Soldier beetle

Family of beetles

Soldier beetle

Temporal range: Albian–Present

PreꞒ

Chauliognathus lugubris
Scientific classification
Kingdom:  | Animalia
Phylum:  | Arthropoda
Class:  | Insecta
Order:  | Coleoptera
Suborder:  | Polyphaga
Infraorder:  | Elateriformia
Superfamily:  | Elateroidea
Family:  | Cantharidae
Imhoff, 1856
Synonyms

Chauliognathidae

Soldier beetle filmed in Hesse, Germany A wrinkled solder beetle flies into an aphid colony, eating an aphid before being chased away by the ants. Wrinkled solder beetle searching foliage goldenrod soldier beetles foraging on yellow ironweed. goldenrod soldier beetles taking flight from yellow ironweed, followed by slow motion (taken at 3,840 frames per second.

The soldier beetles (Cantharidae) are relatively soft-bodied, straight-sided beetles. They are cosmopolitan in distribution. One of the first described species has a color pattern reminiscent of the red coats of early British soldiers, hence the common name. They are also known commonly as leatherwings because of their soft elytra.[1]

Historically, these beetles were placed in a superfamily "Cantharoidea", which has been subsumed by the superfamily Elateroidea; the name is still sometimes used as a rankless grouping, including the families Cantharidae, Lampyridae, Lycidae, Omethidae (which includes Telegeusidae), Phengodidae, and Rhagophthalmidae.

Soldier beetles often feed on nectar and pollen as well as predating other small insects. The larvae are caterpillar like, dark colored, active and covered in fine hairs, earning them the name velvet worms. They feed on the ground and in foliage hunting eggs, small insects, snails and other small creatures.[2][3]

## Evolutionary history

[edit]

The oldest described member of the family is Molliberus from the Early Cretaceous (early Albian) aged El Soplao amber from Cantabria, Spain, belonging to the tribe Cantharini in the subfamily Cantharinae. Other described genera include 6 from the early Late Cretaceous (early Cenomanian) aged Burmese amber, with 5 belonging to Cantharinae and one to Malthininae, and Katyacantharis, from the Cenomanian aged Agdzhakend amber of Azerbaijan, suggested to belong to Cantharinae. Indeterminate specimens have been reported from the Aptian aged Koonwarra fossil bed of the Strzelecki Group, Australia and the Barremian aged Lebanese amber.[4][5]

## Subfamilies, tribes and selected genera

[edit]

Five subfamilies are normally accepted:

### Cantharinae

[edit]

* tribe Cantharini
* Cantharis
* Rhagonycha
* tribe Podabrini
* Podabrus

### Chauliognathinae

[edit]

* tribe Chauliognathini
* Belotus
* Chauliognathus
* tribe Ichthyurini
* Trypherus

### Dysmorphocerinae

[edit]

* Afronycha Wittmer, 1949 \- central-southern Africa
* Asilis Broun, 1893 \- New Zealand
* Compsonycha
* Dysmorphocerus Solier, 1849
* Flabelloontelus
* Geigyella Wittmer, 1972 \- New Guinea
* Hansasilis
* Heteromastix Boheman, 1858 \- Australia
* Hyponotum
* Micronotum
* Neoontelus Wittmer, 1972 \- New Zealand
* Oontelus Solier, 1849 \- S. America
* Plectocephalon
* Plectonotum Gorham, 1891 \- Americas

### Malthininae

[edit]

* tribe Malchinini
* Macrocerus Motschulsky, 1845 \- Europe (synonym Malchinus)
* tribe Malthinini
* Caccodes Sharp, 1885 \- Central America, Pacific islands
* Malthinellus Kiesenwetter, 1874 \- Japan
* Malthinus Latreille, 1805 \- Japan, Europe, N. America
* tribe Malthodini
* Frostia Bert. ex Guill.
* Malthodes Kiesenwetter, 1852 \- mostly Europe, N. America & New Zealand
* †Archaeomalthodes Hsiao et al. 2016 Burmese amber, Myanmar, Cenomanian

### Silinae

[edit]

