Cremastocheilus lengi
Cazier, 1938
anteater scarab beetle
Cremastocheilus lengi is a of anteater in the Scarabaeidae. Like other members of its , it is a myrmecophile that lives within colonies and feeds on ant . The species is native to the southwestern United States, with records from Arizona. It exhibits the characteristic adaptations of Cremastocheilus, including a heavily armored , modified mouthparts for liquid feeding, and behavioral strategies for infiltrating ant nests.
Pronunciation
How to pronounce Cremastocheilus lengi: //krɛˌmæstoʊˈkaɪləs ˈlɛŋɡaɪ//
These audio files are automatically generated. While they are not always 100% accurate, they are a good starting point.
Distribution
Recorded from Arizona, United States. The reaches greatest diversity in the desert southwest, and this appears to follow that regional pattern.
Seasonality
disperse in spring to find new colonies. New adults emerge from pupal in late summer or early fall.
Diet
feed on larvae and pupae. The is enlarged and shield-like, covering other mouthparts; the are modified into sharp appendages that pierce the soft of ant . are reduced and function only to transport liquid food to the mouth.
Life Cycle
Females lay singly in soil around the periphery of nest mounds. Larvae feed on decaying vegetation that ants have composted, passing through three instars before pupating in oval chambers constructed from soil particles. The cycle from egg to takes approximately four months. Newly emerged adults move slowly to the center of the ant nest, accumulating colony scent along the way.
Behavior
infiltrate nests by playing dead () in areas trafficked by ants. The death-feigning posture is highly convincing: motionless with legs outstretched. Ants, being scavengers, carry the beetles into the nest. Adults are capable of and fly fast, but crash-land in places frequented by scouting ants during daytime . Larvae can defend themselves by striking attacking ants with their jaws and secreting repulsive liquids from mandibular and anal glands.
Ecological Role
Specialized myrmecophile that occupies colonies as a of ant . The contributes to the complex of organisms associated with mound-building ants.