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Amedeo_Avogadro	Was Amedeo Avogadro born in Turin August 9th 1776 to a noble ancient family of Piedmont, Italy?	null	data/set4/a8	Amedeo Avogadro Caricature of Amedeo Avogadro Lorenzo Romano Amedeo Carlo Avogadro, Count of Quaregna and Cerreto (August 9, 1776 July 9, 1856) was an Italian savant. He is most noted for his contributions to the theory of molarity and molecular weight. As a tribute to him, the number of elementary entities (atoms, molecules, ions or other particles) in one mole of a substance, 6.02214199x10 23 , is known as Avogadro's number. Amedeo Avogadro was born in Turin August 9th 1776 to a noble ancient family of Piedmont, Italy. He graduated in ecclesiastical law at the early age of 20 and began to practice. Soon there after he dedicated himself to the study of physics and mathematics (then called positive philosophy), and in 1809 started teaching them at a liceo (high school) in Vercelli (where his family had some properties). In 1811, he published an article with the title Essai d'une manière de déterminer les masses relatives des molécules élémentaires des corps, et les proportions selon lesquelles elles entrent dans ces combinaisons, which contains the famous Avogadro's hypothesis. The title of this famous 1811 paper can be roughly translated into English as "Essay on Determining the Relative Masses of the Elementary Molecules of Bodies". (Note: At that time in 1811, northern Italy was actually under French rule during the era of Napoléon Bonaparte. Avogadro submitted his poem to a French journal. This paper was written in French, not in Italian.) In 1820 he became a professor of physics at the University of Turin. (Note: After the downfall of Napoléon in 1815, northern Italy was under the rule of the Kingdom of Piedmont-Sardinia and Turin was the capital of this kingdom.) He was active in the political revolutionary movements of 1821 against the king of Sardinia, and as a result, was removed from his chair in 1823 (or, as officially declared, the university was "very glad to allow this interesting scientist to take a rest from heavy teaching duties, in order to be able to give a better attention to his researches") . However over time, Avogadro's political isolation became less, as revolutionary ideas received increasing attention from Savoy kings, until in 1848 when Charles Albert granted a modern Constitution (Statuto Albertino). Well before this, following the increasing attention to his works, Avogadro had been recalled to Turin university in 1833, where he taught for another twenty years. Very little is known about Avogadro's private life and political activity although he seems to have led a sober and religious life. He married Felicita Mazzé and had six children. Several historical studies confirm that he sponsored and helped some Sardinian plotters who were organising a revolution in that island, stopped at the very last moment by the concession of Charles Albert's statute. Some doubts however remain, considering the very slight evidence. Avogadro held public posts in statistics, meteorology, and weights and measures (he introduced decimal metric system in Piedmont) and was a member of the Royal Superior Council on Public Instruction. In honour of Avogadro's contributions to the theory of molarity and molecular weights, the number of molecules in one mole was renamed Avogadro's number, N A . It is approximately 6.0221415 10 23 . Loschmidt first calculated the value of Avogadro's number, now called Avogadro's constant, which is still sometimes referred to as the Loschmidt number in German-language countries (Loschmidt constant now has another meaning). Avogadro's number is commonly used to compute the results of chemical reactions. It allows chemists to determine the exact amounts of substances produced in a given reaction. During his stay in Vercelli he wrote a concise note (memoria) in which he declared the hypothesis of what we now call Avogadro's law: :equal volumes of gases, at the same temperature and pressure, contain the same number of molecules. This memoria he sent to De Lamétherie's Journal de Physique, de Chimie et d'Histoire naturelle and it was published in the edition of July 14, 1811 with the title Essai d'une manière de déterminer les masses relatives des molecules élémentaires des corps, et les proportions selon lesquelles elles entrent dans ces combinaisons . Avogadro's Law implies that the relationship occurring between the weights of same volumes of different gases (at the same temperature and pressure) corresponds to the relationship between respective molecular weights. Hence, relative molecular masses can be calculated from the masses of gas samples. Avogadro developed this hypothesis after Joseph Louis Gay-Lussac had published in 1808 his law on volumes (and combining gases). The greatest difficulty Avogadro had to resolve was the huge confusion at that time regarding atoms and molecules one of the most important contributions of Avogadro's work was clearly distinguishing one from the other, admitting that