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biodiversity explorer

the web of life in southern Africa

Family: Drilidae

Life > Eukaryotes > Opisthokonta > Metazoa (animals) > Bilateria > Ecdysozoa > Panarthropoda > Tritocerebra > Arthopoda > Mandibulata > Atelocerata > Panhexapoda > Hexapoda > Insecta (insects) > Dicondyla > Pterygota > Metapterygota > Neoptera > Eumetabola > Holometabola > Coleoptera (beetles) > Polyphaga > Superfamily: Cantharoidea

Small to medium-sized beetles (3-15mm), usually pale yellow to black in colour. The antennae are distinctive and are large and flabellate (fan-shaped. The females are larvae-like and wingless. Four species have been identified from southern Africa but unidentified material indicates that there are more. The larvae of some species prey on snails.

Selasia pulchra  

Selasia pulchra, 7mm. [image by M. Picker & C. Griffiths ©, from Field Guide to Insects of South Africa, used with permission].

 

 Page by Margie Cochrane