Graveyard Beetle
Rhizophagus parallelocollis
This record describes Rhizophagus parallelocollis (species). Recorded family: Monotomidae. Recorded order: Coleoptera.
Identification and Appearance
Classification
- Kingdom
- Animalia
- Phylum
- Arthropoda
- Class
- Insecta
- Order
- Coleoptera (Beetles)
- Suborder
- Polyphaga
- Superfamily
- Cucujoidea
- Family
- Monotomidae (Minute Clubbed Beetles)
- Genus
- Rhizophagus
Imported taxonomy record. Source availability varies; see the source references and editorial policy below.
Habitat and Range
Habitat
moldy substrates in basements, deep layers of compost piles, mammal burrows, brushwood piles, flood debris, old bones, sap; common in cemeteries where it swarms in graves, tombstones, and on corpses in 10-24 month-old coffins
Geographic Range
native to Europe, adventive in NA (NF-ON to TN-IN + BC-WA)
Diet and Behavior
Diet: likely prefers dipteran larvae
Additional species information
Species notes from the sources
Etymology: Rhizophagus parallelocollis (Gyllenhal 1827)
About Primitive Winged Insects: the wider group
Order-level background for Coleoptera, the group containing Rhizophagus parallelocollis. Species-specific details appear above.
Group overview
Coleoptera is the largest order of insects with over 400,000 described species, representing ~25% of all known animal species and ~40% of all insects. In the U.S. alone, nearly 30,000 beetle species have been identified.
Ecological role of the group
Beetles are prominent decomposers, especially in forests, breaking down dead wood and recycling nutrients. As predators, they reduce populations of pest insects. Many species are also important pollinators of flowering plants.
Economic and practical significance of the group
Beetles have major economic significance: leaf beetles (Chrysomelidae) and weevils (Curculionoidea) are among the most destructive agricultural pests globally, costing billions annually, while predatory species like ladybugs provide natural pest control.
Recorded sources for this group: Britannica, Smithsonian, NCSU Entomology. Imported estimates may describe particular regions or reporting periods.
Photos of Graveyard Beetle (2)
Photo credits: Contributed by v belov