Cleridae are a family of
beetle
Beetles are insects that form the Taxonomic rank, order Coleoptera (), in the superorder Holometabola. Their front pair of wings are hardened into wing-cases, elytra, distinguishing them from most other insects. The Coleoptera, with about 40 ...
s of the superfamily
Cleroidea
Cleroidea is a small Taxonomic rank, superfamily of beetles containing over 10,000 species. Most of the members of the group are somewhat slender, often with fairly soft, flexible elytra, and typically hairy or scaly.
Description
Cleroidea is ...
. They are commonly known as checkered beetles. The family Cleridae has a worldwide distribution, and a variety of
habitat
In ecology, habitat refers to the array of resources, biotic factors that are present in an area, such as to support the survival and reproduction of a particular species. A species' habitat can be seen as the physical manifestation of its ...
s and feeding preferences.
Cleridae have many
niches and feeding habits. Most genera are
predaceous and feed on other beetles and larvae; however other genera are
scavengers
Scavengers are animals that consume dead organisms that have died from causes other than predation or have been killed by other predators. While scavenging generally refers to carnivores feeding on carrion, it is also a herbivorous feeding ...
or
pollen
Pollen is a powdery substance produced by most types of flowers of seed plants for the purpose of sexual reproduction. It consists of pollen grains (highly reduced Gametophyte#Heterospory, microgametophytes), which produce male gametes (sperm ...
feeders. Clerids have elongated bodies with bristly hairs, are usually bright colored, and have variable
antennae. Checkered beetles range in length between . Cleridae can be identified based on their 5–5–5
tarsal formula, division of
sternite
The sternum (: sterna) is the ventral portion of a segment of an arthropod thorax or abdomen.
In insects, the sterna are usually single, large sclerites, and external. However, they can sometimes be divided in two or more, in which case the su ...
s, and the absence of a special type of vesicle. Female Cleridae lay between
28–42 eggs at a time predominately under the
bark
Bark may refer to:
Common meanings
* Bark (botany), an outer layer of a woody plant such as a tree or stick
* Bark (sound), a vocalization of some animals (which is commonly the dog)
Arts and entertainment
* ''Bark'' (Jefferson Airplane album), ...
of trees. Larvae are predaceous and feed vigorously before pupation and subsequently emergence as adults.
Clerids have a minor significance in
forensic entomology
Forensic entomology is a branch of applied entomology that uses insects and other arthropods as a basis for legal evidence. Insects may be found on cadavers or elsewhere around crime scenes in the interest of forensic science. Forensic entom ...
. Some species are occasionally found on carrion in the later dry stages of
decay
Decay may refer to:
Science and technology
* Bit decay, in computing
* Decay time (fall time), in electronics
* Distance decay, in geography
* Software decay, in computing
Biology
* Decomposition of organic matter
* Mitochondrial decay, in g ...
. Also, some species are pests (
stored product entomology) and are found infesting various food products. Research efforts related to Cleridae have focused primarily on using certain species as biological controls. This is a very effective technique for controlling
bark beetle
A bark beetle is the common name for the subfamily of beetles Scolytinae. Previously, this was considered a distinct family (Scolytidae), but is now understood to be a specialized clade of the "true weevil" family (Curculionidae). Although th ...
s due to the voracious appetite of many clerid species.
Description
Appearance
Generally, checkered beetles are elongated and
oval
An oval () is a closed curve in a plane which resembles the outline of an egg. The term is not very specific, but in some areas of mathematics (projective geometry, technical drawing, etc.), it is given a more precise definition, which may inc ...
in shape and range from in length.
Their entire bodies are covered with bristly hairs and many display an ornate body color pattern.
These often brightly color patterns can be red, yellow, orange, or blue.
The antennae are clubbed at the tip for most species, but others can be "clubbed, saw-tooth, or thread-like."
The pronotum region is nearly cylindrical and characteristically narrower than the
elytra
An elytron (; ; : elytra, ) is a modified, hardened forewing of beetles (Coleoptera), though a few of the true bugs (Hemiptera) such as the family Schizopteridae are extremely similar; in true bugs, the forewings are called hemelytra (sometime ...
(special hardened front wings), while the head is as wide or wider than the
pronotum
The prothorax is the foremost of the three segments in the thorax of an insect, and bears the first pair of legs. Its principal sclerites (exoskeletal plates) are the pronotum (dorsal), the prosternum (ventral), and the propleuron (lateral) on e ...
.
Their elytra have tiny pits or depressions, and never expose more than two
tergites (
dorsal
Dorsal (from Latin ''dorsum'' ‘back’) may refer to:
* Dorsal (anatomy), an anatomical term of location referring to the back or upper side of an organism or parts of an organism
* Dorsal, positioned on top of an aircraft's fuselage
The fus ...
plates).
Identification
Clerid beetles fall under the suborder
Polyphaga
Polyphaga is the largest and most diverse suborder of beetles. It comprises 144 families in 16 superfamilies, and displays an enormous variety of specialization and adaptation, with over 350,000 described species, or approximately 90% of the b ...
