Cleridae
Guides
Enoclerus luscus
Enoclerus luscus is a species of checkered beetle in the family Cleridae. It is found in Central America. As a member of the genus Enoclerus, it belongs to the largest genus of Cleridae in North America north of Mexico, with 32 species. Checkered beetles in this genus are generally predators of other woodboring beetles, particularly bark beetles.
Enoclerus moestus
Enoclerus moestus is a checkered beetle in the family Cleridae, found in Central America and North America. The species is a predator associated with freshly cut pine logs and dead wood, where it hunts bark beetles and other small insects. Adults are active at logging sites and have been observed alongside other Enoclerus species including E. lecontei and E. sphegeus.
Enoclerus muttkowskii
Enoclerus muttkowskii is a species of checkered beetle in the family Cleridae, found in North America. The genus Enoclerus is the largest in the family Cleridae in North America north of Mexico, with 32 species. Species in this genus are generally brightly colored and boldly patterned, with many exhibiting coloration that may serve aposematic or mimetic functions. Checkered beetles in the family Cleridae are predators of woodboring beetles, particularly bark beetles in the weevil subfamily Scolytinae.
Enoclerus nigripes rufiventris
Redbellied clerid
Enoclerus nigripes rufiventris is a subspecies of checkered beetle in the family Cleridae, commonly known as the redbellied clerid. It belongs to a genus of predatory beetles that feed on other insects. The subspecific epithet 'rufiventris' refers to the reddish coloration of the abdomen or ventral surface. It occurs in parts of North America and Middle America.
Enoclerus ocreatus
Enoclerus ocreatus is a species of checkered beetle in the family Cleridae. It occurs in North America. The genus Enoclerus is the largest in the family Cleridae in North America north of Mexico, with 32 species.
Enoclerus opifex
Enoclerus opifex is a species of checkered beetle in the family Cleridae. It occurs in Central America and North America. As a member of the genus Enoclerus, it belongs to the largest genus of Cleridae in North America north of Mexico. Checkered beetles in this family are predators, particularly of woodboring beetles such as bark beetles.
Enoclerus quadrisignatus
White-belted Enoclerus
Enoclerus quadrisignatus is a species of checkered beetle in the family Cleridae. It occurs in Central America and North America. The common name "White-belted Enoclerus" refers to a distinctive pale band across the elytra. Like other members of the genus, it is likely associated with dead wood habitats where it preys on other insects.
Enoclerus schaefferi
Enoclerus schaefferi is a species of checkered beetle in the family Cleridae, described by Barr in 1947. The species is known from western North America, with records from Alberta and British Columbia in Canada. Like other members of the genus Enoclerus, it is likely associated with dead wood habitats where it preys on other insects, though specific details about this species remain poorly documented.
Enoclerus sphegeus
Red-bellied Clerid
Enoclerus sphegeus, commonly known as the red-bellied clerid, is a species of checkered beetle in the family Cleridae. It is found in Central America and North America, including Alberta, Canada. The species is a significant predator of bark beetles, particularly the mountain pine beetle (Dendroctonus ponderosae) and Ips species. Larval development is variable, with individuals completing either two or three stadia depending on prey size consumed during the first stadium. The species pupates underground.
Enoclerus vetus
Orange Tamaulipan Enoclerus
Enoclerus vetus is a species of checkered beetle in the family Cleridae. It occurs in North America. Like other members of the genus Enoclerus, it is likely associated with dead wood habitats where it preys on other beetles, particularly woodboring species. The specific epithet "vetus" (Latin for "old") was given by Wolcott in 1927. The species is known from relatively few observations.
Enoclerus viduus
Enoclerus viduus is a species of checkered beetle in the family Cleridae, distributed across Central America and North America. The genus Enoclerus is the largest genus within Cleridae, comprising predatory beetles often associated with wood-boring insects. This species was described by Klug in 1842. Available records are limited, with 26 observations documented on iNaturalist.
Enopliinae
Enopliinae is a subfamily of checkered beetles (family Cleridae) established by Gistel in 1848. The subfamily contains approximately 20 genera distributed across multiple continents. Some authorities consider Enopliinae a synonym of Korynetinae, reflecting ongoing taxonomic debate. Members of this subfamily are part of the diverse Cleridae radiation within the superfamily Cleroidea.
