Beetle
- For alternate meanings see: Beetle (disambiguation)
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Suborder Adephaga
Rhysodidae Cicindelidae - Tiger Beetle Carabidae - Ground Beetle Paussidae Amphizoidae Hygrobiidae Haliplidae Dytiscidae - True Water (or Diving) Beetle Gyrinidae - Whirligig Beetle Suborder Archostemata Cupedidae Micromalthidae Suborder Polyphaga Superfamily Hydrophiloidea Hydrophilidae Superfamily Histeroidea Sphaeritidae Synteliidae Histeridae Superfamily Staphylinoidea Sphaeriidae Clambidae Limulodidae Hydroscaphidae Ptiliidae Leptinidae Anisotomidae Silphidae - Carrion beetles Scydmaenidae Scaphidiidae Pselaphidae Staphylinidae - Rove Beetle Superfamily Scarabaeoidea Passalidae Lucanidae - Stag Beetle Trogidae Acanthoceridae Geotrupidae Scarabaeidae - Chafer, etc. Superfamily Dascilloidea Dascillidae Helodidae Eucinetidae Superfamily Byrrhoidea Byrrhidae Georyssidae Superfamily Dryopoidea Psephenidae Eurypogonidae Ptilodactylidae Chelonariidae Heteroceridae Limnichidae Dryopidae Elmidae Superfamily Rhipiceroidea Rhipiceridae Callirhipidae Superfamily Buprestoidea Buprestidae Superfamily Elateroidea Cebrionidae Elateridae - Click Beetle Trixagidae Cerophytidae Eucnemidae Superfamily Cantharoidea Drilidae Phengodidae Lampyridae - fire-fly Cantharidae - "Spanish fly" Lycidae Superfamily Dermestoidea Nosodendridae Dermestidae Thorictidae Superfamily Bostrychoidea Anobiidae Ptinidae Bostrychidae Lyctidae - Powder Post Beetle Superfamily Cleroidea Trogositidae Cleridae Melyridae Phloiophilidae Superfamily Lymexyloidea Lymexylidae Superfamily Cucujoidea Section Clavicornia Nitidulidae Rhizophagidae Sphindidae Protocucujidae Passandridae Cucujidae Silvanidae Helotidae Phycosecidae Propalticidae Cryptophagidae Biphyllidae Byturidae Languriidae Erotylidae Phalacridae Cisidae Cerylonidae Corylophidae Coccinellidae - Ladybug Endomychidae Discolomidae Lathridiidae Merophysiidae Section Heteromera Colydiidae Mycetophagidae Pterogeniidae Nilionidae Tenebrionidae Zopheridae Boridae Lagriidae Alleculidae Monommidae Elacatidae Inopeplidae Salpingidae Cononotidae Pythidae Hemipeplidae Mycteridae Trictenotomidae Pyrochroidae - Cardinal Beetle Melandryidae Tetratomidae Scraptiidae Mordellidae Rhipiphoridae Meloidae - Oil Beetle, Blister Beetle Cephaloidae Anthicidae Oedemeridae Pedilidae Aderidae Petriidae Superfamily Chrysomeloidea Cerambycidae Bruchidae Chrysomelidae Superfamily Curculionoidea Nemonychidae Anthribidae Belidae Oxycorynidae Aglycyderidae Attelabidae Brenthidae Apionidae Curculionidae - Weevil |
The forewings of beetles are transformed into hard shells, called elytra. These elytra form an armour protecting the abdomen and the sensitive hindwings. The forewings are not used (at least not actively flapped) in flying, but they must (in most species) be raised in order to move the hindwings. After landing the hindwings are folded below the elytra. Most beetles can fly, but few reach the dexterity of some other groups, e.g. flies, and many species only fly if absolutely necessary. Some beetles have elytra that have grown together and cannot fly at all; a few have lost their wings altogether.
Beetles can be found in almost all biotopes. They don't occur in the sea or in the polar regions.
Beetles are endopterygotes with complete metamorphosis. The larva of a beetle is called a grub.
When J. B. S. Haldane, British physiologist and philosopher, was asked what his studies of nature revealed about God, he replied, "An inordinate fondness for beetles."
The study of beetles is called Coleopterology, and its practioners Coleopterists. Notable Coleopterists include:
