''Acanthocnemus nigricans'' is a species of
cleroid beetle, the only species in the genus ''Acanthocnemus'' and the family Acanthocnemidae. Originally native to Australia, the species has spread in modern times to numerous parts of the world, including Europe, Africa, India and Southeast Asia. The insects are pyrophilous, congregating around areas of recently burned wood, being attracted to chemicals found in wood smoke.
[Lawrence, John F. and Leschen, Richard A. B.. "9.7. Acanthocnemidae Crowson, 1964". ''Volume 2 Morphology and Systematics (Elateroidea, Bostrichiformia, Cucujiformia partim)'', edited by Willy Kükenthal, Richard A.B. Leschen, Rolf G. Beutel and John F. Lawrence, Berlin, New York: De Gruyter, 2011, pp. 262-265.] They have specialised infrared receptors located on the thorax close to the head, used to detect heat. Their life cycle is poorly understood, though mating and egg-laying likely occurs within ash.
The larvae are possibly
saprophagous
Saprotrophic nutrition or lysotrophic nutrition is a process of chemoheterotrophic extracellular digestion involved in the processing of decayed (dead or waste) organic matter. It occurs in saprotrophs, and is most often associated with fungi ( ...
.
References
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Cleroidea
Cleroidea genera
Monotypic beetle genera
Beetles of Australia
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