Saproxylic
Guides
Passalidae
Bess Beetles, Bessbugs, Betsy Beetles, Horned Passalus Beetles
Passalidae is a family of approximately 500–1000 species of beetles commonly known as bess beetles or patent-leather beetles. They are predominantly tropical and subtropical, with notable North American species distinguished by large size (20–43 mm), a single cephalic horn, and unusual social behavior among beetles. They are among the most important saproxylic insects for wood decomposition in forest ecosystems.
Pediacus gracilis
Pediacus gracilis is a species of flat bark beetle in the family Cucujidae, described by Thomas in 2004. The genus Pediacus comprises flattened beetles associated with dead wood habitats. This species is distinguished from congeners by its slender body form, as indicated by its specific epithet. Records indicate presence in North America, though detailed biological information remains limited.
Peltis
Peltis is a genus of small, flattened beetles and the sole extant member of the family Peltidae. Species occur in North America and Europe, where they inhabit primeval forests and deadwood habitats. The genus includes rare, red-listed species such as Peltis grossa, which has shown population recovery following natural forest disturbances that increase deadwood availability.
Penthe
velvety bark beetles
Penthe is a genus of polypore fungus beetles in the family Tetratomidae, comprising at least nine described species. The genus is the type genus of the subfamily Penthinae. Adults and larvae are saproxylic, feeding on fungi associated with decaying wood. The genus has a complex taxonomic history, having been placed in Tenebrionidae, Melandryidae, and finally Tetratomidae based on larval and adult morphological characters.
Phileurus valgus
Phileurus valgus is a small dynastine scarab beetle in the tribe Phileurini, distributed from the southern United States through Central America and into South America. Adults are attracted to lights and have been found under bark of decaying wood. Larvae develop in rotting wood cavities. The species is sometimes mistaken for bess beetles (Passalidae) due to its flattened, parallel-sided body form.
Philothermus
Philothermus is a genus of minute bark beetles in the family Cerylonidae, containing approximately 17 described species. Members are small, compact beetles associated with dead wood habitats. The genus has been documented in Europe, with particular attention to rare species such as P. evanescens in France. Available information on biology and distribution remains limited for most species.
Phloeocharinae
Phloeocharinae is a subfamily of rove beetles (Staphylinidae) characterized by distinctive abdominal tergal combs and procoxal morphology. The group contains five genera and six species in North America, with the genus Phloeocharis dominating the European fauna. Members are primarily saproxylic, inhabiting damp forest environments under bark and in leaf litter. The biology of most species remains poorly known.
Phloeocharis
Phloeocharis is a genus of rove beetles in the subfamily Phloeocharinae. Species in this genus are saproxylic, living under tree bark in association with bark beetle communities. The genus is native to the Palearctic region, with at least one species, Phloeocharis subtilissima, introduced to North America via port cities.
Phloeodes plicatus
Wrinkled Ironclad Beetle
Phloeodes plicatus, commonly known as the Wrinkled Ironclad Beetle, is a flightless beetle in the family Zopheridae. It is closely related to Phloeodes diabolicus, the diabolical ironclad beetle, and shares the remarkable structural durability characteristic of this genus. The species has been reclassified under the genus Nosoderma in some taxonomic treatments.
Phloeonomus
Protea Rove Beetles
Phloeonomus is a genus of ocellate rove beetles in the family Staphylinidae, subfamily Omaliinae, containing approximately eight described species. Species within this genus are obligate saproxylic beetles associated with decaying wood and polypore fungi. The larval stages have been characterized for at least one species (P. punctipennis), showing three instars with morphological differences in antennal, leg, and urogomphal proportions between early and late instars.
Phloiotrya fusca
Dark False Darkling Beetle
Phloiotrya fusca is a small beetle in the family Melandryidae, commonly known as the Dark False Darkling Beetle. It is a saproxylic species associated with decaying wood. The species has been documented in eastern Canada, with records from New Brunswick, Nova Scotia, Prince Edward Island, and Quebec.
