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Beetle Taxonomy - All Extant Beetle Families

A quiz about beetle taxonomy for myself or any other fellow bug nerds. Can you name the four suborders and all extant families* of beetles as well as their common names**? Brief hints and general distribution*** are provided to help. Major taxonomic structure has been color coded so that different colors represent the different superfamilies to which each family belongs. Edited 8/15/23: Fixed spelling of Akalyptoischion, edited some hints for more clarity, added two common names, changed to black text for boxes with a light back ground color.
*Not all entomologist agree on the status of every family, with some workers treating some of these families as subfamilies of existing families, and others treating subfamilies not included here as separate families. I completed this list to the best of my current understanding but expect possible mistakes as I am human and this taxonomy continues to evolve as we learn more about it.
**Not all families have accepted common names. I tried to include type-ins for alternative common names wherever I noticed them.
***Distribution based on my best understanding based on the information I could find. Again, there may be errors.
Please message me if any information needs updating or changing and I will do my best to keep it as accurate as possible!
Quiz by elytrid
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Last updated: August 15, 2023
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First submittedJune 11, 2022
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Suborder
Family
Common Name
Hint
Distribution
Archostemata
Cupedidae
Reticulated
Beetles
Flattened, parallel body, with large closely placed elytral punctures
Worldwide
Micromalthidae
Telephone-Pole
Beetles
A single bizarre species, Micromalthus debilis, with sterile adults
Nearctic
Crowsoniellidae
No common name
Known from a single species, Crowsoniella relicta, found in Italy
Italy
Jurodidae
No common name
A single living species,Sikhotealinia zhiltzovae, from Siberia
Siberia
Ommatidae
No common name
The family with the most ancestral characteristics. Genera Omma, Tetraphalerus and Beutelius
Neotropical/Australia
Myxophaga
Lepiceridae
Toadlet
Beetles
Genus Lepicerus
Neotropical
Torridincolidae
Torrent
Beetles
Contains Genera Torridincola & Ytu
Afrotropical/Brazil/Japan
Hydroscaphidae
Skiff
Beetles
Minute, aquatic, resemble Tachyporinae
Worldwide
Sphaeriusidae
Minute Bog
Beetles
Minute, with large hind coxal plates & abdominal sternites of unequal width
Worldwide
Adephaga
Amphizoidae
Trout-Stream
Beetles
Found in cool, fast flowing mountain streams
Western US/Eastern Palearctic
Carabidae
Ground
Beetles
A huge family: the first ventrite is divided by hind coxae
Worldwide
Dytiscidae
Predaceous Diving
Beetles
Hind legs modified for swimming
Worldwide
Gyrinidae
Whirligig
Beetles
Surface swimmers with divided eyes
Worldwide
Haliplidae
Crawling Water
Beetles
Clumsy swimmers in still waters
Worldwide
Noteridae
Burrowing Water
Beetles
Burrow through pond substrate
Worldwide
Rhysodidae
Wrinkled Bark
Beetles
Deeply grooved thorax and elytra
Worldwide
Trachypachidae
False Ground
Beetles
Hind coxae extend to elytral margins
Northern Holarctic/Chile
Meruidae
Water Cascade
Beetles
Single species found in waterfalls
Venezuela
Aspidtyidae
Cliff Water
Beetles
Live on rocks with thin layer of water
South Africa/China
Hygrobiidae
Screech
Beetles
Squeaking predators of oligochaete worms
Palearctic/Australia
Polyphaga
Histeridae
Clown
Beetles
Short elytra, 2 exposed tergites
Worldwide
Sphaeritidae
False Clown
Beetles
Genus Sphaerites
Holarctic
Synteliidae
Sap-Flow
Beetles
Genus Syntelia
Oriental/Mexico
Epimetopidae
No common name
