| Agyrtidae | |
|---|---|
_(14954636326)_(cropped).png) | |
| Necrophilus subterraneus (Necrophillinae) | |
 | |
| Male specimen ofLyrosoma pallidum (Agyrtinae) | |
Scientific classification | |
| Kingdom: | Animalia |
| Phylum: | Arthropoda |
| Class: | Insecta |
| Order: | Coleoptera |
| Suborder: | Polyphaga |
| Infraorder: | Staphyliniformia |
| Superfamily: | Staphylinoidea |
| Family: | Agyrtidae Thomson, 1859 |
| Subfamilies | |
Agyrtidae, orprimitive carrion beetles, are a small family ofbeetles belonging toStaphylinoidea. They are found in mostly temperate areas of the Northern Hemisphere and inNew Zealand.
Agyrtidae are small or middle-sized beetles (length 4–14 mm). They have usually oval body, but thePterolomatinae are superficially similar toground beetles.Abdomen is with five visible ventralsclerites,procoxal cavities internally open.Hindwings haveanal lobe but no radial hinge.[1]
The group have a diverse ecological habits, but appear to be mostly saprophagous. Necrophilinae is attracted to decaying material including carrion, rotting fungi and dung, in the vicinity of temperate forests. Agyrtinae have a diverse variety of habits, with the genusLyrosoma being found on cold beaches of the North Pacific rim, where they have been found feeding on kelp and dead seabirds, whileIpelates is associated with decaying logs and fungi, leaf litter, vegetation and flowers. Pterolomatinae appears to be active predators, withPteroloma having been found in wet and boggy habitats, especially cold mountain streams. SomeApteroloma species are found abundantly in mountain habitats, while others are found in open or forested areas.[2]
The oldest unambiguous members of the family are from the Early Cretaceous of Asia, includingPonomarenkia from theTurga Formation andPalаeonecrophilus from theKhasurty locality, both of which are located inBuryatia in Russia, and date theAptian stage (~125–113 million years ago). The latter can be assigned to the modern subfamily Necrophilinae. Earlier claimed Jurassic records, such asMesagyrtes andMesecanus from the Middle Jurassic of China, require re-evaluation.[3]
Currently, about 60 species are known. The family is divided into three subfamilies:
Until recently, species of this family had been included in the familySilphidae (as tribes Lyrosomatini and Agyrtini), but are now considered more closely related to the familyLeiodidae.[4]
