Agathidium
Agathidium
Classification
- Phylum: Arthropoda
- Subphylum: Hexapoda
- Class: Insecta
- Order: Coleoptera
- Suborder: Polyphaga
- Superfamily: Staphylinoidea
- Family: Leiodidae
- Subfamily: Leiodinae
- Tribe: Agathidiini
- Genus: Agathidium
Pronunciation
How to pronounce Agathidium: /ˌæɡəˈθɪdiəm/
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Images
Summary
Agathidium is a genus of beetles in the family Leiodidae, with approximately 60 species in the region and around 100 described in North and Central America. Additional species are expected, totaling around 850 globally.
Physical Characteristics
Some species can roll themselves up into an almost complete sphere, similar to pillbugs; some males have horns on their left mandibles to dislodge rival males.
Habitat
Forests; usually associated with slime molds or basidiomycete fungi.
Distribution
Holarctic; in North America south to Guatemala and the West Indies; also found in the Oriental region and New Guinea.
Diet
Adults and larvae feed on slime molds.
Cultural Significance
A. bushi, A. cheneyi, and A. rumsfeldi are species named after political figures George W. Bush, Dick Cheney, and Donald Rumsfeld, respectively; A. vaderi is named after the fictional character Darth Vader.
Tags
- beetle
- Agathidium
- Leiodidae
- Holarctic