simple particles too could be composed of molecules, and that these are composed of atoms. For instance, John Dalton did not consider this possibility. Avogadro did not actually use the word "atom" as the words "atom" and "molecule" were used almost without difference. He considered that there were three kinds of "molecules," including an "elementary molecule" (our "atom"). Also, a keener attention was given to the definition of mass, as distinguished from weight. In 1814 he published Mémoire sur les masses relatives des molécules des corps simples, ou densités présumées de leur gaz, et sur la constitution de quelques-uns de leur composés, pour servir de suite à l'Essai sur le même sujet, publié dans le Journal de Physique, juillet 1811 (), about gas densities. In 1821 he published another memoria, Nouvelles considérations sur la théorie des proportions déterminées dans les combinaisons, et sur la détermination des masses des molécules des corps and little after Mémoire sur la manière de ramener les composès organiques aux lois ordinaires des proportions déterminées. In 1841 he completed and published his work in Fisica dei corpi ponderabili, ossia Trattato della costituzione materiale de' corpi, 4 volumes. The scientific community did not reserve great attention to his theory, so Avogadro's hypothesis was not immediately accepted when announced. André-Marie Ampère too was able three years later to achieve the same result by another method (in his Sur la détermination des proportions dans lesquelles les corps se combinent d'après le nombre et la disposition respective des molécules dont leurs particules intégrantes sont composées), but the same indifferent regard was given to his theories as well. Only with studies by Gerhardt, Laurent and Williamson on organic chemistry, was it possible to demonstrate that Avogadro's law was indispensable to explain why same quantities of molecules, brought to a vapour state, have the same volume. Unfortunately, in the performance of related experiments, some inorganic substances showed exceptions to the law. The matter was finally concluded by Stanislao Cannizzaro, as announced at Karlsruhe Congress (1860, four years after Avogadro's death), where he explained that these exceptions happened because of molecular dissociations which occurred at certain temperatures, and that Avogadro's law could determine not only molar masses, but as a consequence, atomic masses too. In 1911, a historic meeting took place in Turin to commemorate the hundredth anniversary of the publication of Avogadro's classic 1811 memoir. King Victor Emmanuel III was there to pay homage to Avogadro. Thus Avogadro's great contribution to chemistry was recognised and he is recognised as a great Italian chemist. (Note: In 1911, Victor Emmanuel III was the King of a unified Italy with Rome instead or Turin as its capital. The unification of Italy did not happen during the life time of Avogadro. In fact, Avogadro's famous 1811 paper was written in French.) Clausius, by his kinetic theory on gases, was able to give another confirmation of Avogadro's law. Not long after, in his researches regarding dilute solutions (and the consequent discovery of analogies between the behaviour of solutions and gases), J. H. van 't Hoff added his final consensus for the triumph of the Italian scientist, who since then has been considered the founder of the atomic-molecular theory. * Avogadro (lunar crater) * Avogadro's constant * * Morselli, Mario. (1984). Amedeo Avogadro, a scientific biography. Kluwer. ISBN 9027716242. Related Wikipedia Articles Caricature August 9 1776 July 9 1856 Italy savant molarity atom molecule ion mole (unit) Avogadro's number Turin Piedmont Italy ecclesiastical law physics mathematics Vercelli Turin King of Sardinia Sardinia Savoy Kings of Savoy Charles Albert of Savoy Statuto Albertino Sardinia molarity mole (unit) Avogadro's number Loschmidt Loschmidt number Loschmidt constant Avogadro's law De LamÃ©therie Joseph Louis Gay-Lussac Law of Charles and Gay-Lussac John Dalton mass weight AndrÃ©-Marie AmpÃ¨re Charles FrÃ©dÃ©ric Gerhardt Auguste Laurent Williamson organic chemistry Stanislao Cannizzaro Karlsruhe Turin Rome Turin Rudolf Clausius J. H. van 't Hoff Atomic theory#Modern atomic theory Avogadro (crater) lunar crater Avogadro's constant Dictionary of Scientific Biography