Pronotum projection forms shelf over head
Neotropical/Afrotropical/Oriental
Georissidae
Minute Mud-Loving
Beetles
Minute, wet soil dwellers that practice psammophory
Worldwide
Helophoridae
No common name
Genus Helophorus, formerly in Hydrophilidae
Primarily Holarctic
Hydrochidae
No common name
Genus Hydrochus, formerly in Hydrophilidae
Worldwide
Hydrophilidae
Water Scavenger
Beetles
Aquatic, with long palps, short antennae, keeled sterna
Worldwide
Spercheidae
No common name
Genus Sphercheus
Primarily Oriental/Afrotropical
Hydraenidae
Minute Moss
Beetles
Tiny, in marginal vegetation of streams
Worldwide
Ptiliidae
Featherwing
Beetles
Smallest beetles, most <1mm
Worldwide
Agyrtidae
Primitive Carrion
Beetles
Elytra with 9-10 punctate striae
Holarctic
Leiodidae
Round Fungus
Beetles
Tiny, round, with small eigth antennomere
Worldwide
Silphidae
Carrion
Beetles
Feed on decaying organic material
Worldwide
Staphylinidae
Rove
Beetles
World's largest animal family, often w/ short elytra
Worldwide
Pleocomidae
Rain
Beetles
Emerge in response to rain
Western USA
Geotrupidae
Earth-Boring Dung
Beetles
Coprophagous excavators
Worldwide
Belohinidae
No common name
Belohina inexpectata
Madagascar
Passalidae
Bess
Beetles
Subsocial, stridulating beetles in log galleries
Worldwide except Palearctic
Trogidae
Hide
Beetles
Last scavengers on dry remains
Worldwide
Glaresidae
Enigmatic Scarab
Beetles
Fossorial scarabs in sandy, arid areas
Worldwide except Australia
Diphyllostomatidae
False Stag
Beetles
Antennal club not capable of being tightly closed
California
Lucanidae
Stag
Beetles
Elbowed scarab antennae, males often with impressive mandibles
Worldwide
Ochodaeidae
Sand-Loving Scarab
Beetles
Prominent mandibles visible from above
Worldwide except Australia
Hybosoridae
Scavenger Scarab
Beetles
3-Segmented antennal clup that can be 'cupped'
Worldwide
Glaphyridae
Bumble Bee Scarab
Beetles
Elytra widely divergent at apex
Holarctic/Neotropical
Scarabaeidae
Scarab
Beetles
Huge family with lamellate antennae clubs
Worldwide
Decliniidae
No common name
Genus Declinia
East Russia/Japan
Eucinetidae
Plate-Thigh
Beetles
Elliptical, with large coxal plates
Worldwide
Clambidae
Minute
Beetles
Tiny, convex, many can roll into a ball
Worldwide
Scirtidae
Marsh
Beetles
Larvae aquatic with multisegmented antennae
Worldwide
Dascillidae
Soft-Bodied Plant
Beetles
Dense grey and/or brown vestiture covers entire body
Worldwide except Africa and Central America
Rhipiceridae
Cicada Parasite
Beetles
Larva attach to cicada nymphs
Worldwide
Schizopodidae
False Jewel
Beetles
Wide metepisternum, natural history unknown
Southwest USA
Buprestidae
Metallic Wood-Boring
Beetles
Cylindrical, prized by collectors
Worldwide
Byrrhidae
Pill
Beetles
Has ventral recesses for retracting legs
Primarily Northern Hemisphere/Australia
Elmidae
Riffle
Beetles
Live in rapid cool streams
Worldwide
Dryopidae
Long-Toed Water
Beetles
Extended claws, larvae terrestrial, adults aquatic
Worldwide except Australia
Lutrochidae
Travertine
Beetles
Aquatic, live where travertine is deposited
New World
Limnichidae
Minute Marsh-Loving
Beetles
Tiny, riparian, on plants and in soil
Worldwide
Heteroceridae
Variegated Mud-Loving
Beetles
Sandy shores, resemble small scarabs
Worldwide
Psephenidae
Water-Penny
Beetles
Distinctive flat, circular, aquatic larvae
Worldwide
Cneoglossidae
No common name
Genus Cneoglossa
Neotropical
Ptilodactylidae
Toe-Winged
Beetles
Antennae long, w/ slender process on segments 4-10
Worldwide
Chelonariidae
Turtle
Beetles
Genus Chelonarium
New World/Oriental/Australasian
Eulichadidae
Forest Stream
Beetles
Larvae aquatic, adults in riparian vegetation
Southeast Asia/California
Callirhipidae
Callirhipid Cedar
Beetles
Larvae in rotten wood, esp. white-rotted fungi. Zenoa picea in the USA.