. Key characteristics of Polyphaga are that the hind
coxa (base of the leg), do not divide the first and second abdominal/ventral plates which are known as
sternites. Also, the
notopleural suture (found under the pronotal shield) is not present.
To further identify Clerid beetles, a few additional characteristics need to be examined.

Clerid beetles have unique legs that help to distinguish them from other families. Their
tarsal formula is 5–5–5, meaning that on each of the front, middle and hind legs there are 5 tarsomeres (individual subsegments of the feet/tarsi).
One or more of these subsegments on each leg is typically lobed, and the 4th tarsomere is normally difficult to distinguish. Furthermore, an important feature that eliminates many other families of beetles is that clerids' front coxae (base of the leg) expose the second segment of the legs known as the trochanter.
The second defining characteristic of the family Cleridae is that clerids never have eversible vesicles (small usually hidden balloon-like structures thought to be scent glands) on their
abdomen
The abdomen (colloquially called the gut, belly, tummy, midriff, tucky, or stomach) is the front part of the torso between the thorax (chest) and pelvis in humans and in other vertebrates. The area occupied by the abdomen is called the abdominal ...
and
pronotum
The prothorax is the foremost of the three segments in the thorax of an insect, and bears the first pair of legs. Its principal sclerites (exoskeletal plates) are the pronotum (dorsal), the prosternum (ventral), and the propleuron (lateral) on e ...
. This characteristic distinguishes them from a similar family
Melyridae
Melyridae (common name: soft-winged flower beetles) are a family of beetles of the superfamily Cleroidea.
Description
Most are elongate-oval, soft-bodied beetles 10 mm long or less. Many are brightly patterned in black and brown, yellow, ...
which sometimes has these glands.
This trait is very important in correctly differentiating checkered beetles from Melyridae.
Distribution and ecology

Cleridae can be found in the Americas, Africa, Europe, the Middle East and even in Australia. There are approximately 3,500 species in the world and about 500 species in North America.
Due to this wide distribution there are many different
habitats
In ecology, habitat refers to the array of resources, biotic factors that are present in an area, such as to support the survival and reproduction of a particular species. A species' habitat can be seen as the physical manifestation of its ...
in which the checkered beetles can be found.
Many of the species are known as "flower visitors", that prey on other
flower
Flowers, also known as blooms and blossoms, are the reproductive structures of flowering plants ( angiosperms). Typically, they are structured in four circular levels, called whorls, around the end of a stalk. These whorls include: calyx, m ...
visiting
insects
Insects (from Latin ') are hexapod invertebrates of the class Insecta. They are the largest group within the arthropod phylum. Insects have a chitinous exoskeleton, a three-part body (head, thorax and abdomen), three pairs of jointed ...
and also feed on
pollen
Pollen is a powdery substance produced by most types of flowers of seed plants for the purpose of sexual reproduction. It consists of pollen grains (highly reduced Gametophyte#Heterospory, microgametophytes), which produce male gametes (sperm ...
. These species are found in moist, sunny environments where flowering plants are found in abundance.
Another habitat commonly inhabited by clerid beetles is
trees
In botany, a tree is a perennial plant with an elongated stem, or trunk, usually supporting branches and leaves. In some usages, the definition of a tree may be narrower, e.g., including only woody plants with secondary growth, only p ...
. These "tree living species" are found in forests across the world with various climates and an array of easily preyed upon insects. They seek protection under the bark and hunt for other insects above and below the
bark
Bark may refer to:
Common meanings
* Bark (botany), an outer layer of a woody plant such as a tree or stick
* Bark (sound), a vocalization of some animals (which is commonly the dog)
Arts and entertainment
* ''Bark'' (Jefferson Airplane album), ...
.
The primary source of prey for these bark living hunters is bark beetles.
The third type of clerid beetles is the "nest robbing species" which live in shrubbery and in trees. Unlike the tree living species, these species do not actually
burrow
file:Chipmunk-burrow (exits).jpg, An eastern chipmunk at the entrance of its burrow
A burrow is a hole or tunnel excavated into the ground by an animal to construct a space suitable for habitation or temporary refuge, or as a byproduct of Animal lo ...
into the bark. Nest robbing species typically hunt termite, bee, and wasp larvae, and one particular species has been noted to prey primarily on grasshopper egg masses.
Not all nest robbing species actively hunt live prey, some species for example prefer to feed only on dead honey bee larvae and adults.
Feeding habits
The Cleridae contains many species of predaceous beetles that feed on other beetles and beetle larvae in their natural habitat.
The most common prey item for checkered beetles are bark beetles and wood boring beetles.
In general, the bulk of adult Cleridae feed mainly on other adult beetles while the larvae stage feed on other beetle larvae. Some checkered beetles are known to have an extremely voracious appetite with some larvae able to consume "several times their own body weight" in a day.
Although most species of checkered beetles are predaceous in nature, some are scavengers and others have been found feeding on flower pollen.