Ichnea
checkered beetles
Ichnea is a genus of checkered beetles in the family Cleridae, established by Laporte in 1838. The genus contains at least four described species distributed across North and South America. Ichnea belongs to the subfamily Korynetinae, a group of clerid beetles characterized by elongated body forms. The genus remains poorly studied, with limited ecological and behavioral data available.
Ichnea elongata
checkered beetle
Ichnea elongata is a species of checkered beetle in the family Cleridae, first described by Knull in 1939. It is found in North America. As a member of Cleridae, it belongs to a family commonly known as checkered beetles, many of which are predatory on other insects.
Isohydnocera
Isohydnocera is a genus of checkered beetles (family Cleridae) established by E.A. Chapin in 1917. The genus comprises approximately 14 described species distributed primarily in North America. As members of Cleridae, these beetles are likely predatory or scavenging, though species-specific biology remains poorly documented.
Isohydnocera brunnea
Isohydnocera brunnea is a species of checkered beetle in the family Cleridae. The species is endemic to North America. It was described by Chapin in 1917.
Isohydnocera pusilla
Isohydnocera pusilla is a species of checkered beetle in the family Cleridae. It is a small-bodied member of the genus Isohydnocera, which belongs to the tribe Hydnocerini. The species was described by Schaeffer in 1909 and is known from North America. Members of this genus are predatory beetles associated with wood-boring insects.
Isohydnocera tabida
checkered beetle
Isohydnocera tabida is a species of checkered beetle in the family Cleridae. It is native to North America, with confirmed records from Canada (Manitoba, Ontario, Québec) and the United States. As a member of the Cleridae, it likely functions as a predator of other insects, though specific ecological details for this species remain poorly documented. The species was first described by John Lawrence LeConte in 1849.
Korynetinae
Korynetinae is a subfamily of checkered beetles (Cleridae) within the order Coleoptera. Members of this group are small to medium-sized beetles associated with predatory or scavenging habits. The subfamily is distinguished from other clerid subfamilies by specific morphological features of the antennae and body form. Korynetinae has been documented across multiple continents with greatest diversity in temperate and tropical regions.
Lebasiella
Lebasiella is a genus of checkered beetles in the family Cleridae, established by Spinola in 1844. The genus contains five described species distributed in the Neotropical region. Members of this genus share the general characteristics of Cleridae, including elongated bodies and often patterned elytra. The genus is relatively poorly studied compared to other clerid genera.
Lebasiella pallipes
checkered beetle
Lebasiella pallipes is a species of checkered beetle in the family Cleridae. It was described by Klug in 1842. The species is found in Central America and North America. Very little specific information is available about its biology, ecology, or behavior.
Lecontella
Lecontella is a genus of checkered beetles in the family Cleridae, established by Wolcott & Chapin in 1918. The genus contains at least four described species distributed in North America. Members of this genus are part of the diverse clerid beetle fauna, a family known for predatory habits and often striking color patterns.
Loedelia discoidea
checkered beetle
Loedelia discoidea is a species of checkered beetle in the family Cleridae, described by LeConte in 1881. It is known from North America. The genus Loedelia belongs to a family of predatory beetles commonly referred to as checkered beetles due to their often striking color patterns.
Loedelia maculicollis
Loedelia maculicollis is a checkered beetle in the family Cleridae, distributed across Central America and North America. The species was described by LeConte in 1874. As a member of Cleridae, it likely functions as a predator or scavenger in its ecosystem, though specific ecological details remain poorly documented.
Madoniella
Madoniella is a genus of checkered beetles in the family Cleridae, established by Maurice Pic in 1935. The genus comprises approximately 11 described species distributed primarily in North America, with most species described in the early 20th century and two additional species described by Opitz in 2010 and 2011. Species in this genus are part of the diverse Cleridae family, commonly known as checkered beetles due to their often striking color patterns. The genus name honors the Italian entomologist Pietro Magistretti, whose nickname was 'Madoni'.
Madoniella chiricahua
Madoniella chiricahua is a species of checkered beetle in the family Cleridae. It is known from the Chiricahua Mountains of southeastern Arizona, a region characterized by high biodiversity and endemism within the Madrean Sky Islands. The species has been documented from a single observation, indicating it is likely rare or poorly sampled. Its specific epithet refers to the Chiricahua Mountains, the type locality.