Worldwide (Warmer Regions)
Artematopodidae
Artematopodid
Beetles
Resemble click beetles covered with setae & reduced prosternal keel
New World/East Asia/Southern Europe
Brachypsectridae
Texas
Beetles
Larvae are nonspecific ambush predators
Nearctic/Oriental/Australasian
Cantharidae
Soldier
Beetles
Soft-bodied, important pollinators and insect predators
Worldwide
Cerophytidae
Rare Click
Beetles
Body short, head deflexed with protruding frons, and trochanters long
Holarctic/Neotropical
Elateridae
Click
Beetles
prosternal spine fits into a groove on the mesosternum
Worldwide
Eucnemidae
False Click
Beetles
Second antennomere placed subterminally from the first
Worldwide
Lampyridae
Firefly
Beetles
Soft-bodied, head concealed from above, bioluminescent
Worldwide
Lycidae
Net-Winged
Beetles
Elongate,many red or orange to advertise toxicity
Worldwide
Omethidae
False Soldier
Beetles
Labrum distinct and sclerotized, biology mostly unknown
Holarctic/Oriental
Phengodidae
Glowworm
Beetles
Adult females are larviform, bioluminescent
New World
Telegeusidae
Long-Lipped
Beetles
Distinctive long palps
Neotropical
Rhagophthalmidae
Asian Glowworm
Beetles
Adult females are larviform, bioluminescent
Oriental
Sinopyrophoridae
No common name
Sinopyrophorus schimmeli is the only known species
China
Throscidae
Small False Click
Beetles
Soil-inhabiting larvae feed on ectomycorrhizal fungi on tree roots
Worldwide
Rhinorhipidae
No common name
Rhinorhipus tamborinensis is the only known species
Australia
Derodontidae
Tooth-Necked Fungus
Beetles
Anterior edge of scutellum abruptly and sharply elevated above mesoscutum
Holarctic/Australia/New Zealand/Chile
Nosodendridae
Wounded-Tree
Beetles
Adults and larvae in actively flowing fluxes slime fluxes or tree wounds
Worldwide (Mostly Tropical)
Jacobsoniidae
Jacobson's
Beetles
Tiny, elongate, live in bat guano in caves or leaf litter of warm forests
Scattered (Mostly Tropical)
Dermestidae
Skin
Beetles
Feed on dry organic matter such as carcasses or museum specimens
Worldwide
Endecatomidae
No common name
Genus Endecatomus
Holarctic
Bostrichidae
Horned Powder-Post
Beetles
Small, stout, cylindrical, w/ head bent downward, concealed from above
Worldwide
Ptinidae
Death-Watch
Beetles
Small wood borers of various forms, some can make ticking noises from in wood
Worldwide
Lymexylidae
Ship-Timber
Beetles
Long & slender wood borers, many are pests to trees or timber structures
Worldwide
Phloiophilidae
No common name
Phloiophilus edwardsii is the only known species
Palearctic
Trogossitidae
Bark-Gnawing
Beetles
Cylindrical or slightly flattened, mostly under bark
Worldwide
Chaetosomatidae
No common name
Genera Chaetosoma, Chaetosomodes, Malgassochaetus
New Zealand
Metaxinidae
No common name
Metaxina ornata is the only known species
New Zealand
Thanerocleridae
No common name
Xylophilous or predacious, red beetles
Worldwide
Cleridae
Checkered
Beetles
Body long and narrow, covered with bristly hairs, mostly predators and pollinators
Worldwide
Acanthocnemidae
No common name
Acanthocnemus nigricans is the only known species
Australia
Phycosecidae
No common name
Genus Phycosecis
Oceania
Prionoceridae
No common name
Mostly pollen feeders; soft-bodied, elongate, elytra with hairs
Palaeotropical/Palearctic
Mauroniscidae
No common name
Former Dasytinae, about 5 genera
New World
Melyridae
Soft-Winged Flower
Beetles
Small. colorful, soft-bodied predators often found on flowers
Worldwide
Byturidae
Fruitworm
Beetles