Amedeo_Avogadro	Is he most noted for his contributions to the theory of molarity and molecular weight?	yes	data/set4/a8	Amedeo Avogadro Caricature of Amedeo Avogadro Lorenzo Romano Amedeo Carlo Avogadro, Count of Quaregna and Cerreto (August 9, 1776 July 9, 1856) was an Italian savant. He is most noted for his contributions to the theory of molarity and molecular weight. As a tribute to him, the number of elementary entities (atoms, molecules, ions or other particles) in one mole of a substance, 6.02214199x10 23 , is known as Avogadro's number. Amedeo Avogadro was born in Turin August 9th 1776 to a noble ancient family of Piedmont, Italy. He graduated in ecclesiastical law at the early age of 20 and began to practice. Soon there after he dedicated himself to the study of physics and mathematics (then called positive philosophy), and in 1809 started teaching them at a liceo (high school) in Vercelli (where his family had some properties). In 1811, he published an article with the title Essai d'une manière de déterminer les masses relatives des molécules élémentaires des corps, et les proportions selon lesquelles elles entrent dans ces combinaisons, which contains the famous Avogadro's hypothesis. The title of this famous 1811 paper can be roughly translated into English as "Essay on Determining the Relative Masses of the Elementary Molecules of Bodies". (Note: At that time in 1811, northern Italy was actually under French rule during the era of Napoléon Bonaparte. Avogadro submitted his poem to a French journal. This paper was written in French, not in Italian.) In 1820 he became a professor of physics at the University of Turin. (Note: After the downfall of Napoléon in 1815, northern Italy was under the rule of the Kingdom of Piedmont-Sardinia and Turin was the capital of this kingdom.) He was active in the political revolutionary movements of 1821 against the king of Sardinia, and as a result, was removed from his chair in 1823 (or, as officially declared, the university was "very glad to allow this interesting scientist to take a rest from heavy teaching duties, in order to be able to give a better attention to his researches") . However over time, Avogadro's political isolation became less, as revolutionary ideas received increasing attention from Savoy kings, until in 1848 when Charles Albert granted a modern Constitution (Statuto Albertino). Well before this, following the increasing attention to his works, Avogadro had been recalled to Turin university in 1833, where he taught for another twenty years. Very little is known about Avogadro's private life and political activity although he seems to have led a sober and religious life. He married Felicita Mazzé and had six children. Several historical studies confirm that he sponsored and helped some Sardinian plotters who were organising a revolution in that island, stopped at the very last moment by the concession of Charles Albert's statute. Some doubts however remain, considering the very slight evidence. Avogadro held public posts in statistics, meteorology, and weights and measures (he introduced decimal metric system in Piedmont) and was a member of the Royal Superior Council on Public Instruction. In honour of Avogadro's contributions to the theory of molarity and molecular weights, the number of molecules in one mole was renamed Avogadro's number, N A . It is approximately 6.0221415 10 23 . Loschmidt first calculated the value of Avogadro's number, now called Avogadro's constant, which is still sometimes referred to as the Loschmidt number in German-language countries (Loschmidt constant now has another meaning). Avogadro's number is commonly used to compute the results of chemical reactions. It allows chemists to determine the exact amounts of substances produced in a given reaction. During his stay in Vercelli he wrote a concise note (memoria) in which he declared the hypothesis of what we now call Avogadro's law: :equal volumes of gases, at the same temperature and pressure, contain the same number of molecules. This memoria he sent to De Lamétherie's Journal de Physique, de Chimie et d'Histoire naturelle and it was published in the edition of July 14, 1811 with the title Essai d'une manière de déterminer les masses relatives des molecules élémentaires des corps, et les proportions selon lesquelles elles entrent dans ces combinaisons . Avogadro's Law implies that the relationship occurring between the weights of same volumes of different gases (at the same temperature and pressure) corresponds to the relationship between respective molecular weights. Hence, relative molecular masses can be calculated from the masses of gas samples. Avogadro developed this hypothesis after Joseph Louis Gay-Lussac had published in 1808 his law on volumes (and combining gases). The greatest difficulty Avogadro had to resolve was the huge confusion at that time regarding atoms and molecules one of the most important contributions of Avogadro's work was clearly distinguishing one from the other, admitting that simple particles too could be composed of molecules, and that these are composed of atoms. For instance, John Dalton did not consider this possibility. Avogadro did not actually use the word "atom" as the words "atom" and "molecule" were used almost without difference. He considered that there were three kinds of "molecules," including an "elementary molecule" (our "atom"). Also, a keener attention was given to the definition of mass, as distinguished from weight. In 1814 he published Mémoire sur les masses relatives des molécules des corps simples, ou densités présumées de leur gaz, et sur la constitution de quelques-uns de leur composés, pour servir de suite à l'Essai sur le même sujet, publié dans le Journal de Physique, juillet 1811 (), about gas densities. In 1821 he published another