Saproxylic
Guides
Cerophytidae
Rare Click Beetles
Cerophytidae is a small family of elateroid beetles commonly known as rare click beetles. The family contains approximately 23 extant species distributed across five genera, with the majority of diversity concentrated in the Neotropics. Adults possess a clicking mechanism convergent with Elateridae, though they are less specialized for jumping and better adapted for rapid walking and flight. The family has a significant fossil record extending to the Early Jurassic, with 17 fossil species in seven genera documented.
Ceruchus
Ceruchus is a genus of stag beetles in the family Lucanidae, established by Macleay in 1819. The genus comprises approximately 18–19 described species. Members are saproxylic beetles associated with decaying wood. At least one species, Ceruchus chrysomelinus, is an endangered relict of natural Central European montane forests.
Cerylon
Cerylon is a genus of minute bark beetles in the family Cerylonidae, established by Latreille in 1802. The genus comprises approximately 11 described species distributed across Europe and North America. These beetles are small, inconspicuous inhabitants of forest ecosystems where they occupy specialized microhabitats on and beneath bark.
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.
Chalcosyrphus
Leafwalkers
Chalcosyrphus is a genus of hoverflies (family Syrphidae) in the subfamily Eristalinae, commonly known as leafwalkers. Species are notable for mimicking sawflies and other hymenopterans, often displaying bright or metallic coloration. Adults are structurally and behaviorally similar to the related genus Xylota but differ in larval morphology. The genus occurs across Europe, Asia, and North America, with larvae being saproxylic feeders in rotten wood.
Chalcosyrphus piger
Short-haired Leafwalker
Chalcosyrphus piger is a species of hoverfly (family Syrphidae) found across North America and Europe. Adults are commonly known as flower flies and are frequently observed around flowers where they obtain nectar and pollen. The species is considered uncommon and is distinguished from congeners by its characteristic red abdominal markings. Larvae develop in decaying wood, specifically in sappy hollows of Larix and Pinus trees.
Chalcosyrphus vecors
Orange-hipped Leafwalker
Chalcosyrphus vecors, commonly known as the Orange-hipped Leafwalker, is a species of syrphid fly (family Syrphidae) found throughout North America. It belongs to the subgenus Xylotomima and was originally described by Osten Sacken in 1875. Like other members of its genus, this species is associated with dead and decaying wood, where its larvae develop as saprophages.
Charaphloeus convexulus
lined flat bark beetle
Charaphloeus convexulus is a species of lined flat bark beetle in the family Laemophloeidae, a group of small beetles adapted for living under bark. The species is found in North America, with records from Canada (New Brunswick, Nova Scotia, and Ontario). As with other members of Laemophloeidae, it is presumed to inhabit dead or dying wood where it likely feeds on fungal hyphae or other microorganisms, though specific biological details remain poorly documented.
Charaphloeus flavosignatus
lined flat bark beetle
Charaphloeus flavosignatus is a species of lined flat bark beetle in the family Laemophloeidae, a group characterized by their dorsoventrally flattened bodies adapted for living under bark. The species was described by Schäffer in 1910. It is known from North America. Like other members of its family, it likely inhabits dead or dying wood where it feeds on fungal hyphae.
Chrysobothris cribraria
Sifting Metallic Wood-borer
Chrysobothris cribraria is a metallic wood-boring beetle in the family Buprestidae, first described by Mannerheim in 1837. It is found in North America, with records from Canada (Alberta, Manitoba, Ontario) and the United States. The species has been collected from dead Pinus echinata (shortleaf pine) saplings in Oklahoma and from fallen dead branches of Pinus clausa (sand pine) in Florida, indicating an association with dead or dying coniferous wood.
Cibdelis
Cibdelis is a genus of darkling beetles in the subfamily Stenochiinae, distributed in the Nearctic region. The genus includes at least one well-documented species, Cibdelis blaschkei, which inhabits forested regions of California. Larvae and pupae develop in soft, rotten, dry wood of dead branches on living trees or recently fallen sections. Both life stages possess antipredator defense structures, including urogomphi (pinching organs) on the terminal abdominal segments.
Cibdelis blaschkei
Cibdelis blaschkei is a North American darkling beetle in the subfamily Stenochiinae. The immature stages were first described in 2014, revealing distinctive defensive structures and saproxylic ecology. The species inhabits forested regions of California, where larvae develop in soft rotten dry wood of dead branches. Both larvae and pupae possess urogomphi—abdominal armature that can be raised and curved forward as antipredator defenses. The complete life cycle has been documented through rearing adults from pupae with associated larval exuvia.
