Click-mechanism
Guides
Elateridae
Click Beetles, elaters, snapping beetles, spring beetles, skipjacks
Elateridae, commonly known as click beetles, is a cosmopolitan family of beetles characterized by a unique clicking mechanism used for defense and righting. The family contains approximately 10,000 species worldwide. Members possess a prosternal spine and mesosternal notch that, when snapped together, produce an audible click capable of launching the beetle into the air. Some species exhibit bioluminescence, with about 200 luminescent species known primarily from Latin America and Oceania, and one recently discovered in Asia. Larvae, known as wireworms, are often soil-dwelling and can be significant agricultural pests.
Elateroidea
Click, Firefly, and Soldier Beetles
Elateroidea is a large superfamily of beetles comprising approximately 25,000 species across multiple families. It includes the familiar click beetles (Elateridae), fireflies and glow-worms (Lampyridae and related families), and soldier beetles (Cantharidae). The superfamily exhibits remarkable morphological diversity, ranging from hard-bodied forms with five abdominal ventrites to soft-bodied forms with 7-8 ventrites connected by membranes. Bioluminescence has evolved independently in multiple lineages, particularly within the lampyroid clade and certain Elateridae. A distinctive clicking mechanism using a prothoracic peg and mesothoracic cavity is present in several sclerotized families, enabling the characteristic jumping behavior of click beetles.