Small adults with fine, dense vestiture; larvae often in fruits
Holarctic/Oriental
Biphyllidae
False Skin
Beetles
Live under the bark of dead trees and feed on fungi
Worldwide
Lophocateridae
No common name
Formerly considered bark-gnawing beetles
Worldwide
Peltidae
No common name
Genus Peltis, formerly considered bark-gnawing beetles
Holarctic
Rhadalidae
No common name
Formerly considered soft-winged flower beetles
Worldwide except Australasia
Thymalidae
No common name
Formerly considered bark-gnawing beetles
Holarctic/Oriental/South America
Boganiidae
No common name
Pollenivorous on Cycads
Southern Africa/Australia/New Caledonia
Helotidae
No common name
Antennae retractable, w/ 3 segmented club, wing venation reduced
Oriental
Protocucujidae
No common name
Supposedly the most primitive extant cucujoidea but the group is understudied
Australia/Chile
Sphindidae
Cryptic Slime Mold
Beetles
Tiny, w/ head partially visible from above. Scape and pedicel asymmetrically inflated
Worldwide
Erotylidae
Pleasing Fungus
Beetles
Highly variable in form, larvae and adults feed on the fruiting bodies of fungi in decaying wood
Worldwide
Monotomidae
Minute Clubbed
Beetles
Tiny, w/ 1-segmented antennal club
Worldwide
Hobartiidae
No common name
Genus Hobartius
Australia/Chile
Cryptophagidae
Silken Fungus
Beetles
Feed on fungi in habitats such as rotting wood, leaf litter, stored products
Worldwide
Agapythidae
No common name
Agapytho foveicollis is the only known species
New Zealand
Priasilphidae
No common name
Genera Priasilpha and Chileosilpha
New Zealand/Chile
Phloeostichidae
No common name
Genera Bunyastichus, Phloeostichus, and Hymaea
Australia/Palearctic
Cucujidae
Flat Bark
Beetles
Flattened, elongate body as they live under bark of dead trees
Worldwide except Africa
Silvanidae
Silvanid Flat Bark
Beetles
Small fungivorous beetles, with some grain pests
Worldwide
Myraboliidae
No common name
Genus Myrabolia
Australia
Cavognathidae
No common name
Genus Taphropiestes
Neotropical/Oceania
Lamingtoniidae
No common name
Lamingtonium binnaberrense is the only known species
Australia
Passandridae
Parasitic Flat Bark
Beetles
Larvae are ectoparasites of wood-inhabiting insects
Worldwide except Palearctic
Phalacridae
Shining Flower
Beetles
Oval-shaped, tiny, convex, fungivorous or pollenivorous
Worldwide
Laemophloeidae
Lined Flat Bark
Beetles
Body flattened, head and pronotum w/ sublateral lines, elytral cells, long antennae
Worldwide
Cybocephalidae
No common name
Oval-shaped, tiny, convex, shiny, able to roll into a ball
Worldwide
Tasmosalpingidae
No common name
Genus Tasmosalpingus
Australia
Cyclaxyridae
Sooty Mold
Beetles
Genus Cyclaxyra, mycophagous associated with sooty mold
New Zealand
Kateretidae
Short-Winged Flower
Beetles
Formerly Sap-feeding beetles, larvae develop in seed capsules, adults feed on flowers
Worlwide except New Zealand
Nitidulidae
Sap-Feeding
Beetles
Small. oblong or oval, convex to flattened, head not concealed from above
Worldwide
Smicripidae
Palmetto
Beetles
Recent family of tiny beetles found on decaying vegetation
Nearctic
Bothrideridae
Dry Bark
Beetles
Small, cylindrical to somewhat flattened, elongate, live mostly under bark
Worldwide
Teredidae
No common name
Recent family; small, elongate, likely fungivorous
Scattered (Mostly Old World Tropics)
Euxestidae
Well-Polished
Beetles
Fomerly minute bark beetles, tiny, oval-shaped, shiny
Worldwide except Palearctic
Murmidiidae
Murmidius
Beetles
Very tiny, oval, under bark or in stored grain
Scattered
Cerylonidae
