Nicrophorus nigrita

Mannerheim, 1843

Black Burying Beetle

Nicrophorus nigrita, the black burying , is a of described by Mannerheim in 1843. It is distinguished from other Nearctic burying beetles by its uniformly black lacking the typical orange or red markings found in . range from 12–28 mm in length and possess distinctive red-orange . The species occurs along the western coast of North America.

Nicrophorus nigrita by (c) Cindy Roessler, some rights reserved (CC BY), uploaded by Cindy Roessler. Used under a CC-BY license.

Nicrophorus nigrita by (c) Ken-ichi Ueda, some rights reserved (CC BY), uploaded by Ken-ichi Ueda. Used under a CC-BY license.

Pronunciation

How to pronounce Nicrophorus nigrita: /nɪˈkrɒfərəs nɪˈɡriːtə/

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

Identification

Distinguished from other North Nicrophorus by the complete absence of orange or red markings on the . Most in the region display prominent orange or red spots or on the . The red-orange provide the only bright coloration on an otherwise black . The combination of large size (12–28 mm), black elytra, and colored antennal clubs separates this species from all other Nearctic burying beetles.

Images

Habitat

Found in coastal and inland western North . Occurs in environments where small carcasses are available as breeding resources, including forested areas, coastal scrub, and open habitats. Inland occur through Nevada, suggesting for drier conditions than some coastal .

Distribution

West coast of North America from British Columbia, Canada south to Baja California, Mexico. Inland distribution extends through Nevada. Also recorded from Guadalupe Island. Pleistocene records from California indicate long-term presence in the region.

Diet

Carrion feeder. and consume small vertebrate carcasses. Specific dietary details beyond general carrion association have not been documented for this .

Life Cycle

As with other Nicrophorus , is tied to small vertebrate carcasses. bury carcasses and prepare them as food for . Specific developmental timing for this species is undocumented, but likely parallels with larval development over approximately one to two weeks and in soil.

Behavior

Burying typical of : locate small carcasses using olfactory cues, excavate beneath them to sink the remains into soil, and prepare the carcass as a food source for . Parental care, including carcass preparation and larval feeding, has been observed in but not specifically documented for N. nigrita.

Ecological Role

Carrion scavenger that contributes to decomposition and . As a burying , it removes small carcasses from the surface, reducing breeding sites and accelerating decomposition through burial and processing.

Human Relevance

Contributes to natural decomposition . No documented economic importance or pest status. May be encountered by and naturalists in western North America.

Similar Taxa

Nicrophorus americanusLarger with prominent orange pronotal ; federally endangered; restricted to central and eastern North America
Nicrophorus orbicollisHas orange markings on ; widespread in eastern and central North America
Nicrophorus tomentosusHas orange and black patterned ; found across much of North America including western regions
Nicrophorus guttulaHas -orange elytral markings; yellow-bellied burying of coastal California and Pacific Northwest

More Details

Taxonomic note

placement has varied in sources: GBIF and iNaturalist list , while NCBI and traditional treatments place the in . Modern often treat Silphidae as a (Silphinae) within Staphylinidae, accounting for this discrepancy.