memoria, Nouvelles considérations sur la théorie des proportions déterminées dans les combinaisons, et sur la détermination des masses des molécules des corps and little after Mémoire sur la manière de ramener les composès organiques aux lois ordinaires des proportions déterminées. In 1841 he completed and published his work in Fisica dei corpi ponderabili, ossia Trattato della costituzione materiale de' corpi, 4 volumes. The scientific community did not reserve great attention to his theory, so Avogadro's hypothesis was not immediately accepted when announced. André-Marie Ampère too was able three years later to achieve the same result by another method (in his Sur la détermination des proportions dans lesquelles les corps se combinent d'après le nombre et la disposition respective des molécules dont leurs particules intégrantes sont composées), but the same indifferent regard was given to his theories as well. Only with studies by Gerhardt, Laurent and Williamson on organic chemistry, was it possible to demonstrate that Avogadro's law was indispensable to explain why same quantities of molecules, brought to a vapour state, have the same volume. Unfortunately, in the performance of related experiments, some inorganic substances showed exceptions to the law. The matter was finally concluded by Stanislao Cannizzaro, as announced at Karlsruhe Congress (1860, four years after Avogadro's death), where he explained that these exceptions happened because of molecular dissociations which occurred at certain temperatures, and that Avogadro's law could determine not only molar masses, but as a consequence, atomic masses too. In 1911, a historic meeting took place in Turin to commemorate the hundredth anniversary of the publication of Avogadro's classic 1811 memoir. King Victor Emmanuel III was there to pay homage to Avogadro. Thus Avogadro's great contribution to chemistry was recognised and he is recognised as a great Italian chemist. (Note: In 1911, Victor Emmanuel III was the King of a unified Italy with Rome instead or Turin as its capital. The unification of Italy did not happen during the life time of Avogadro. In fact, Avogadro's famous 1811 paper was written in French.) Clausius, by his kinetic theory on gases, was able to give another confirmation of Avogadro's law. Not long after, in his researches regarding dilute solutions (and the consequent discovery of analogies between the behaviour of solutions and gases), J. H. van 't Hoff added his final consensus for the triumph of the Italian scientist, who since then has been considered the founder of the atomic-molecular theory. * Avogadro (lunar crater) * Avogadro's constant * * Morselli, Mario. (1984). Amedeo Avogadro, a scientific biography. Kluwer. ISBN 9027716242. Related Wikipedia Articles Caricature August 9 1776 July 9 1856 Italy savant molarity atom molecule ion mole (unit) Avogadro's number Turin Piedmont Italy ecclesiastical law physics mathematics Vercelli Turin King of Sardinia Sardinia Savoy Kings of Savoy Charles Albert of Savoy Statuto Albertino Sardinia molarity mole (unit) Avogadro's number Loschmidt Loschmidt number Loschmidt constant Avogadro's law De LamÃ©therie Joseph Louis Gay-Lussac Law of Charles and Gay-Lussac John Dalton mass weight AndrÃ©-Marie AmpÃ¨re Charles FrÃ©dÃ©ric Gerhardt Auguste Laurent Williamson organic chemistry Stanislao Cannizzaro Karlsruhe Turin Rome Turin Rudolf Clausius J. H. van 't Hoff Atomic theory#Modern atomic theory Avogadro (crater) lunar crater Avogadro's constant Dictionary of Scientific Biography
Amedeo_Avogadro	Is he most noted for his contributions to the theory of molarity and molecular weight?	null	data/set4/a8	Amedeo Avogadro Caricature of Amedeo Avogadro Lorenzo Romano Amedeo Carlo Avogadro, Count of Quaregna and Cerreto (August 9, 1776 July 9, 1856) was an Italian savant. He is most noted for his contributions to the theory of molarity and molecular weight. As a tribute to him, the number of elementary entities (atoms, molecules, ions or other particles) in one mole of a substance, 6.02214199x10 23 , is known as Avogadro's number. Amedeo Avogadro was born in Turin August 9th 1776 to a noble ancient family of Piedmont, Italy. He graduated in ecclesiastical law at the early age of 20 and began to practice. Soon there after he dedicated himself to the study of physics and mathematics (then called positive philosophy), and in 1809 started teaching them at a liceo (high school) in Vercelli (where his family had some properties). In 1811, he published an article with the title Essai d'une manière de déterminer les masses relatives des molécules élémentaires des corps, et les proportions selon lesquelles elles entrent dans ces combinaisons, which contains the famous Avogadro's hypothesis. The title of this famous 1811 paper can be roughly translated into English as "Essay on Determining the Relative Masses of the Elementary Molecules of Bodies". (Note: At that time in 1811, northern Italy was actually under French rule during the era of Napoléon Bonaparte. Avogadro submitted his poem to a French journal. This paper