Article · Wikipedia archive · Last revised Jun 14, 2026

Fire-coloured beetle

Fire-coloured beetles is the common name for members of the tenebrionoid family Pyrochroidae. The family is found worldwide, and is most diverse at temperate latitudes. Adults measure 2–20 millimetres (0.079–0.787 in); larvae reach 35 millimetres (1.4 in). Larvae of Pyrochroinae are found associated with the bark of dead trees. They are probably mostly fungivorous, although they may become cannibalistic if too crowded.

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Jun 14, 2026
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Fire-coloured beetles
Pyrochroa coccinea female
Scientific classification Edit this classification
Kingdom: Animalia
Phylum: Arthropoda
Clade: Pancrustacea
Class: Insecta
Order: Coleoptera
Suborder: Polyphaga
Infraorder: Cucujiformia
Superfamily: Tenebrionoidea
Family: Pyrochroidae
Latreille, 1807
Subfamilies

Agnathinae
Pedilinae
Pilipalpinae
Pyrochroinae
Tydessinae

Dendroides canadensis, larvae source ↗

Fire-coloured beetles is the common name for members of the tenebrionoid family Pyrochroidae.1 The family is found worldwide, and is most diverse at temperate latitudes. Adults measure 2–20 millimetres (0.079–0.787 in); larvae reach 35 millimetres (1.4 in). Larvae of Pyrochroinae are found associated with the bark of dead trees. They are probably mostly fungivorous, although they may become cannibalistic if too crowded.2

This family contains some 150 species in 30 genera. The males of many species in the subfamily Pyrochroinae have comb- or antler-like antennae. This family also now includes most former members of the defunct family Pedilidae.

Pyrochroa serraticornis source ↗

Genera

These 21 genera belong to the family Pyrochroidae:

  • Agnathus Germar, 1818 g
  • Anisotria Young, 1984 b
  • Cononotus Leconte, 1851 b
  • Dendroides Latreille, 1810 i c g b
  • Exocalopus Broun, 1893 g
  • Frontodendroidopsis Young, 2004 g
  • Hemidendroides Ferrari, 1869 g
  • Lithomacratria Wickham, 1914 g
  • Malagaethes Pollock, 1995 g
  • Neopyrochroa Blair, 1914 g b
  • Palaeopyrochroa Abdullah, 1965 g
  • Pedilus Fischer von Waldheim, 1820 i c g b
  • Pogonoceromorphus Pic, 1921 g
  • Pseudodendroides Blair, 1914 g
  • Pseudopyrochroa Pic, 1906 g
  • Pyrochroa Müller, 1764 g
  • Ranomafana Pollock, 1995 g
  • Schizotus Newman, 1838 g b
  • Techmessodes Broun, 1893 g
  • Tydessa Peacock, 1982 g

Data sources: i = ITIS,3 c = Catalogue of Life,4 g = GBIF,5 b = Bugguide.net6

Behaviour

Fire-coloured beetles are not considered harmful to humans, as they do not bite, sting, or secrete toxic chemicals. However, more research on these insects is needed to fully understand their behaviour and qualities.7

References

References

  1. "Fire-colored beetles". iNaturalist. Retrieved 10 August 2021.
  2. Young, Daniel K. and Pollock, Darren A.. "11.24. Pyrochroidae Latreille, 1807". Volume 2 Morphology and Systematics (Elateroidea, Bostrichiformia, Cucujiformia partim), edited by Willy Kükenthal, Richard A.B. Leschen, Rolf G. Beutel and John F. Lawrence, Berlin, New York: De Gruyter, 2011, pp. 715-721.
  3. "Pyrochroidae Report". Integrated Taxonomic Information System. Retrieved 2018-05-06.
  4. "Browse Pyrochroidae". Catalogue of Life. Retrieved 2018-05-06.
  5. "Pyrochroidae". GBIF. Retrieved 2018-05-06.
  6. "Pyrochroidae Family Information". BugGuide.net. Retrieved 2018-05-06.
  7. Newton, Blake. "Fire-colored beetles". UKY. University of Kentucky Entomology. Retrieved 10 August 2021.
External links