Madoniella dislocata
checkered beetle
Madoniella dislocata is a species of checkered beetle in the family Cleridae, first described by Thomas Say in 1825. It is native to North America, with confirmed records from Canada including Manitoba, New Brunswick, and Nova Scotia. Like other members of Cleridae, it is predatory. The species has been documented through 137 iNaturalist observations.
Madoniella rectangularis
Madoniella rectangularis is a species of checkered beetle in the family Cleridae. The species is known from limited observations, with only one documented record on iNaturalist. Members of the genus Madoniella are primarily found in Madagascar. As with other clerid beetles, it likely shares the family's characteristic elongated body form and predatory habits, though specific details for this species remain undocumented.
Microlipus productus
Microlipus productus is a species of beetle in the genus Microlipus. The genus Microlipus is placed within the family Cleridae (checkered beetles), a group of predatory beetles commonly associated with other insects in wood-boring habitats. No specific information about the biology, distribution, or appearance of M. productus could be located in the provided source material. The source document is a detailed field report of a 2023 collecting trip across the southwestern United States, but this species is not mentioned in the narrative.
Monophylla
Spatulate Clerids
Monophylla is a genus of checkered beetles in the family Cleridae, commonly known as spatulate clerids. The genus contains at least four described species distributed in North America. These beetles are part of the diverse Cleridae family, which are predominantly predatory beetles often associated with other insects in various habitats.
Monophylla californica
Monophylla californica is a species of checkered beetle in the family Cleridae. The species was described by Fall in 1901. It occurs in Central America and North America. As a member of the Cleridae family, it belongs to a group commonly known as checkered beetles, which are primarily predatory.
Monophylla pallipes
Monophylla pallipes is a species of checkered beetle in the family Cleridae, first described by Schaeffer in 1908. The species is distributed across Central America and North America. As a member of the Cleridae family, it belongs to a group commonly known as checkered beetles, which are typically predatory. Specific ecological details about this species remain limited in available sources.
Monophylla terminata
checkered beetle
Monophylla terminata is a species of checkered beetle in the family Cleridae. It has a notably broad geographic distribution spanning multiple continents, having been recorded from Australia, Europe and Northern Asia (excluding China), Central America, and North America. The species was first described by Thomas Say in 1835. As a member of Cleridae, it belongs to a family commonly known as checkered beetles, many of which are predatory on other insects.
Necrobia
Ham Beetles
Necrobia is a genus of checkered beetles in the family Cleridae, commonly known as ham beetles. Unlike most clerids, which are predatory, Necrobia species are carrion-feeders and significant pests of stored animal products. The genus has a cosmopolitan distribution and includes species frequently encountered on dried meat, fish, and museum specimens.
Necrobia violacea
blacklegged ham beetle, blue ham beetle, cosmopolitan blue bone beetle, Violet Checkered Beetle
Necrobia violacea is a small clerid beetle, 4–5 mm in length, with uniformly metallic blue-green to green coloration including its legs. The species occurs in the Palearctic region and has been introduced to North America. Adults are long-lived and associated with dried animal products, including cured meats, dried fish, aged cheeses, oilseeds, and desiccated carcasses. Larvae are predatory, feeding on other insect larvae found on carrion rather than consuming the carrion directly. The species has limited forensic relevance due to its preference for corpses in advanced decomposition stages.
Neocallotillus elegans
Elegant Calloused Clerid
Neocallotillus elegans is a species of checkered beetle in the family Cleridae, originally described as Tillus elegans by Erichson in 1847. The species was transferred to the newly erected genus Neocallotillus in 2016 following a taxonomic revision that split the genus Callotillus into two genera based on morphological characters. It occurs across the southwestern United States, Mexico, and Central America.
Neorthopleura
Neorthopleura is a genus of checkered beetles in the family Cleridae, established by Barr in 1976. The genus comprises at least three described species distributed in North America. Species within this genus are part of the subfamily Korynetinae, a group of clerid beetles often associated with predatory habits.
