Melandryidae
Common name:
False darkling beetlesNumber of species:
17Size Range:
3-15mmTarsi:
4-4-4, 5-5-4. Lobed or not.Images:
Description:
17 species of small to medium-sized (3-16mm), oval to elongate-oval beetles, found in association with fungi and fungoid bark, particularly in ancient woodland. Generally black or brown in colour, some are brightly coloured or patterned: Conopalpus testaceus (Olivier) has a bright orange pronotum while Osphya bipunctata (Fabricius) have a red and black striped pronotum and legs. All the British species are rare, and all but Orchesia undulata Kraatz have conservation designations.