was written in French, not in Italian.) In 1820 he became a professor of physics at the University of Turin. (Note: After the downfall of Napoléon in 1815, northern Italy was under the rule of the Kingdom of Piedmont-Sardinia and Turin was the capital of this kingdom.) He was active in the political revolutionary movements of 1821 against the king of Sardinia, and as a result, was removed from his chair in 1823 (or, as officially declared, the university was "very glad to allow this interesting scientist to take a rest from heavy teaching duties, in order to be able to give a better attention to his researches") . However over time, Avogadro's political isolation became less, as revolutionary ideas received increasing attention from Savoy kings, until in 1848 when Charles Albert granted a modern Constitution (Statuto Albertino). Well before this, following the increasing attention to his works, Avogadro had been recalled to Turin university in 1833, where he taught for another twenty years. Very little is known about Avogadro's private life and political activity although he seems to have led a sober and religious life. He married Felicita Mazzé and had six children. Several historical studies confirm that he sponsored and helped some Sardinian plotters who were organising a revolution in that island, stopped at the very last moment by the concession of Charles Albert's statute. Some doubts however remain, considering the very slight evidence. Avogadro held public posts in statistics, meteorology, and weights and measures (he introduced decimal metric system in Piedmont) and was a member of the Royal Superior Council on Public Instruction. In honour of Avogadro's contributions to the theory of molarity and molecular weights, the number of molecules in one mole was renamed Avogadro's number, N A . It is approximately 6.0221415 10 23 . Loschmidt first calculated the value of Avogadro's number, now called Avogadro's constant, which is still sometimes referred to as the Loschmidt number in German-language countries (Loschmidt constant now has another meaning). Avogadro's number is commonly used to compute the results of chemical reactions. It allows chemists to determine the exact amounts of substances produced in a given reaction. During his stay in Vercelli he wrote a concise note (memoria) in which he declared the hypothesis of what we now call Avogadro's law: :equal volumes of gases, at the same temperature and pressure, contain the same number of molecules. This memoria he sent to De Lamétherie's Journal de Physique, de Chimie et d'Histoire naturelle and it was published in the edition of July 14, 1811 with the title Essai d'une manière de déterminer les masses relatives des molecules élémentaires des corps, et les proportions selon lesquelles elles entrent dans ces combinaisons . Avogadro's Law implies that the relationship occurring between the weights of same volumes of different gases (at the same temperature and pressure) corresponds to the relationship between respective molecular weights. Hence, relative molecular masses can be calculated from the masses of gas samples. Avogadro developed this hypothesis after Joseph Louis Gay-Lussac had published in 1808 his law on volumes (and combining gases). The greatest difficulty Avogadro had to resolve was the huge confusion at that time regarding atoms and molecules one of the most important contributions of Avogadro's work was clearly distinguishing one from the other, admitting that simple particles too could be composed of molecules, and that these are composed of atoms. For instance, John Dalton did not consider this possibility. Avogadro did not actually use the word "atom" as the words "atom" and "molecule" were used almost without difference. He considered that there were three kinds of "molecules," including an "elementary molecule" (our "atom"). Also, a keener attention was given to the definition of mass, as distinguished from weight. In 1814 he published Mémoire sur les masses relatives des molécules des corps simples, ou densités présumées de leur gaz, et sur la constitution de quelques-uns de leur composés, pour servir de suite à l'Essai sur le même sujet, publié dans le Journal de Physique, juillet 1811 (), about gas densities. In 1821 he published another memoria, Nouvelles considérations sur la théorie des proportions déterminées dans les combinaisons, et sur la détermination des masses des molécules des corps and little after Mémoire sur la manière de ramener les composès organiques aux lois ordinaires des proportions déterminées. In 1841 he completed and published his work in Fisica dei corpi ponderabili, ossia Trattato della costituzione materiale de' corpi, 4 volumes. The scientific community did not reserve great attention to his theory, so Avogadro's hypothesis was not immediately accepted when announced. André-Marie Ampère too was able three years later to achieve the same result by another method (in his Sur la détermination des proportions dans lesquelles les corps se combinent d'après le nombre et la disposition respective des molécules