Phryganophilus collaris
Collared False Darkling Beetle
A small false darkling beetle in the family Melandryidae, recognized by the distinctive pale pronotal collar that contrasts with its darker body. The species occurs across northern and western North America, with records from boreal and montane regions of Canada. Like other melandryids, it is associated with decaying wood and fungal habitats. The specific epithet and common name both reference the contrasting light-colored band across the pronotum.
Piestinae
Piestinae is a subfamily of rove beetles (Staphylinidae) characterized by an elongate, flattened body form and antennae inserted beneath shelf-like projections of the frons. Members are primarily associated with decaying wood habitats, where many species occur under bark. The subfamily includes several genera, notably Piestus and Siagonium. Ecologically, they function as saprophages or mycophages in dead wood ecosystems.
Piestus
flat rove beetles
Piestus is a genus of flat rove beetles established by Gravenhorst in 1806. The genus contains more than 30 described species and is classified within the subfamily Piestinae of the family Staphylinidae. Members of this genus are characterized by their dorsoventrally flattened body form, an adaptation associated with their habitat preferences. The genus is part of the diverse rove beetle fauna, though specific ecological details for most species remain poorly documented.
Placonotus falinorum
Placonotus falinorum is a species of small beetle in the family Laemophloeidae, a group commonly known as lined flat bark beetles. The species is known from very few observations, reflecting either rarity or limited survey effort. Members of this genus are associated with dead or decaying wood and fungal substrates.
Platyceroides keeni
Keen's Stag Beetle
Platyceroides keeni is a species of stag beetle in the family Lucanidae, found in western North America from British Columbia to California. It is one of the smaller members of its genus and is associated with forested habitats. Adult beetles are active during warmer months, with larvae developing in decaying wood.
Platyceroides laticollis
Platyceroides laticollis is a species of stag beetle described by Casey in 1914. It belongs to the family Lucanidae, a group characterized by enlarged mandibles in males. The species has been documented in western North America, specifically in California and Oregon. Like other members of its genus, it is likely associated with decaying wood habitats.
Platycerus
Platycerus is a genus of small stag beetles in the family Lucanidae, comprising over 50 species distributed across deciduous forests of the Northern Hemisphere. Members are saproxylic, developing in deadwood of cool, temperate broadleaf forests. Adults are elusive with short flight periods and cryptic habits, making them generally uncommon and locally rare in many regions.
Platycerus quercus
Oak Stag Beetle
Platycerus quercus is a small stag beetle in the family Lucanidae, commonly known as the Oak Stag Beetle. It is distinguished from other North American stag beetles by its relatively modest size and reduced mandibles in males. The species is widely distributed across eastern and central North America, with associations to oak-dominated forests. Both adults and larvae are linked to decaying wood habitats.
Platysoma aequum
clown beetle
Platysoma aequum is a species of clown beetle in the family Histeridae. The genus Platysoma comprises small predatory beetles that inhabit spaces beneath bark, where they hunt other insects. This species occurs in North America, with records from Canada and the eastern and central United States. As with other histerid beetles, it likely plays a role in controlling populations of fly and beetle larvae in dead and decaying wood.
Platysoma parallelum
clown beetle
Platysoma parallelum is a species of clown beetle in the family Histeridae. It is found in North America, with records from multiple U.S. states. Like other members of the genus Platysoma, it is likely associated with decaying wood and bark habitats where it preys on other insects.
Poemeniinae
Poemeniinae is a small subfamily of ichneumonid wasps (Hymenoptera: Ichneumonidae) established by Narayanan & Lal in 1953. Members are ectoparasitoids of wood-boring insects, with hosts including beetle larvae (Cerambycidae, Buprestidae) and xylophilous bees (Apoidea). The subfamily exhibits high local species richness in undisturbed forest habitats, particularly in the Carpathian Mountains where up to 95 species of the broader pimpliform group have been documented in a single 250-hectare forest patch. Taxonomic stability has been limited, with genera such as Podoschistus historically transferred between Xorides, Neoxorides, and other groupings.
