Nature Atlas

How Nature Works
Sign In
Text size
100%
Theme

Switch Atlas

Taxa

Coleoptera

Insect Orders

The beetles: the single most species-rich order of any organism on Earth, defined by a hardened front pair of wings (elytra) that fold over and protect a membranous flying hind pair. Coleoptera is famously diverse enough that the biologist J.B.S. Haldane is said to have joked that the creator must have had 'an inordinate fondness for beetles.'

Facts
Disputed
Member Species/Taxa Count
400,000 2
Approximate described-species (or, for a genus, described-taxon) count; continually revised as species are newly described, reclassified or synonymized.
Taxonomic Rank
Order 2
Scientific Name
Coleoptera 2
Classification
Living or Extinct
Yes 1
Connections

Child Taxon Of

Insecta, Taxa
Source Catalogue of Life

Long-Form Articles

The Elytra That Learned to Drink Fog, Articles

Parent Taxon Of

Asian Long-horned Beetle, Species
Source Catalogue of Life
Blister Beetle, Species
Source Wikidata: Meloidae
Carrion Beetle, Species
Source Wikidata: Carrion Beetle
Click Beetle, Species
Source Catalogue of Life
Common Eastern Firefly, Species
Source Catalogue of Life
Darkling Beetle, Species
Source Wikidata: Tenebrionidae
Deathwatch Beetle, Species
Source Wikidata: Deathwatch Beetle
Diving Beetle, Species
Source Wikidata: Dytiscidae
Drugstore beetle, Species
Source Wikidata: Drugstore beetle
Dung Beetle, Species
Source Catalogue of Life
Firefly, Species
Source Catalogue of Life
Furniture Beetle, Species
Source Wikidata: Furniture Beetle
Geotrupes stercorarius, Species
Source Wikidata: Geotrupes stercorarius
Ground Beetle, Species
Source Catalogue of Life
Hercules Beetle, Species
Source Catalogue of Life
Rhinoceros Beetle, Species
Source Catalogue of Life
Rove Beetle, Species
Source Wikidata: Staphylinidae
Seven-spot Ladybird, Species
Source Catalogue of Life
Stag Beetle, Species
Source Catalogue of Life
Telephone-pole beetle, Species
Source Wikidata: Telephone-pole beetle
Weevil, Species
Source Catalogue of Life
Sources
1. Coleoptera (Wikipedia)
about 400,000 described speciesView the Source
2. Catalogue of Life
Species 2000 & ITIS Catalogue of LifeView the Source
Wikidata: Coleoptera
Wikidata Q22671, class allow-list match (w-wdresolver-0926)View the Source
Wikidata: Deathwatch Beetle
Parent Taxon Of: Deathwatch Beetle, Wikidata parent-taxon (P171) chainView the Source
Wikidata: Furniture Beetle
Parent Taxon Of: Furniture Beetle, Wikidata parent-taxon (P171) chainView the Source
Wikidata: Staphylinidae
Parent Taxon Of: Rove Beetle, Wikidata parent-taxon (P171) chainView the Source
Wikidata: Tenebrionidae
Parent Taxon Of: Darkling Beetle, Wikidata parent-taxon (P171) chainView the Source
Wikidata: Meloidae
Parent Taxon Of: Blister Beetle, Wikidata parent-taxon (P171) chainView the Source
Wikidata: Dytiscidae
Parent Taxon Of: Diving Beetle, Wikidata parent-taxon (P171) chainView the Source
Wikidata: Carrion Beetle
Parent Taxon Of: Carrion Beetle, Wikidata parent-taxon (P171) chainView the Source
Wikidata: Drugstore beetle
Parent Taxon Of: Drugstore beetle, Wikidata parent-taxon (P171) chainView the Source
Wikidata: Geotrupes stercorarius
Parent Taxon Of: Geotrupes stercorarius, Wikidata parent-taxon (P171) chainView the Source
Wikidata: Telephone-pole beetle
Parent Taxon Of: Telephone-pole beetle, Wikidata parent-taxon (P171) chainView the Source
Comments (0)
No comments yet. Be the first to share a thought.
Reader Challenges (0)
No disputes yet. Spotted an error or a better source? Open the first one.