Toktokkies
Guides
Pimeliinae
Pimeliinae is a subfamily of darkling beetles (Tenebrionidae) comprising multiple tribes distributed across arid and semi-arid regions worldwide. The subfamily includes notable groups such as the Sepidiini of the Afrotropical Realm, whose members Ocnodes and Psammodes are known as "toktokkies" for their distinctive tapping communication behavior. Several genera exhibit morphological adaptations for fossorial life, including conical peg sensilla on tibiae. The subfamily encompasses both flightless and flying species, with some of the largest tenebrionid species such as Stridulomus sulcicollis (~80 mm).