False Darkling Beetles

Melandryidae

Classification

Phylum: Arthropoda
Subphylum: Hexapoda
Class: Insecta
Order: Coleoptera
Suborder: Polyphaga
Superfamily: Tenebrionoidea
Family: Melandryidae

Pronunciation

How to pronounce Melandryidae: //mɛlænˈdɹɪɪˌdiː//

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

Images

Dircaea liturata by iNaturalist user: kcthetc1. Used under a CC0 license.

False Darkling Beetle (34438077335) by Katja Schulz from Washington, D. C., USA. Used under a CC BY 2.0 license.

False Darkling Beetle (34278539702) by Katja Schulz from Washington, D. C., USA. Used under a CC BY 2.0 license.

False Darkling Beetle (34438077155) by Katja Schulz from Washington, D. C., USA. Used under a CC BY 2.0 license.

False Darkling Beetle (34278539932) by Katja Schulz from Washington, D. C., USA. Used under a CC BY 2.0 license.

False Darkling Beetle (34438077535) by Katja Schulz from Washington, D. C., USA. Used under a CC BY 2.0 license.

Summary

Melandryidae, commonly known as False Darkling Beetles, are a family of beetles found worldwide, generally associated with rotting wood and wood-decomposing fungi. There are about 420 species in this family.

Habitat

Wooded areas; larvae are found under bark or in dead logs with wood-decaying fungi.

Distribution

Worldwide, with around 60 species in 24 genera in the local area and approximately 430 species in 60 genera globally.

Diet

Fungi and dead wood, primarily the fungal component.

Ecosystem Role

Decompose wood and play a role in nutrient cycling within ecosystems.

Collecting Methods

Best collected at night crawling over dead wood and fungi; some species are attracted to lights.

Evolution

The oldest fossils of the family date back to the mid-Cretaceous period (Albian-Cenomanian) and were found in Burmese amber from Myanmar.