[McNamara, J. (1991]
"Family Cleridae: checkered beetles"
(PDF). ''In'': Bousquet, Y. (Ed.). ''Checklist of the Beetles of Canada and Alaska''. Agriculture Canada Publication 1861/E. 208–211. Because of the checkered beetles predaceous nature and insatiable appetite, they are often key players in the
biological control
Biological control or biocontrol is a method of controlling pests, whether pest animals such as insects and mites, weeds, or pathogens affecting animals or plants by using other organisms. It relies on predation, parasitism, herbivory, or o ...
of other insects. The checkered beetles have also developed a unique adaptation to aid in their quest for prey. The beetles use
pheromones
A pheromone () is a secreted or excreted chemical factor that triggers a social response in members of the same species. Pheromones are chemicals capable of acting like hormones outside the body of the secreting individual, to affect the behavi ...
to help them locate, kill, and consume their prey.

The diversity of checkered beetle's feeding habits is quite evident when different species are examined. ''
Necrobia''
spp. are attracted to dry carrion and other decomposing animal matter such as bones and skin as well as various meat products.
''
Thanasimus'' spp. are found in
woodland
A woodland () is, in the broad sense, land covered with woody plants (trees and shrubs), or in a narrow sense, synonymous with wood (or in the U.S., the '' plurale tantum'' woods), a low-density forest forming open habitats with plenty of sunli ...
areas where bark beetle species constitute their main source of
prey
Predation is a biological interaction in which one organism, the predator, kills and eats another organism, its prey. It is one of a family of common feeding behaviours that includes parasitism and micropredation (which usually do not ki ...
.
The primary source of prey for ''
Phyllobaenus'' spp. are
wood borers, immature
weevils
Weevils are beetles belonging to the Taxonomic rank, superfamily Curculionoidea, known for their elongated snouts. They are usually small – less than in length – and Herbivore, herbivorous. Approximately 97,000 species of weevils are known. ...
, and
hymenoptera
Hymenoptera is a large order of insects, comprising the sawflies, wasps, bees, and ants. Over 150,000 living species of Hymenoptera have been described, in addition to over 2,000 extinct ones. Many of the species are parasitic.
Females typi ...
larvae.
One of the more diverse
genera
Genus (; : genera ) is a taxonomic rank above species and below family as used in the biological classification of living and fossil organisms as well as viruses. In binomial nomenclature, the genus name forms the first part of the binomial s ...
is ''
Trichodes'', in which larvae feed on the pollen of flowering plants and adults prey upon grasshoppers and wasps.
Life cycle
The general life cycle of clerids has been known to last anywhere from 35 days to more than 3 years, and is strongly dependent on the life cycle of their prey.
While the life cycle can vary in length between genus and species, temperature is also a major determinant in the length of time spent in each stage of development. The warmer the temperature is, the quicker the life cycle, and the cooler the temperature is the slower the life cycle. If temperatures dip below a threshold temperature for an extended period of time, clerids and most other insects will have growth and developmental progress arrested. Like all beetles, Cleridae follow a
holometabolous
Holometabolism, also called complete metamorphosis, is a form of insect development which includes four life stages: egg, larva, pupa, and imago (or adult). Holometabolism is a synapomorphic trait of all insects in the clade Holometabola. Immatur ...
life cycle: the egg hatches into a
larva
A larva (; : larvae ) is a distinct juvenile form many animals undergo before metamorphosis into their next life stage. Animals with indirect development such as insects, some arachnids, amphibians, or cnidarians typically have a larval phase ...
, which grows and feeds, changing its skin to form a
pupa
A pupa (; : pupae) is the life stage of some insects undergoing transformation between immature and mature stages. Insects that go through a pupal stage are holometabolous: they go through four distinct stages in their life cycle, the stages th ...
, and the pupa shedding its skin to emerge as an adult. The larvae of the majority of the known species of Cleridae feed upon the eggs and young of
wood-boring beetles, while the adults feed on the adult bark beetles.
Copulation
Sexual intercourse (also coitus or copulation) is a sexual activity typically involving the insertion of the erect male penis inside the female vagina and followed by thrusting motions for sexual pleasure, reproduction, or both.Sexual inte ...
takes place while the female feeds, because females need a large amount of food for egg development.
The female lays her eggs 36–72 hours after copulation. The eggs are laid in between pieces of bark on wood-borer-infested trees or under stones in the soil.
She may lay 28–42 eggs at a time.
For the longer-living species such as ''
Thanasimus,'' this occurs in late summer or early fall to give the
larva
A larva (; : larvae ) is a distinct juvenile form many animals undergo before metamorphosis into their next life stage. Animals with indirect development such as insects, some arachnids, amphibians, or cnidarians typically have a larval phase ...
e enough time for proper growth before having to
overwinter.
When larvae hatch from their eggs, they are either red or yellow.
Their bodies have a slender and flat appearance with short legs due to their minimal movement. The larvae are covered in hair and have two horn-type projections on the
dorsal
Dorsal (from Latin ''dorsum'' ‘back’) may refer to:
* Dorsal (anatomy), an anatomical term of location referring to the back or upper side of an organism or parts of an organism
* Dorsal, positioned on top of an aircraft's fuselage
The fus ...
area of the last body segment.
