Detritivores
Guides
Ablabesmyia
Banded-leg Tanypods
Ablabesmyia is a genus of non-biting midges in the bloodworm family Chironomidae, comprising approximately 85 species distributed across multiple continents. Larvae are aquatic and frequently associated with aquatic vegetation, macrophytes, or detrital substrates in freshwater habitats. The genus is divided into four subgenera, with species documented from Europe, Asia, the Americas, and other regions. Adults are typically collected using light traps.
Ametropus
sand minnows
Ametropus is a genus of mayflies (Ephemeroptera) commonly known as sand minnows, belonging to the family Ametropodidae. The genus contains at least three described species: A. ammophilus, A. fragilis, and A. neavei. Species in this genus are adapted to large river systems and exhibit specialized ecological traits including deep-water nymphal habitats and detritivorous feeding habits.
Aphodiinae
Small Dung Beetles
Aphodiinae is a large and diverse subfamily of Scarabaeidae comprising more than 3,500 described species across over 380 genera and 12 tribes. Members are commonly known as small dung beetles, though not all species are associated with dung. The subfamily exhibits varied life strategies including coprophagy, detritivory, saprophagy, predation, inquilinism in ant or termite nests, and sand-dwelling habits. Aphodiines are found worldwide in diverse habitats from temperate rainforests to alpine zones and coastal dunes.
Baetiscidae
armored mayflies
Baetiscidae is a family of mayflies distinguished by their heavily armored nymphs bearing a robust, spiked thoracic notal shield that extends over part of the abdomen. The family contains a single extant genus, Baetisca, with approximately 12 species endemic to North America. Three extinct genera (Protobaetisca, Balticobaetisca, Koonwarrabaetisca) are known from Cretaceous and Eocene deposits, indicating a Pangean origin for the family by at least the Early Jurassic. Together with Prosopistomatidae, Baetiscidae forms the clade Carapacea, characterized by specialized larval armor.
Bertkauia
Bertkauia is a genus of barklice in the family Epipsocidae, established by Kolbe in 1882. The genus contains at least three described species, including the type species Bertkauia lucifuga (Rambur, 1842) and two species described by Chapman in 1930. Members of this genus are small, winged insects belonging to the order Psocodea, which includes booklice and barklice. The genus has been recorded across parts of Europe and North America.
Ephemeridae
Burrowing Mayflies
Ephemeridae is a family of large mayflies comprising approximately 150 described species distributed worldwide except Australia and Oceania. Adults range up to 35 mm in length and possess either two or three elongated caudal filaments. Many species exhibit distinctively patterned wings. The family is commonly known as "burrowing mayflies" due to the fossorial adaptations of their nymphs, which inhabit silty or sandy substrates in freshwater systems. Nymphs possess specialized morphological features including spur-like projections on foretibiae, dorsally positioned plumose and lanceolate abdominal gills, and mandibular tusks that facilitate burrowing behavior.
Eubelidae
Eubelid Pill Woodlice
Eubelidae is a family of woodlice (terrestrial isopods) comprising approximately 50 genera. Members are primarily associated with tropical forest habitats, with the highest diversity concentrated in African tropical forests. The family extends to parts of South-East Asia and the Arabian Peninsula, reflecting a disjunct tropical distribution pattern.
Hapalaraea
Hapalaraea is a genus of rove beetles in the family Staphylinidae, subfamily Omaliinae. The genus was established by C.G. Thomson in 1858 and contains at least two described species: Hapalaraea alutacea and Hapalaraea hamata. These beetles are distributed across Europe and North America. As members of the Omaliinae, they are associated with forest floor habitats and decomposing organic matter.
Haplophthalmus
Haplophthalmus is a genus of small terrestrial isopods (woodlice) in the family Trichoniscidae. The genus contains 47 described species, with several showing restricted geographic ranges that have led to conservation concerns. Two species, H. abbreviatus and H. rhinoceros, are listed as vulnerable on the IUCN Red List due to their limited distributions in the Balkans.
Heteroceridae
Variegated Mud-loving Beetles
Heteroceridae, commonly known as variegated mud-loving beetles, are a family of small, dorsoventrally depressed beetles inhabiting shorelines worldwide. Approximately 250 species are recognized globally, with highest diversity in tropical and subtropical regions. The family exhibits remarkable phenotypic uniformity in external morphology, making species identification difficult without examination of male genitalia. These beetles construct shallow tunnels in damp soils and have been documented on every continent except Antarctica.
Isotomidae
Smooth Springtails
Isotomidae is a large family of springtails in the order Entomobryomorpha, characterized by elongated, smooth-bodied forms. The family contains approximately 109 genera and is distributed across the Holarctic region and globally. Members are typically found in soil, leaf litter, and under bark, where they contribute to decomposition processes. The family has been subject to taxonomic revision, with subfamily-level classifications undergoing reevaluation based on molecular phylogenetics.
Leiodidae
Round Fungus Beetles
Leiodidae is a globally distributed family of small beetles containing approximately 3,800 described species. Commonly known as round fungus beetles, many species exhibit a compact, globular body form, though some are more elongated. The family encompasses diverse ecological specializations including fungivory, detritivory, carrion-feeding, and subterranean cave-dwelling. About half of all described species are flightless due to reduced or absent wings. The tribe Leptodirini represents one of the most diverse radiations of subterranean animals, with over 1,300 species adapted to cave habitats.
Lohmannoidea
Lohmannoidea is a superfamily of oribatid mites (Sarcoptiformes: Oribatida) characterized by reduced body size and simplified morphology relative to other oribatid groups. Members are primarily soil-dwelling decomposers found in forest litter and organic substrates. The superfamily includes families such as Lohmanniidae and Nanhermanniidae. These mites play roles in nutrient cycling but remain poorly studied compared to more diverse oribatid superfamilies.
