Clown-beetle
Guides
Hypocacculus metallescens
clown beetle
Hypocacculus metallescens is a small histerid beetle first described from Europe in 1834. The species has a broad Old World distribution spanning the Mediterranean basin, North Africa, the Middle East, and Central Asia, with introduced populations established in Florida, USA. As a member of the clown beetle family Histeridae, it likely occupies habitats associated with decaying organic matter.
Hypocaccus brasiliensis
clown beetle
Hypocaccus brasiliensis is a species of clown beetle in the family Histeridae, originally described by Paykull in 1811 as Hister brasiliensis. It is a widely distributed species with records spanning multiple continents including Africa, Europe, Asia, the Americas, and Oceania. The species belongs to a genus of small histerid beetles commonly associated with decaying organic matter and carrion.
Hypocaccus fitchi
clown beetle
Hypocaccus fitchi is a species of clown beetle in the family Histeridae. The species was described by Marseul in 1862. It occurs in North America, with records from Canada and the United States. Like other histerids, it is likely associated with decaying organic matter, though specific ecological details remain poorly documented.
Hypocaccus fraternus
clown beetle
Hypocaccus fraternus is a species of clown beetle in the family Histeridae, first described by Thomas Say in 1825. It is native to North America with a broad distribution across Canada and the United States. As a member of the Histeridae family, it belongs to a group of beetles commonly associated with decomposing organic matter.
Hypocaccus iris
clown beetle
Hypocaccus iris is a species of clown beetle in the family Histeridae. It is found in North America, with records from both the United States and Canada. The species was described by Fall in 1919. As a member of the Histeridae, it belongs to a family of beetles commonly known as clown beetles or hister beetles, which are often associated with decaying organic matter.
Hypocaccus lucidulus
clown beetle
Hypocaccus lucidulus is a species of clown beetle in the family Histeridae, first described by LeConte in 1851. The species is known from western North America, with confirmed records in California, Oregon, and Washington. Like other members of Histeridae, it is likely associated with decaying organic matter and carrion, though specific ecological details remain poorly documented.
Hypocaccus nr-bigener
Hypocaccus nr-bigener is a hister beetle (family Histeridae) identified as near 'bigener' but not formally described or confirmed as matching the original species description. The 'nr' designation indicates morphological similarity to H. bigener without taxonomic certainty. Hister beetles in this genus are generally small, compact predators associated with decaying organic matter. This taxon is known from limited specimen records and lacks formal species-level documentation.
Hypocaccus patruelis
clown beetle
Hypocaccus patruelis is a species of clown beetle in the family Histeridae. It is found in North America.
Iliotona
clown beetles
Iliotona is a genus of clown beetles (family Histeridae) established by Carnochan in 1917. The genus comprises five described species distributed in North America. These beetles belong to the tribe Hololeptini within the subfamily Histerinae. The genus name is sometimes misspelled as 'Illiotona' in older literature.
Iliotona cacti
clown beetle
Iliotona cacti is a species of clown beetle in the family Histeridae. The species was described by John L. LeConte in 1851, originally placed in the genus Hololepta. It is known from North America, with records from the southwestern United States and Mexico. As a member of the tribe Hololeptini, it belongs to a group of histerid beetles associated with decaying plant material.
Margarinotus confusus
Margarinotus confusus is a species of clown beetle in the family Histeridae. It was described by Wenzel in 1944. The species is found in North America, with distribution records from Canada and the northeastern and midwestern United States.
Margarinotus egregius
clown beetle
Margarinotus egregius is a species of clown beetle in the family Histeridae, described by Casey in 1916. It is a small predatory beetle found in northeastern North America. Like other histerid beetles, it likely inhabits decaying organic matter where it preys on insect larvae. The species appears to be relatively uncommon, with limited observational records.
Margarinotus faedatus
clown beetle
Margarinotus faedatus is a species of clown beetle in the family Histeridae. It is found in North America, with records from eastern Canada and the eastern United States.
