Decomposers
Guides
Acaridae
Stored Products Mites, Mold Mites, Grain Mites
Acaridae is a family of mites in the order Sarcoptiformes, commonly known as stored products mites or mold mites. The family includes over 400 species across multiple genera, with cosmopolitan distributions. Many species are generalists inhabiting both natural environments (soil, litter, animal nests, decomposing plant material) and artificial environments (human dwellings, granaries, greenhouses). Several genera contain significant agricultural and stored product pests, including *Acarus*, *Tyrophagus*, and *Rhizoglyphus*, which cause economic damage to crops, bulbs, and stored foodstuffs.
Achipterioidea
Achipterioidea is a superfamily of oribatid mites (Oribatida) within the order Sarcoptiformes. These mites are part of the diverse soil-dwelling microarthropod fauna. The superfamily was established by Thor in 1929 and is classified within the infraorder Brachypylina and the group Poronoticae.
Allacma
Allacma is a genus of springtails (Collembola) in the family Sminthuridae, first described by Börner in 1906. Members of this genus are globular springtails characterized by their compact, rounded body form typical of the order Symphypleona. The genus contains multiple species distributed across Europe and North America, with records extending to Arctic and Mediterranean regions. Allacma fusca, described by Linnaeus in 1758, is a well-known representative species.
Ameroseiidae
Ameroseiidae is a family of mesostigmatid mites comprising approximately 12 genera and over 130 described species with worldwide distribution. Members are distinguished by a well-sclerotised, often ornamented dorsal shield bearing 27-30 pairs of setae with setae J5 always absent, reduced sternal shields, and often toothed corniculi. They occupy diverse habitats including forest litter, dead wood, flowers, animal nests, and anthropogenic structures. Unlike most mesostigmatans, they primarily consume non-animal foods such as fungi, pollen, and nectar.
Anemadini
Anemadini is a tribe of small carrion beetles within the subfamily Cholevinae (family Leiodidae). The tribe comprises at least 30 genera and more than 70 described species. Members exhibit diverse ecological adaptations, including forest-dwelling carrion feeders, cave inhabitants, and myrmecophiles living in ant nests. Some lineages show morphological modifications associated with subterranean life, such as reduced or absent eyes.
Anisopodidae
Wood Gnats, Window-Gnats
Anisopodidae is a small, cosmopolitan family of gnat-like flies comprising 154 described extant species across 15 genera, with additional fossil taxa known from the Jurassic through Cenozoic. Commonly called wood gnats or window-gnats, most species are small to medium-sized (4–12 mm), though genera Olbiogaster and Lobogaster are notably larger (17–18 mm) with distinctive spatulated abdomens. The family's phylogenetic placement remains controversial, with proposals ranging from sister group to Brachycera to recognition as multiple distinct families. Some authors recognize four separate families: Anisopodidae, Mycetobiidae, Olbiogastridae, and Valeseguyidae.
Anisopodinae
Anisopodinae is a subfamily of wood gnats within the family Anisopodidae (Diptera). These small flies are characterized by their humpbacked thorax and distinctive wing venation with a reduced anal lobe. The subfamily includes the genus Anisopus, whose members are associated with decaying wood and fungal habitats. Adults are frequently observed running on vegetation rather than flying.
Archeocrypticidae
cryptic fungus beetles, Ancient Fungus Beetle
Archeocrypticidae is a small family of beetles comprising approximately 10 genera and 50 species worldwide. Commonly referred to as cryptic fungus beetles, members of this family are saprophagous, with adults and larvae typically found in plant litter and associated with fungal substrates. The family exhibits a predominantly pantropical distribution, with notable diversity in Australia and relative absence from temperate Palearctic and Nearctic regions.
Archotermopsidae
Dampwood termites
Archotermopsidae is a small family of primitive termites in the order Blattodea, commonly known as dampwood termites. The family was established in 2009 when five genera were split from the former Termopsidae. As of 2022, it contains two extant genera: Archotermopsis and Zootermopsis, with five living species. These termites are characterized by their dependence on moist or decaying wood and their limited economic importance compared to other termite families.
Bibionidae
March flies, lovebugs, honeymoon flies
Bibionidae is a family of medium-sized flies (Diptera) comprising approximately 650–700 species worldwide. Adults are characterized by thickset bodies, moniliform antennae, and distinctive stout spurs on the front tibiae used by females for digging. The family includes notable genera such as Bibio, Dilophus, and Plecia—the latter containing the famous 'lovebugs' known for prolonged copulatory pairing. Adults of many species are nectar feeders and important pollinators, while larvae are soil-dwelling decomposers and occasional plant pests.
