Tenebrionidae Checklist: Darkling Beetles
The common name darkling beetles was derived from the Latin name Tenebrio, which meant “seeker of dark places”. While most tenebrionids are nocturnal, some are seen to be active in the day as well. Many specimens in this page exhibit an “oil-spill” effect, with a dazzling array of colours showing up when lighted up evenly. One of the key characteristics of tenebrionids is the 5-5-4 tarsal formula (although this is shared with some other families) but it is rarely seen in photos. Hence concluding on Tenebrionidae is sometimes based on the exclusion of other possible families.
Most were identified with the help from the kind folks on Flickr and Facebook, especially Boris Büche and David Ball. Thank you!
All photos are of live subjects shot in the field, with the dorsal view selected where available. Click on individual photos for larger views and views from other angles. As specimens were not collected, identifications were done purely based on photographs and may not be 100% accurate.
This page will be updated regularly, please let me know if you spot any mistakes.
View my complete Flickr photo set: Tenebrionidae – Darkling Beetles.
Characteristics
The following are some characteristics of Tenebrionidae Wikipedia.- Their 11-segmented antennae that may be filiform, moniliform or weakly clubbed
- First abdominal sternite is entire and not divided by the hind coxae
- Eyes notched by a frontal ridge
- The tarsi have four segments in the hind pair and five in the fore and mid legs (5-5-4), tarsal claws are simple
Region Filters
Click on any region to show only records from that region.
Class: Insecta Linnaeus, 1758
Order: Coleoptera Linnaeus, 1758
Family: Tenebrionidae Latreille, 1802
Subfamily: Coelometopinae Lacordaire, 1859
Tribe: Coelometopini Lacordaire, 1859
Singapore: Androsus corporaali Kulzer, 1951
Singapore: Androsus fasciolatus (Fairmaire, 1893)
Belize: Hegemona sp.
Singapore: Phymatosoma rufonotatum (Pic, 1916)
Singapore: Promethis sp.
Tribe: Strongyliini Lacordaire, 1859
Subfamily: Diaperinae Latreille, 1802
Tribe: Diaperini Latreille, 1802
Singapore: Ceropria sp.
Singapore: Ceropria cf. opulenta Harold, 1877
Singapore: Ceropria superba (Wiedemann, 1823)
Singapore: Ceropria induta Wiedemann, 1819
Tribe: Leiochrinini Lewis, 1894
Singapore: Derispia sp.
Singapore: Leiochrinini
Singapore: Leiochrinini
Tribe: Scaphidemini Reitter, 1922
Singapore: Spiloscapha cf. nigrofasciata Gebien, 1925
Singapore: Basanus sp.
Subfamily: Lagriinae Latreille, 1825
Singapore: Lagriinae
Subfamily: Pimeliinae Latreille, 1802
Tribe: Epitragini Blanchard, 1845
Mozambique: Imatismus sp.
Subfamily: Stenochiinae Kirby, 1837
Tribe: Cnodalonini Oken, 1843
Singapore: Augolesthus sp.
East Malaysia: Borneocamaria cf. laticornis (Waterhouse, 1882)
Singapore: Bradymerus sp.
Singapore: cf. Eucyrtus gloriosus Fairmaire, 1896
Singapore: Derospherus sp.
East Malaysia: Eucyrtus cf. pretiosus Lacordaire, 1859
Singapore: Eucyrtys sp.
East Malaysia: Plamius pici Kulzer, 1951
Singapore: Phaedis sp.
Singapore: Phaedis sp.
West Malaysia: Pseudonautes sp.
Singapore: Tetragonomenes borneensis (Kaszab, 1977)
Singapore: Tetraphyllus cf. corruscus (Fairmaire, 1882)
Singapore: Hemicera sp. 9910
Singapore: Tetraphyllus sp.
Singapore: Postandrosus ater Kulzer, 1952
East Malaysia: cf. Malaysphena sp.
Tribe: Stenochiini Kirby, 1837
East Malaysia: Bremerianus baehri Masumoto, 2005
West Malaysia: Stenochinus sp.
Singapore: Strongylium tricondyloides (Westwood, 1875) ♀
Singapore: Strongylium insigne Mäklin, 1864
Singapore: Strongylium sp.
East Malaysia: Strongylium sp.
East Malaysia: Strongylium sp.
East Malaysia: Strongylium sp.
East Malaysia: Strongylium sp.
Singapore: Strongylium tenuipes Fairmaire, 1893
Singapore: Strongylium sp.? DSC_5204
Singapore: Strongylium sp.
West Malaysia: Strongylium sp.
Singapore: Strongylium sp.
Singapore: Strongylium sp.
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Subfamily: Tenebrioninae Latreille, 1802
Tribe: Amarygmini Gistel, 1848
Singapore: Amarygmus metallicus Perty, 1831
Singapore: Amarygmus sp.
Singapore: Amarygmus metallicus Perty, 1831
Singapore: Amarygmus micans (Fabricius, 1794)
Singapore: Amarygmus sp.
Singapore: Amarygmus cf. splendidulus (Fabricius, 1801)
Singapore: Amarygmus sp.
Singapore: Amarygmus sp.
Singapore: Amarygmus maculosus Bremer, 2002
Singapore: Amarygmus sanguinans Fairmaire, 1893
Singapore: Amarygmus filiolus Bremer, 2002
Singapore: Amarygmus recordativus Bremer, 2004
Singapore: Amarygmus nigrofasciatus Pic, 1915
Singapore: Amarygmus nigromaculatus (Pic, 1915)
West Malaysia: Gonocnemis sp.
Tribe: Bolitophagini Kirby, 1837
Singapore: Bolitoxenus bifurcus Pascoe, 1871
Singapore: Byrsax cf. tuberculatus Gravely, 1915
Singapore: Boletoxenus sp.
Singapore: Bolitonaeus sp.
Singapore: Bolitoxenus sp.
Tribe: Helopini Latreille, 1802
Singapore: Camptobrachys sp.
Tribe: Lupropini Ardoin, 1958
Singapore: Anaedus sp. 8215293
Tribe: Toxicini Lacordaire, 1859
Singapore: Cryphaeus gazella Fabricius, 1798
Unidentified
Singapore: Tenebrionidae DSC_0333
East Malaysia: Tenebrionidae? DSC_3802
Thailand: Lagriinae? DSC_4064
Larvae
Singapore: Tenebrionidae
Singapore: Derispia sp.