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 fuscipes
minute tree-fungus beetle, Darkfooted Cis Beetle
Cis fuscipes is a species of minute tree-fungus beetle in the family Ciidae. It has a broad geographic distribution spanning Australia, the Caribbean, North America, Oceania, and Europe. The species is associated with fungal habitats, typical of ciid beetles that inhabit wood-decaying fungi.
Cis striatulus
Groovy Cis Beetle
Cis striatulus is a small beetle in the family Ciidae, commonly known as the Groovy Cis Beetle. It belongs to a group of insects commonly called minute tree-fungus beetles, which are associated with decaying wood and fungal growth. The species was described by Mellié in 1848.
Cis subfuscus
Cis subfuscus is a minute tree-fungus beetle in the family Ciidae, first described by Gorham in 1886. It belongs to a group of small beetles specialized for life in fungal fruiting bodies, particularly polypore bracket fungi on dead and decaying wood. The species has been documented in Central America and North America.
Cleonymus magnificus
Cleonymus magnificus is a species of chalcidoid wasp in the family Cleonymidae, described by Ashmead in 1888. It belongs to a group of parasitoid wasps that attack wood-boring beetle larvae. The species has been recorded from Canada (Quebec) and the United States, though detailed biological information remains limited in available literature.
Clinidium rosenbergi
Clinidium rosenbergi is a small ground beetle in the family Rhysodidae, described by R.T. Bell in 1970. It is endemic to the United States with a disjunct distribution spanning the eastern United States east of the Appalachian Mountains, extending to the Delaware River in Pennsylvania, with isolated populations west of the Mississippi River in Missouri. The species measures 6.2–7.8 mm in length. Like other rhysodines, it is associated with decaying wood habitats.
Clinidium valentinei
Clinidium valentinei is a small ground beetle in the family Rhysodidae, described by R.T. Bell in 1970. It is endemic to the Appalachian Mountains of the eastern United States, ranging from northern Alabama to southwestern Pennsylvania. The species measures 5.4–6.4 mm in length. Like other rhysodines, it is adapted to life under bark and in decaying wood.
Clusiodes ater
Clusiodes ater is a species of fly in the family Clusiidae, a group commonly known as druid flies or clusiid flies. The species was described by Melander and Argo in 1924. Clusiidae are small to medium-sized flies typically associated with forest habitats, where larvae develop in decaying wood and adults are often found on tree trunks and foliage.
Clypastraea lugubris
minute hooded beetle
Clypastraea lugubris is a species of minute hooded beetle in the family Corylophidae. It is one of the smallest beetles in North America, measuring approximately 2 millimeters in length. The species is found across much of North America, with records from Canada (Alberta, British Columbia, Manitoba) and the United States. It belongs to a family commonly known as minute hooded beetles or minute fungus beetles, characterized by a distinctive shelf-like projection of the pronotum that conceals the head.
Clypastraea ornata
minute hooded beetle, minute fungus beetle
Clypastraea ornata is a minute beetle in the family Corylophidae, commonly known as minute hooded beetles or minute fungus beetles. Adults measure approximately 2 millimeters in length. The genus Clypastraea is characterized by a pronotum with a shelf-like projection that conceals the head. This species is found in association with fungi and mold in rotting wood and under bark on dead trees. It is one of 61 species in ten genera of Corylophidae recorded north of Mexico.
Clytus planifrons
Clytus planifrons is a long-horned beetle in the family Cerambycidae, described by John Lawrence LeConte in 1874. The species occurs along the Pacific coast of North America, with records from California, Oregon, Washington, and British Columbia. As a member of the Clytini tribe, it belongs to a group of beetles often characterized by wasp-mimicking coloration and patterns.
Coenomyia
stink fly
Coenomyia is a genus of flies in the family Xylophagidae, commonly known as "stink flies." The genus contains at least four described species, including the widespread Coenomyia ferruginea. These flies are characterized by their large size, brown coloration, and slow, clumsy movements. The family name Xylophagidae derives from Greek roots meaning "wood-eating," reflecting the larval habitat in dead and decaying wood where they prey on wood-boring beetle larvae.
Colon forceps
Colon forceps is a species of round fungus beetle described by Hatch in 1957. As a member of the genus Colon, it belongs to a group of small beetles associated with fungal habitats. The species is known from multiple provinces and states across Canada and the United States.
