Family:
Lymexylidae (ship-timber beetles)
Life > Eukaryotes > Opisthokonta > Metazoa (animals) > Bilateria > Ecdysozoa > Panarthropoda > Tritocerebra > Arthopoda > Mandibulata > Atelocerata > Panhexapoda > Hexapoda
> Insecta
(insects) > Dicondyla > Pterygota > Metapterygota > Neoptera > Eumetabola >
Holometabola > Coleoptera
(beetles)
> Polyphaga > Superfamily: Lymexyloidea
A large (15-45mm) narrow-bodied beetle. The most common Atractocerus
could be mistaken for flying ants such as Dorylinae, or dragonflies. On closer
inspection it can be seen that the wings that are visible are the hind wings and
the elytra (wing covers) are very reduced, exposing the entire abdomen. Melitomma is more
beetle-like and the elytra cover all except last 2 abdominal segments. The eyes
occupy a large portion of the head, almost meeting on the face.
Adults are attracted to light at night and larvae bore into hard wood and
palm stems.
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