''Agathidium'' is a genus of beetles in the family ''

Leiodidae Leiodidae is a family of beetles with around 3800 described species found worldwide. Members of this family are commonly called round fungus beetles due to the globular shape of many species, although some are more elongated in shape. They are g ...

''. ''A. bushi'', ''A. cheneyi'' and ''A. rumsfeldi'' are species of this genus named after George W. Bush,

Dick Cheney Richard Bruce Cheney ( ; born January 30, 1941) is an American politician and businessman who served as the 46th vice president of the United States from 2001 to 2009 under President George W. Bush. He is currently the oldest living former U ...

and

Donald Rumsfeld Donald Henry Rumsfeld (July 9, 1932 – June 29, 2021) was an American politician, government official and businessman who served as Secretary of Defense from 1975 to 1977 under president Gerald Ford, and again from 2001 to 2006 under Presi ...

, respectively, by two former Cornell

entomologist Entomology () is the scientific study of insects, a branch of zoology. In the past the term "insect" was less specific, and historically the definition of entomology would also include the study of animals in other arthropod groups, such as arach ...

s, Kelly B. Miller (now at the University of New Mexico) and

Quentin D. Wheeler Quentin Duane Wheeler (born January 31, 1954) is an American entomologist, taxonomist, author and newspaper columnist, and is the founding director of the International Institute for Species Exploration. He was the fourth President of the Sta ...

. According to Miller and Wheeler, the naming of the beetles (which were three of 65 species to be named) was done in homage to the political figures. The same authors named ''A. vaderi'' after the fictional Darth Vader. Some species can roll themselves up into an almost complete sphere, similar to pillbugs. Some males have horns on their left mandibles to dislodge rival males.Atlantic Canada Coleoptera
''Agathidium'' Panzer 1797 and ''Gelae'' Miller and Wheeler 2004
(with pictures)

Species

References

External links

from Cornell News {{Taxonbar, from=Q139709 Leiodidae Staphyliniformia genera Articles containing video clips