Immediately after birth, they start searching for food close to where they hatched. They feed on wood-borer insects on trees, or feed on their species' substrate or prey of choice.
Feeding is the main purpose of the larval stage to prepare for pupation. Once their larval stage is complete the tree dwelling species make their way to the bottom of the tree to pupate.
The
pupa
A pupa (; : pupae) is the life stage of some insects undergoing transformation between immature and mature stages. Insects that go through a pupal stage are holometabolous: they go through four distinct stages in their life cycle, the stages th ...
l stage can last from 6 weeks to one year depending on the need to overwinter, and how short the overall life cycle is for a particular species. A majority of clerid species pupate in earthen cells which are made from soil and certain enzymes secreted from their mouths.
The rest remain in pupal cells. Adult beetles emerge from pupation and spend a variable time of their life maturing, and eventually
oviposit. Sexually mature adults or
imago
In biology, the imago (Latin for "image") is the last stage an insect attains during its metamorphosis, its process of growth and development; it is also called the ''imaginal'' stage ("imaginal" being "imago" in adjective form), the stage in wh ...
s of ''Thanasiumus'' overwinter inside the wood-borer-infested trees and oviposit during the
spring.
Forensic relevance
Stored product entomology
''
Necrobia rufipes'', commonly known as the red-legged ham beetle, is of particular importance in
stored product entomology. It infests
dried or
smoked meats, especially those products that are stored unwrapped for long periods of time. Adults feed on the surface of the products, while the larvae damage the meat by boring down usually in the fatty parts.
''Necrobia rufipes'' has been recorded feeding upon a large variety of items ranging from hides and dried figs to Egyptian mummies.
In addition, products such as
wool
Wool is the textile fiber obtained from sheep and other mammals, especially goats, rabbits, and camelids. The term may also refer to inorganic materials, such as mineral wool and glass wool, that have some properties similar to animal w ...
and
silk
Silk is a natural fiber, natural protein fiber, some forms of which can be weaving, woven into textiles. The protein fiber of silk is composed mainly of fibroin and is most commonly produced by certain insect larvae to form cocoon (silk), c ...
can become infested, but not destroyed.
Medico-legal entomology
Since clerids are predaceous in nature, they have been found feeding on fly larvae as well as the skin and bones of
carrion
Carrion (), also known as a carcass, is the decaying flesh of dead animals.
Overview
Carrion is an important food source for large carnivores and omnivores in most ecosystems. Examples of carrion-eaters (or scavengers) include crows, vultures ...
.
Most clerids are not useful in
forensics
Forensic science combines principles of law and science to investigate criminal activity. Through crime scene investigations and laboratory analysis, forensic scientists are able to link suspects to evidence. An example is determining the time and ...
because of their food choice, but some species such as ''Necrobia rufipes'' can be useful. ''Necrobia rufipes'' is attracted towards carrion in the later stages of decomposition, so its arrival on carrion can help provide an estimate for the
post-mortem interval
The post-mortem interval (PMI) is the time that has elapsed since an individual's death. When the time of death is not known, the interval may be estimated, and so an approximate time of death established. Postmortem interval estimations can ra ...
or PMI. Although the checkered beetle is not the most significant insect on carrion, the beetle's predaceous nature and its ability to reproduce in carrion that is exposed to the environment provides some forensic importance.
Ongoing research
There is ongoing research with some clerid species. Forensic research is limited because of their late arrival on carrion, but members such as ''
Thanasimus undatulus'' have been researched as a possible role in
integrated pest management
Integrated pest management (IPM), also known as integrated pest control (IPC) integrates both chemical and non-chemical practices for economic control of pests. The UN's Food and Agriculture Organization defines IPM as "the careful consideratio ...
or IPM. ''Thanasimus undatulus'' is a predator of bark beetles. Some species of bark beetles such as the
southern pine beetle and the
mountain pine beetle can become pests to the
lumber
Lumber is wood that has been processed into uniform and useful sizes (dimensional lumber), including beams and planks or boards. Lumber is mainly used for construction framing, as well as finishing (floors, wall panels, window frames). ...
industry because in large numbers they can cause damage and kill live trees. ''Thanasimus undatulus'' has been researched as a possible
biological control
Biological control or biocontrol is a method of controlling pests, whether pest animals such as insects and mites, weeds, or pathogens affecting animals or plants by using other organisms. It relies on predation, parasitism, herbivory, or o ...
agent for these pests. Researchers and forestry officials have used bark beetle aggregation pheromones to attract the checkered beetle to specific trees. This causes the bark beetles to be overwhelmed, extensively preyed upon by the clerid beetles, and typically eliminated.
There is also additional research being done pertaining to the impact of clerids on pollination in flowers.
Systematics
The
genera
Genus (; : genera ) is a taxonomic rank above species and below family as used in the biological classification of living and fossil organisms as well as viruses. In binomial nomenclature, the genus name forms the first part of the binomial s ...
of Cleridae are divided among several
subfamilies
In biological classification, a subfamily (Latin: ', plural ') is an auxiliary (intermediate) taxonomic rank, next below family but more inclusive than genus. Standard nomenclature rules end botanical subfamily names with "-oideae", and zool ...