Minute Bark
Beetles
Tiny, shiny, smooth, found under bark of dead trees or decaying plants
Worldwide
Alexiidae
No common name
Tiny, almost half spherical, fungivorous. Genus Sphaerosoma
Palearctic
Discolomatidae
Discolomatid
Beetles
Small, circular, w/ lateral margins of the pronotum and elytra explanate
Tropics
Latridiidae
Minute Brown Scavenger
Beetles
<3mm, elongate-oval, tarsal formula 3-3-3, brown. Fungivorous or in stored products
Worldwide
Akalyptoischiidae
Akalyptoischiid Scavenger
Beetles
Genus Akalyptoischion, tiny, flightless, in leaf/nest litter
Nearctic
Corylophidae
Minute Hooded
Beetles
Tiny, head covered by pronotum, antennae w/ 3-segmented club, pygidium exposed
Worldwide
Anamorphidae
No common name
Former handsome fungus beetles, tiny, round, often brown
Worldwide
Endomychidae
Handsome Fungus
Beetles
Small, various forms, pseudotrimerous tarsi, fungivorous, often under bark of dead trees
Worldwide
Mycetaeidae
No common name
Former handsome fungus beetles, genera Mycetaea and Agaricophilus
Palearctic/Eastern USA/South Africa
Eupsilobiidae
No common name
Former handsome fungus beetles, contains genus Eidoreus
Neotropical
Coccinellidae
Lady
Beetles
Small, round, convex, pseudotrimerous tarsi, pronotum often conceals head. Mostly predacious
Worldwide
Aderidae
Ant-Like Leaf
Beetles
Tiny, oval or elongate, head wide and constricted at base. Adults under leaves
Worldwide
Anthicidae
Ant-Like Flower
Beetles
Elongate, ant-like, adults on flowers, larvae on decaying vegetation
Worldwide
Archeocrypticidae
Cryptic Fungus
Beetles
Tiny, oval or round, saprophagous. Contains genus Enneboeus
Worldwide
Boridae
Conifer Bark
Beetles
Elongate, black, live under bark of dead standing conifers
Holarctic/Australia
Ciidae
Minute Tree-Fungus
Beetles
Small, cylindrical, fungivorous on polypores
Worldwide
Ischaliidae
Broad-Hipped Flower
Beetles
Ant-like, body notable wider than pronotum and head. Genus Ischalia
Nearctic/Oriental
Melandryidae
False Darkling
Beetles
Oval to elongate, often convex, antennae 11 segmented, insertion visible from above
Worldwide
Meloidae
Blister
Beetles
Soft bodied, cylindrical, elytra rolled over abdomen. Hemolymph contains cantharidin
Worldwide
Mordellidae
Tumbling Flower
Beetles
Small, hunchbacked, wedge-shaped, often on flowers
Worldwide
Mycetophagidae
Hairy Fungus
Beetles
Small, dark, often oval-shaped w/ fine hairs. Fungivorous
Worldwide
Mycteridae
Palm And Flower
Beetles
Various forms, some associated with palm trees. Contains Genera Hemipeplus & Mycterus
Worldwide
Oedemeridae
False Blister
Beetles
Elongate, head not constricted posteriorly, prothorax widest anteriorly, adults on flowers
Worldwide
Prostomidae
Jugular-Horned
Beetles
Elongate, parallel sided, prognathous with large jugular process, tarsi 4-4-4
Holarctic/Australiasian/Oriental
Pyrochroidae
Fire-Colored
Beetles
Often black with some red, head with distinctive neck.Attracted to cantharidin
Worldwide
Pythidae
Dead Log
Beetles
Drab, elongate, often widened posteriorly, legs slender, under bark
Worldwide
Ripiphoridae
Wedge-Shaped
Beetles
Small, flabetllate antennae, resemble tumbling flower beetles with blunt pygidium. Hypermetamorphic
Worldwide
Salpingidae
Narrow-Waisted Bark
Beetles
Head small or produced into broad flat rostrum, body much wider than thorax, on decaying bark
Worldwide
Scraptiidae
False Flower
Beetles
Tiny, resemble tumbling flower beetles without spine-like pygidium. Adults common on flowers
Worldwide
Stenotrachelidae
