The sap beetles, also known as Nitidulidae, are a

family Family (from ) is a Social group, group of people related either by consanguinity (by recognized birth) or Affinity (law), affinity (by marriage or other relationship). It forms the basis for social order. Ideally, families offer predictabili ...

beetles Beetles are insects that form the Taxonomic rank, order Coleoptera (), in the superorder Holometabola. Their front pair of wings are hardened into wing-cases, elytra, distinguishing them from most other insects. The Coleoptera, with about 40 ...

. They are small (2–6 mm) ovoid, usually dull-coloured beetles, with knobbed antennae. Some have red or yellow spots or bands. They feed mainly on decaying vegetable matter, over-ripe fruit, and

sap Sap is a fluid transported in the xylem cells (vessel elements or tracheids) or phloem sieve tube elements of a plant. These cells transport water and nutrients throughout the plant. Sap is distinct from latex, resin, or cell sap; it is a s ...

. Some sap beetle species coexist with fungi species and live in habitats of coniferous trees. These fungi-dependent beetles are found in all across Europe and Siberia and are the biggest nutudulid species known in those areas. Other species like the Australian ''Chychramptodes murrayi'' are known to feed on scale insects. There are a few pest species, like the strawberry sap beetle that infest crops in Brazil between the months of August and February. Some common sap beetles include: * the

picnic beetle ''Glischrochilus'' (sometimes misspelled as ''Glisrochilus'') is a genus of sap-feeding and predatory beetles under the family Nitidulidae, subfamily Cryptarchinae. Most members of this genus are commonly known as picnic beetles or beer bugs. D ...

, ''Glischrochilus quadrisignatus'' * the

dusky sap beetle ''Carpophilus lugubris'', commonly known as the dusky sap beetle, is a species of beetle in the genus '' Carpophilus''. It is an agricultural pest of corn and tomato. Description A long-lived species, the dusky sap beetle can live as an adult f ...

, ''Carpophilus lugubris'' * the strawberry sap beetle, ''Stelidota geminata'' * the

small hive beetle ''Aethina tumida,'' commonly known as small hive beetle (SHB), is a beekeeping pest. It is native to sub-Saharan Africa, but has spread to many other regions, including North America, Australia, and the Philippines. The small hive beetle primar ...

, ''Aethina tumida'' The oldest unambiguous fossils of the family date to the

Early Cretaceous The Early Cretaceous (geochronology, geochronological name) or the Lower Cretaceous (chronostratigraphy, chronostratigraphic name) is the earlier or lower of the two major divisions of the Cretaceous. It is usually considered to stretch from 143.1 ...

, belonging to the genus '' Crepuraea'' from the

Aptian The Aptian is an age (geology), age in the geologic timescale or a stage (stratigraphy), stage in the stratigraphic column. It is a subdivision of the Early Cretaceous, Early or Lower Cretaceous epoch (geology), Epoch or series (stratigraphy), S ...

aged

Zaza Formation The Zaza Formation is a geological formation located in Buryatia (Russia). It dates to the Lower Cretaceous. The age of the formation is disputed, and is considered likely to be Valanginian-Hauterivian, or Aptian in age. It comprises sandstones, ...

of Russia.

Classification

The family includes these genera: * Subfamily Calonecrinae Kirejtshuk, 1982 * Subfamily Maynipeplinae Kirejtshuk, 1998 * Subfamily Epuraeinae Kirejtshuk, 1986 * Subfamily

Carpophilinae Carpophilinae is a subfamily of beetles in the family Nitidulidae. There are at least 70 described species in Carpophilinae. Genera * ''Amphicrossus'' Erichson, 1843 * ''Aphenolia'' Reitter, 1884 * ''Carpophilus'' Stephens, 1830 * ''Caplothorax ...

Erichson, 1842 ** ''

Carpophilus ''Carpophilus'' is a genus of sap beetles. Several species are agricultural pests, typically causing feeding damage to a variety of fruits, grains and other food products worldwide. The genus contains a great number of species. Description Adu ...

'' Stephens, 1830 ** ''

Epuraea ''Epuraea'' is a genus of sap-feeding beetles in the family Nitidulidae, first described in 1843 by Wilhelm Ferdinand Erichson. There are at least 40 described species in ''Epuraea''. Their most notable food source is sap but these beetles also ...

'' Erichson, 1843 ** ''

Urophorus ''Urophorus'' is a genus of sap-feeding beetles in the family Nitidulidae. There are at least two described species in ''Urophorus''. Species These two species belong to the genus ''Urophorus'': * ''Urophorus humeralis'' (Fabricius, 1798) (pinea ...

'' Murray, 1864 * Subfamily Amphicrossinae Kirejtshuk, 1986 * Subfamily

Meligethinae Meligethinae is a subfamily of pollen beetles in the family Nitidulidae The sap beetles, also known as Nitidulidae, are a family of beetles. They are small (2–6 mm) ovoid, usually dull-coloured beetles, with knobbed antennae. Some h ...

Thomson, 1859 ** ''

Meligethes ''Meligethes'' is a genus of pollen beetles in the family Nitidulidae. There are more than 80 described species in ''Meligethes''. Species These 80 species belong to the genus ''Meligethes'': * '' Meligethes amei'' * '' Meligethes atramentariu ...

'' Stephens, 1830 ** '' Pria'' Stephens, 1830 * Subfamily

Nitidulinae Nitidulinae is a subfamily of sap-feeding beetles in the family Nitidulidae The sap beetles, also known as Nitidulidae, are a family of beetles. They are small (2–6 mm) ovoid, usually dull-coloured beetles, with knobbed antennae. So ...