Margarinotus marginicollis
Margarinotus marginicollis is a species of clown beetle in the family Histeridae. It is found in North America, with distribution records from Canada and the United States. The species was described by J.E. LeConte in 1845.
Margarinotus merdarius
clown beetle
Margarinotus merdarius is a species of clown beetle (family Histeridae) originally described from Europe. It has been introduced to North America, where it is now established in Canada and the United States. The species belongs to a genus known for association with dung and decaying organic matter.
Margarinotus obscurus
clown beetle
Margarinotus obscurus is a species of clown beetle in the family Histeridae. It has a broad geographic distribution spanning multiple continents, with native records across Europe, Northern Asia, Southern Asia, and Africa, and introduced populations in North America. The species was first described by Kugelann in 1792. Like other members of Histeridae, it is associated with decaying organic matter and carrion habitats.
Margarinotus stygicus
clown beetle
Margarinotus stygicus is a species of clown beetle in the family Histeridae. It is found in North America, with records from Canada and the United States. The species was described by J.E. LeConte in 1845. Like other histerid beetles, it is likely associated with decaying organic matter, though specific ecological details remain poorly documented.
Margarinotus thomomysi
clown beetle
Margarinotus thomomysi is a species of clown beetle in the family Histeridae, described by Caterino in 2010. The specific epithet suggests an association with pocket gophers of the genus Thomomys. It is known from California, USA.
Merohister arboricavi
clown beetle
Merohister arboricavi is a species of clown beetle in the family Histeridae, described by Wenzel in 1992. It belongs to the genus Merohister, a group of small predatory beetles. The species is known from limited collection records in the southeastern and midwestern United States.
Neopachylopus sulcifrons
clown beetle
Neopachylopus sulcifrons is a species of clown beetle in the family Histeridae. It is found in Central America and North America. The species was originally described by Mannerheim in 1843 and has been recorded from Canada (British Columbia), the United States (California, Oregon, Washington, and South Dakota), and Mexico. Some taxonomic authorities consider this species a synonym of Hypocaccus sulcifrons.
Onthophilus alternatus
clown beetle
Onthophilus alternatus is a species of clown beetle in the family Histeridae, described by Thomas Say in 1825. It is one of approximately 4,000 extant species in a family with a fossil record extending back at least 99 million years. The genus Onthophilus has a close Cretaceous relative, Cretonthophilus tuberculatus, preserved in Burmese amber, providing evidence of long-term morphological stability in this lineage.
Onthophilus intermixtus
clown beetle
Onthophilus intermixtus is a species of clown beetle in the family Histeridae, described by Helava in 1978. It belongs to the genus Onthophilus, which contains species known for their compact bodies and association with decomposing matter. The species is documented from Arizona, USA. Members of this genus are generally predatory, though specific feeding habits for this species have not been detailed.
Onthophilus kirni
clown beetle
Onthophilus kirni is a species of clown beetle in the family Histeridae, first described by Ross in 1944. It belongs to the genus Onthophilus, a group of small histerid beetles. The species is documented from several states in the southern and central United States. Like other members of its family, it is likely predatory, though specific ecological details remain limited.
Onthophilus lecontei
Leconte's clown beetle
Onthophilus lecontei is a species of clown beetle in the family Histeridae. It is known from North America, with records from California and other parts of the United States. The species was described by Horn in 1870. As a member of Onthophilus, it belongs to a genus associated with dung and carrion habitats.
Onthophilus wenzeli
clown beetle
Onthophilus wenzeli is a species of clown beetle in the family Histeridae, described by Helava in 1978. The species is known from the central United States, with records from Iowa, Illinois, and Nebraska. Like other members of the genus Onthophilus, it is associated with dung and decaying organic matter. The specific epithet honors an individual with the surname Wenzel.