dont leurs particules intégrantes sont composées), but the same indifferent regard was given to his theories as well. Only with studies by Gerhardt, Laurent and Williamson on organic chemistry, was it possible to demonstrate that Avogadro's law was indispensable to explain why same quantities of molecules, brought to a vapour state, have the same volume. Unfortunately, in the performance of related experiments, some inorganic substances showed exceptions to the law. The matter was finally concluded by Stanislao Cannizzaro, as announced at Karlsruhe Congress (1860, four years after Avogadro's death), where he explained that these exceptions happened because of molecular dissociations which occurred at certain temperatures, and that Avogadro's law could determine not only molar masses, but as a consequence, atomic masses too. In 1911, a historic meeting took place in Turin to commemorate the hundredth anniversary of the publication of Avogadro's classic 1811 memoir. King Victor Emmanuel III was there to pay homage to Avogadro. Thus Avogadro's great contribution to chemistry was recognised and he is recognised as a great Italian chemist. (Note: In 1911, Victor Emmanuel III was the King of a unified Italy with Rome instead or Turin as its capital. The unification of Italy did not happen during the life time of Avogadro. In fact, Avogadro's famous 1811 paper was written in French.) Clausius, by his kinetic theory on gases, was able to give another confirmation of Avogadro's law. Not long after, in his researches regarding dilute solutions (and the consequent discovery of analogies between the behaviour of solutions and gases), J. H. van 't Hoff added his final consensus for the triumph of the Italian scientist, who since then has been considered the founder of the atomic-molecular theory. * Avogadro (lunar crater) * Avogadro's constant * * Morselli, Mario. (1984). Amedeo Avogadro, a scientific biography. Kluwer. ISBN 9027716242. Related Wikipedia Articles Caricature August 9 1776 July 9 1856 Italy savant molarity atom molecule ion mole (unit) Avogadro's number Turin Piedmont Italy ecclesiastical law physics mathematics Vercelli Turin King of Sardinia Sardinia Savoy Kings of Savoy Charles Albert of Savoy Statuto Albertino Sardinia molarity mole (unit) Avogadro's number Loschmidt Loschmidt number Loschmidt constant Avogadro's law De LamÃ©therie Joseph Louis Gay-Lussac Law of Charles and Gay-Lussac John Dalton mass weight AndrÃ©-Marie AmpÃ¨re Charles FrÃ©dÃ©ric Gerhardt Auguste Laurent Williamson organic chemistry Stanislao Cannizzaro Karlsruhe Turin Rome Turin Rudolf Clausius J. H. van 't Hoff Atomic theory#Modern atomic theory Avogadro (crater) lunar crater Avogadro's constant Dictionary of Scientific Biography
Amedeo_Avogadro	Is he most noted for his contributions to the theory of molarity and molecular weight?	null	data/set4/a8	Amedeo Avogadro Caricature of Amedeo Avogadro Lorenzo Romano Amedeo Carlo Avogadro, Count of Quaregna and Cerreto (August 9, 1776 July 9, 1856) was an Italian savant. He is most noted for his contributions to the theory of molarity and molecular weight. As a tribute to him, the number of elementary entities (atoms, molecules, ions or other particles) in one mole of a substance, 6.02214199x10 23 , is known as Avogadro's number. Amedeo Avogadro was born in Turin August 9th 1776 to a noble ancient family of Piedmont, Italy. He graduated in ecclesiastical law at the early age of 20 and began to practice. Soon there after he dedicated himself to the study of physics and mathematics (then called positive philosophy), and in 1809 started teaching them at a liceo (high school) in Vercelli (where his family had some properties). In 1811, he published an article with the title Essai d'une manière de déterminer les masses relatives des molécules élémentaires des corps, et les proportions selon lesquelles elles entrent dans ces combinaisons, which contains the famous Avogadro's hypothesis. The title of this famous 1811 paper can be roughly translated into English as "Essay on Determining the Relative Masses of the Elementary Molecules of Bodies". (Note: At that time in 1811, northern Italy was actually under French rule during the era of Napoléon Bonaparte. Avogadro submitted his poem to a French journal. This paper was written in French, not in Italian.) In 1820 he became a professor of physics at the University of Turin. (Note: After the downfall of Napoléon in 1815, northern Italy was under the rule of the Kingdom of Piedmont-Sardinia and Turin was the capital of this kingdom.) He was active in the political revolutionary movements of 1821 against the king of Sardinia, and as a result, was removed from his chair in 1823 (or, as officially declared, the university was "very glad to allow this interesting scientist to take a rest from heavy teaching duties, in order to be able to give a better attention to his researches") . However over time, Avogadro's political isolation became less, as revolutionary ideas received increasing attention from Savoy kings, until in 1848 when Charles Albert granted a modern