Polyporivora polypori
flat-footed fly
Polyporivora polypori is a species of flat-footed fly in the family Platypezidae. The genus Polyporivora is associated with bracket fungi (polypores), though specific host relationships for P. polypori remain poorly documented. The species was described by Willard in 1914. Available records suggest it occurs in forested environments where suitable fungal hosts are present.
Priognathus
Priognathus is a genus of dead log beetles in the family Pythidae, established by LeConte in 1850. The genus contains a single described species, Priognathus monilicornis. Members of this genus are part of the small family Pythidae, which is associated with decaying wood habitats. Information on the biology and ecology of Priognathus remains limited due to its rarity and the scarcity of observations.
Priognathus monilicornis
Necklace-horned Dead Log Beetle
A small beetle in the family Pythidae, commonly known as the Necklace-horned Dead Log Beetle. Found in decaying wood habitats across western and central Canada. The common name refers to the beaded or necklace-like appearance of its antennae.
Prioninae
Tooth-necked and Aberrant Longhorn Beetles, prionids
Prioninae is a subfamily of long-horned beetles (Cerambycidae) comprising large, robust beetles typically measuring 25–70 mm. They are distinguished by males of several genera possessing enlarged mandibles used in male-male combat, analogous to stag beetles. Most species are nocturnal and attracted to light. Larvae are wood-borers, with the majority of documented species feeding on rotting wood or roots.
Prorates
Prorates is a genus of small predatory flies in the family Scenopinidae (window flies), established by Melander in 1906. The genus belongs to the subfamily Proratinae, which is characterized by distinctive morphological features and predatory habits. Members of this genus are poorly known biologically, with limited published information on their ecology and behavior. The genus is distinguished from other scenopinid genera primarily by structural characteristics of the head, antennae, and male terminalia.
Prosternon medianus
Click beetle
Prosternon medianus is a click beetle (Elateridae) species native to eastern North America. It is characterized by its elongated, parallel-sided body form and smooth, dark elytra with subtle pubescence. The species is associated with forested and riparian habitats where its larvae develop in decaying wood. Adults are active during spring and early summer, with activity peaking in May and June. The species is part of the diverse Prosternon genus, which contains approximately 15 species primarily distributed in the Holarctic region.
Prostomidae
jugular-horned beetles, Red Log Beetles
Prostomidae is a small family of beetles comprising two extant genera (Prostomis and Dryocora) with approximately 20 species. These elongate, parallel-sided beetles are specialized inhabitants of dead wood, where both larvae and adults develop. The family exhibits a disjunct global distribution: Prostomis occurs in North America, Europe, Africa, the Pacific region and East Asia, while Dryocora is restricted to New Zealand, Australia and Tasmania. An extinct genus, Vetuprostomis, is known from mid-Cretaceous Burmese amber.
Protaxymyia
Protaxymyia is a genus of flies in the family Axymyiidae, established by Mamaev and Krivosheina in 1966. This genus belongs to a small, relictual family of Diptera whose members are associated with decaying wood and fungal habitats. Species within Protaxymyia are poorly known, with limited published biological information available.
Prothalpia
Prothalpia is a genus of false darkling beetles in the family Melandryidae, established by LeConte in 1862. The genus contains at least four described species distributed across North America and East Asia. Members of this genus are small to medium-sized beetles associated with decaying wood and forest habitats. The genus is part of the diverse assemblage of saproxylic beetles that contribute to wood decomposition processes.
Pseudocistela brevis
Pseudocistela brevis is a species of darkling beetle (Tenebrionidae) first described by Thomas Say in 1824. The species is documented from eastern Canada, with confirmed records in New Brunswick, Ontario, and Quebec. Like other members of the genus Pseudocistela, it belongs to a group of small to medium-sized beetles associated with forest floor habitats and decaying organic matter.
