Platypsyllus castoris
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The beaver beetle (''Platypsyllus castoris'') is an ectoparasitic
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 ...
that is only found on its host species,
beaver Beavers are large, semiaquatic rodents in the genus ''Castor'' native to the temperate Northern Hemisphere. There are two extant species: the North American beaver (''Castor canadensis'') and the Eurasian beaver (''C. fiber''). Beavers ar ...
s, and the sole member of the genus ''Platypsyllus''. It is flattened and eyeless, resembling a flea or tick. It used to be placed in a separate family called Leptinidae, but is now placed in the family
Leiodidae Leiodidae is a family of beetles with around 3800 described species found worldwide. Members of this family are commonly called round fungus beetles due to the globular shape of many species, although some are more elongated in shape. They are g ...
, in the subfamily
Platypsyllinae Platypsyllinae is a subfamily of the family Leiodidae, known as mammal-nest beetles. The group was formerly known as the family Leptinidae but the name Platypsyllidae had seniority, and is now ranked as a subfamily. Genera *'' Leptinillus'' Hor ...
.


Description

The beaver beetle has various modifications to suit its ectoparasitic mode of life. It resembles a flea or a louse in appearance and was originally placed in the flea family Platypsyllidae. It has no wings and no eyes, and its antennal clubs have the antennomeres numbered 3 to 11 shortened, compacted globularly, and partly enclosed in a scoop-shaped antennomere. The larvae are also ectoparasitic on beavers and have hooks on the three thoracic segments which enable it to cling to its
host A host is a person responsible for guests at an event or for providing hospitality during it. Host may also refer to: Places * Host, Pennsylvania, a village in Berks County People *Jim Host (born 1937), American businessman * Michel Host ...
.


Distribution

The beetle exists only in the northern hemisphere (
holarctic The Holarctic realm is a biogeographic realm that comprises the majority of habitats found throughout the continents in the Northern Hemisphere. It corresponds to the floristic Boreal Kingdom. It includes both the Nearctic zoogeographical region ...
) and is restricted to areas in which beavers are found, North America and northern Europe and Asia.


Behaviour

Besides the North American beaver (''Castor canadensis'') and the Eurasian beaver (''Castor fiber''), the only other host on which this beetle has been found is the North American river otter (''Lontra canadensis''), and this was only on one occasion. It is hypothesized that the otter may have picked up the parasite when it entered a
beaver lodge Beavers are large, semiaquatic rodents in the genus ''Castor'' native to the Holarctic realm, temperate Northern Hemisphere. There are two extant taxon, extant species: the North American beaver (''Castor canadensis'') and the Eurasian beave ...
or perhaps killed a young beaver, a thing that otters are believed to do on occasion. Both adult beetles and larvae feed on epidermal tissue, and also perhaps on skin secretions and liquids oozing from wounds. It is possible that the larvae may also act as
scavenger Scavengers are animals that consume dead organisms that have died from causes other than predation or have been killed by other predators. While scavenging generally refers to carnivores feeding on carrion, it is also a herbivorous feeding b ...
s in the beaver lodge.


References

*


External links


Beaver Beetles
by David Moskowitz {{Taxonbar, from=Q2064126 Parasitic insects Wingless beetles Leiodidae Beetles described in 1869