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Home » Guide » Arthropods (Arthropoda) » Hexapods (Hexapoda) » Insects (Insecta) » Beetles (Coleoptera) » Polyphaga » Series Staphyliniformia » Staphylinoidea » Rove Beetles (Staphylinidae) » Large Rove Beetles (Staphylininae) » Staphylinini » Staphylinina » Ontholestes » Gold-and-brown Rove Beetle (Ontholestes cingulatus)

Species Ontholestes cingulatus - Gold-and-brown Rove Beetle

Classification · Other Common Names · Synonyms and other taxonomic changes · Size · Identification · Range · Habitat · Season · Food · Life Cycle · Remarks · Internet References · Works Cited

Gold-and-brown Rove Beetle - Ontholestes cingulatus

28Jun2017.UF.CB.coleo3-1 - Ontholestes cingulatus

On dog dropping - Ontholestes cingulatus

Golden Tailed Rove Beetle, Ontholestes cingulatus - Ontholestes cingulatus

Pennsylvania Beetle - Ontholestes cingulatus

Classification

Kingdom Animalia (Animals)

Phylum Arthropoda (Arthropods)

Subphylum Hexapoda (Hexapods)

Class Insecta (Insects)

Order Coleoptera (Beetles)

Suborder Polyphaga

No Taxon (Series Staphyliniformia)

Superfamily Staphylinoidea

Family Staphylinidae (Rove Beetles)

Subfamily Staphylininae (Large Rove Beetles)

Tribe Staphylinini

Subtribe Staphylinina

Genus Ontholestes

Species cingulatus (Gold-and-brown Rove Beetle)

Other Common Names

"Pie Killer" since they hunt flies and other insects on top of fresh cow pies. (John Acorn)

Synonyms and other taxonomic changes

Ontholestes cingulatus (Gravenhorst)

Orig. Comb: Staphylinus cingulatus Gravenhorst, 1802

Size

13-20 mm

Identification

Clumps of hair forms dark spots on much of body. Yellow hair forms "belt" under thorax, covers parts of last abdominal segments. Head wider than pronotum. Often turns yellow tip of abdomen upward when walking.

Range

across Canada and n. US - Map (1)(2)

Habitat

On Carrion, dung and decaying organic material (R. Bercha)

Season

May-Nov

Food

Flies and fly larva associated with carrion and dung. (R. Bercha)

Life Cycle

Eggs are laid near carrion or fungi; pupate in chambers in soil nearby

Remarks

Might be confused with Platydracus maculosus, but has much larger eyes, and the golden colour on abdomen is made up by dense reflective fur, standing on dark integument.

Internet References

Species Page - R. Bercha

Species page(1)

Works Cited

1.	University of Alberta Entomology Collection

2.	Global Biodiversity Information Facility (GBIF)

Contributed by Cotinis on 6 January, 2005 - 11:01pm
Additional contributions by Mike Quinn, Boris Bueche, v belov
Last updated 30 May, 2023 - 11:47am

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