Pseudotephritis
Pseudotephritis is a genus of picture-winged flies in the family Ulidiidae, containing five described species distributed across North America, Europe, and East Asia. Species in this genus are saproxylic, with larvae developing in weakened and dying deciduous trees. Adults are typically collected in forest canopies and are attracted to fermenting baits. The genus was established by Johnson in 1902.
Pycnomerini
Pycnomerini is a tribe of beetles in the family Zopheridae, subfamily Zopherinae, first described by Erichson in 1845. The tribe includes the genus Pycnomerus, whose members are primarily saproxylic, inhabiting dead and decaying wood in forest ecosystems. Some species, such as P. rimatara and P. prebblei from Rimatara in French Polynesia, are known only from subfossil material and are considered likely extinct due to habitat destruction. The tribe has a global distribution with documented observations across multiple regions.
Pycnomerus
ironclad beetles
Pycnomerus is a genus of ironclad beetles (family Zopheridae) comprising more than 20 described species. Members are small, elongated beetles with hardened, often sculptured exoskeletons typical of the family. The genus includes both widespread and highly restricted species, with some island endemics now considered extinct due to habitat loss. Several species are associated with dead wood habitats and are classified as saproxylic.
Pyrochroidae
Fire-colored Beetles, Fire-coloured Beetles, Red Cardinal Beetles
Pyrochroidae is a family of beetles commonly known as fire-colored beetles or red cardinal beetles, comprising approximately 150 species distributed worldwide except Antarctica. Members of this family are saproxylic, with larvae developing beneath bark and in decaying woody debris of dead logs. The family was expanded to include most former members of the defunct family Pedilidae. Many species in the subfamily Pyrochroinae exhibit distinctive comb- or antler-like antennae.
Pyrochroinae
fire-colored beetles
Pyrochroinae is a subfamily of Pyrochroidae comprising fire-colored beetles distinguished by their often vivid red, orange, or yellow coloration. The subfamily includes genera such as Pyrochroa, Pseudopyrochroa, Hemidendroides, and Pseudodendroides. Larvae are saproxylic, developing beneath bark and in decaying woody debris of dead trees. Adults of at least some species are canthariphilous, exhibiting specialized cranial gland apparatuses associated with sexual behavior involving cantharidin compounds.
Pytho
dead log beetles, dead log bark beetles
Pytho is a small genus of saproxylic beetles in the family Pythidae, commonly known as dead log beetles or dead log bark beetles. The genus comprises approximately nine to ten described species distributed across the Holarctic region, recognized as typically boreal taxa. Species inhabit the cambial layer of dead trees, particularly conifers, where larvae feed on partially decomposed wood and bark. Several species have disjunct distributions spanning North America, Europe, and Japan, reflecting complex historical biogeographic patterns involving vicariance and dispersal across Beringia. Some species, such as P. abieticola, are considered relicts of primeval forests and are in decline across much of Central Europe.
Pytho niger
Black Pythid Beetle
Pytho niger is a species of dead log beetle in the family Pythidae, found in North America. It is commonly known as the Black Pythid Beetle. The species belongs to a small family of beetles associated with decaying wood habitats. Limited information is available on its specific biology and ecology.
Quilnus
Quilnus is a genus of flat bugs in the family Aradidae, first described by Stål in 1873. Members of this genus are characterized by their dorsoventrally flattened bodies, an adaptation associated with their lifestyle under bark or in other tight spaces. The genus is part of the diverse Aradidae family, which comprises over 200 genera of primarily mycophagous or saprophagous true bugs. As of current records, the genus contains relatively few described species, and detailed biological information remains limited.
Rainieria
A genus of stilt-legged flies (Diptera: Micropezidae) containing at least 20 described species. Members are characterized by their elongated legs and slender bodies typical of the family. The genus has a Palearctic distribution with records from Europe and Asia, including recent discoveries in South Korea. Some species, such as Rainieria calceata, are considered rare and endangered with limited dispersal capabilities.
Rhabdophloeus horni
lined flat bark beetle
Rhabdophloeus horni is a species of lined flat bark beetle in the family Laemophloeidae, first described by Casey in 1884. The species is found in North America. Members of this family are characterized by their flattened body form, an adaptation for living beneath bark. Very little specific biological information has been published for this particular species.
