Mycophagous
Guides
Acrotrichini
Acrotrichini is a tribe of minute featherwing beetles (family Ptiliidae) characterized by their extremely small body size—among the smallest of all beetles. Members possess distinctive wing morphology with reduced venation and fringed margins that enable flight despite their diminutive size. The tribe was established by Reitter in 1909 and is classified within the subfamily Ptiliinae. Acrotrichini includes the genus Acrotrichis, which contains numerous species distributed across multiple continents.
Amedia
Amedia is a genus of gall midges (Diptera: Cecidomyiidae) established by Jaschhof in 1997. It belongs to the subfamily Lestremiinae and tribe Strobliellini. The genus comprises small, delicate flies whose larvae develop in association with fungi, particularly on decaying wood.
Anisotoma geminata
Anisotoma geminata is a small round fungus beetle in the family Leiodidae, a group specialized for feeding on fungal fruiting bodies. The species was described by Horn in 1880 and occurs across eastern North America, with records spanning from Canada to the southern United States. Like other members of its genus, it is likely associated with decaying fungi in forest habitats.
Asynapta
Asynapta is a genus of gall midges in the family Cecidomyiidae, subfamily Porricondylinae. The genus contains approximately 49 species globally, with Asynapta groverae being the only member documented in South Korea. This species is notable as an invasive mycophagous pest that has established populations in indoor environments since 2008. The genus is characterized by small, delicate flies typical of the Cecidomyiidae family.
Atomaria
silken fungus beetles
Atomaria is a genus of silken fungus beetles in the family Cryptophagidae, comprising more than 160 described species. These small beetles are associated with fungal habitats and are part of the diverse beetle fauna found in decaying organic matter. The genus was established by Stephens in 1829 and remains taxonomically active with ongoing species descriptions.
Atomariinae
silken fungus beetles
Atomariinae is a subfamily of small beetles within the family Cryptophagidae, commonly known as silken fungus beetles. The group comprises approximately 8 genera and more than 170 described species, including the well-known genus Atomaria. Members are generally associated with fungal habitats. The subfamily was established by J.L. LeConte in 1861.
Axylophilus
Axylophilus is a genus of ant-like leaf beetles in the family Aderidae, established by Casey in 1895. Members of this genus are small, inconspicuous beetles associated with decaying wood and leaf litter habitats. The genus is part of a family historically placed within Tenebrionoidea, though Aderidae systematics remain under study. Very few observations or studies document this genus directly.
Biphyllidae
False Skin Beetles
Biphyllidae, commonly known as false skin beetles, is a family of small beetles in the superfamily Cleroidea. The family contains approximately 195 described species distributed globally except New Zealand. Members are primarily found in concealed microhabitats including under bark of dead trees and in leaf litter. The family includes 11 extant genera plus one fossil genus from Late Cretaceous Taimyr amber.
Bolitophagus corticola
Bolitophagus corticola is a darkling beetle in the family Tenebrionidae. The species is associated with woody habitats, particularly bark and decaying wood. It is native to eastern North America, with records from the Canadian Maritimes through Ontario and Quebec. The genus Bolitophagus is mycophagous, feeding on fungi.
Caenocara
puffball beetles
Caenocara is a genus of small beetles in the family Ptinidae (subfamily Dorcatominae), commonly known as puffball beetles. The genus was established by C.G. Thomson in 1859. Members are associated with fungi, particularly puffball mushrooms, which serve as their primary habitat and food source. The genus has been documented across northern Europe including Denmark, Norway, and Sweden.
Callomyia
Callomyia is a genus of flat-footed flies (Diptera: Platypezidae) comprising approximately 24 described species distributed across the Holarctic and Oriental regions. The genus is distinguished by a setulose R1 wing vein and enlarged female antennae. Larvae are xylobiont, developing under bark of fallen trees where they feed on fungal mycelia. Adults are typically found in forested habitats and are active from spring through autumn.
Cartodere australica
Cartodere australica is a species of minute brown scavenger beetle in the family Latridiidae. Members of this genus are typically found in association with decaying plant matter and fungal growth. The specific epithet 'australica' indicates an Australian distribution. Like other latridiids, this species is minute in size and feeds on fungal spores and hyphae.
Ciidae
Minute Tree-Fungus Beetles, Shelf Fungus Beetles
Ciidae, commonly known as minute tree-fungus beetles or shelf fungus beetles, are a family of small beetles within the superfamily Tenebrionoidea. Adults and larvae inhabit fruiting bodies of bracket fungi (Polyporales), particularly Polyporaceae and Corticiaceae, where they burrow inside the fungal tissue. The family is most diverse in warmer regions but has a cosmopolitan distribution extending to northern latitudes including Scandinavia. Development from egg to adult can occur in as little as two months, and some species are parthenogenetic. A few species, notably Cis chinensis, are recognized as pests of commercially dried fungi.
