Cleroidea

Distinguished from other cucujiform superfamilies by the combination of: mandibular mola absent in adults and larvae; larva with basal mandibular process (lacinia mobilis) present; and mala bearing a pedunculate seta. The soft, flexible elytra in most members separate them from heavily armored beetle groups, though this varies by family.

Adults generally slender in form. Elytra often soft and flexible rather than heavily sclerotized, though degree varies: Trogossitidae, Lophocateridae, and Peltidae possess fully sclerotized elytra matching abdominal shape; Melyridae and related families (Phycosecidae, Rhadalidae, Mauroniscidae, Prionoceridae) and the small families Phloiophilidae and Acanthocnemidae are highly soft-bodied; Cleridae are intermediately soft-bodied. Integument typically hairy or scaly. Some groups display bright aposematic coloration. Diagnostic features include: adult and larva with mandibular mola absent; larva with basal mandibular process (lacinia mobilis) present; mala with pedunculate seta present.

Highly variable across constituent families. Predatory groups (Cleridae, Trogossitinae) occur on plants and tree trunks. Pollen-feeding melyrid lineage adults frequent flowering vegetation. Fungivorous groups inhabit bark, rotting wood, and fungal fruiting bodies. Some specialists occupy restricted niches: Phycosecidae on bare seashores scavenging dead animals; Acanthocnemidae on recently burnt wood.

Cosmopolitan distribution except Antarctica. Individual families vary: Cleridae and Melyridae are the largest and most widespread; other families have more restricted ranges. The superfamily has been documented from the Middle Jurassic (Daohugou, China) to present.

Three primary feeding guilds: (1) Predation — Cleridae and most Trogossitinae, feeding on other insects especially wood-infesting beetles and their larvae; (2) Pollen/nectar feeding — melyrid lineage adults; (3) Fungivory — much of remaining Trogossitidae and many smaller families. Additional strategies include scavenging dead animals (Phycosecidae) and attraction to burnt wood (Acanthocnemidae).

• wood-infesting beetles - preyPrimary prey of predatory Cleridae and Trogossitinae
• flowering plants - food sourcePollen and nectar source for melyrid lineage
• fungi - food sourceConsumed by fungivorous groups within rotting wood and bark

Complete metamorphosis (holometabolous). Larval biology varies by family: predatory in Cleridae and Trogossitinae; soil-dwelling and feeding on decaying plant matter in some Melyridae (e.g., Astylus atromaculatus larvae occasionally damage germinating corn); wood-boring with suspected ambrosia fungus associations in some groups. Specific details vary widely across the superfamily's constituent families.

Adult activity patterns correlate with diet: diurnal in predatory and pollen-feeding groups; cryptic and/or nocturnal in fungivorous groups. Some species form tremendous aggregations on flowering plants during peak activity periods (January–March for Astylus atromaculatus in South America). Adults of some groups attracted to light. Some species exhibit Müllerian or Batesian mimicry of chemically defended arthropods.

Multiple ecosystem functions: predatory groups serve as biological control agents of wood-boring beetles; pollen-feeders contribute to pollination; fungivores participate in nutrient cycling in decaying wood. Some Melyridae (genus Choresine) produce batrachotoxin alkaloids, potentially serving as dietary sources for poison-dart frogs (Phyllobates) and toxic passerine birds, though this dietary pathway remains to be confirmed.

Mixed economic significance. Predatory Cleridae are beneficial as natural enemies of wood-boring forest and stored product pests. Some Melyridae are minor agricultural pests: Astylus atromaculatus larvae occasionally damage germinating corn in South Africa (where introduced) and South America, though adult pollen-feeding rarely warrants control. Some species implicated in livestock poisoning when ingested with forage. Historically, some lymexylid relatives (now placed elsewhere) were ship-timber pests. Checkered beetles (Cleridae) are popular with collectors due to bright coloration.

• CucujoideaAlso within Cucujiformia; distinguished by different mandibular and larval characters, and generally harder body form
• ChrysomeloideaSome cleroid groups with bright coloration may resemble leaf beetles; distinguished by soft elytra and different antennal structure
• MeloidaeSome Cleridae and Melyridae mimic blister beetles in aposematic coloration; distinguished by body form, elytral flexibility, and tarsal formula

• beetles
• Coleoptera
• predatory
• pollen-feeding
• fungivorous
• aposematic coloration
• biological control
• agricultural pest

• BugGuide
• Wikipedia
• iNaturalist taxon
• NCBI Taxonomy
• Catalogue of Life
• Lymexylidae | Beetles In The Bush
• Bichos Argentinos #13 – Spotted Maize Beetle | Beetles In The Bush
• A Mitochondrial Genome Phylogeny of Cleridae (Coleoptera, Cleroidea)
• New Contributions for Cleridae (Coleoptera: Cleroidea) Biodiversity of Türkiye
• A checklist of the Cleridae of Iran with new data (Coleoptera: Cleroidea)
• Studies on Prionoceridae (Coleoptera: Cleroidea). II.  A revision of the genus Prionocerus Perty, 1831
• A review of the genus Anthocomus Erichson, 1840 (Coleoptera, Cleroidea, Malachiidae) species of Inner Asia
• Contribution to the knowledge of the genus Clanoptilus Motschulsky, 1854 in Italy (Coleoptera: Cleroidea, Malachiidae)
• The Aplocnemus Stephens, 1830, of Greece (Coleoptera, Cleroidea, Dasytidae). A contribution to their knowledge
• Pectotibialis paghmanensis Tshernyshev gen. nov. – a new genus and species of soft-winged flower beetle (Coleoptera, Cleroidea, Malachiidae) from Afghanistan
• The genus Dromanthomorphus Pic, 1921 (Coleoptera, Cleroidea: Malachiidae) in South-East Asia