Biology:Scaphidium quadrimaculatum

Short description: Species of beetle

Scaphidium quadrimaculatum
Scaphidium quadrimaculatum. Upperside
Scientific classification
Kingdom:	Animalia
Phylum:	Arthropoda
Class:	Insecta
Order:	Coleoptera
Family:	Staphylinidae
Genus:	Scaphidium
Species:	S. quadrimaculatum
Binomial name
Scaphidium quadrimaculatum Olivier, 1790

Scaphidium quadrimaculatum, common name orange-spotted scaphidium or shining fungus beetle, is a species of beetles belonging to the family Staphylinidae subfamily Scaphidiinae.

Distribution

These quite uncommon beetles are present in most of Europe, in North Africa and in the Near East.

Description

Scaphidium quadrimaculatum can reach a length of 5–6 millimetres (0.20–0.24 in). These small beetles have a broad and oval-shaped body. They are completely shiny black, with four irregular red spots on elytra. Thorax is somewhat coarctate on each side behind. Elytra are widely punctured, while tibiae are striated.

Upperside	Front	Underside	Side view

Biology

Adults can mostly be encountered from April through August feeding on various species of fungi, especially bracket fungi.

Gallery

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  Mating couple

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  Side view

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  Clip of S. quadrimaculatum on beech

Bibliography

• Karl Wilhelm Harde, Frantisek Severa und Edwin Möhn: Der Kosmos Käferführer: Die mitteleuropäischen Käfer. Franckh-Kosmos Verlags-GmbH & Co KG, Stuttgart 2000, ISBN:3-440-06959-1.
• A. Horion: Faunistik der mitteleuropäischen Käfer Band II: Palpicornia - Staphylinoidea, Vittorio Klostermann, Frankfurt am Main, 1949.
• Edmund Reitter: Fauna Germanica – Die Käfer des Deutschen Reiches. 5 Bände, Stuttgart K. G. Lutz 1908–1916, Digitale Bibliothek Band 134, Directmedia Publishing GmbH, Berlin 2006, ISBN:3-898-53534-7

References

Wikidata ☰ Q2228954 entry