Ciini
Ciini is a tribe of minute beetles within the family Ciidae, commonly known as minute tree-fungus beetles. The tribe contains at least 30 genera and was established by Leach in 1819. Members are small, mycophagous beetles associated with fungal growth on wood.
Cis
tree-fungus beetles
Cis is a genus of tree-fungus beetles in the family Ciidae, first described by Latreille in 1797. The genus contains at least 150 described species, all of which are associated with fungal habitats. These small beetles are specialized inhabitants of wood-decaying fungi and are found across multiple continents including Europe and North America.
Cis quadridentatus
Cis quadridentatus is a species of minute tree-fungus beetle in the family Ciidae, a group of small beetles specialized for life on fungal fruiting bodies. The species was described by Dury in 1917 and is known from North America. Like other members of the genus Cis, it is associated with wood-decaying fungi, particularly polypore bracket fungi. Information on this species is limited, with only one observation documented in iNaturalist.
Colenis impunctata
Colenis impunctata is a species of round fungus beetle in the family Leiodidae. It was described by John Lawrence LeConte in 1853. The species is found in North America, with documented occurrences across a wide geographic range including much of the United States and Canada. As a member of the round fungus beetles, it likely inhabits environments associated with fungal resources. The species name 'impunctata' refers to the lack of punctures or spots, suggesting a relatively smooth elytral surface compared to some congeners.
Colon magnicolle
Colon magnicolle is a species of round fungus beetle in the family Leiodidae, described by Mannerheim in 1853. It is distributed across northern North America, with records from Canada and the northern United States. As a member of the genus Colon, it is associated with fungal habitats, though specific ecological details for this species remain poorly documented.
Corticaria elongata
minute brown scavenger beetle
Corticaria elongata is a minute brown scavenger beetle in the family Latridiidae, first described by Gyllenhal in 1827. This species belongs to a group of small beetles commonly associated with decaying organic matter and fungal growth. The species has been documented in European localities including the Azores (Graciosa, São Miguel, Terceira), Montenegro, and Serbia.
Cryptamorpha desjardinsii
Desjardin's beetle, Desjardin's flat beetle
Cryptamorpha desjardinsii is a small silvanid flat bark beetle, originally described from tropical Asia in 1844. It has established cosmopolitan distribution through human-mediated introduction, now occurring across Europe, North America, the Caribbean, and Oceania. The species feeds on mildews and moulds, particularly on plants such as flax. Its spread to New Zealand is documented as occurring via Australia.
Cryptophaginae
silken fungus beetles
Cryptophaginae is a subfamily of small beetles within the family Cryptophagidae, commonly known as silken fungus beetles. The subfamily contains approximately 11 genera and more than 180 described species. Members are associated with fungal habitats and are often found in decaying organic matter. The subfamily was established by William Kirby in 1826.
Cryptophagus acutangulus
Acute-angled Fungus Beetle, Silken Fungus Beetle
Cryptophagus acutangulus is a small mycophagous beetle in the family Cryptophagidae, commonly known as the acute-angled fungus beetle or silken fungus beetle. The species has a nearly cosmopolitan distribution, occurring across Europe, Asia, Africa, and the Americas, though it is most abundant in temperate and boreal forest zones. It feeds primarily on fungi, with larvae and adults consuming fungal spores and hyphae. The complete life cycle from egg to adult has been described, and the species plays a documented role in fungal spore dispersal through internal and external transmission mechanisms.
Cyparium
Cyparium is a genus of rove beetles in the subfamily Scaphidiinae, described by Erichson in 1845. The genus comprises approximately 55 species with strongest representation in the Neotropical and Oriental regions. Species are associated with fungal substrates. The genus was recently revised with descriptions of five new Brazilian species.
Dacnini
Dacnini is a tribe of pleasing fungus beetles (family Erotylidae) established by Gistel in 1848. Members of this tribe are characterized by their association with fungal substrates and exhibit morphological adaptations for this ecological niche. The tribe is part of the subfamily Erotylinae and represents a distinct lineage within the diverse Erotylidae family. Dacnini species are primarily found in forested habitats where fungal resources are abundant.
Decapauropus lambertoni
Decapauropus lambertoni is a species of minute myriapod in the class Pauropoda, described by Remy in 1956. Pauropods are small, soft-bodied soil-dwelling arthropods rarely encountered due to their cryptic lifestyle. The genus Decapauropus is characterized by having ten legs (five pairs) in adults, distinguishing it from the more common eight-legged (four-paired) pauropods. This species has been recorded across disjunct regions including Africa, South America, and Southern Asia, suggesting either broad distribution or potential cryptic diversity requiring taxonomic revision.