Operclipygus
Operclipygus is a genus of hister beetles (family Histeridae) containing approximately 177 described species. The genus name refers to the clamshell-like appearance of the pygidium (rear end). A 2013 systematic revision by Caterino and Tishechkin described 138 new species from Central and South America, increasing the genus size more than sixfold. These beetles are small, round, and predominantly black, with ecological importance as predators of insect larvae.
Operclipygus marginellus
clown beetle
Operclipygus marginellus is a small clown beetle in the family Histeridae. It is one of the earliest-described species in a genus that has expanded dramatically with recent taxonomic revision. The species occurs in North America and is part of a group known for predatory habits and potential forensic applications.
Operclipygus striatellus
clown beetle
Operclipygus striatellus is a small clown beetle in the family Histeridae, originally described as Tribalister striatellus by Fall in 1917. It belongs to a genus that experienced significant taxonomic expansion in 2013, when 138 new Operclipygus species were described from Central and South America. This species occurs in temperate North America, unlike most of its congeners which are tropical.
Paromalus
Paromalus is a genus of clown beetles in the family Histeridae, first described by Erichson in 1834. The genus comprises at least 60 described species distributed across multiple continents. These beetles are members of the subfamily Dendrophilinae and tribe Paromalini. They are small to medium-sized histerid beetles associated with various decaying organic substrates.
Paromalus bistriatus
clown beetle
Paromalus bistriatus is a species of clown beetle in the family Histeridae, first described by Erichson in 1834. The species is recorded from eastern North America, ranging from Canada to the southern United States. It belongs to a genus of small histerid beetles often associated with decaying organic matter.
Paromalus debilis
clown beetle
Paromalus debilis is a species of clown beetle in the family Histeridae, first described by John Lawrence LeConte in 1879. It belongs to the subfamily Dendrophilinae and tribe Paromalini. The species is known from North America, with records from Arizona and Colorado in the United States.
Paromalus durangoensis
clown beetle
Paromalus durangoensis is a species of clown beetle in the family Histeridae. It is known from Mexico and Central America. Like other histerid beetles, it likely inhabits decomposing organic matter, though specific ecological details remain poorly documented.
Paromalus mancus
clown beetle
Paromalus mancus is a species of clown beetle in the family Histeridae, first described by Thomas Lincoln Casey in 1893. It belongs to a group of small beetles commonly associated with decaying organic matter and carrion. The species has been documented across western North America, with records spanning from Alaska to California and inland to Idaho.
Paromalus teres
clown beetle
Paromalus teres is a species of clown beetle in the family Histeridae, first described by John Lawrence LeConte in 1878. It belongs to the subfamily Dendrophilinae and tribe Paromalini. The species has been documented across northern North America, with occurrence records from Canada and the northern United States.
Phelister affinis
Phelister affinis is a species of clown beetle in the family Histeridae, described by John E. LeConte in 1860. The species is distributed across the southern United States and Central America. As a member of the Histeridae, it belongs to a group of beetles known for their association with decaying organic matter and association with other insects. Specific ecological details for this species remain poorly documented in available literature.
Phelister brevistriatus
clown beetle
Phelister brevistriatus is a species of clown beetle (family Histeridae) described by Casey in 1916. It belongs to the tribe Exosternini within the subfamily Histerinae. The species is known from both North America and Central America, with records from the southwestern United States through Mexico to El Salvador.
Phelister haemorrhous
clown beetle
Phelister haemorrhous is a species of clown beetle in the family Histeridae, first described by Marseul in 1854. The species has a notably broad distribution spanning multiple continents, including native ranges in the Americas and an apparent introduced population in Italy. As a member of the Histeridae, it belongs to a family of beetles commonly associated with decomposing organic matter.
Phelister subrotundus
clown beetle
Phelister subrotundus is a species of clown beetle (family Histeridae) described by Thomas Say in 1825. It is distributed broadly across North America, with records from Canada and most of the continental United States. Like other members of the family Histeridae, it belongs to the diverse group of beetles commonly known as clown beetles or hister beetles.