, though some genera still defy easy classification. Several
taxonomic schemes exist, recognizing for example a group around ''
Neorthopleura'' as distinct subfamily
Neorthopleurinae, or splitting off the Thaneroclerinae as distinct family, or circumscribing the Korynetinae ''
sensu stricto
''Sensu'' is a Latin word meaning "in the sense of". It is used in a number of fields including biology, geology, linguistics, semiotics, and law. Commonly it refers to how strictly or loosely an expression is used in describing any particular c ...
'' or ''
sensu lato
''Sensu'' is a Latin word meaning "in the sense of". It is used in a number of fields including biology, geology, linguistics, semiotics, and law. Commonly it refers to how strictly or loosely an expression is used in describing any particular co ...
''. The following list of tribes and selected genera is thus preliminary. Some notable species are also listed. The oldest members of the family are ''
Protoclerus'' and ''
Wangweiella'' the late
Middle Jurassic
The Middle Jurassic is the second Epoch (geology), epoch of the Jurassic Period (geology), Period. It lasted from about 174.1 to 161.5 million years ago. Fossils of land-dwelling animals, such as dinosaurs, from the Middle Jurassic are relativel ...
(
Callovian
In the geologic timescale, the Callovian is an age and stage in the Middle Jurassic, lasting between 165.3 ± 1.1 Ma (million years ago) and 161.5 ± 1.0 Ma. It is the last stage of the Middle Jurassic, following the Bathonian and preceding the ...
)
Daohugou bed in Inner Mongolia, China.
Clerinae
Clerinae is a subfamily of beetles in the family Cleridae
Cleridae are a family of beetles of the superfamily Cleroidea. They are commonly known as checkered beetles. The family Cleridae has a worldwide distribution, and a variety of habitats ...
* ''
Allonyx''
Jacquelin du Val, 1860
* ''
Anthicoclerus''
Schenkling, 1906
* ''
Aphelochroa''
Quedenfeldt, 1885
* ''
Apopempsis''
Schenkling, 1903
* ''
Apteroclerus''
Wollaston, 1867
* ''
Aptinoclerus''
Kuwert, 1893
* ''
Aradamicula''
Sedlacek & Winkler, 1975
* †''
Arawakis'' (
fossil
A fossil (from Classical Latin , ) is any preserved remains, impression, or trace of any once-living thing from a past geological age. Examples include bones, shells, exoskeletons, stone imprints of animals or microbes, objects preserve ...
)
* ''
Astigmus''
Kuwert, 1894
* ''
Aulicus''
Spinola, 1841
* ''
Axina''
Kirby, 1818
* ''
Balcus''
* ''
Barriella''
Opitz, 2003
* ''
Barrotillus''
Rifkind, 1996
* ''
Blaxima''
Gorham, 1882
* ''
Bousquetoclerus''
Menier, 1997
* ''
Burgeoneus''
Pic, 1950
* ''
Caestron''
Dupont in Spinola, 1844
* ''
Calendyma''
Lacordaire, 1857
* ''
Canariclerus''
Winkler, 1982
* ''
Cardiostichus''
Quedenfeldt, 1885
* ''
Caridopus''
Schenkling in Sjöstedt, 1908
* ''
Cleromorpha''
Gorham, 1876
* ''
Cleropiestus''
Fairmaire, 1889
* ''
Clerus''
Fabricius, 1775
* ''
Clytomadius''
Corporaal, 1949
* ''
Colyphus''
Spinola, 1841
* ''
Coptoclerus''
Chapin, 1924
* ''
Cormodes''
Pascoe, 1860
* ''
Corynommadius''
Schenkling, 1899
* ''
Ctenaxina''
Schenkling, 1906
* ''
Ctenoclerus''
Solervicens, 1997
* ''
Dasyceroclerus''
Kuwert, 1894
* ''
Dasyteneclines''
Pic, 1941
* ''
Dieropsis''
Gahan, 1908
* ''
Dologenitus''
Opitz, 2009
* ''
Dozocolletus''
Chevrolat, 1842
* ''
Eburiphora''
Spinola, 1841
* ''
