''Odontotaenius floridanus'' is a
beetle
Beetles are insects that form the order Coleoptera (), in the superorder Endopterygota. Their front pair of wings are hardened into wing-cases, elytra, distinguishing them from most other insects. The Coleoptera, with about 400,000 describ ...
of the family
Passalidae
Passalidae is a family of beetles known variously as "bessbugs", "bess beetles", "betsy beetles" or "horned passalus beetles". Nearly all of the 500-odd species are tropical; species found in North America are notable for their size, ranging from ...
. It is endemic to
Lake Wales Ridge
The Lake Wales Ridge, sometimes referred to as the Mid-Florida Ridge,Eastern States Archaeological Federation. ''Archaeology of Eastern North America, Volume 11'', p. 54 is a sand ridge running for about 150 miles south to north in Central Florida. ...
in
Florida
Florida is a state located in the Southeastern region of the United States. Florida is bordered to the west by the Gulf of Mexico, to the northwest by Alabama, to the north by Georgia, to the east by the Bahamas and Atlantic Ocean, and to ...
.
Description
''Odontotaenius floridanus'' adult individuals can range in size from 30 to 40 mm. These beetles have a glossy black body and present golden hair on their legs, antennae and pronotum. A series of 10 to 15 indentations can be seen on the upper abdomen (elytra), while the upper thorax is vertically divided into two equal segments by a deep groove. The antennae are composed of 10 segments, the 3 distal ones forming a structure defined as a "lamellated club". The single horn is situated between the eyes and points forward. The lifespan of adult ''Odontotaenius floridanus'' is up to a year. A distinctive feature of these type of beetles is that they produce a screeching noise when disturbed.
References
Passalidae
Endemic fauna of the United States
{{Passalidae-stub