Conquistator mucronatus
Conquistator mucronatus is a longhorn beetle in the family Cerambycidae, tribe Clytini, historically classified under the genus Neoclytus. The species is characterized by its association with dead and dying hardwood trees, particularly hackberry (Celtis spp.), and is frequently attracted to fermenting baits. It has been documented across the central and eastern United States, with records from Missouri, Oklahoma, and other states. The species exhibits morphological variation, with some populations formerly recognized as a distinct form "vogti."
Coproporus ventriculus
Coproporus ventriculus is a species of rove beetle in the family Staphylinidae, subfamily Tachyporinae. It belongs to a genus associated with decaying organic matter and fungal habitats. The species has a broad North American distribution spanning much of Canada and the United States. Like other members of Tachyporinae, it is likely associated with rotting substrates where it feeds on fungal spores and hyphae, though specific ecological studies on this species are limited.
Corticariinae
Corticariinae is a subfamily of minute beetles in the family Latridiidae, comprising small (1-3 mm), cryptically colored species with elongated oval bodies and 3-3-3 tarsal formula. The subfamily includes at least 11 genera, with species distributed across the Andean region and other global localities, ranging from lowland tropical forests to high-elevation páramos (up to 4300 m). Members are mycetophagous, feeding on fungal spores and conidia, and occupy diverse microhabitats including decaying vegetation, stored food products, and very humid cloud forest environments.
Criorhina
Bumble Flies
Criorhina is a genus of medium to large hoverflies (Syrphidae) that exhibit Batesian mimicry of bumblebees. The genus is characterized by a flattened, broad head and distinctive antennal placement on a prominent conical frontal process. Larvae develop in rot holes and decaying hardwoods. Several species show pronounced geographical variation in abdominal colour patterns, with morphological differences correlated with the distribution of their hymenopteran models.
Criorhina nigriventris
bare-cheeked bumble fly
Criorhina nigriventris is an uncommon species of syrphid fly known as the bare-cheeked bumble fly. Adults are flower visitors that feed on nectar and pollen. The species exhibits bumble bee mimicry, a common defensive adaptation in the genus Criorhina. Larval development occurs in decaying wood. The species has been documented across northern North America with scattered records in the Appalachian region.
Criorhinina
Criorhinina is a subtribe of hoverflies (family Syrphidae) within the tribe Milesiini and subfamily Eristalinae. Members are characterized by their association with decaying wood and sap flows, where larvae develop. The subtribe includes genera such as *Criorhina* and *Sphecomyia*, which are often large-bodied and mimic bumble bees or wasps. Adults are primarily found in forested habitats.
Cryptarchinae
Cryptarchinae is a subfamily of sap-feeding beetles within the family Nitidulidae. The subfamily contains at least 3 genera—Cryptarcha, Glischrochilus, and Pityophagus—and approximately 17 described species. Members are associated with subcortical habitats and sap flows on trees, particularly conifers. The genus Glischrochilus has been the subject of recent taxonomic revision revealing cryptic species diversity in northern Europe.
Cucujidae
flat bark beetles
The Cucujidae are a family of beetles characterized by strongly flattened bodies adapted for living under bark. The family contains approximately 70 species in five genera, distributed worldwide except Africa and Antarctica. Members are primarily found in subcortical habitats on dead trees, where both larvae and adults are predatory. Some species exhibit remarkable physiological adaptations, including extreme freezing tolerance in arctic populations.
Cucujus
flat bark beetles
Cucujus is a genus of flat bark beetles in the family Cucujidae, containing approximately 25 recognized species distributed across the Holarctic region. Species are dorso-ventrally compressed, brightly colored in red or red-and-black patterns, and range from 6–25 mm in length. The genus is most diverse in Asia, with indigenous species in North America, Europe, and Asia. Several species, notably C. cinnaberinus and C. clavipes, have been subjects of ecological and physiological research due to their conservation status and extreme cold tolerance adaptations.
Cucujus clavipes
Red Flat Bark Beetle, Flat Bark Beetle
Cucujus clavipes, the red flat bark beetle, is a saproxylic beetle distributed across North America with two recognized subspecies: C. c. clavipes in the east and C. c. puniceus in the west. The species is notable for extreme cold tolerance, particularly in the western subspecies whose larvae can survive temperatures down to -100°C through deep supercooling and vitrification. Adults are active primarily in spring and summer and are found under bark of dead hardwood trees.
Dendrobiella sericans
Four-toothed Texas Bostrichid
Dendrobiella sericans is a species of horned powder-post beetle in the family Bostrichidae. It is distributed across Central America and North America. The species belongs to a group of wood-boring beetles commonly known as false powderpost beetles, which are characterized by their association with dead or dying wood.
