Alobates pensylvanicus

(DeGeer, 1775)

false mealworm beetle

Alobates pensylvanicus, commonly known as the false , is a of darkling beetle in the Tenebrionidae. It is native to North America and has been documented as a for parasitic mite larvae, specifically Neotrombidium beeri, which occupy the subelytral space of beetles. The species is part of the diverse tenebrionid fauna associated with decaying organic matter and forest floor .

Alobates pensylvanicus by (c) Leila Dasher, some rights reserved (CC BY), uploaded by Leila Dasher. Used under a CC-BY license.

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

Alobates pensylvanicus P1100087a by
xpda. Used under a CC BY-SA 4.0 license.

Pronunciation

How to pronounce Alobates pensylvanicus: /æloʊˈbeɪtiːz pɛnˌsɪlˈvænɪkəs/

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

Images

Distribution

Eastern and central North America. Documented from Canadian provinces including Manitoba, New Brunswick, Nova Scotia, Ontario, and Quebec. United States distribution inferred from records and iNaturalist observations but specific states not verified in provided sources.

Host Associations

Neotrombidium beeri - Larvae of this mite parasitize A. pensylvanicus in the subelytral space, as documented in Arkansas

More Details

Parasite documentation

The has been specifically noted in acarological research as a for parasitic mite larvae, providing a rare documented case of mite- in the Parasitengona group. This association was observed in Arkansas and represents one of the few verified host records for Neotrombidium beeri.