Anaspis

Geoffroy, 1762

false flower beetles

Species Guides

Anaspis atrata(Black False Flower Beetle)
Anaspis collaris
Anaspis duryi
Anaspis flavipennis(Yellow-winged False Flower Beetle)
Anaspis militaris
Anaspis nigrina
Anaspis rufa(False Flower Beetle)
Anaspis sericea

Anaspis is a large of small beetles in the Scraptiidae, commonly known as false flower beetles. are frequently found on flowers, particularly blossoms of trees, shrubs, and umbellifers, and exhibit a characteristic tumbling when disturbed. Larvae are saproxylic, developing in decaying wood of various deciduous and coniferous trees. The genus is widespread across the Palaearctic region, with distributed from Western Europe through Siberia to East Asia.

Anaspis collaris by (c) Trevor Van Loon, some rights reserved (CC BY), uploaded by Trevor Van Loon. Used under a CC-BY license.

Anaspis flavipennis by (c) alicia penney, some rights reserved (CC BY), uploaded by alicia penney. Used under a CC-BY license.

Anaspis militaris by (c) Trevor Van Loon, some rights reserved (CC BY), uploaded by Trevor Van Loon. Used under a CC-BY license.

Pronunciation

How to pronounce Anaspis: /ˈæn.ə.spɪs/

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

Identification

Distinguished from Mordellidae (true tumbling flower beetles) by -level morphological characters; Anaspis lacks the wedge-shaped body and enlarged hind typical of Mordellidae. Within Scraptiidae, identification relies on male genitalia structure, antennomere shape, elytral setae coloration, and body coloration patterns. The is recognized by the combination of small size, flower-associated , and tumbling escape response.

Images

Habitat

Forested and wooded areas. occur on flowering shrubs, trees, and herbaceous plants, particularly blossoms of Rosaceae, Apiaceae, Crataegus, and various umbellifers. Larvae inhabit decaying wood beneath loose bark of deciduous and coniferous trees including Betula, Fagus, Salix, Larix, Quercus, Acer, Alnus, and Ulmus. Some described as stenotopic.

Distribution

Palaearctic distribution: Western and Central Europe eastward through Germany to Italy; trans-Palaearctic extending to western and eastern Siberia, Mongolia, Japan, Republic of Korea, and the Levant. Northern range extends to southern Sweden and Denmark; Mediterranean records from southern France, Corsica, Italy, Sicily, Spain, and Portugal. Northern African records from Algeria. Absent from hot arid steppe zones.

Seasonality

active primarily from April to September, with peak activity varying by latitude. In Britain, adults reported from April–August for most ; northeastern active May–September. Adult typically May–August.

Diet

Larvae: saproxylic feeders on decaying wood, fungi, and wood fibers, acting as general scavengers. : feed on pollen and visit blossoms; anthophilous.

Host Associations

Betula spp. - larval development
Fagus sp. - larval development
Salix sp. - larval development
Larix spp. - larval development
Quercus spp. - larval development
Acer platanoides - larval development
Alnus glutinosa - larval development
Ulmus spp. - larval development
Crataegus spp. - foraging
Rosaceae - foraging and mating
Apiaceae - foraging and mating

Life Cycle

Complete . laid in or near decaying wood. Larval development occurs in decaying wood of various tree ; larvae found beneath loose bark. within wood substrate. emerge and disperse to flowers. In Britain, adults active April–September depending on species and location.

Behavior

are , anthophilous (flower-visiting), and readily fly when disturbed. Characteristic tumbling : when disturbed on flowers, individuals fall or tumble to the ground as an escape response. Adults arboricol and floricol, occurring on tree foliage and blossoms. Mating has been observed on flowers.

Ecological Role

Saproxylic larvae contribute to wood decomposition and forest nutrient cycling. serve as flower visitors and likely participate in pollination. Some used as for saproxylic diversity and forest health assessment.

Human Relevance

No significant economic impact. Occasionally encountered by entomologists and naturalists on flowering vegetation. Some used as bioindicators for forest health monitoring. No known agricultural or medical importance.

Similar Taxa

MordellidaeTrue tumbling flower beetles share flower-associated and tumbling , but differ in having wedge-shaped bodies, enlarged hind for jumping, and different -level .
Scraptiidae (other genera)Other false flower beetles in the same ; distinguished by antennal , genitalia structure, and subtle body proportions.

Misconceptions

Frequently misidentified as tumbling flower beetles ( Mordellidae) due to similar size, flower , and tumbling escape . The 'false flower beetles' was coined to reflect this resemblance and applies to the family Scraptiidae, though sometimes used specifically for Anaspis.

More Details

Genomic Resources

-level assemblies have been generated for multiple including Anaspis regimbarti (457.61 Mb), A. frontalis, and A. maculata (757.8 Mb) as part of the Darwin Tree of Life project, with high completeness (BUSCO 98.4%) and quality metrics.

Species Diversity

The contains at least 103 described , with A. frontalis (Linnaeus, 1758) as the type species.