Dendroides canadensis
fire-colored beetle, Canada Fire-colored Beetle
Dendroides canadensis, commonly known as the fire-colored beetle or Canada Fire-colored Beetle, is a species in the family Pyrochroidae. Adults range from 7 to 16 mm in length and display distinctive coloration with black head and elytra contrasting with reddish-brown thorax and legs. The species is notable for having both freezing tolerance and freezing susceptibility (supercooling) adaptations, representing the first documented instance of overwintering by switching between these two mechanisms. Larvae inhabit the cambial layer under bark of decaying hardwood logs.
Dendrophilinae
clown beetles
Dendrophilinae is a subfamily of clown beetles (family Histeridae) established by Reitter in 1909. It comprises more than 30 genera and approximately 490 described species. Members of this subfamily share the compact, convex body form characteristic of Histeridae but are distinguished by specific morphological traits and ecological associations.
Dendrophilus punctatus
clown beetle
Dendrophilus punctatus is a species of clown beetle in the family Histeridae. The species has a broad geographic distribution spanning Europe, Northern Asia (excluding China), and North America. Two subspecies are recognized: Dendrophilus punctatus punctatus and Dendrophilus punctatus championi. Like other histerid beetles, it is likely associated with decomposing organic matter and forested habitats, though specific ecological details remain poorly documented.
Diadocidiidae
A small family of fungus gnats (Diptera) containing two genera: the extant Diadocidia with over 20 species and the extinct †Docidiadia from Burmese amber. Adults are minute woodland flies measuring 2.5–5.6 mm. The family was historically treated as a subfamily of Mycetophilidae but is now recognized as distinct and closely related to Keroplatidae, Bolitophilidae, and Ditomyiidae.
Dinaraea
Dinaraea is a genus of rove beetles in the family Staphylinidae, tribe Athetini, comprising approximately 16 described species. The genus is saproxylic, inhabiting dead wood habitats including subcortical galleries, rotting tree trunks, and polypore fruiting bodies. Larval morphology was first described in 2018 based on two European species, revealing diagnostic characters for the genus and distinct morphological differences between early (L1) and late (L2–3) larval instars.
Dinaraea aequata
Dinaraea aequata is a small rove beetle (2.5–3.7 mm) in the subfamily Aleocharinae, native to Europe and parts of Asia. It is saproxylic, inhabiting subcortical galleries of decaying wood and fungal fruiting bodies. The species was among the first in its genus to have its larval morphology and life history described in detail, including all three instars, prepupa, and pupal cocoon.
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.
Dolichomitus
ichneumon wasps
Dolichomitus is a genus of ichneumonid wasps containing at least 70 described species. The genus name derives from Greek roots meaning 'long thread,' referring to the elongated ovipositor characteristic of these parasitoids. Species in this genus are parasitoids of wood-boring insect larvae, using their long ovipositors to reach hosts deep within tree trunks and branches. Some species exhibit striking aposematic coloration, including metallic blue and yellow patterns that may deter avian predators.
Dorcatomini
Dorcatomini is a tribe of beetles within the family Ptinidae (spider beetles and relatives). The tribe comprises at least 11 genera and approximately 50 described species. Members of this group are small to minute beetles associated with dead wood, fungal fruiting bodies, and other decaying organic matter. The tribe is distributed across multiple continents with greatest diversity in temperate and subtropical regions.
Dromaeolini
Dromaeolini is a tribe of false click beetles (family Eucnemidae) established by Beaulieu in 1919. The tribe is currently treated as a synonym within the subfamily Macraulacinae. Eucnemidae are characterized by their inability to perform the clicking jump mechanism found in true click beetles (Elateridae), despite superficial similarities in body form. Members of this group are typically small to medium-sized beetles associated with decaying wood.
Dromaeolus cylindricollis
Dromaeolus cylindricollis is a species of false click beetle in the family Eucnemidae. The species was described by Thomas Say in 1839. It is one of the few species in the genus Dromaeolus, which comprises small to medium-sized beetles characterized by their inability to produce the clicking sound typical of their close relatives in Elateridae. The genus name refers to this reduced clicking ability (from Greek 'dromaios' meaning running or racing, perhaps alluding to their active movement rather than defensive clicking).
Dromaeolus punctatus
Dromaeolus punctatus is a species of clown beetle in the family Histeridae. Members of this genus are typically associated with forest habitats and are often found under bark or in decaying wood. The genus Dromaeolus is characterized by its elongate body form and distinctive antennal structure.
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.