Chapter 53 - Coleoptera: (Beetles, Weevils, Fireflies)

Abstract

This chapter discusses beetles family of insects. Beetles are known by various names including fireflies, ladybugs, june bugs, and weevils. The vast number of beetle species is reflected by a bewildering array of anatomical and biological diversity in the order. Beetles are considered to be a monophyletic assemblage based on their sum of shared evolutionary derivations. Although beetles share characters supporting their common evolutionary origin, remarkable variations have evolved from the basic beetle theme. For example, adult body size ranges from the 0.4-mm long Nanosella fungi ptiliid feather-winged beetles of North America to the 200-mm long Titanus giganteus cerambycid long-horned beetles of South America. A rough estimate based on maximum dimensions for adult length, breadth, and depth puts the disparity in volume at a factor of 2.8 × 107. Life cycles also can vary in extraordinary ways, depending on the larval food resources used for development. The mushroom-inhabiting aleocharine staphylinid Phanerota fasciata completes three instars in 3.2 days at room temperature. Throughout history, humans have had diverse interactions with, and perceptions of, beetles. Beetles attract the most attention when they become economic pests of agriculture, horticulture, and forestry. Two families, the snout beetles (Curculionidae) and the leaf beetles (Chrysomelidae), include many serious pest species.