3.7 mm long

Identification

Dark reddish-brown or black
Metallic
Densely pubescent (hairy), with a layer of short fine hairs interspersed with some longer hairs; densely "fuzzy" appearance.
Eyes not pubescent

Range

Rhyzobius forestieri: Western California.
Rhyzobius lophanthae: Transcontinental in the southern U.S.

Food

Scale insects.

See Also

Dusky Lady Beetles of Tribe Scymnini look extremely similar, with dark brown or black coloration and pubescence. However, all members of Tribe Scymnini have pubescent eyes and none are metallic. They also have hairs of a single length, not two layers of longer and shorter hairs like Rhyzobius.

Internet References

Illustrations of British Entomology, p.396    Stephens' original description of the genus.
Contributed by Mike Quinn on 17 August, 2010 - 6:13pm
Additional contributions by Chuck Entz, Abigail Parker
Last updated 22 July, 2013 - 10:37am

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