Heterotarsus carinula — identification & habitat

Heterotarsus carinula is a small darkling beetle that lives on sandy riverbanks and beaches in East Asia, hiding under washed-up debris and plant litter. It is found in Japan, Korea, China, and Taiwan, but not in the United States.

Appearance

Appearance: A dark, elongated beetle about 0.4 in (10 mm) long, with rows of fine lengthwise grooves on its wing covers.

Look-alikes

Yellow mealworm beetleTenebrio molitor

Larger, about 0.5–0.7 in (12.5–18 mm), and usually found around stored grain rather than on riverbanks or beaches.

Why they get mixed upBoth are dark, elongated darkling beetles.

Lesser mealwormAlphitobius diaperinus

Much smaller, about 0.25 in (6 mm), broadly oval and glossy black, and most common in poultry houses and grain facilities.

Where it lives

Typical habitats: Sandy riverbanks
Sandy beaches
Range: Japan (Honshu, Shikoku, Kyushu, and Tsushima), Korea including Jeju Island, China, and Taiwan. It does not occur in the United States.
Preferred conditions: Adults and larvae shelter under trash and decaying plant debris on sandy ground.

Behavior

Diet: The larvae feed on decaying plant matter.

Life cycle

Larva: Full-grown larvae are about 0.5 in (13 mm) long, ocher-brown, and spindle-shaped, covered in very short hairs.

Name and classification

About the name: Usually placed in the darkling beetle family (Tenebrionidae), though some researchers have put it with the long-jointed beetles (Lagriidae) or in a family of its own. Heterotarsus subcostatus, a name given to beetles from China, refers to the same species.

Conservation

IUCN Red List: NENot EvaluatedNot yet assessed

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