* tribe Silini
* Cordylocera Guérin-Méneville, 1830
* Silis Charpentier, 1825
* tribe Tytthonyxini
* Tytthonyx LeConte, 1851

## Reproduction

[edit]

Large males of the soldier beetle exercise choice for larger females. Body size correlates with the abilities of males to secure females, and of females to evade males.[6]

## See also

[edit]

* List of Cantharidae genera

## References

[edit]

1. ^ Phillips, C., et al. Leatherwing (Soldier) Beetles. Virginia Cooperative Extension, Virginia Tech and Virginia State University. 2013.
2. ^ https://bugoftheweek.com/blog/2018/10/18/friendly-velvety-home-invaders-soldier-beetle-larvae-chauliognathus-spp, Friendly velvety home invaders: Soldier beetle larvae, 'Chauliognathus' spp., “Bug of the Week”, October 22, 2018
3. ^ https://extension.umn.edu/yard-and-garden-insects/soldier-beetles, Soldier beetles, “University of Minnesota Extension”, Reviewed in 2023
4. ^ Peris, David; Fanti, Fabrizio (November 2018). "Molliberus albae gen. et sp. nov., the oldest Laurasian soldier beetle (Coleoptera: Cantharidae) from the Lower Cretaceous Spanish amber". Cretaceous Research. 91: 263–268\. Bibcode:2018CrRes..91..263P. doi:10.1016/j.cretres.2018.07.003. S2CID 134003163.
5. ^ Kazantsev, Sergey V.; Perkovsky, Evgeny E. (2019-02-28). "The first Cretaceous beetle from Azerbaijan: Katyacantharis zherikhini gen. et sp. n. (Coleoptera, Cantharidae) from Cenomanian Agdzhakend amber". Palaeoentomology. 2 (1): 7. Bibcode:2019Plegy...2....7K. doi:10.11646/palaeoentomology.2.1.2. ISSN 2624-2834. S2CID 86634741.
6. ^ McLain, Denson K.; Pratt, Ann E.; Shure, Donald J. (June 2015). "Size dependence of courtship effort may promote male choice and strong assortative mating in soldier beetles". Behavioral Ecology and Sociobiology. 69 (6): 883–894\. Bibcode:2015BEcoS..69..883M. doi:10.1007/s00265-015-1900-6. ISSN 0340-5443. S2CID 253810679.

## External links

[edit]

* Delta key
* Keys for the identification of British Cantharidae
* Media related to Cantharidae at Wikimedia Commons
* Data related to Cantharidae at Wikispecies

* v
* t
* e

Extant Coleoptera families

* Kingdom: Animalia
* Phylum: Arthropoda
* Class: Insecta
* Subclass: Pterygota
* Infraclass: Neoptera
* Superorder: Holometabola

Suborder Archostemata

* Crowsoniellidae (Crowsoniella relicta)
* Cupedidae (reticulated beetles)
* Jurodidae (Sikhotealinia zhiltzovae)
* Micromalthidae
* Ommatidae

Suborder Adephaga

| Extant families|

* Amphizoidae (trout-stream beetles)
* Aspidytidae
* Carabidae (ground beetles)
* Cicindelidae (tiger beetles)
* Dytiscidae (predaceous diving beetles)
* Gyrinidae (whirligig beetles)
* Haliplidae (crawling water beetles)
* Hygrobiidae
* Meruidae (Meru phyllisae)
* Noteridae (burrowing water beetles)
* Trachypachidae (false ground beetles)

|

Suborder Myxophaga

* Hydroscaphidae (skiff beetles)
* Lepiceridae
* Sphaeriusidae
* Torridincolidae

Suborder Polyphaga

| Bostrichiformia|

| Bostrichoidea|

* Bostrichidae (auger beetles)
* Dermestidae (skin beetles)
* Endecatomidae
* Jacobsoniidae (Jacobson's beetles)
* Nosodendridae (wounded-tree beetles)
* Ptiniidae (furniture beetles, death watch beetles, spider beetles)

|

Derodontoidea|

* Derodontidae (tooth-necked fungus beetles)

