Other Common Names
larvae are often called grubs; 'white grubs' usually refers to scarab larvae
Synonyms and other taxonomic changes
recently undergone massive taxonomic changes
(1), although the superfamilial arrangement appears settled
(2). Many groups once treated as families are now subfamilies, and vice versa.
Recent changes in higher taxonomy followed in the Guide but not reflected in
(3)(4)
Scydmaenidae &
Silphidae sunk into Staphylinidae
Ceratocanthidae sunk into Hybosoridae
Anobiidae are now Ptinidae
Microsporidae are now Sphaeriusidae
Languriidae sunk into Erotylidae
Cybocephalidae restored
(5)
Rhysodidae tend to be treated within Carabidae (arrangement not yet implemented in the Guide)
Akalyptoischiidae split from Latridiidae
Peltidae, Thymalidae, and Lophocateridae split from Trogossitidae
Mauroniscidae and Rhadalidae split from Melyridae
Bruchidae sunk into Chrysomelidae
(4)
Disteniidae split from Cerambycidae
Ithyceridae sunk into Brentidae
Explanation of Names
Coleoptera Linnaeus 1758
Greek 'sheath wing';
Aristotle already called beetles 'koleopteros' (κολεοπτερος) to refer to the hardened front wings.
beetle means 'little biter', from Old English bītan, 'to bite'
Identification
VISUAL GUIDE TO FAMILIESNot aligned with the scheme above! • Number in brackets corresponds to chapter in (3)(4) • Thumbnails-only version
Order Coleoptera
Family
Cupedidae - Reticulated Beetles [1]
Family
Micromalthidae - Telephone-pole Beetles [2]
Family
Sphaeriusidae - Minute Bog Beetles [3]
Family
Hydroscaphidae - Skiff Beetles [4]
Family
Rhysodidae - Wrinkled Bark Beetles [5]
Family
Carabidae - Ground Beetles [6]
Family
Gyrinidae - Whirligig Beetles [7]
Family
Haliplidae - Crawling Water Beetles [8]
Family
Trachypachidae - False Ground Beetles [9]
Family
Noteridae - Burrowing Water Beetles [10]
Family
Amphizoidae - Trout-stream Beetles [11]
Family
Dytiscidae - Predaceous Diving Beetles [12]
Family
Hydrophilidae - Water Scavenger Beetles [13]
Family
Sphaeritidae - False Clown Beetles [14]
Family
Histeridae - Clown Beetles [15]
Family
Hydraenidae - Minute Moss Beetles [16]
Family
Ptiliidae - Featherwinged Beetles [17]
Family
Agyrtidae - Primitive Carrion Beetles [18]
Family
Leiodidae - Round Fungus Beetles [19]
Family
Silphidae - Carrion Beetles [21]
Family
Staphylinidae - Rove Beetles [20 & 22]
Family
Lucanidae - Stag Beetles [23]
Family
Diphyllostomatidae - False Stag Beetles [24]
Family
Passalidae - Bess Beetles [25]
Family
Glaresidae - Enigmatic Scarab Beetles [26]
Family
Trogidae - Hide Beetles [27]
Family
Pleocomidae - Rain Beetles [28]
Family
Geotrupidae - Earth-Boring Scarab Beetles [29]
Family
Ochodaeidae - Sand-loving Scarab Beetles [30]
Family
Hybosoridae - Scavenger Scarab Beetles [31 & 32]
Family
Glaphyridae - Bumble Bee Scarab Beetles [33]
Family
Scarabaeidae - Scarab Beetles [34]
Family
Eucinetidae - Plate-thigh Beetles [35]
Family
Clambidae - Minute Beetles [36]
Family
Scirtidae - Marsh Beetles [37]
Family
Dascillidae - Soft-bodied Plant Beetles [38]
Family
Rhipiceridae - Cicada Parasite Beetles [39]
Family
Schizopodidae - False Jewel Beetles [40]
Family
Buprestidae - Metallic Wood-boring Beetles [41]
Family
Byrrhidae - Pill Beetles [42]
Family
Elmidae - Riffle Beetles [43]
Family
Dryopidae - Long-toed Water Beetles [44]
Family
Lutrochidae - Travertine Beetles [45]
Family
Limnichidae - Minute Marsh-loving Beetles [46]
Family
Heteroceridae - Variegated Mud-loving Beetles [47]
Family
Psephenidae - Water Penny Beetles [48]
Family
Ptilodactylidae - Toe-winged Beetles [49]
Family
Chelonariidae - Turtle Beetles [50]
Family
Eulichadidae - Forest Stream Beetles [51]
Family
Callirhipidae - Callirhipid Cedar Beetles [52]
Family
Artematopodidae - Soft-bodied Plant Beetles [53]
Family
Brachypsectridae - Texas Beetles [54]
Family
Cerophytidae - Rare Click Beetles [55]
Family
Eucnemidae - False Click Beetles [56]
Family
Throscidae - False Metallic Wood-boring Beetles [57]
Family
Elateridae - Click Beetles [58]
Family
Lycidae - Net-winged Beetles [59]
Family