Eburneoclerus''
Pic, 1950
* ''
Ekisius''
Winkler, 1987
* ''
Eleale''
Newman, 1840
* ''
Enoclerus''
Gahan, 1910
* ''
Epiclines''
Chevrolat in Guérin-Ménéville, 1839
* ''
Eunatalis''
Schenkling, 1909
** ''
Eunatalis porcata''
* ''
Erymanthus''
Spinola, 1841
* ''
Eurymetomorphon''
Pic, 1950
* ''
Falsomadius''
Gerstmeier, 2002
* ''
Falsoorthrius''
Pic, 1940
* ''
Graptoclerus''
Gorham, 1901
* ''
Gyponyx''
Gorham, 1883
* ''
Hemitrachys''
Gorham, 1876
* ''
Homalopilo''
Schenkling, 1915
* ''
Inhumeroclerus''
Pic, 1955
* ''
Jenjouristia''
Fursov, 1936
* ''
Languropilus''
Pic, 1940
* ''
Lissaulicus''
C.O.Waterhouse, 1879
* ''
Memorthrius''
Pic, 1940
* ''
Metademius''
Schenkling, 1899
* ''
Microclerus''
Wollaston, 1867
* ''
Micropteroclerus''
Chapin, 1920
* ''
Microstigmatium''
Kraatz, 1899
* ''
Mimolesterus''
Gerstmeier, 1991
* ''
Mitrandiria''
Kolibac, 1997
* ''
Myrmecomaea''
Fairmaire, 1886
* ''
Natalis''
Laporte de Castelnau, 1836
* ''
Neogyponyx''
Schenkling, 1906
* ''
Neoscrobiger''
Blackburn, 1900
* ''
Ohanlonella''
Rifkind, 2008
* ''
Olesterus''
Spinola, 1841
* ''
Omadius''
Laporte de Castelnau, 1836
* ''
Oodontophlogistus''
Elston, 1923
* ''
Operculiphorus''
Kuwert, 1894
* ''
Opilo''
Latreille, 1802
* ''
Orthrius''
Gorham, 1876
* ''
Oxystigmatium''
Kraatz, 1899
* ''
Phlogistomorpha''
Hintz, 1908
* ''
Phlogistus''
Gorham, 1876
* ''
Phloiocopus''
Spinola, 1841
* ''
Phonius''
Chevrolat, 1843
* ''
Pieleus''
Pic, 1940
* ''
Placocerus''
Klug, 1837
* ''
Placopterus''
Wolcott, 1910
* ''
Plathanocera''
Schenkling, 1902
* ''
Platyclerus''
Spinola, 1841
* ''
Priocera''
Kirby, 1818
* ''
Priocleromorphus''
Pic, 1950
* ''
Prioclerus''
Hintz, 1902
* ''
Pseudolesterus''
Miyatake, 1968
* ''
Pseudomadius''
Chapin, 1924
* ''
Pujoliclerus''
Pic, 1947
* ''
Sallea''
Chevrolat, 1874
* ''
Scrobiger''
Spinola, 1841
* ''
Sedlacekius''
Winkler, 1972
* ''
Sikorius''
Kuwert, 1893
* ''
Stigmatium''
Gray in Griffith, 1832
* ''
Systenoderes''
Spinola, 1841
* ''
Tanocleria''
Hong, 2002
* ''
Thalerocnemis''
Lohde, 1900
* ''
Thanasimodes''
Murray, 1867
* ''
Thanasimus''
Latreille, 1806
** ''
Thanasimus formicarius'' –
Ant Beetle
* ''
Tillicera''
Spinola, 1841
* ''
Trichodes''
Herbst, 1792
** ''
Trichodes alvearius''
** ''
Trichodes apiarius''
** ''
Trichodes leucopsideus''
* ''
Trogodendron''
Spinola, 1841
** ''
Trogodendron fasciculatum'' –
Yellow-horned Clerid
* ''
Wilsonoclerus''
* ''
Winklerius''
Menier, 1986
* ''
Wittmeridecus''
Winkler, 1981
* ''
Xenorthrius''
Gorham, 1892
* ''
Zahradnikius''
Winkler, 1992
* ''
Zenithicola''
Spinola, 1841
Enopliinae (sometimes in Korynetinae)
* ''
Antygodera''
* ''
Apolopha''
Spinola, 1841
* ''
Corinthiscus''
Fairmaire & Germain, 1861
* ''
Cregya''
LeConte, 1861
* ''
Curacavi''
* ''
Enoplium''
Latreille, 1802
* ''
Exochonotus''
* ''
Hublella''
* ''
Lasiodera''
Gray in Griffith, 1832
* ''
Neopylus''
Solervicens, 1989
* ''
Paracregya''
* ''
Pelonium''
* ''
Phymatophaea''
Pascoe, 1876
* ''
Platynoptera''
Chevrolat, 1834
* ''
Pseudichnea''
Schenkling, 1900
* ''
Pylus''
Newman, 1840
* ''
Pyticara''
Spinola, 1841 (including ''Pelonides'')
* ''
Teneroides''
Gahan, 1910
* ''
Tenerus''
Laporte de Castelnau, 1836
* ''
Thriocerodes''
Wolcott & Dybas, 1947
Epiphloeinae (sometimes in Korynetinae)
* ''
Acanthocollum''
* ''
Amboakis''
* ''
Decaphloeus''
* ''
Decorosa''
Opitz, 2008
* ''