Rhagium
flower longhorn beetles, ribbed pine borers
Rhagium is a genus of flower longhorn beetles in the subfamily Lepturinae, family Cerambycidae. The genus contains approximately 25 described species distributed across the Holarctic region, with notable species including the widespread Rhagium inquisitor (ribbed pine borer) and Rhagium mordax. Species in this genus exhibit distinctive morphological features including relatively short antennae compared to other cerambycids, often with ribbed or sculptured elytra. The genus is notable for containing the only North American cerambycid known to overwinter as adults (R. inquisitor).
Rhagium inquisitor
Ribbed Pine Borer
Rhagium inquisitor, commonly known as the ribbed pine borer, is a medium-sized longhorn beetle distinguished by its unusual morphology and unique life history. Unlike most cerambycids, adults have short antennae and a 'big-shouldered' build with heavily ribbed elytra. The species is notable for being one of the few North American cerambycids to overwinter as adults rather than larvae, and for pupating directly beneath bark rather than in the sapwood. It has a broad Holarctic distribution spanning North America, Europe, and Asia.
Rhyncolini
Rhyncolini is a tribe of weevils within the subfamily Cossoninae (family Curculionidae). The tribe comprises approximately 50 described genera distributed across multiple continents. Members of this tribe are characterized by their association with dead or decaying wood, where they develop as larvae. The genus Rhyncolus serves as the type genus for the tribe.
Rhyncolus minor
Rhyncolus minor is a species of weevil in the family Curculionidae, subfamily Cossoninae. Members of the genus Rhyncolus are typically associated with dead wood and are considered secondary colonizers of decaying timber. This species is part of a group of small, cylindrical weevils characterized by elongated rostra and fossorial (burrowing) habits.
Rhysodidae
Wrinkled Bark Beetles
Rhysodidae is a family of saproxylic beetles comprising over 350 species in approximately 20 genera, predominantly distributed in tropical forests worldwide. The family contains three European species: Rhysodes sulcatus (Wrinkled Bark Beetle), Clinidium canaliculatum, and Omoglymmius germari. Members are obligate saproxylic beetles dependent on deadwood habitats, with most species being flightless, poorly mobile, and exhibiting cryptic habits. Rhysodes sulcatus is listed as Endangered in the EU-27 and serves as an umbrella species and bioindicator for ancient forest remnants.
Rhyssinae
Rhyssinae is a subfamily of parasitoid wasps within Ichneumonidae, comprising approximately 450 described species across eight genera worldwide. Members are characterized by extremely long ovipositors used by females to drill into wood and parasitize larvae of wood-boring insects, particularly Siricidae (woodwasps) and wood-boring beetles. The subfamily shows highest species diversity in the Oriental region, with significant representation in tropical forests of South America and Africa. Fossil evidence dates the subfamily to the Eocene, approximately 47 million years ago.
Rosalia
Rosalia longicorn, Alpine longhorn beetle
Rosalia is a genus of longhorn beetles (Cerambycidae) established by Audinet-Serville in 1833. The genus includes the iconic Rosalia alpina, known as the Rosalia longicorn or Alpine longhorn beetle, a large and strikingly colored species protected under the European Union Habitats Directive. Members of this genus are associated with beech forests and have experienced significant range contractions across Europe due to habitat loss and forest management practices. The genus is characterized by elongated bodies, long antennae, and often distinctive coloration including blue-gray tones with black spots.
Rutelini
shining leaf chafers
Rutelini is a tribe of scarab beetles commonly known as shining leaf chafers, distinguished by their often metallic or iridescent coloration. The tribe comprises approximately 14 genera and at least 40 described species, with notable genera including Chrysina (jewel scarabs), Pelidnota, and Macraspis. Members are primarily distributed in the New World tropics and subtropics. Many species exhibit striking structural coloration and have been subjects of taxonomic revision due to their morphological diversity and conservation interest.