Telegeusidae - Long-lipped Beetles [60]
Family
Phengodidae - Glowworm Beetles [61]
Family
Lampyridae - Fireflies [62]
Family
Omethidae - False Soldier Beetles [63]
Family
Cantharidae - Soldier Beetles [64]
Family
Jacobsoniidae - Jacobson's Beetles [65]
Family
Derodontidae - Tooth-necked Fungus Beetles [66]
Family
Nosodendridae - Wounded-tree Beetles [67]
Family
Dermestidae - Carpet Beetles [68]
Family
Bostrichidae - Horned Powder-post Beetles [69]
Family
Anobiidae - Death-watch and Spider Beetles [70]
Family
Lymexylidae - Ship-timber Beetles [71]
Family
Trogossitidae - Bark-gnawing Beetles [72]
Family
Cleridae - Checkered Beetles [73]
Family
Mauroniscidae - Mauroniscid Beetles [ ]
Family
Melyridae - Soft-winged Flower Beetles [74]
Family
Sphindidae - Cryptic Slime Mold Beetles [75]
Family
Kateretidae - Short-winged Flower Beetles [76]
Family
Nitidulidae - Sap-feeding Beetles [77]
Family
Smicripidae - Palmetto Beetles [78]
Family
Monotomidae - Root-eating Beetles [79]
Family
Silvanidae - Silvanid Flat Bark Beetles [80]
Family
Passandridae - Parasitic Flat Bark Beetles [81]
Family
Cucujidae - Flat Bark Beetles [82]
Family
Laemophloeidae - Lined Flat Bark Beetles [83]
Family
Phalacridae - Shining Flower Beetles [84]
Family
Cryptophagidae - Silken Fungus Beetles [85]
Family
Erotylidae - Pleasing Fungus Beetles [86 & 87]
Family
Byturidae - Fruitworm Beetles [88]
Family
Biphyllidae - False Skin Beetles [89]
Family
Bothrideridae - Dry Bark Beetles [90]
Family
Cerylonidae - Minute Bark Beetles [91]
Family
Endomychidae - Handsome Fungus Beetles [92]
Family
Coccinellidae - Ladybird Beetles [93]
Family
Corylophidae - Minute Hooded Beetles [94]
Family
Akalyptoischiidae - Akalyptoischiid Scavenger Beetles
Family
Latridiidae - Minute Brown Scavenger Beetles [95]
Family
Mycetophagidae - Hairy Fungus Beetles [96]
Family
Archeocrypticidae - Cryptic Fungus Beetles [97]
Family
Ciidae - Minute Tree-fungus Beetles [98]
Family
Tetratomidae - Polypore Fungus Beetles [99]
Family
Melandryidae - False Darkling Beetles [100]
Family
Mordellidae - Tumbling Flower Beetles [101]
Family
Ripiphoridae - Wedge-shaped Beetles [102]
Family
Zopheridae - Ironclad Beetles [103, 104 & 105]
Family
Tenebrionidae - Darkling Beetles [106]
Family
Prostomidae - Jugular-horned Beetles [107]
Family
Synchroidae - Synchroa Bark Beetles [108]
Family
Oedemeridae - False Blister Beetles [109]
Family
Stenotrachelidae - False Longhorn Beetles [110]
Family
Meloidae - Blister Beetles [111]
Family
Mycteridae - Palm and Flower Beetles [112]
Family
Boridae - Conifer Bark Beetles [113]
Family
Pythidae - Dead Log Beetles [114]
Family
Pyrochroidae - Fire-Colored Beetles [115]
Family
Salpingidae - Narrow-waisted Bark Beetles [116]
Family
Anthicidae - Antlike Flower Beetles [117]
Family
Aderidae - Antlike Leaf Beetles [118]
Family
Ischaliidae - Broad-hipped Flower Beetles
Family
Scraptiidae - False Flower Beetles [119]
Family
Cerambycidae - Longhorned Beetles [120]
Family
Megalopodidae - Megalopodid Leaf Beetles [122]
Family
Orsodacnidae - Ravenous Leaf Beetles [123]
Family
Chrysomelidae - Leaf Beetles [121 & 124]
Family
Nemonychidae - Pine Flower Snout Beetles [125]
Family
Anthribidae - Fungus Weevils [126]
Family
Belidae - Cycad Weevils [127]
Family
Attelabidae - Leaf Rolling Weevils [128]
Family
Brentidae - Straight-snouted Weevils [129 & 130]
Family
Curculionidae - Snout and Bark Beetles [131]
Habitat
virtually any terrestrial and freshwater habitat
See Also
Dermaptera (earwigs) have pincer-like appendages at the tip of the abdomen.
Heteroptera (true bugs) have sucking mouthparts; front wings rarely meet in a straight line.
Print References
Useful reference (other than already cited):
Guides:
(13)(14)(15)(16)(17)(18) ▪ immatures
(19) ▪ aquatic:
(20)(21) ▪ stored product pests
(22)
Faunal lists:
(10)(23)(24)(25)(26)(27)(28)
Non-native beetles:
(29)(30)
Evolutionary history, recent findings:
(31)Internet References
type specimen images at
(32)(33)
Miscellanea:
(34)(35)(36)(37)(38)(27)(39)(40)
Helpful sites covering Palaearctic fauna:
(41)(42)(43)(44)
