Nature Atlas

How Nature Works
Sign In
Text size
100%
Theme
Specy

Telephone-pole beetle

Insects

The telephone-pole beetle, Micromalthus debilis, is native to the eastern United States and is the only known living representative of the otherwise extinct beetle family Micromalthidae. Its common name comes from its larvae, which live in decaying wood and can become pests of wooden structures. The species is notable for being obligately paedogenetic, reproducing asexually through larvae, with rare sterile adults, sometimes called ghost adults, occasionally developing. This description is adapted from Wikipedia contributors under CC BY-SA 4.0; changes were made. https://creativecommons.org/licenses/by-sa/4.0/

Facts
Classification
Diet
Detritivore or Scavenger 1
System (Realm)
Terrestrial 1
Relationship to People
Agricultural or Structural Pest 1
Comparison
NatureServe Rank
GNR Unranked 2
CITES Appendix
Not Listed 3
Scientific Name
Micromalthus debilis 1
Conservation Status
Extinct 1
Connections

Child Taxon Of

Coleoptera, Taxa
Source Wikidata: Telephone-pole beetle
In the Other Atlases

Found In

Also in Geography Atlas: where this subject is found.

Also in Geography Atlas: where this subject is found.

Also in Geography Atlas: where this subject is found.

Also in Geography Atlas: where this subject is found.

Also in Geography Atlas: where this subject is found.

Also in Geography Atlas: where this subject is found.

Also in Geography Atlas: where this subject is found.

Also in Geography Atlas: where this subject is found.

Also in Geography Atlas: where this subject is found.

Also in Geography Atlas: where this subject is found.

Also in Geography Atlas: where this subject is found.

Sources
1. Telephone-pole beetle (Wikipedia)
  • Introduction
    The telephone-pole beetle (Micromalthus debilis) is a beetle native to the eastern United States and the only known living representative of the otherwise extinct family Micromalthidae. Larvae of the beetle live in decaying wood and can be pests to wooden structures, lending them their common name, the 'telephone-pole beetle.' The larvae of Micromalthus debilis start as tiny white creatures with well-developed legs, resembling carabid larvae.
  • Wikidata Q132978 (P225 taxon name)
  • Section: Feeding; begins "The larvae are wood-borers that feed on moist an"
    The larvae are wood-borers that feed on moist and decaying chestnut and oak logs.
  • Lead section
    Larvae of the beetle live in decaying wood and can be pests to wooden structures, lending them their common name, the 'telephone-pole beetle.' The larvae of Micromalthus debilis start as tiny white creatures with well-developed legs, resembling carabid larvae.
  • lead paragraph (habitat realm), EntityId 391329
    Larvae bore into moist, decaying chestnut and oak logs, creating galleries as they consume wood fibers.
View the Source
2. NatureServe Explorer: Micromalthus debilis
NatureServe ExplorerGlobal rank (roundedGRank)
Quote, Global rank (roundedGRank)
"roundedGRank": "GNR"
View the Source
3. UNEP-WCMC Species+ database (CITES Secretariat): Species+: Insecta
UNEP-WCMC Species+ database (CITES Secretariat)Species+ taxon_concepts, id 28
Quote, Species+ taxon_concepts, id 28
"cites_listing":"I/II/III/NC","eu_listing":"A/B/C/NC","higher_taxa":{"kingdom":"Animalia","phylum":"Arthropoda","class":"Insecta","order":null,"family":null},"synonyms":[],"common_names":[{"name":"Insectos","language":"ES"},{"name":"Insects","language":"EN"},{"name":"Insectes","language":"FR"},{"name":"昆虫纲","language":"ZH"}],"cites_listings":[]
View the Source
UNEP-WCMC Species+ database (CITES Secretariat): Species+: Coleoptera
UNEP-WCMC Species+ database (CITES Secretariat)Species+ taxon_concepts, id 56
Quote, Species+ taxon_concepts, id 56
"cites_listing":"II/III/NC","eu_listing":"B/C/NC","higher_taxa":{"kingdom":"Animalia","phylum":"Arthropoda","class":"Insecta","order":"Coleoptera","family":null},"synonyms":[],"common_names":[{"name":"鞘翅目","language":"ZH"}],"cites_listings":[]
View the Source
Wikidata: Telephone-pole beetle
Child Taxon Of: Coleoptera, 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.