Cucujiformia|

| Chrysomeloidea|

* Cerambycidae (longhorn beetles)
* Chrysomelidae (leaf beetles)
* Disteniidae
* Megalopodidae
* Orsodacnidae
* Oxypeltidae
* Vesperidae

|

Cleroidea|

* Acanthocnemidae (Acanthocnemus nigricans)
* Biphyllidae (false skin beetles)
* Byturidae (fruitworm beetles)
* Chaetosomatidae
* Cleridae (checkered beetles)
* Lophocateridae
* Mauroniscidae
* Melyridae (soft-wing flower beetles)
* Metaxinidae (Metaxina ornata)
* Peltidae
* Phloiophilidae (Phloiophilus edwardsi)
* Phycosecidae
* Prionoceridae
* Protopeltidae
* Rentoniidae
* Rhadalidae
* Thanerocleridae
* Thymalidae
* Trogossitidae (bark-gnawing beetles)

Coccinelloidea|

* Akalyptoischiidae
* Alexiidae
* Anamorphidae
* Bothrideridae (dry bark beetles)
* Cerylonidae (minute bark beetles)
* Coccinellidae (lady beetles, or God's cows)
* Corylophidae (minute fungus beetles)
* Discolomatidae
* Endomychidae (handsome fungus beetles)
* Eupsilobiidae
* Euxestidae (well polished beetles)
* Latridiidae (minute brown scavenger beetles)
* Murmidiidae
* Mycetaeidae
* Teredidae

Cucujoidea|

* Agapythidae (Agapytho foveicollis)
* Boganiidae
* Cavognathidae
* Cryptophagidae (silken fungus beetles)
* Cucujidae (flat bark beetles)
* Cybocephalidae
* Cyclaxyridae
* Erotylidae (pleasing fungus beetles)
* Helotidae
* Hobartiidae
* Kateretidae (short-winged flower beetles)
* Laemophloeidae (lined flat bark beetles)
* Lamingtoniidae (Lamingtonium binnaberrense)
* Monotomidae (root-eating beetles)
* Myraboliidae
* Nitidulidae (sap beetles)
* Passandridae (parasitic flat bark beetles)
* Phalacridae (shining flower beetles)
* Phloeostichidae
* Priasilphidae
* Propalticidae
* Protocucujidae
* Silvanidae (silvanid flat bark beetles)
* Smicripidae (palmetto beetles)
* Sphindidae (dry-fungus beetles)
* Tasmosalpingidae

Curculionoidea
(weevils)|

* Anthribidae (fungus weevils)
* Attelabidae (leaf-rolling weevils)
* Belidae (primitive weevils)
* Brentidae (straight snout weevils, New York weevil)
* Caridae
* Curculionidae (true weevils, bark beetles, ambrosia beetles)
* Nemonychidae (pine flower weevils)

Lymexyloidea|

* Lymexylidae (ship-timber beetles)

Tenebrionoidea|

* Aderidae (ant-like leaf beetles)
* Anthicidae (ant-like flower beetles)
* Archeocrypticidae (cryptic fungus beetles)
* Boridae (conifer bark beetles)
* Chalcodryidae
* Ciidae (minute tree-fungus beetles)
* Melandryidae (false darkling beetles)
* Meloidae (blister beetles)
* Mordellidae (tumbling flower beetles)
* Mycetophagidae (hairy fungus beetles)
* Mycteridae (palm and flower beetles)
* Oedemeridae (false blister beetle)
* Perimylopidae, or Promecheilidae
* Prostomidae (jugular-horned beetles)
* Pterogeniidae
* Pyrochroidae (fire-coloured beetles)
* Pythidae (dead log bark beetles)
* Ripiphoridae (wedge-shaped beetles)
* Salpingidae (narrow-waisted bark beetles)
* Scraptiidae (false flower beetles)
* Stenotrachelidae (false longhorn beetles)
* Synchroidae (synchroa bark beetles)
* Tenebrionidae (darkling beetles)
* Tetratomidae (polypore fungus beetles)
* Trictenotomidae
* Ulodidae
* Zopheridae (ironclad beetles, cylindrical bark beetles)