Latreille, 1802 ** ''

Amphotis ''Amphotis'' is a genus of sap-feeding beetles in the family Nitidulidae. There are about eight described species in ''Amphotis''. Species These eight species belong to the genus ''Amphotis'': * ''Amphotis bella'' Heer, 1847 * ''Amphotis depress ...

'' Erichson, 1843 ** ''

Cychramus ''Cychramus'' is a genus of sap-feeding beetles in the family Nitidulidae. There are about six described species in ''Cychramus''. Species These six species belong to the genus ''Cychramus'': * ''Cychramus adustus'' Erichson, 1843 * ''Cychramus ...

'' Kugelann, 1794 ** ''

Cyllodes ''Cyllodes'' is a genus of sap-feeding beetles in the family Nitidulidae The sap beetles, also known as Nitidulidae, are a family of beetles. They are small (2–6 mm) ovoid, usually dull-coloured beetles, with knobbed antennae. Some ...

'' Erichson, 1843 ** '' Ipidia'' Erichson, 1843 ** ''

Miskoramus ''Miskoramus'' is a genus of sap-feeding beetles in the family Nitidulidae, first described in 1992 by A. G. Kirejtshuk and J. F. Lawrence. The generic name is formed from the surname Misko, in memory of Stefan Misko, an entomologiest at the C ...

'' Kirejtshuk & Lawrence, 1992 ** ''

Nitidula ''Nitidula'' is a genus of sap-feeding beetles in the family Nitidulidae The sap beetles, also known as Nitidulidae, are a family of beetles. They are small (2–6 mm) ovoid, usually dull-coloured beetles, with knobbed antennae. Some ...

'' Fabricius, 1775 ** '' Omosita'' Erichson, 1843 ** '' Physoronia'' Reitter, 1884 ** '' Pocadius'' Erichson, 1843 ** '' Soronia'' Erichson, 1843 ** '' Thalycra'' Erichson, 1843 ** '' Tumida'' Murray, 1867 * Subfamily

Cillaeinae Cillaeinae is a subfamily of sap-feeding beetles in the family Nitidulidae The sap beetles, also known as Nitidulidae, are a family of beetles. They are small (2–6 mm) ovoid, usually dull-coloured beetles, with knobbed antennae. Som ...

Kirejtshuk & Audisio, 1986 ** '' Cillaeopeplus'' Sharp, 1908 * Subfamily Cryptarchinae Thomson, 1859 ** ''

Cryptarcha ''Cryptarcha'' is a genus of sap beetles, insects in the family Nitidulidae. ; Names brought to synonymy: * ''Cryptarcha elegans'', a synonym for ''Eucalosphaera elegans'' Species These 17 species belong to the genus ''Cryptarcha'': * ''Crypt ...

'' Shuckard, 1839 ** ''

Glischrochilus ''Glischrochilus'' (sometimes misspelled as ''Glisrochilus'') is a genus of sap-feeding and predatory beetles under the Family (biology), family Nitidulidae, subfamily Cryptarchinae. Most members of this genus are commonly known as picnic beetles ...

Reitter Reitter is a German language, German occupational surname, which means a "mounted soldier" or "knight", from the Middle High German ''ritære'' ("equestrianism, horseman"). Notable people with the surname include: * Edmund Reitter (1845–1920), a ...

, 1873 ** '' Pityophagus'' Shuckard, 1839 * Subfamily Cybocephalinae Jacquelin du Val, 1858 (''now frequently elevated to family status as

Cybocephalidae Cybocephalidae is a family of sap, bark and fungus beetles in the order Coleoptera with a wide global distribution. The type genus '' Cybocephalus'' has more than 200 species in it and the entire family has about 220 species in all. Many species ...

'') ** ''

Cybocephalus ''Cybocephalus'' is a genus of beetles in the family Cybocephalidae, previously belonging to the subfamily Cybocephalinae of the family Nitidulidae, and comprising over 200 described species.Cline, AR, et al. (2014) Molecular phylogeny of Nitid ...

'' Erichson, 1844 ** '' Pastillus'' Endrödy-Younga, 1962 * Subfamily

Prometopinae Prometopinae is a subfamily of sap-feeding beetles in the family Nitidulidae The sap beetles, also known as Nitidulidae, are a family of beetles. They are small (2–6 mm) ovoid, usually dull-coloured beetles, with knobbed antennae. S ...

** ''

Prometopia ''Prometopia'' is a genus of sap-feeding beetles in the family Nitidulidae The sap beetles, also known as Nitidulidae, are a family of beetles. They are small (2–6 mm) ovoid, usually dull-coloured beetles, with knobbed antennae. Som ...

'' * ''

incertae sedis or is a term used for a taxonomy (biology), taxonomic group where its broader relationships are unknown or undefined. Alternatively, such groups are frequently referred to as "enigmatic taxa". In the system of open nomenclature, uncertainty ...

'' ** '' Apetinus'' ** '' Conotelus'' ** '' Cyrtostolus'' ** '' Eunitidula'' ** '' Eupetinus'' ** '' Gonioryctus'' ** '' Goniothorax'' ** '' Haptoncus'' ** '' Kateretes'' ** '' Nesapterus'' ** '' Nesopetinus'' ** '' Notopeplus'' ** '' Orthostolus'' ** '' Stelidota'' ** ''

References

External links

sap beetles of Florida
on the UF / IFAS Featured Creatures Web site
Keys for the identification of British Nitidulidae (the pollen beetles)
{{Nitidulidae-stub