Philoxenus
Philoxenus is a genus of clown beetles in the family Histeridae, described by Mazur in 1991. The genus is classified within the subfamily Saprininae. Its sole known species, Philoxenus desertorum, is currently treated as a synonym of Hypocaccus desertorum. The genus name derives from Greek, meaning "lover of foreigners" or "hospitable".
Philoxenus desertorum
Philoxenus desertorum is a species of clown beetle in the family Histeridae. It was described by Mazur in 1991 and is currently the sole described species in the genus Philoxenus. The species has been recorded from desert regions in California, USA, and Sonora, Mexico. Taxonomic authorities treat this name as a synonym of Hypocaccus desertorum.
Pinaxister decipiens
clown beetle
Pinaxister decipiens is a species of clown beetle in the family Histeridae. It occurs in North America, with records from Arizona and Texas. As a member of the subfamily Haeteriinae, it belongs to a group of histerid beetles often associated with social insects, though specific ecological relationships for this species remain poorly documented.
Pinaxister setiger
Pinaxister setiger is a species of clown beetle in the family Histeridae. The species was described by J. E. LeConte in 1860. It belongs to the subfamily Haeteriinae, a group of histerid beetles often associated with social insects. Distribution records indicate presence in the southeastern and south-central United States.
Platylomalus aequalis
clown beetle
Platylomalus aequalis is a species of clown beetle in the family Histeridae, originally described by Thomas Say in 1825 as Hister aequalis. This small beetle is widely distributed across North America, ranging from eastern Canada to the Rocky Mountains and south to Florida. As a member of the histerid beetles, it is associated with decomposing organic matter and carrion habitats.
Platysoma deficiens
clown beetle
Platysoma deficiens is a species of clown beetle in the family Histeridae. It is found in North America, with distribution records from Canada and the northern United States. As a member of the genus Platysoma, it is presumed to inhabit subcortical environments, though specific ecological details for this species remain limited.
Platysoma leconti
clown beetle
Platysoma leconti is a species of clown beetle in the family Histeridae. It is native to North America. The species belongs to the genus Platysoma, which comprises predatory beetles commonly found under bark and in other decaying wood habitats.
Platysoma punctigerum
clown beetle
Platysoma punctigerum is a small predatory beetle in the family Histeridae, commonly known as clown beetles. The species occurs in western North America and has been documented under bark of coniferous trees, particularly in association with logging operations and freshly cut pine logs. As a member of the genus Platysoma, it is presumed to be a predator of other insects, though specific ecological details for this species remain limited.
Plegaderus confusus
clown beetle
Plegaderus confusus is a species of clown beetle in the family Histeridae, described by Bousquet & Laplante in 1999. It is found in North America, with confirmed records from Canada and the United States. As a member of the genus Plegaderus, it belongs to a group of small histerid beetles often associated with decaying organic matter.
Plegaderus sayi
clown beetle
Plegaderus sayi is a species of clown beetle in the family Histeridae, first described by Marseul in 1856. The species occurs in North America, with documented records from Canada and the United States. Like other members of Histeridae, it belongs to a group commonly known as clown beetles due to their habit of feigning death when disturbed. The species is part of the subfamily Abraeinae, a lineage of small to minute histerid beetles.
Pseudepierus gentilis
clown beetle
Pseudepierus gentilis is a species of clown beetle in the family Histeridae, first described by Horn in 1883. It belongs to the subfamily Tribalinae and is known from scattered records across the central and southern United States. Like other histerid beetles, it is likely associated with decaying organic matter and wood-boring insect habitats, though specific ecological details remain poorly documented.
Psiloscelis
Psiloscelis is a genus of clown beetles in the family Histeridae, established by Marseul in 1854. The genus contains approximately eight described species distributed in North America. Species in this genus are characterized by their association with carrion and decaying organic matter. The genus is taxonomically stable with no synonymy reported.