Diapromeces''
Opitz, 1997
* ''
Ellipotoma''
Spinola, 1844
* ''
Epiphloeus''
Spinola, 1841
* ''
Hapsidopteris''
Opitz, 1997
* ''
Ichnea''
Laporte de Castelnau, 1836
* ''
Iontoclerus''
Opitz, 1997
* ''
Katamyurus''
Opitz, 1997
* ''
Madoniella''
Pic, 1935
* ''
Megaphloeus''
* ''
Megatrachys''
Opitz, 1997
* ''
Opitzius''
Barr, 2006
* ''
Parvochaetus''
Opitz, 2006
* ''
Pennasolis''
Opitz, 2008
* ''
Pericales''
* ''
Pilosirus''
Opitz, 1997
* ''
Plocamocera''
Spinola, 1844
* ''
Pteroferus''
* ''
Pyticeroides''
Kuwert, 1894
* ''
Silveirasia''
* ''
Stegnoclava''
* ''
Turbophloeus''
Hydnocerinae (including Phyllobaeninae)
* ''
Abrosius''
Fairmaire, 1902
* ''
Achlamys''
C.O.Waterhouse, 1879
* ''
Allelidea''
G.R.Waterhouse, 1839
* ''
Blaesiophthalmus''
Schenkling, 1903
* ''
Brachycallimerus''
Chapin, 1924
* ''
Brachyptevenus''
* ''
Callimerus''
Gorham, 1876
* ''
Cephaloclerus''
Kuwert, 1893
* ''
Cucujocallimerus''
Pic, 1929
* ''
Emmepus''
Motschulsky, 1845
* ''
Eurymetopum''
Blanchard, 1842
* ''
Isohydnocera''
Chapin, 1917
* ''
Isolemidia''
Gorham, 1877
* ''
Laiomorphus''
Pic, 1927
* ''
Lasiocallimerus''
Corporaal, 1939
* ''
Lemidia''
Spinola, 1841
* ''
Neohydnus''
Gorham, 1892
* ''
Parmius''
Sharp, 1877
* ''
Paupris''
Sharp, 1877
* ''
Phyllobaenus''
Dejean, 1837
* ''
Silviella''
Solervicens, 1987
* ''
Solemidia''
* ''
Stenocallimerus''
Corporaal& Pic, 1940
* ''
Theano''
Laporte de Castelnau, 1836
* ''
Wolcottia''
Chapin, 1917
Korynetinae
* ''
Chariessa''
Perty in Spix & Martius, 1830
* ''
Korynetes''
Herbst, 1792
** ''
Korynetes caeruleus'' –
steely blue beetle
* ''
Lebasiella''
Spinola, 1844
* ''
Loedelia''
R.Lucas, 1918
* ''
Necrobia''
Latreille, 1797
** ''
Necrobia ruficollis'' –
red-shouldered ham beetle
** ''
Necrobia rufipes'' –
red-legged ham beetle
* ''
Neorthopleura''
Barr, 1976
* ''
Opetiopalpus''
Spinola, 1844
* ''
Romanaeclerus''
Winkler, 1960
Tarsosteninae (sometimes in Korynetinae)
* ''
Paratillus''
Gorham, 1876
* ''
Tarsostenodes''
Blackburn, 1900
* ''
Tarsostenus''
Spinola, 1844
Thaneroclerinae
Thanerocleridae is a family of beetles belonging to the superfamily Cleroidea. It was formerly considered a subfamily of Cleridae, but was recently elevated to the rank of family. The family has 36 living species in 10 genera, which are found glo ...
(tentatively placed here)
* ''
Cleridopsis''
Champion, 1913
* ''
Compactoclerus''
Pic, 1939
* ''
Cyrtinoclerus''
Chapin, 1924
* ''
Isoclerus
''Isoclerus'' is a genus of checkered beetles in the family Thanerocleridae
Thanerocleridae is a family of beetles belonging to the superfamily Cleroidea. It was formerly considered a subfamily of Cleridae, but was recently elevated to the r ...
''
Lewis, 1892
* ''
Meprinogenus''
Kolibáč, 1992
* ''
Neoclerus''
Lewis, 1892
* ''
Onerunka''
Kolibáč
* ''
Thaneroclerus
''Thaneroclerus'' is a genus of checkered beetles in the family Thanerocleridae
Thanerocleridae is a family of beetles belonging to the superfamily Cleroidea. It was formerly considered a subfamily of Cleridae, but was recently elevated to the ...
''
Lefebvre, 1838
* ''
Viticlerus''
* ''
Zenodosus
''Zenodosus'' is a genus of beetles in the family Thanerocleridae
Thanerocleridae is a family of beetles belonging to the superfamily Cleroidea. It was formerly considered a subfamily of Cleridae, but was recently elevated to the rank of famil ...
