False darkling beetles

Definition

A family of elongate, soft-bodied beetles (Melandryidae) in the superfamily Tenebrionoidea, superficially resembling darkling beetles (Tenebrionidae) but distinguished by their association with decaying wood and wood-decomposing fungi throughout the larval and adult stages. The approximately 420 species in 60 genera occur worldwide, with adults and larvae typically found under bark, in rotting logs, or among bracket fungi.

Etymology

Common name reflects resemblance to darkling beetles (Tenebrionidae); 'false' distinguishes them from that larger, more familiar family.

Example

Serropalpus barbatus, a European species of false darkling beetle, develops in decaying hardwoods where its larvae feed on fungal mycelia.

Synonyms

• Melandryidae

Related Terms

• darkling beetles
• Tenebrionoidea
• saproxylic beetles
• Tenebrionidae
• Fungivory
• rotten wood fauna

Usage Notes

The common name is comparative: these beetles are not closely related to true darkling beetles despite similar habitus and habitat preferences. Specialists generally prefer the scientific name Melandryidae. The family is sometimes overlooked in beetle surveys due to its cryptic lifestyle in decaying wood.