Derodontus
tooth-necked fungus beetles
Derodontus is a genus of tooth-necked fungus beetles comprising approximately eleven described species. Members are mycophagous, feeding on fungi. The genus has a Holarctic distribution with species recorded from North America, Europe, and Asia. Derodontus macularis has been documented in well-preserved natural forest habitats in eastern Moravia, Czech Republic.
Diadocidia ferruginosa
Diadocidia ferruginosa is a Palearctic fungus gnat species in the family Diadocidiidae. Larvae construct long dry silken tubes beneath bark or within decaying wood. The species has been associated with the fungal genus Peniophora. Adult ecology remains poorly documented.
Diaperis
Diaperis is a genus of darkling beetles in the family Tenebrionidae, established by Geoffroy in 1762. Species occur across Asia, Europe, and the Americas. The genus includes mycophagous species such as D. boleti, which feeds on wood-decomposing fungi. Some species were formerly classified under the genus Allophasia.
Dienerella ruficollis
Red-necked plaster beetle
A small beetle in the family Latridiidae, commonly known as the red-necked plaster beetle. This species is associated with damp, moldy environments and has been introduced to North America from Europe. It is frequently found in buildings and other human-modified habitats where fungal growth occurs.
Drosophila tripunctata
Drosophila tripunctata is a mycophagous vinegar fly in the Immigrans-tripunctata radiation of subgenus Drosophila. It exhibits tolerance to α-amanitin, a cyclopeptide mushroom toxin found in Amanita mushrooms that inhibits RNA polymerase II, allowing it to utilize toxic mushrooms as larval hosts. Genetic variation in toxin tolerance exists among populations, and this adaptation appears intrinsic to the fly's genome rather than mediated by gut microbiota. The species shows genetic variation in host preference within and among populations, and adults display acclimation and adaptive behavioral responses to combined temperature and desiccation stress.
Dryadaula
Dryadaula is a genus of small moths in the family Dryadaulidae (formerly placed in Tineidae), established by Edward Meyrick in 1893. The genus comprises approximately 60 described species distributed across the Palaearctic region, with additional records from Hawaii and other regions. Species are characterized by small size (wingspans typically 7-15 mm), inconspicuous coloration, and concealed lifestyles associated with dead wood and fungal habitats. Several species have been described in recent decades, including four new species from China in 2021 and one from Japan in 2024, indicating ongoing taxonomic discovery.
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.
Eustrophus tomentosus
Eustrophus tomentosus is a species of polypore fungus beetle in the family Tetratomidae, found in North America. It is characterized by abundant yellowish-orange setae covering the elytra surface. The species can be distinguished from related genera by the absence of a prothoracic episternal transverse suture. As a member of the polypore fungus beetles, it is associated with bracket fungi in forested habitats.
Euxestidae
Euxestidae is a small family of beetles in the superfamily Coccinelloidea, containing approximately 70 extant species across 10 genera. Formerly treated as a subfamily of Cerylonidae, they were elevated to family status based on morphological and phylogenetic evidence. Members are primarily tropical and subtropical in distribution, with most species occurring in the Afro-Eurasian region. They inhabit concealed microhabitats including decomposing wood, leaf litter, and the nests of social insects.
Exechiopsis
fungus gnats
Exechiopsis is a genus of fungus gnats in the family Mycetophilidae, established by Tuomikoski in 1966. The genus contains approximately 80 described species distributed across the Holarctic region, with particular diversity in Europe and Asia. Several species were formerly placed in the genus Xenexechia, which is now treated as a synonym. Species identification relies primarily on male genitalia morphology.
Gyrophaena fuscicollis
Gyrophaena fuscicollis is a small rove beetle in the family Staphylinidae, subfamily Aleocharinae. It belongs to the genus Gyrophaena, a group of mycophagous beetles commonly associated with fungi. The species was described by Casey in 1906 and is recorded from eastern North America.
Hemipeplus
Hemipeplus is a genus of beetles in the family Mycteridae, subfamily Hemipeplinae. The genus contains 57 described species distributed across pantropical regions. Species are primarily mycophagous, feeding on fungi. The genus has been subject to recent taxonomic revision, with numerous new species described in 2025.
Ithycerus noveboracensis
New York Weevil
Ithycerus noveboracensis is a primitive weevil and the sole living member of the family Ithyceridae. It is among the largest North American weevils, measuring 12–18 mm. The species is characterized by its distinctive spotted coloration and bristly body texture. It occurs in deciduous forests of eastern North America, where adults feed on fungi and sap flows from hardwood trees.
Leiodini
round fungus beetles
Leiodini is a tribe of small beetles within the family Leiodidae, commonly known as round fungus beetles. The tribe contains over 400 described species distributed across 19 genera. Members of this tribe are primarily associated with fungal habitats, particularly decomposing fungi and related organic matter. The group was established by Fleming in 1821 and represents a significant component of the beetle fauna in forest ecosystems.
