| Derodontidae | |
|---|---|
 | |
| Laricobius erichsoni from Belgium | |
Scientific classification | |
| Kingdom: | Animalia |
| Phylum: | Arthropoda |
| Class: | Insecta |
| Order: | Coleoptera |
| Suborder: | Polyphaga |
| Superfamily: | Derodontoidea LeConte, 1861 |
| Family: | Derodontidae LeConte, 1861 |
| Genera | |
4, see text | |
Derodontidae is afamily ofbeetles, in its ownsuperfamily,Derodontoidea, sometimes known as thetooth-necked fungus beetles. Beetles of this family are small, between 2 and 6 mm in length, typically with spiny margins on their pronotum (part of the thorax) that give them their name, though the genusLaricobius lacks these spines. Unusual among beetles, they have twoocelli on the top of their heads.
They are related to theBostrichoidea, which includes thedeath watch beetles,skin beetles,powder-post beetles and other subgroups.
Some species feed onslime molds, but thelarvae and adults of the genusLaricobius are predators ofwoolly adelgids which attack conifers, and species of this genus are used as biological control agents in the United States for control ofbalsam woolly adelgid andhemlock woolly adelgid.
There are 42 species in 4 genera and 3 subfamilies. The family includes:[1]
A fossil genus,Juropeltastica, is known from the MiddleJurassic ( ~ 163 million years old)Daohugou Beds of China.[2]
