General Overview
Bostrichiformia are an infraorder of Polyphaga, comprising generally small to medium-sized beetles, often discreet, and known for their boring larvae.
They are found in:
- Dead or dry wood (beams, furniture, dead trees),
- Stored food products (grains, cereals),
- Animal-based materials (skins, feathers, bones).
General Characteristics
- Cylindrical body, often rounded and stocky.
- Head sometimes retracted under the thorax (especially in Bostrichidae).
- Dull coloration: brown, black, reddish.
- Worm-like larvae with strong mandibles.
Adults are often nocturnal, discreet, and attracted to light.
Notable Families
Bostrichiformia includes several families, such as:
- Bostrichidae: wood borers, sometimes called “powderpost beetles”.
- Dermestidae: necrophagous beetles, useful or harmful (museums, collections).
- Ptinidae: small beetles in stored goods or dry materials.
Some classifications also include Anobiidae, now often merged with Ptinidae.
Ecology and Importance
- Xylophagous: bore into dry wood (e.g. furniture, beams, artworks).
- Necrophagous: break down dry tissues, hair, feathers, keratin (e.g. Dermestidae).
- Stockophagous: attack stored food (seeds, cereals, flour).
They play a role in decomposition but can also cause significant economic damage in homes, museums, and silos.
Relevance in Macrophotography
- Adults are sometimes hard to observe in the wild, but:
- Bostrichidae offer striking microscopic detail (eyes, pronotum sculpture),
- Dermestidae have remarkable colored setae (Anthrenus),
- Their specific ecology makes them fascinating subjects for scientific documentation.
🐛 Note: Species in this infraorder can serve as indicators in forensic, ecological, or museum preservation studies.
The Infraorder Bostrichiformia
The infraorder Bostrichiformia is a group of beetles belonging to the order Coleoptera. It includes several families, with the two most important being Bostrichidae (bostrichids) and Ptinidae (ptinids). Members of this infraorder share certain morphological and biological characteristics.
Characteristics
Body shape:
Insects of the infraorder Bostrichiformia generally have an elongated, cylindrical body, which distinguishes them from beetles of other suborders.
Antennae:
They usually have long, filiform antennae composed of multiple segments.
Elytra:
The elytra of Bostrichiformia are often short and may not cover the entire abdomen, sometimes leaving part of it exposed.
Diet:
Families within Bostrichiformia have varied diets. Bostrichidae are mainly xylophagous and feed on wood, while Ptinidae are often associated with decaying organic matter, fungi, grains, or other plant-based materials.
Habitat:
Bostrichiformia can be found in a wide range of habitats, from forests to urban areas. Some are specifically adapted to forest environments, while others are synanthropic species, meaning they are closely associated with humans and often found in homes or warehouses.
Bostrichiformia play important roles in ecosystems, although some can be considered pests. Bostrichidae, for example, can cause considerable damage to buildings by infesting construction wood or furniture. On the other hand, some Ptinidae species play an essential role in recycling decomposing organic matter, helping to maintain ecological balance.
The infraorder Bostrichiformia comprises two superfamilies. Only families I have observed are listed.
Bostrichiformia
- Superfamily Bostrochoidea (Latreille, 1802)
- Anobibiidae
- Dermestidae (Latreille, 1804)
- Endecatomidae
- Nosodendridae
- Ptinidae
- Jacobsoniidae
- Superfamily Derontoidea (LeConte, 1861)
- Derodontidae