False Longhorn
Beetles
Elongate, elytra & pronotum widest at base and narrow apically, legs slender w/ long tarsi
Holarctic/Oriental
Synchroidae
Synchroa Bark
Beetles
Superficially resemble click beetles with long tarsi. Under bark
Nearctic/Oriental
Tenebrionidae
Darkling
Beetles
Highly variable in form and ecology, Antennae 11 segmented, tarsi 4-4-4, larvae are false wireworms
Worldwide
Tetratomidae
Polypore Fungus
Beetles
Elongate to broadly oval, may resemble darkling beetles. On bracket fungi
Worldwide
Zopheridae
Ironclad
Beetles
Variable in form, includes the beetles with the strongest exoskeleton
Worldwide
Pterogeniidae
No common name
Fungivorous in forests, includes genera Histanocerus, and Pterogenius
Oriental
Ulodidae
No common name
Generally elongate, drab, w/ rough tuberculate body surface. Fungivorous
Australasia/Chile
Promecheilidae
No common name
Elongate but not slender, antennae 11 segmented, head narrows behind eye
Australasia/Chile
Chalcodryidae
No common name
Elongate, with proportionally long, convex elytra. Contains genus Chalcodrya
Australasia
Trictenotomidae
No common name
Huge, resemble prioninae beetles but with tarsi 5-5-4, develop in wood in montane forests
Oriental
Cerambycidae
Longhorn
Beetles
Elongate with broad elytral shoulders and characteristic long antennae. Larvae are wood borers
Worldwide
Disteniidae
Disteniid
Beetles
Sometimes treated as a longhorn subfamily, differences primarily in larvae morphology.
New World/Oriental/Afrotropical
Vesperidae
Vesperid
Beetles
Sometimes treated within the longhorn family, larvae on roots of herbacious plants
Neotropical/Mediterranean/Oriental
Oxypeltidae
Oxypeltid
Beetles
Sometimes treated as a longhorn subfamily, body massive w/ small head. Hind wings violet
Chile/Argentina
Chrysomelidae
Leaf
Beetles
Highly variable in form, w/ pseudotetramerous tarsi, feed on living plant material
Worldwide
Megalopodidae
Megalopodid
Beetles
Closely related to leaf beetles with some morphological differences. All tibia w/ 2 apical spurs
Worldwide
Orsodacnidae
Ravenous Leaf
Beetles
Sometimes treated as a subfamily of leaf beetles, lack sensorial setae on prontum
Holarctic/Neotropical
Nemonychidae
Pine Flower
Weevils
Weevils w/ straight antennae, all ventrites free, no lateral carinae. Feed on pollen
Holarctic/Neotropical/Australasian
Anthribidae
Fungus
Weevils
Weevils w/ straight antennae apically clubbed, ventrites 1-4 fused, lateral carinae. Body form varies
Worldwide
Belidae
Cycad
Weevils
Weevils w/ straight antennae, foretibia w/ comb of bristles. Adults feed on pollen
Southern Hemisphere/Southern USA
Caridae
No common name
Weevils w/ straight antennae, lack lateral carinae & lack spiracles on tergites 6-7. On cypress trees
Australasia/Neotropical
Attelabidae
Leaf Rolling
Weevils
Weevils with straight antennae, prothorax narrower than base of elytra. Larvae in rolled leaves
Worldwide
Brentidae
Straight-Snouted
Weevils
Weevils with straight antennae, long & narrow or pear-shaped, ventrites 1-2 fused, Xylophagous
Worldwide
Brachyceridae
No common name
Weevils with elbowed antennae, formerly included as true weevils. Includes genus Brachycerus
Worldwide
Curculionidae
Snout and Bark
Beetles (True Weevils)
Weevils with elbowed antennae, downward-curved snout. May be the largest animal family in the world
Worldwide
1 Comments
+1
Level 75
Feb 6, 2023
Well made quiz. It's insane just how many families there are compared with other animal groups. Can't imagine anyone learning them all