''
Wolcott, 1910
Tillinae
* ''
Antenius''
Fairmaire, 1903
* ''
Arachnoclerus''
Fairmaire, 1902
* ''
Araeodontia''
Barr, 1952
* ''
Archalius''
Fairmaire, 1903
* ''
Aroterus''
Schenkling, 1906
* ''
Basilewskyus''
Pic, 1950
* ''
Biflabellotillus''
Pic, 1949
* ''
Bilbotillus''
Kolibac, 1997
* ''
Bogcia''
Barr, 1978
* ''
Bostrichoclerus''
Van Dyke, 1938
* ''
Callotillus''
Wolcott, 1911
* ''
Ceratocopus''
Hintz, 1902
* ''
Chilioclerus''
Solervicens, 1976
* ''
Cladiscopallenis''
Pic, 1949
* ''
Cladiscus''
Chevrolat, 1843
* ''
Cladomorpha''
Pic, 1949
* ''
Cteniopachys''
Fairmaire, 1889
* ''
Cylidroctenus''
Kraatz, 1899
* ''
Cylidrus''
Latreille, 1825
* ''
Cymatodera''
Gray in Griffith, 1832
* ''
Cymatoderella''
Barr, 1962
* ''
Dedana''
Fairmaire, 1888
* ''
Denops''
Fischer von Waldheim, 1829
* ''
Diplocladus''
Fairmaire, 1885
* ''
Diplopherusa''
Heller, 1921
* ''
Eburneocladiscus''
Pic, 1955
* ''
Egenocladiscus''
Corporaal& van der Wiel, 1949
* ''
Elasmocylidrus''
Corporaal, 1939
* ''
Enoploclerus''
Hintz, 1902
* ''
Eucymatodera''
Schenkling, 1899
* ''
Falsopallenis''
Pic, 1926
* ''
Falsotillus''
Gerstmeier & Kuff, 1992
* ''
Flabellotilloidea''
Gerstmeier & Kuff, 1992
* ''
Gastrocentrum''
Gorham, 1876
* ''
Gracilotillus''
Pic, 1933
* ''
Impressopallenis''
Pic, 1953
* ''
Isocymatodera''
Hintz, 1902
* ''
Lecontella''
Wolcott & Chapin, 1918
* ''
Leptoclerus''
Kraatz, 1899
* ''
Liostylus''
Fairmaire, 1886
* ''
Macroliostylus''
Pic, 1939
* ''
Magnotillus''
Pic, 1936
* ''
Melanoclerus''
Chapin, 1919
* ''
Microtillus''
Pic, 1950
* ''
Monophylla''
Spinola, 1841
* ''
Neocallotillus''
Burke, 2016
* ''
Nodepus''
Gorham, 1892
* ''
Notocymatodera''
Schenkling, 1907
* ''
Onychotillus''
Chapin, 1945
* ''
Orthocladiscus''
Corporaal& van der Wiel, 1949
* ''
Pallenis''
Laporte de Castelnau, 1836
* ''
Paracladiscus''
Miyatake, 1965
* ''
Paradoxocerus''
Kraatz, 1899
* ''
Paraspinoza''
Corporaal, 1942
* ''
Philocalus''
Klug, 1842
* ''
Picoclerus''
Corporaal, 1936
* †''
Prospinoza'' (fossil)
* ''
Pseudachlamys''
Duvivier, 1892
* ''
Pseudogyponix''
Pic, 1939
* ''
Pseudopallenis''
Kuwert, 1893
* ''
Pseudoteloclerus''
Pic, 1932
* ''
Rhopaloclerus''
Fairmaire, 1886
* ''
Smudlotillus''
Kolibac, 1997
* ''
Spinoza
Baruch (de) Spinoza (24 November 163221 February 1677), also known under his Latinized pen name Benedictus de Spinoza, was a philosopher of Portuguese-Jewish origin, who was born in the Dutch Republic. A forerunner of the Age of Enlightenmen ...
''
Lewis, 1892
* ''
Stenocylidrus''
Spinola, 1844
* ''
Strotocera''
Schenkling, 1902
* ''
Synellapotillus''
Pic, 1939
* ''
Synellapus''
Fairmaire, 1903
* ''
Teloclerus''
Schenkling, 1903
* ''
Tilloclerus''
White, 1849
* ''
Tillodadiscus''
Pic, 1953
* ''
Tillodenops''
Hintz, 1905
* ''
Tilloidea''
Laporte de Castelnau, 1832
* ''
Tillus''
Olivier, 1790
* ''
Tylotosoma''
Hintz, 1902
''
Incertae sedis
or is a term used for a taxonomy (biology), taxonomic group where its broader relationships are unknown or undefined. Alternatively, such groups are frequently referred to as "enigmatic taxa". In the system of open nomenclature, uncertainty ...
''
* ''
Aphelocerus''
Kirsch, 1871 (Clerinae? Tillinae?)
* ''
Apteropilo''
Lea, 1908 (Clerinae? Enopliinae?)
* ''
Cleropiestus''
Fairmaire, 1889 (Clerinae? Hydnocerinae?)
* ''
Dermestoides''
Schaeffer, 1771 (Korynetinae ''
s.l.''?)
* ''
Evenoclerus''
Corporaal, 1950 (Clerinae? Hydnocerinae?)
* ''
Muisca
The Muisca (also called the Chibcha) are indigenous peoples in Colombia and were a Pre-Columbian culture of the Altiplano Cundiboyacense that formed the Muisca Confederation before the Spanish colonization of the Americas. The Muisca spe ...
''
Spinola, 1844 (Clerinae? Enopliinae?)
* ''
Parapelonides''
Barr, 1980 (Korynetinae ''s.l.''?)
* ''
Perilypus''
Spinola, 1841 (Clerinae? Tillinae?)
* ''
Syriopelta''
Winkler, 1984 (Korynetinae ''s.l.''?)
References
External links
Atlas of checkered beetles (Cleridae) of Russia
{{Authority control
Polyphaga families
Taxa named by Pierre André Latreille