Scavenger Scarab Beetles

Hybosoridae

Classification

Phylum: Arthropoda
Subphylum: Hexapoda
Class: Insecta
Order: Coleoptera
Suborder: Polyphaga
Superfamily: Scarabaeoidea
Family: Hybosoridae

Pronunciation

How to pronounce Hybosoridae: /haɪboʊˈsɔrɪdiː/

These audio files are automatically generated. While they are not always 100% accurate, they are a good starting point.

Images

Germarostes aphodioides 208099446 by Robert Webster. Used under a CC BY-SA 4.0 license.

Germarostes globosus 203734725 by Cole Shoemaker. Used under a CC BY 4.0 license.

Germarostes globosus 203734046 by Cole Shoemaker. Used under a CC BY 4.0 license.

Germarostes P1250551a by
xpda. Used under a CC BY-SA 4.0 license.

Germarostes globosus - inat 57694122 by {{{name}}}. Used under a CC BY-SA 4.0 license.

Germarostes globosus imported from iNaturalist photo 7344615 on 11 September 2022 by (c) John P. Friel Ph.D., some rights reserved (CC BY). Used under a CC BY 4.0 license.

Summary

Hybosoridae, or scavenger scarab beetles, comprises a family of scarabaeiform beetles recognized for their unique morphology and ecological role. With 690 species worldwide, they are primarily known for feeding on dead organic matter. Their larvae have distinctive characteristics that classify them apart from other beetles.

Physical Characteristics

Small, 5–7 mm in length, oval in shape; color ranges from glossy light brown to black. Distinctive for large mandibles and labrum, with 10-segmented antennae where the 8th antennomere of the club is deeply grooved and occupied by the 9th and 10th antennomeres. Legs have prominent spurs.

Identification Tips

Look for the large mandibles, distinctive labrum, and the grooved 8th antennomere of the antennal club.

Habitat

Widely distributed in tropical regions, found in environments with carrion and decomposing plant material.

Distribution

Approximately 690 species in 97 genera are global, predominantly in tropical regions, with species like Hybosorus illigeri found in the southern US (SC-CA) and Pachyplectrus laevis in the southwestern US.

Diet

Adults feed on invertebrate and vertebrate carrion, with some found in dung; larvae found in decomposing plant material.

Life Cycle

Little is known about their life histories, but larvae exhibit a typical C-shape and creamy white appearance; 4-segmented legs are well-developed.

Ecosystem Role

Play a role in the decomposition of organic material by feeding on carrion.

Evolution

Previously treated as subfamilies of Scarabaeidae, Hybosoridae has been recognized as distinct due to unique larval characteristics.

Misconceptions

Often considered as lesser-known or unimportant due to their habitat in decomposition, but they have significant roles in nutrient cycling.