Bibionomorpha
Gnats and Allies
Bibionomorpha is a diverse infraorder of lower Diptera (Nematocera) containing over 2,000 described species across ten extant families. The group includes economically and ecologically significant families such as Mycetophilidae (fungus gnats), Cecidomyiidae (gall midges), Sciaridae (dark-winged fungus gnats), and Bibionidae (march flies). Larvae are predominantly saprophagous or fungivorous, with the Cecidomyiidae being predominantly gall-formers. The infraorder originated in the Triassic, with major superfamilies diversifying from the late Triassic through the Cretaceous. The Anisopodidae is phylogenetically significant as the presumed sister taxon to the entire suborder Brachycera.
Blaberidae
Giant Cockroaches, Blaberids
Blaberidae is the second-largest family of cockroaches with over 1,260 species in 170 genera and 14 subfamilies. Members are distinguished as the only ovoviviparous cockroach family, where females retract the ootheca into the body and give birth to live nymphs. The family exhibits exceptional diversity in form and behavior, including burrowing species, conglobulating (ball-rolling) pill roaches, and hissing cockroaches. Many species are kept as pets or feeder insects.
Blattodea
cockroaches and termites
Blattodea is an order of insects comprising approximately 4,400 species of cockroaches and 3,000 species of termites. Formerly treated as separate orders, termites were subsumed into Blattodea based on genetic and molecular evidence demonstrating their evolution from within the cockroach lineage. The order exhibits remarkable diversity in social organization, ranging from solitary cockroaches to eusocial termites with complex caste systems. Together with Mantodea, Blattodea forms the superorder Dictyoptera.
Bolitocharina
Bolitocharina is a subtribe of rove beetles (Staphylinidae) within the tribe Homalotini, subfamily Aleocharinae. It was established by Carl Gustaf Thomson in 1859. The subtribe contains multiple genera of small to minute beetles characterized by compact body forms and reduced elytra typical of the family. Members are found primarily in the Holarctic region, with some representation in other biogeographic zones.
Byrrhinae
pill beetles
Byrrhinae is a subfamily of pill beetles within the family Byrrhidae, established by Latreille in 1804. The subfamily comprises approximately 25 genera and at least 160 described species. Members are small, compact beetles with a characteristic rounded, pill-like body form that enables conglobation—rolling into a ball when disturbed. Byrrhinae represents the more species-rich of the two subfamilies in Byrrhidae.
Camillidae
Camillidae is a small family of minute flies (2–3.5 mm) within the superfamily Ephydroidea. The family contains five genera, four extant and one fossil. Adults are slender, lustrous black flies with hyaline wings and distinctive bristle patterns on the head and thorax. Larval biology is poorly known, though they have been reared from bat guano and rock hyrax dung, suggesting a role in decomposing organic matter in sheltered environments.
Campodeidae
slender entrophs
Campodeidae is a family of small, pale, eyeless hexapods in the order Diplura, distinguished by two long, many-segmented cerci at the abdomen tip. The family contains at least 30 genera and approximately 280 described species, distributed across soil and cave habitats worldwide. Members range from 5–12 mm in length, with the largest species being the cave-dwelling Pacificampa daidarabotchi from Japan. Abdominal spiracles are absent. The family exhibits diverse ecological strategies, with many species adapted to subterranean environments showing troglomorphic features such as elongated appendages and enhanced sensory structures.
Camptodes
Camptodes is a genus of small sap-feeding beetles in the family Nitidulidae, established by Erichson in 1843. The genus contains approximately nine described species distributed across multiple continents. Members are associated with fermenting plant sap and decaying organic matter.
Carnoidea
Carnoidea is a superfamily of acalyptrate flies (Diptera: Schizophora) comprising approximately ten families of small, often inconspicuous flies. Members are typically only a few millimeters in length and occupy diverse ecological niches including seashores, decaying organic matter, and specialized habitats such as bee nests and bat caves. The superfamily's monophyly remains tentative; while some morphological synapomorphies of the male genitalia have been proposed, molecular analyses suggest potential polyphyly with constituent families showing closer relationships to other superfamilies.
Catopocerus politus
Catopocerus politus is a species of small carrion beetle in the family Leiodidae, first described by Motschulsky in 1870. It belongs to the subfamily Catopocerinae, a group of beetles primarily associated with decomposing organic matter. The species has been recorded from several eastern U.S. states including Maryland, Virginia, Pennsylvania, North Carolina, West Virginia, and Washington D.C.
