Human-associated
Guides
Mezium
spider beetles
Mezium is a genus of spider beetles (subfamily Ptininae) with a global distribution concentrated in two main regions: the western Mediterranean from the Iberian Peninsula to Morocco and the Canary Islands, and central and southern Africa. Species in this genus are primarily cave-dwelling, feeding on animal feces and bat guano, though several have adapted to human-made structures such as barns and chicken coops. The genus includes notable species such as Mezium affine (shiny spider beetle) and Mezium americanum (American spider beetle).