Long-nosed Lycid Beetle
Scientific name: Porrostoma rhipidius
Click to enlarge image
Long-nosed Lycid Beetle, Porrostoma rhipidius
Image: Andrew Donnelly
© Australian Museum
© Australian Museum
Fast Facts
-
Classification
- Genus
- Porrostoma
- Species
- rhipidius
- Subfamily
- Metriorrhynchinae
- Family
- Lycidae
- Super Family
- Elateroidea
- Suborder
- Polyphaga
- Order
- Coleoptera
- Class
- Insecta
- Subphylum
- Uniramia
- Phylum
- Arthopoda
- Kingdom
- Animalia
-
- Size Range
- 1 cm - 2 cm
The vividly coloured Long-nosed Lycid Beetle is thought to feed on nectar and is very noticeable when on plant blossoms or in slow flight.
Identification
The red and black colours of the Long-nosed Lycid Beetle are a warning to visual predators that it is highly toxic if eaten. Several other insects including flies, wasps, moths and other beetles, share its colours. Some of these are also toxic, but some are not and gain the same benefit by fraud.
Habitat
The Long-nosed Lycid Beetle lives in urban areas, forests and woodlands, and heath.
Distribution
The Long-nosed Lycid Beetle is found in eastern Australia.
Feeding and diet
The Long-nosed Lycid Beetle eats nectar.
Other behaviours and adaptations
Long-nosed Lycid Beetle larvae live in leaf litter, under bark or on mouldy wood. It is thought that they feed on moulds.
