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COLEOPTERA, Leptinidae -- <Images> & <Juveniles>

These "mammal nest beetles," are sometimes parasitic on ants. It is very small family, closely related to the rove beetles. The various species live in the nests or ectoparasitic in the fur of small mammals (mostly rodents, e.g. beavers, shrews and moles). They feed on on other insects or mites. Two species in Europe are, Leptinus testaceus (on small rodents) and Platypsyllus castoris (on beavers). Both lack eyes and are adapted to the life in the fur of their host. The family includes four genera with palearctic, nearctic or holoarctic distribution.

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References: Please refer to <biology.ref.htm>, [Additional references may be found at: MELVYL Library]

Freude, H., Harde, K.W. & Lohse, G.A. 1971. Band 3. Adephaga 2, Palpicornia, Histeroidea, Staphylinoidea 1. Die Käfer Mitteleuropas. Goecke & Evers Verlag, Krefeld.: 365 pp

Grzimek, B. (ed.) 1973-1975. Het leven der dieren. Uitgeverij Het Spectrum, Utrecht/Antwerpen.: 16 vols

Lawrence, J.F. 1982. Coleoptera. In Parker, S.P., Synopsis and Classification of Living Organisms, vol. 2. McGraw-Hill, New York: 482-553

Parks, J. J. & J. W. Barnes. 1955. Notes on the family Leptinidae including a new record of Leptinillus validus (Horn) in North America. Ann. Ent. Soc. Amer. 48(5): 417-421.