Elateriformia|

| Buprestoidea|

* Buprestidae (jewel beetles, or metallic wood-boring beetles)
* Schizopodidae

|

Byrrhoidea|

* Byrrhidae (pill beetles)
* Callirhipidae (cedar beetles)
* Chelonariidae (turtle beetles)
* Cneoglossidae
* Dryopidae (long-toed water beetles)
* Elmidae (riffle beetles)
* Eulichadidae (forest stream beetles)
* Heteroceridae (variegated mud-loving beetles)
* Limnichidae (minute mud beetles)
* Lutrochidae (travertine beetles)
* Psephenidae (water-penny beetles)
* Ptilodactylidae

Dascilloidea|

* Dascillidae (soft bodied plant beetles)
* Rhipiceridae (cicada beetle, cicada parasite beetles)

Elateroidea|

* Artematopodidae (soft-bodied plant beetles)
* Brachypsectridae (Texas beetles)
* Cantharidae (soldier beetles)
* Cerophytidae (rare click beetles)
* Elateridae (click beetles)
* Eucnemidae (false click beetles)
* Jurasaidae
* Lampyridae (fireflies)
* Lycidae (net-winged beetles)
* Omethidae (false fireflies, long-lipped beetles)
* Phengodidae (glowworm beetles)
* Rhagophthalmidae
* Sinopyrophoridae
* Throscidae (false metallic wood-boring beetles)

Rhinorhipoidea|

* Rhinorhipidae (Rhinorhipus tamborinensis)

Scirtoidea|

* Clambidae
* Decliniidae (Declinia relicta)
* Eucinetidae (plate-thigh beetles)
* Scirtidae

Scarabaeiformia|

| Scarabaeoidea|

* Belohinidae (Belohina inexpectata)
* Bolboceratidae
* Diphyllostomatidae (false stag beetles)
* Geotrupidae (dor beetles)
* Glaphyridae (bumble bee scarab beetles)
* Glaresidae (enigmatic scarab beetles)
* Hybosoridae (scavenger scarab beetles)
* Lucanidae (stag beetles)
* Ochodaeidae (sand-loving scarab beetles)
* Passalidae (betsy beetles)
* Pleocomidae (rain beetles)
* Scarabaeidae (scarabs)
* Trogidae (hide beetles)

|

Staphyliniformia|

| Histeroidea|

* Histeridae (clown beetles)
* Sphaeritidae (false clown beetles)
* Synteliidae

|

Hydrophiloidea|

* Epimetopidae
* Georissidae (minute mud-loving beetles)
* Helophoridae
* Hydrochidae
* Hydrophilidae (water scavenger beetles)
* Spercheidae

Staphylinoidea|

* Agyrtidae (primitive carrion beetles)
* Hydraenidae
* Leiodidae (round fungus beetles)
* Ptiliidae (feather-winged beetles)
* Silphidae (carrion beetles)
* Staphylinidae (rove beetles)

List of subgroups of the order Coleoptera

Taxon identifiers

Cantharidae|

* Wikidata: Q514243
* Wikispecies: Cantharidae
* AFD: Cantharidae
* BioLib: 9578
* BOLD: 1131
* BugGuide: 118
* CoL: 7P3
* EoL: 7468
* EPPO: 1CANTF
* Fauna Europaea: 11169
* Fauna Europaea (new): 340b965c-2e97-4c67-9f1a-763f770b0f61
* GBIF: 7777
* iNaturalist: 52932
* IRMNG: 100379
* ITIS: 113837
* NBN: NHMSYS0001717473
* NCBI: 41097
* NZOR: 33384407-05f9-4ff0-9764-41eb3adfb400
* Open Tree of Life: 161625
* Paleobiology Database: 69373
* Plazi: 396787A7-5C57-1B5F-FF1D-FBFFFC04F04C
* WoRMS: 150710

Authority control databases

National|

* United States
* Israel

Other|

* Yale LUX

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