Cephaliini
picture-winged flies
Cephaliini is a tribe of picture-winged flies within the family Ulidiidae. The tribe includes eight recognized genera: Acrostictella, Cephalia, Delphinia, Myiomyrmica, Myrmecothea, Proteseia, Pterotaenia, and Tritoxa. Members of this tribe are distinguished by their patterned wings, a characteristic feature of the Ulidiidae family. The tribe has been documented in approximately 21,000 observations on iNaturalist, indicating widespread occurrence and detectability.
Cepheoidea
Cepheoidea is a superfamily of oribatid mites within the order Sarcoptiformes, established by Berlese in 1896. The group is currently treated as a synonym of Cepheusoidea in modern classifications. Oribatid mites in this group are primarily soil-dwelling decomposers.
Cerambycidae
Longhorn beetles, Long-horned beetles, Longicorn beetles
Cerambycidae is a large family of beetles comprising approximately 35,000 described species worldwide. Members are characterized by exceptionally long antennae, often exceeding body length, which gives rise to their common name. The family exhibits diverse ecological strategies, with larvae predominantly developing in woody tissues and adults showing varied feeding habits including pollen, nectar, and foliage consumption. Many species are important ecological decomposers of dead and dying wood, while some are significant forest pests.
Cetoniinae
Fruit and Flower Chafers, Flower Chafers, Flower Scarabs, Flower Beetles
Cetoniinae is a diverse subfamily of scarab beetles comprising approximately 4,000 species, many still undescribed. Adults are commonly known as fruit and flower chafers due to their frequent association with flowers for pollen and nectar, and their consumption of fruit. Many species exhibit bright coloration and distinctive patterns. The subfamily is characterized by a unique flight mechanism in which the elytra remain closed during flight while the membranous hind wings deploy through a specialized hinge, producing a bee-like flight appearance. Members occupy varied habitats including forests, grasslands, agricultural areas, and urban parks across tropical and temperate regions worldwide.
Cholevinae
small carrion beetles, round fungus beetles
Cholevinae is a subfamily of small carrion beetles within the family Leiodidae (Coleoptera), containing more than 260 genera and over 1,100 described species. The subfamily includes diverse ecological groups: necrophagous species that feed on carrion and dung, mycophagous species associated with fungi, and numerous troglobitic and troglophilic lineages adapted to subterranean habitats. The tribe Leptodirini within Cholevinae represents one of the most diverse radiations of subterranean animals globally, with approximately 1,340 species and subspecies distributed from the Iberian Peninsula to Iran.
Cholevini
small carrion beetles
Cholevini is a tribe of small carrion beetles in the family Leiodidae, comprising over 20 genera and 200 described species. In North America, the tribe is represented by four genera: Catops (17 species), Sciodrepoides (3 species), and monotypic Prionochaeta and Catoptrichus. Species are primarily associated with decomposing organic matter, with most inhabiting forest environments. Some species occupy specialized habitats including tundra, caves, and rodent burrows. The tribe has a Holarctic distribution with some species restricted to North America extending south to Mexico.
Chonocephalinae
Chonocephalinae is a subfamily of scuttle flies within the family Phoridae. Members are characterized by reduced wing venation and are primarily associated with decaying organic matter, including fungi and dung. The subfamily includes the genus Chonocephalus, which is known for its distinctive morphology among phorid flies. These flies are generally small with humpbacked thoraxes typical of the family.
Chonocephalus
Chonocephalus is a genus of scuttle flies in the family Phoridae, first described by Wandolleck in 1898. The genus contains approximately 80 described species distributed across tropical and subtropical regions worldwide. Members are associated with decaying organic matter and some species have documented relationships with army ants (Ecitoninae). The genus is characterized by distinctive morphological features of the head and antennae.
Coelostomatini
Coelostomatini is a tribe of water scavenger beetles within the family Hydrophilidae, containing approximately 7 genera and more than 70 described species. The tribe was established by Heyden in 1891. Members of this tribe are classified in the subfamily Sphaeridiinae and share morphological characteristics typical of this group, including compact body forms. The tribe includes genera such as Coelostoma, Dactylosternum, and Pelosoma, which are distributed across various regions globally.