Neorthopleura texana
Texas Brick-and-Brown Clerid
Neorthopleura texana is a species of checkered beetle in the family Cleridae. It is found in Central America and North America, with over 300 observations documented on iNaturalist. The species was first described by Bland in 1863.
Opilo domesticus
Opilo domesticus is a species of checkered beetle in the family Cleridae. It has a broad geographic distribution spanning Africa, Europe and Northern Asia (excluding China), Central America, and North America. The species was originally described as Notoxus domesticus by Sturm in 1837. Its biology and ecology remain poorly documented in the scientific literature.
Opilo mollis
Opilo mollis is a species of checkered beetle in the family Cleridae, subfamily Clerinae. The species was first described by Linnaeus in 1758 as Attelabus mollis. It has a broad distribution across Europe, North America, and Southern Asia, with records from the Azores (São Miguel) documented in GBIF. As a member of the genus Opilo, it likely shares the predatory habits characteristic of clerid beetles, though specific biological details for this species remain poorly documented in available sources.
Orthopleurinae
Orthopleurinae is a subfamily of checkered beetles (family Cleridae) established by Böving and Craighead in 1931. It is currently treated as a synonym of Korynetinae in modern classifications. The group contains few documented observations, with only 8 records in iNaturalist. Its members belong to the superfamily Cleroidea within the diverse beetle suborder Polyphaga.
Paratillus
Paratillus is a genus of checkered beetles in the family Cleridae, established by Gorham in 1876. The genus is monotypic, containing a single described species: P. carus. As a member of Cleridae, it belongs to a family of predatory beetles commonly associated with other insects. The genus appears to be rarely encountered, with limited documentation beyond taxonomic description.
Paratillus carus
Paratillus carus is a species of checkered beetle in the family Cleridae, originally described by Newman in 1840. The species is currently considered a synonym of Tarsostenus carus in some taxonomic databases, reflecting ongoing taxonomic revision within this group. It belongs to a family of predatory beetles commonly associated with other insects in various habitats.
Pelonides
Pelonides is a genus of checkered beetles in the family Cleridae, established by Kuwert in 1894. The genus comprises approximately six to seven described species distributed in North America. Members of this genus are small beetles typically found on flowers, particularly milkweeds (Asclepias species), where they have been documented feeding on pollen and nectar alongside other flower-visiting beetles.
Pelonides quadrinotata
checkered beetle
Pelonides quadrinotata is a species of checkered beetle in the family Cleridae, one of six recognized species in the genus Pelonides. The genus is hypothesized to have originated on the Mexican/Mayan block with its sister group being Parapelonides. Species in this genus are presumed to be predators.
Pelonium peninsulare
Pelonium peninsulare is a species of checkered beetle in the family Cleridae. The specific epithet 'peninsulare' suggests an association with a peninsula, likely referring to Baja California or another peninsular region in western North America. The genus Pelonium contains species typically associated with woody habitats where they prey on other insects.
Pennasolis
Pennasolis is a genus of checkered beetles in the family Cleridae, established by Opitz in 2008. The genus contains at least three described species distributed in western North America, including California. These beetles belong to a family known for predatory habits and distinctive color patterns.
Pennasolis merkeli
checkered beetle
Pennasolis merkeli is a species of checkered beetle in the family Cleridae, first described by Horn in 1896. It is found in North America. The species belongs to a family commonly known as checkered beetles, many of which are predatory and associated with wood-boring insects. Specific ecological details about this species remain poorly documented.
Perilypus
Perilypus is a genus of checkered beetles in the family Cleridae, established by Spinola in 1841. The genus is poorly documented in scientific literature, with limited species-level descriptions and biological data available. It belongs to a family of predatory beetles commonly associated with wood-boring insects and their galleries. The sparse iNaturalist records (17 observations) suggest it is rarely encountered or underreported.
Phyllobaenus
checkered beetles
Phyllobaenus is a genus of checkered beetles in the family Cleridae, comprising at least 60 described species. The genus is notable for containing the first documented case of beetle parasitoidism of ants, with P. obscurus developing inside intact cocoons of Ectatomma ruidum species complex. Most clerid beetles are predatory, making this parasitoid habit a significant departure from typical family adaptations. Members of this genus exhibit diverse ecological relationships, including associations with wood-boring beetles, solitary bees and wasps, and plant-ant mutualisms.