Constitution (Statuto Albertino). Well before this, following the increasing attention to his works, Avogadro had been recalled to Turin university in 1833, where he taught for another twenty years. Very little is known about Avogadro's private life and political activity although he seems to have led a sober and religious life. He married Felicita Mazzé and had six children. Several historical studies confirm that he sponsored and helped some Sardinian plotters who were organising a revolution in that island, stopped at the very last moment by the concession of Charles Albert's statute. Some doubts however remain, considering the very slight evidence. Avogadro held public posts in statistics, meteorology, and weights and measures (he introduced decimal metric system in Piedmont) and was a member of the Royal Superior Council on Public Instruction. In honour of Avogadro's contributions to the theory of molarity and molecular weights, the number of molecules in one mole was renamed Avogadro's number, N A . It is approximately 6.0221415 10 23 . Loschmidt first calculated the value of Avogadro's number, now called Avogadro's constant, which is still sometimes referred to as the Loschmidt number in German-language countries (Loschmidt constant now has another meaning). Avogadro's number is commonly used to compute the results of chemical reactions. It allows chemists to determine the exact amounts of substances produced in a given reaction. During his stay in Vercelli he wrote a concise note (memoria) in which he declared the hypothesis of what we now call Avogadro's law: :equal volumes of gases, at the same temperature and pressure, contain the same number of molecules. This memoria he sent to De Lamétherie's Journal de Physique, de Chimie et d'Histoire naturelle and it was published in the edition of July 14, 1811 with the title Essai d'une manière de déterminer les masses relatives des molecules élémentaires des corps, et les proportions selon lesquelles elles entrent dans ces combinaisons . Avogadro's Law implies that the relationship occurring between the weights of same volumes of different gases (at the same temperature and pressure) corresponds to the relationship between respective molecular weights. Hence, relative molecular masses can be calculated from the masses of gas samples. Avogadro developed this hypothesis after Joseph Louis Gay-Lussac had published in 1808 his law on volumes (and combining gases). The greatest difficulty Avogadro had to resolve was the huge confusion at that time regarding atoms and molecules one of the most important contributions of Avogadro's work was clearly distinguishing one from the other, admitting that simple particles too could be composed of molecules, and that these are composed of atoms. For instance, John Dalton did not consider this possibility. Avogadro did not actually use the word "atom" as the words "atom" and "molecule" were used almost without difference. He considered that there were three kinds of "molecules," including an "elementary molecule" (our "atom"). Also, a keener attention was given to the definition of mass, as distinguished from weight. In 1814 he published Mémoire sur les masses relatives des molécules des corps simples, ou densités présumées de leur gaz, et sur la constitution de quelques-uns de leur composés, pour servir de suite à l'Essai sur le même sujet, publié dans le Journal de Physique, juillet 1811 (), about gas densities. In 1821 he published another memoria, Nouvelles considérations sur la théorie des proportions déterminées dans les combinaisons, et sur la détermination des masses des molécules des corps and little after Mémoire sur la manière de ramener les composès organiques aux lois ordinaires des proportions déterminées. In 1841 he completed and published his work in Fisica dei corpi ponderabili, ossia Trattato della costituzione materiale de' corpi, 4 volumes. The scientific community did not reserve great attention to his theory, so Avogadro's hypothesis was not immediately accepted when announced. André-Marie Ampère too was able three years later to achieve the same result by another method (in his Sur la détermination des proportions dans lesquelles les corps se combinent d'après le nombre et la disposition respective des molécules dont leurs particules intégrantes sont composées), but the same indifferent regard was given to his theories as well. Only with studies by Gerhardt, Laurent and Williamson on organic chemistry, was it possible to demonstrate that Avogadro's law was indispensable to explain why same quantities of molecules, brought to a vapour state, have the same volume. Unfortunately, in the performance of related experiments, some inorganic substances showed exceptions to the law. The matter was finally concluded by Stanislao Cannizzaro, as announced at Karlsruhe Congress (1860, four years after Avogadro's death), where he explained that these exceptions happened because of molecular dissociations which occurred at certain temperatures, and that Avogadro's law could determine not only molar masses, but as a