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Beetle

For alternate meanings see: Beetle (disambiguation)

Beetles (Coleoptera) are one of the main groups of insects. They are the most speciose order in the entire animal kingdom, followed closely by the butterflies, bees and wasps, and flies. 40 % of all animal species are beetles, and every day new species are discovered.

Beetles

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Scientific classification
Kingdom: Animalia
Phylum: Arthropoda
Class: Insecta
Subclass: Pterygota[?]
Superorder: Neoptera[?]
Order: Coleoptera
Families
Suborder Adephaga
   Rhysodidae[?]
   Cicindelidae - Tiger Beetle
   Carabidae[?] - Ground Beetle
   Paussidae[?]
   Amphizoidae[?]
   Hygrobiidae[?]
   Haliplidae[?]
   Dytiscidae[?] - True Water (or Diving) Beetle
   Gyrinidae[?] - Whirligig Beetle
Suborder Archostemata
   Cupedidae[?]
   Micromalthidae[?]
Suborder Polyphaga
 Superfamily Hydrophiloidea
   Hydrophilidae[?]
 Superfamily Histeroidea
   Sphaeritidae[?]
   Synteliidae[?]
   Histeridae[?]
 Superfamily Staphylinoidea
   Sphaeriidae[?]
   Clambidae[?]
   Limulodidae[?]
   Hydroscaphidae[?]
   Ptiliidae[?]
   Leptinidae[?]
   Anisotomidae[?]
   Silphidae - Carrion beetles
   Scydmaenidae[?]
   Scaphidiidae[?]
   Pselaphidae[?]
   Staphylinidae[?] - Rove Beetle
 Superfamily Scarabaeoidea
   Passalidae[?]
   Lucanidae - Stag Beetle
   Trogidae[?]
   Acanthoceridae[?]
   Geotrupidae[?]
   Scarabaeidae - Chafer, etc.
 Superfamily Dascilloidea
   Dascillidae[?]
   Helodidae[?]
   Eucinetidae[?]
 Superfamily Byrrhoidea
   Byrrhidae[?]
   Georyssidae[?]
 Superfamily Dryopoidea
   Psephenidae[?]
   Eurypogonidae[?]
   Ptilodactylidae[?]
   Chelonariidae[?]
   Heteroceridae[?]
   Limnichidae[?]
   Dryopidae[?]
   Elmidae[?]
 Superfamily Rhipiceroidea
   Rhipiceridae[?]
   Callirhipidae[?]
 Superfamily Buprestoidea
   Buprestidae[?]
 Superfamily Elateroidea
   Cebrionidae[?]
   Elateridae[?] - Click Beetle
   Trixagidae[?]
   Cerophytidae[?]
   Eucnemidae[?]
 Superfamily Cantharoidea
   Drilidae[?]
   Phengodidae[?]
   Lampyridae - fire-fly
   Cantharidae[?] - "Spanish fly"
   Lycidae[?]
 Superfamily Dermestoidea
   Nosodendridae[?]
   Dermestidae[?]
   Thorictidae[?]
 Superfamily Bostrychoidea
   Anobiidae[?]
   Ptinidae[?]
   Bostrychidae[?]
   Lyctidae[?] - Powder Post Beetle
 Superfamily Cleroidea
   Trogositidae[?]
   Cleridae[?]
   Melyridae[?]
   Phloiophilidae[?]
 Superfamily Lymexyloidea
   Lymexylidae[?]
 Superfamily Cucujoidea
  Section Clavicornia
   Nitidulidae[?]
   Rhizophagidae[?]
   Sphindidae[?]
   Protocucujidae[?]
   Passandridae[?]
   Cucujidae[?]
   Silvanidae[?]
   Helotidae[?]
   Phycosecidae[?]
   Propalticidae[?]
   Cryptophagidae[?]
   Biphyllidae[?]
   Byturidae[?]
   Languriidae[?]
   Erotylidae[?]
   Phalacridae
   Cisidae[?]
   Cerylonidae[?]
   Corylophidae[?]
   Coccinellidae - Ladybug
   Endomychidae[?]
   Discolomidae[?]
   Lathridiidae[?]
   Merophysiidae[?]
  Section Heteromera
   Colydiidae[?]
   Mycetophagidae[?]
   Pterogeniidae[?]
   Nilionidae[?]
   Tenebrionidae[?]
   Zopheridae[?]
   Boridae[?]
   Lagriidae[?]
   Alleculidae[?]
   Monommidae[?]
   Elacatidae[?]
   Inopeplidae[?]
   Salpingidae[?]
   Cononotidae[?]
   Pythidae[?]
   Hemipeplidae[?]
   Mycteridae[?]
   Trictenotomidae[?]
   Pyrochroidae[?] - Cardinal Beetle
   Melandryidae[?]
   Tetratomidae[?]
   Scraptiidae[?]
   Mordellidae[?]
   Rhipiphoridae[?]
   Meloidae[?] - Oil Beetle, Blister Beetle
   Cephaloidae[?]
   Anthicidae[?]
   Oedemeridae[?]
   Pedilidae[?]
   Aderidae[?]
   Petriidae[?]
 Superfamily Chrysomeloidea
   Cerambycidae[?]
   Bruchidae[?]
   Chrysomelidae[?]
 Superfamily Curculionoidea
   Nemonychidae[?]
   Anthribidae[?]
   Belidae[?]
   Oxycorynidae[?]
   Aglycyderidae[?]
   Attelabidae[?]
   Brenthidae[?]
   Apionidae[?]
   Curculionidae - Weevil

The forewings of beetles are transformed into hard shells, called elytra. These elytra form an armour protecting the abdomen and the sensitive hindwings. The forewings are not used (at least not actively flapped) in flying, but they must (in most species) be raised in order to move the hindwings. After landing the hindwings are folded below the elytra. Most beetles can fly, but few reach the dexterity of some other groups, e.g. flies, and many species only fly if absolutely necessary. Some beetles have elytra that have grown together and cannot fly at all; a few have lost their wings altogether.

Beetles can be found in almost all biotopes. They don't occur in the sea or in the polar regions.

Beetles are endopterygotes[?] with complete metamorphosis[?]. The larva of a beetle is called a grub.

When J. B. S. Haldane, British physiologist and philosopher, was asked what his studies of nature revealed about God, he replied, "An inordinate fondness for beetles."


Larger Aphthona flava flea beetle



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