Other Common Names
larvae are often called grubs; 'white grubs' usually refers to scarab larvae
Synonyms and other taxonomic changes
The Coleoptera have recently undergone massive taxonomic changes
(1)(2)(3), although the superfamilial arrangement appears settled
(4). Many groups once treated at family rank are now subfamilies, and vice versa.
If you can't find your group:
search with a wildcard (e.g. Pselaphi* - the former Pselaphidae is now treated as a subfamily of the Staphylinidae), OR
go to the Taxonomy tab and click the "view all" link to see the list of all the subordinate taxa on one page
Recent changes in higher taxonomy followed in the Guide but not reflected (or not fully implemented) in
(1)(2)
Scydmaenidae sunk into Staphylinidae
Ceratocanthidae sunk into Hybosoridae
Anobiidae are now Ptinidae
members of the cerylonid clade recently moved from Cucujoidea to a separate superfamily, Coccinelloidea, and underwent massive splitting
Brachypteridae are now Kateretidae
Microsporidae are now Sphaeriusidae
Languriidae sunk into Erotylidae
Cybocephalidae restored
(5)
Monommatidae and Colydiidae sunk into Zopheridae
Rhysodidae are increasingly treated within Carabidae (arrangement not yet implemented in the Guide)
Derodontoidea per Lawrence et al. (2010)
Akalyptoischiidae split from Latridiidae
Peltidae, Thymalidae, and Lophocateridae split from Trogossitidae
Mauroniscidae and Rhadalidae split from Melyridae
Bruchidae sunk into Chrysomelidae (had a separate family chapter (121)
(2) but were also included into the key to subfamilies
(2) and the synopsis of the higher classification of NA Chrysomelidae
(2))
Disteniidae split from Cerambycidae
Ithyceridae sunk into Brentidae
Explanation of Names
Coleoptera: Greek
koleon 'sheath' +
pteron 'wing';
Aristotle already called beetles 'koleopteros' (κολεοπτερος) to refer to the hardened front wings protecting the membranous hind wings.
English beetle means "the little biter", derived from Old English bītan, "to bite" (Patridge 1958)
Identification
Adult:
elytra (forewings) horny or leathery, almost always meeting in a straight line down the back and covering the membranous hindwings that are usually longer than the elytra, and folded beneath the elytra when not in use. In some groups the elytra are short and do not fully cover the abdomen. One or both pairs of wings are rarely reduced or absent. The
antennae typically 11-segmented (rarely more or less) and variable in shape. The
tarsi 3- to 5-segmented. Abdomen commonly has 5 segments visible, sometimes with up to 8.
Mouthparts of adults and most larvae adapted for chewing.
Larva: variable in form, hardness of body, and development of appendages, but commonly with hardened (sclerotized) head capsule, 3 pairs of thoracic legs and soft body
VISUAL GUIDE TO FAMILIESNot aligned with the scheme above! • Numbers in brackets correspond to American Beetles chapter(1)(2) • 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
Food
various plant, fungal, and animal matter
Life Cycle
complete
metamorphosis; otherwise, extremely diverse
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 sources (other than already cited):
Guides:
(12)(13)(14)(15)(16)(17)(18)(19) | aquatic:
(20)(21)
Faunal lists:
(9)(22)(23)(24)(25)(26)
Non-native beetles:
(27)(28)
Evolutionary history, recent findings:
(29)Internet References
type specimen images at
(30)(31)
Miscellanea:
(32)(33)(34)(35)(36)(26)(37)(38)
Helpful sites covering Palaearctic fauna:
(39)(40)(41)(42)