Myopsocus
Myopsocus is a genus of barklice in the family Myopsocidae, established by Hagen in 1866. Members of this genus are small, soft-bodied insects that inhabit tropical and subtropical regions. The genus is distinguished by specific wing venation patterns and genitalic structures. Myopsocus species are found in the Americas and Pacific islands, with records from the United States to Fiji.
Notoxinae
Monoceros beetles
Notoxinae is a subfamily of beetles in the family Anthicidae, commonly known as monoceros beetles. Members of this group are small, elongate beetles with distinctive antennal morphology. The subfamily was established by Stephens in 1829 and contains multiple genera distributed across various regions. These beetles are part of the diverse Tenebrionoidea superfamily, which includes many fungus-feeding and detritivorous species.
Omorgus tytus
Omorgus tytus is a skin beetle in the family Trogidae, a group of beetles commonly associated with decomposing organic matter. The species has been documented across multiple U.S. states in the Nearctic region. Like other members of the genus, it is presumed to be a detritivore or scavenger, though specific ecological details remain poorly documented in the literature.
Oniscidae
sow bugs, woodlice
Oniscidae is a family of terrestrial isopods (woodlice) within the suborder Oniscidea. The family includes the common woodlouse Oniscus asellus and at least six confirmed genera: Oniscus, Oroniscus, Phalloniscus, Rabdoniscus, Rodoniscus, and Sardoniscus. Members are detritivores that contribute to decomposition and nutrient cycling in terrestrial ecosystems. Some species exhibit behavioral sensitivity to environmental contaminants, suggesting potential use as bioindicators.
Panorpidae
scorpionflies, common scorpionflies
Panorpidae is the largest family of scorpionflies (order Mecoptera), comprising more than 480 species across approximately 70% of the order's diversity. Adults range 9–25 mm in length and possess four membranous wings, threadlike antennae, and elongated faces with chewing mouthparts. The family is characterized by males having enlarged genital claspers that curve upward like a scorpion's tail, giving the group its common name. The fossil record extends to the Eocene, with the extinct genus Baltipanorpa known from Baltic amber.
Porcellio
woodlice
Porcellio is a large genus of terrestrial isopods (woodlice) in the family Porcellionidae, containing approximately 191 described species with a near-cosmopolitan distribution. The genus includes the well-studied common rough woodlouse (Porcellio scaber), which has served as a model organism for research on behavioral ecology, personality traits in invertebrates, and physiological processes such as ecdysis. Most species were described by 1950, though new species continue to be discovered. Members of this genus cannot conglobate (roll into a ball), distinguishing them from pill bugs in related genera.
Rhyscotidae
Rhyscotid woodlice
Rhyscotidae is a family of terrestrial isopods (woodlice) within the suborder Oniscidea. The family comprises two genera, Rhyscotus and Rhyscotoides, and is characterized by small to medium-sized woodlice with typical isopod body plans. Members are found in tropical and subtropical regions, particularly in the Americas. The family was established by Budde-Lund in 1904 and represents a distinct lineage within the Crinocheta clade of terrestrial isopods.
Scirtidae
Marsh Beetles
Scirtidae is a family of small beetles commonly known as marsh beetles. Larvae are typically associated with stagnant water but can also occur in flowing water, while adults are found near water's edge in decomposing plant material. The family comprises more than 600 described species distributed among approximately 30-60 genera worldwide. Members are primarily aquatic or semi-aquatic in their larval stages, with adults showing strong affinity for moist riparian habitats.
Trichoniscus
pygmy woodlice
Trichoniscus is a genus of small terrestrial isopods (woodlice) containing over 100 species. The genus is notable for including species with both sexual and parthenogenetic reproductive modes, most prominently exemplified by Trichoniscus pusillus, which exists as diploid sexual and triploid asexual forms. These isopods are among the smallest woodlice, typically only a few millimeters in length, and are significant study organisms for research on the evolutionary maintenance of sexual reproduction.
Trigoniulidae
round-backed millipedes
Trigoniulidae is a family of round-backed millipedes in the order Spirobolida, comprising approximately 171 species across 25 genera. The family was established by Attems in 1909. Members are found in tropical and subtropical regions where they inhabit leaf litter and soil environments. Population studies of at least one species, Trigoniulus lumbricinus, indicate seasonal fluctuations correlated with rainfall patterns.
Ulidiidae
Picture-winged Flies
Ulidiidae, formerly known as Otitidae, is a large and diverse cosmopolitan family of true flies (Diptera) commonly called picture-winged flies. Most species are herbivorous or detritivorous, with larvae developing in decaying plant matter, dung, or living plant tissues. The family is characterized by distinctive wing patterns of spots, bands, or lines that serve in species recognition and courtship displays. Approximately 40 genera and 133 species occur in North America north of Mexico, with global diversity exceeding 700 species. A few species, notably Tetanops myopaeformis and Euxesta stigmatias, are recognized agricultural pests.
Zygentoma
silverfishes, fishmoths, firebrats
Zygentoma is an order of wingless insects comprising approximately 550 described species, including silverfishes and firebrats. These insects represent one of the most ancient living lineages of insects, having diverged before the evolution of winged insects in the Carboniferous period. They are characterized by three long caudal filaments and ametabolous development with continued molting throughout life. Many species are associated with human dwellings where they feed on starchy materials, while others inhabit caves, leaf litter, or live as inquilines in ant and termite nests.