Agyrtidae

Agyrtidae, or primitive carrion beetles, are a small family of polyphagan beetles They are found in mostly temperate areas of the northern hemisphere and in New Zealand. They feed on decaying organic material.

Agyrtidae
Necrophilus sp.
Scientific classification
Kingdom:	Animalia
Phylum:	Arthropoda
Class:	Insecta
Order:	Coleoptera
Suborder:	Polyphaga
Infraorder:	Staphyliniformia
Superfamily:	Staphylinoidea
Family:	Agyrtidae Thomson, 1859
Subfamilies
Necrophilinae Agyrtinae Pterolomatinae

Necrophilus subterraneus

Characteristics

Agyrtidae are small or middle-sized beetles (length 4–14 mm). They have usually oval body, but the Pterolomatinae are superficially similar to ground beetles. Abdomen is with five visible ventral sclerites, procoxal cavities internally open. Hindwings have anal lobe but no radial hinge.[1]

Systematics

Currently, about 60 species are known. The family is divided into three subfamilies:

• Necrophilinae
  • Zeanecrophilus
  • Necrophilus
• Agyrtinae
  • Agyrtes
  • Ecanus
  • Ipelates
  • Lyrosoma
• Pterolomatinae
  • Apteroloma
  • Pteroloma

Until recently, species of this family had been included in the family Silphidae (as tribes Lyrosomatini and Agyrtini), but are now considered more closely related to the family Leiodidae.[2]

References

1. M.Hansen. Phylogeny and classification of the staphyliniform beetle families (Coleoptera). Biologiske Skrifter 48, Copenhagen, 1997
2. Lawrence,J.F. & Newton,A.F., Jr. Evolution and classification of beetles. Annu. Rev. of Ecology and Systematics 13, 1982.

External links

• Agyrtidae at Tolweb