Collembola
springtails
Collembola (springtails) are minute hexapods, traditionally grouped with insects but now recognized as a distinct class of non-insect hexapods. They are among the most abundant soil arthropods globally, with estimates of 200–1,800 individuals per cubic decimeter of forest soil. Most species measure 1–3 mm, though some reach 6 mm and the largest known species attains 17 mm. They occupy diverse habitats including soil, leaf litter, caves, rodent burrows, intertidal zones, ant and termite nests, freshwater surfaces, and snow fields. The group is defined by several unique morphological features: a ventral collophore on the first abdominal segment, a furcula (springing organ) on the third or fourth abdominal segment in most species, internal mouthparts (entognathy), and fused tibio-tarsal leg segments. They exhibit simple metamorphosis and continue molting throughout adult life, up to 50 times.
Colonidae
Colonidae is a small family of beetles in the superfamily Staphylinoidea, commonly known as colon beetles. The family contains approximately 50 described species in the single genus *Colon*. These beetles are small, compact, and primarily associated with decaying organic matter and fungi. They are closely related to the rove beetles (Staphylinidae) but are distinguished by their more rounded body form and reduced elytra that still cover most of the abdomen.
Copromyza
lesser dung flies
Copromyza is a genus of small flies in the family Sphaeroceridae, commonly known as lesser dung flies. The genus was established by Fallén in 1810 and currently contains 11 described species. Members of this genus are associated with decaying organic matter and dung. The genus is classified within the subfamily Copromyzinae.
Crypticini
Crypticini is a tribe of darkling beetles within the subfamily Diaperinae, family Tenebrionidae. The tribe was established by Brullé in 1832 and contains multiple genera distributed across various regions. Members are small to medium-sized beetles often associated with decaying organic matter and moist microhabitats. The tribe is taxonomically stable and widely recorded in beetle fauna surveys.
Cryptophagidae
silken fungus beetles
Cryptophagidae is a family of small beetles commonly known as silken fungus beetles. Adults and larvae feed exclusively on fungi across diverse habitats including rotting wood and shed animal fur and feathers. The family contains approximately 600 species in 60 genera divided into two subfamilies: Atomariinae and Cryptophaginae. Body size ranges from 1 to 11 millimeters with an oval shape and slight waist.
Cucujoidea
flat bark beetles, fungus beetles, sap beetles
Cucujoidea is a superfamily of beetles within the infraorder Cucujiformia, comprising 25 extant families and two extinct families. This group includes fungus beetles, flat bark beetles, sap beetles, and diverse lineages of 'bark beetles' unrelated to the true bark beetles (Scolytinae, Curculionoidea). Members exhibit varied morphology without unifying external features, though adults share internal characteristics including open procoxal cavities and specific tarsal formulas. The superfamily formerly encompassed families now placed in Coccinelloidea. Ecologically, most species have cryptic habits in fungi, leaf litter, or dead wood, with some lineages associated with flowers or stored food products.
Damaeidae
Damaeidae is a family of oribatid mites (order Sarcoptiformes) comprising approximately 20 genera distributed across the Northern Hemisphere. Members are primarily fungivorous and inhabit decomposing organic matter including plant litter, mosses, decaying wood, and soil layers. Several species exhibit troglophilic tendencies, occurring in subterranean habitats such as caves and mountain scree systems. The family has undergone extensive taxonomic revision, with historically recognized families Belbidae, Belbodamaeidae, and Hungarobelbidae now synonymized under Damaeidae.
Damaeoidea
Damaeoidea is a superfamily of oribatid mites (beetle mites) within the order Sarcoptiformes. First described by Berlese in 1896, this group comprises several families of soil-dwelling mites that play important roles in decomposition and nutrient cycling. The superfamily is part of the diverse assemblage of Brachypylina mites, one of the most species-rich lineages of oribatids.
Dendrobiella
horned powder-post beetles
Dendrobiella is a genus of horned powder-post beetles in the family Bostrichidae, established by Casey in 1898. The genus contains approximately seven described species distributed primarily in North and Central America. Members of this genus are wood-boring beetles associated with dead or dying woody vegetation.
Dicyrtominae
globular springtails
Dicyrtominae is a subfamily of globular springtails within the family Dicyrtomidae, established by Richards in 1968. Members exhibit the characteristic rounded, globular body form typical of the order Symphypleona. The subfamily contains at least three genera—Dicyrtoma, Dicyrtomina, and Calvatomina—with approximately 30 described species. These springtails are among the most frequently observed and photographed springtails due to their relatively large size and conspicuous coloration.
Dilophus
March flies
Dilophus is a genus of march flies (Diptera: Bibionidae) comprising at least 200 described species. The genus is distinguished from the related genus Bibio by morphological features of the fore legs. Species occur across multiple continents including North America, Europe, and the Afrotropical region. Adults are typically small to medium-sized flies, often reddish in coloration rather than black.