Litargus tetraspilotus
Four-spotted Hairy Fungus Beetle
Litargus tetraspilotus is a small hairy fungus beetle in the family Mycetophagidae, first described from North America in 1856 and more recently recorded in Brazil. It feeds on powdery mildew fungi (Oidium sp.) and has been studied as a potential biological control agent for fungal pathogens on fruit trees. Population dynamics show seasonal variation tied to humidity and rainfall patterns.
Lonchaeidae
Lance Flies
Lonchaeidae, commonly known as lance flies, is a family of acalyptrate dipteran flies comprising approximately 611 described species across 10 genera. These small, robust flies are characterized by blue-black or metallic bodies and are predominantly associated with wooded habitats worldwide. The family exhibits diverse larval ecology, with most species being phytophagous on damaged plant tissues, though coprophagous, mycophagous, saprophagous, and predatory habits are also documented. Several species are significant agricultural pests, particularly of figs, cassava, and conifer seeds, while others develop in bark beetle tunnels, decaying wood, or fungal fruiting bodies.
Micromyinae
Micromyine Wood Midges
Micromyinae is a subfamily of wood midges in the family Cecidomyiidae, comprising at least 55 genera and more than 650 described species. Members were formerly classified within subfamily Lestremiinae. All species in this subfamily are mycophagous, feeding on fungi. The subfamily includes numerous fossil genera preserved in amber deposits dating from the Albian to Eocene.
Micropeplinae
Micropeplinae is a small subfamily of rove beetles (Staphylinidae) characterized by 9-segmented antennae with single-segmented clubs and a tarsal formula of 4-4-4 (appearing as 3-3-3). The group comprises approximately six extant genera worldwide, including Micropeplus, Kalissus, Cerapeplus, Peplomicrus, and Arrhenopeplus, plus the extinct †Protopeplus from Burmese amber. Species are primarily associated with moist microhabitats and feed on mold spores and fungal hyphae.
Monotoma
Monotoma is a genus of small beetles in the family Monotomidae, first described by Herbst in 1793. The genus contains numerous species distributed across multiple continents. At least one species, Monotoma testacea, has been reared in laboratory conditions, revealing a rapid life cycle of 34–42 days from egg to adult. The genus is divided into subgenera, with morphological differences in larval setae proposed as diagnostic characters.
Monotomidae
Minute Clubbed Beetles
Monotomidae is a family of small beetles in the superfamily Nitiduloidea, containing approximately 240 species in 33 genera. The family exhibits diverse ecological habits: members occur under tree bark, in decaying vegetation, on flowers, and in ant nests. Some species are mycophagous, feeding on ascomycete fungi, while others are predatory. The genus Rhizophagus includes species that prey on bark beetles and their immature stages.
Murmidiidae
Murmidiidae is a family of small beetles in the superfamily Coccinelloidea, containing approximately 34 described species across four genera. The family was historically classified within Cerylonidae but has been recognized as distinct based on morphological and phylogenetic evidence. Members are primarily associated with decaying wood habitats and are considered mycophagous. The cosmopolitan species Murmidius ovalis has been documented as a pest of stored food products.
Mycetaeidae
Mycetaeidae is a small family of beetles in the superfamily Coccinelloidea, established as distinct from Endomychidae based on morphological and molecular evidence. The family contains three genera: Agaricophilus (one species, Europe), Mycetaea (two species, North America, Europe, South Africa, and Canary Islands), and Afromycetaea (seven species, sub-Saharan Africa and Madagascar). The family is confirmed as monophyletic and sister to Cerasommatidiidae. Members of the genus Mycetaea are known to be mycophagous, feeding on molds.
Mycetophagidae
Hairy Fungus Beetles
Mycetophagidae, commonly known as hairy fungus beetles, is a family of small beetles in the superfamily Tenebrionoidea. The family comprises approximately 200 species across 18 genera worldwide. Species range from 1.0 to 6.5 mm in length. Both larvae and adults inhabit decaying leaf litter, fungi, and subcortical environments, with most species feeding on fungi.
Mycetophagus flexuosus
hairy fungus beetle
Mycetophagus flexuosus is a hairy fungus beetle in the family Mycetophagidae. The species occurs in North America and has been documented in association with several polypore and gilled fungi. Like other members of its family, it is associated with fungal fruiting bodies.
Mycodrosophila
mushroom flies
Mycodrosophila is a genus of small vinegar flies comprising approximately 120-130 described species. Members are obligately mycophagous, meaning they depend on fungi throughout their entire life cycle. The genus belongs to the monophyletic Zygothrica genus group alongside Hirtodrosophila, Paramycodrosophila, and Zygothrica. Species are distributed across the Neotropical and Palearctic regions, with some showing transcontinental ranges.