Dilophus strigilatus
March fly
Dilophus strigilatus is a species of march fly in the family Bibionidae, first described by McAtee in 1922. Like other Dilophus species, it belongs to a genus distinguished from the related Bibio by having a ring of shorter teeth on the fore tibiae rather than long spurs. Adults emerge in spring and are typically smaller and less robust than Bibio species, often with reddish coloration.
Dinychidae
Dinychidae is a family of mites in the order Mesostigmata, belonging to the suborder Monogynaspida and infraorder Uropodina. The family comprises approximately 80 described species across 13 genera, with the genus Dinychus being the most species-rich. These mites are characterized by features typical of uropodine mites, including a generally rounded body form and adaptations for life in soil and decomposing organic matter. Species have been documented from Europe, Asia, and other regions, with records from countries including Denmark, Norway, and Sweden.
Disteniinae
disteniid longhorn beetles
Disteniinae is a subfamily of longhorn beetles (Cerambycidae) comprising approximately 400 described species, primarily distributed in tropical and subtropical regions of the Americas. Adults are characterized by their elongated, slender bodies, long filiform antennae that often exceed body length, and frequently metallic coloration. The group has undergone significant taxonomic revision, having been treated historically as a tribe within Lepturinae or Cerambycinae, as a separate subfamily, and even as a distinct family (Disteniidae) before current consensus places it as a subfamily within Cerambycidae. The North American fauna is depauperate, with Elytrimitatrix undata being the sole representative in the United States.
Dynastes
Hercules beetles
Dynastes is a genus of large scarab beetles in the subfamily Dynastinae, commonly known as Hercules beetles. Males are distinguished by prominent cephalic and pronotal horns used in combat, while females lack horns. The genus exhibits remarkable hygrochromic color change, with elytra shifting between black and yellow-green depending on humidity levels. Eight species are currently recognized, distributed from the United States through Central America to South America. Larvae develop in rotting wood, with some species reaching exceptional sizes.
Elytrimitatrix
Elytrimitatrix is a genus of disteniid beetles established by Santos-Silva & Hovore in 2007, previously treated as part of the genus Distenia. The genus contains approximately 50 described species distributed primarily in the Neotropical region, with one species, E. undata, occurring broadly across eastern and central North America. The group has undergone significant taxonomic revision, with many species described since 2007. Adults are attracted to fermenting baits and ultraviolet light, and larvae develop in dead wood of various hardwoods and pine.
Embiidina
webspinners, footspinners
Embiidina is a small order of cryptic, soft-bodied insects known as webspinners or footspinners, characterized by their unique ability to produce silk from specialized glands located in their swollen foretarsi. They construct extensive silk galleries or tunnels under bark, in leaf litter, or within soil crevices, which serve as protective shelters and foraging sites. The order exhibits pronounced sexual dimorphism: females are wingless and neotenic, remaining in galleries throughout their lives, while males of most species develop wings and disperse to locate mates. Webspinners are primarily tropical in distribution and display facultatively communal behavior with maternal care of eggs and young.
Endomychidae
Handsome Fungus Beetles
Endomychidae, commonly known as handsome fungus beetles, is a moderately diverse family of mycetophagous beetles comprising approximately 90 genera and 1600 species. The family is distributed across all biogeographic realms with highest diversity in tropical regions. Members are obligate fungus-feeders, typically associated with fruiting bodies of mushrooms and other fungi. The family has undergone significant taxonomic revision, with former subfamilies Anamorphinae, Mycetaeinae, and Eupsilobiinae elevated to separate families based on molecular phylogenetic studies.
Epidapus
fungus gnats
Epidapus is a genus of fungus gnats within the family Sciaridae, established by Haliday in 1851. The genus comprises approximately 30 described species distributed primarily across Europe, with records from Scandinavia and other regions. Species inhabit diverse environments including forest litter, decaying wood, and fungal substrates. Larval stages are typically associated with decomposing organic matter and mycelial networks.
Epipsocus
Epipsocus is a genus of barklice in the family Epipsocidae, characterized by broad, rounded wings with distinctive venation patterns. Members of this genus are small, soft-bodied insects found primarily in tropical and subtropical regions of the Americas. The genus was established by Hermann Hagen in 1866 and remains taxonomically stable.
Eremosaprinini
Eremosaprinini is a tribe of small carrion beetles in the family Histeridae, subfamily Saprininae. Members are primarily distributed in arid and semi-arid regions, reflecting adaptations to xeric environments. The tribe comprises several genera of tiny, compact beetles associated with decomposing organic matter.