consequence, atomic masses too. In 1911, a historic meeting took place in Turin to commemorate the hundredth anniversary of the publication of Avogadro's classic 1811 memoir. King Victor Emmanuel III was there to pay homage to Avogadro. Thus Avogadro's great contribution to chemistry was recognised and he is recognised as a great Italian chemist. (Note: In 1911, Victor Emmanuel III was the King of a unified Italy with Rome instead or Turin as its capital. The unification of Italy did not happen during the life time of Avogadro. In fact, Avogadro's famous 1811 paper was written in French.) Clausius, by his kinetic theory on gases, was able to give another confirmation of Avogadro's law. Not long after, in his researches regarding dilute solutions (and the consequent discovery of analogies between the behaviour of solutions and gases), J. H. van 't Hoff added his final consensus for the triumph of the Italian scientist, who since then has been considered the founder of the atomic-molecular theory. * Avogadro (lunar crater) * Avogadro's constant * * Morselli, Mario. (1984). Amedeo Avogadro, a scientific biography. Kluwer. ISBN 9027716242. Related Wikipedia Articles Caricature August 9 1776 July 9 1856 Italy savant molarity atom molecule ion mole (unit) Avogadro's number Turin Piedmont Italy ecclesiastical law physics mathematics Vercelli Turin King of Sardinia Sardinia Savoy Kings of Savoy Charles Albert of Savoy Statuto Albertino Sardinia molarity mole (unit) Avogadro's number Loschmidt Loschmidt number Loschmidt constant Avogadro's law De LamÃ©therie Joseph Louis Gay-Lussac Law of Charles and Gay-Lussac John Dalton mass weight AndrÃ©-Marie AmpÃ¨re Charles FrÃ©dÃ©ric Gerhardt Auguste Laurent Williamson organic chemistry Stanislao Cannizzaro Karlsruhe Turin Rome Turin Rudolf Clausius J. H. van 't Hoff Atomic theory#Modern atomic theory Avogadro (crater) lunar crater Avogadro's constant Dictionary of Scientific Biography
Amedeo_Avogadro	null	null	data/set4/a8	Amedeo Avogadro Caricature of Amedeo Avogadro Lorenzo Romano Amedeo Carlo Avogadro, Count of Quaregna and Cerreto (August 9, 1776 July 9, 1856) was an Italian savant. He is most noted for his contributions to the theory of molarity and molecular weight. As a tribute to him, the number of elementary entities (atoms, molecules, ions or other particles) in one mole of a substance, 6.02214199x10 23 , is known as Avogadro's number. Amedeo Avogadro was born in Turin August 9th 1776 to a noble ancient family of Piedmont, Italy. He graduated in ecclesiastical law at the early age of 20 and began to practice. Soon there after he dedicated himself to the study of physics and mathematics (then called positive philosophy), and in 1809 started teaching them at a liceo (high school) in Vercelli (where his family had some properties). In 1811, he published an article with the title Essai d'une manière de déterminer les masses relatives des molécules élémentaires des corps, et les proportions selon lesquelles elles entrent dans ces combinaisons, which contains the famous Avogadro's hypothesis. The title of this famous 1811 paper can be roughly translated into English as "Essay on Determining the Relative Masses of the Elementary Molecules of Bodies". (Note: At that time in 1811, northern Italy was actually under French rule during the era of Napoléon Bonaparte. Avogadro submitted his poem to a French journal. This paper was written in French, not in Italian.) In 1820 he became a professor of physics at the University of Turin. (Note: After the downfall of Napoléon in 1815, northern Italy was under the rule of the Kingdom of Piedmont-Sardinia and Turin was the capital of this kingdom.) He was active in the political revolutionary movements of 1821 against the king of Sardinia, and as a result, was removed from his chair in 1823 (or, as officially declared, the university was "very glad to allow this interesting scientist to take a rest from heavy teaching duties, in order to be able to give a better attention to his researches") . However over time, Avogadro's political isolation became less, as revolutionary ideas received increasing attention from Savoy kings, until in 1848 when Charles Albert granted a modern Constitution (Statuto Albertino). Well before this, following the increasing attention to his works, Avogadro had been recalled to Turin university in 1833, where he taught for another twenty years. Very little is known about Avogadro's private life and political activity although he seems to have led a sober and religious life. He married Felicita Mazzé and had six children. Several historical studies confirm that he sponsored and helped some Sardinian plotters who were organising a revolution in that island, stopped at the very last moment by the concession of Charles Albert's statute. Some doubts however remain, considering the very slight evidence. Avogadro held public posts in statistics, meteorology, and weights and measures (he introduced decimal metric system in Piedmont) and was a member of the Royal Superior Council on Public Instruction. In honour of Avogadro's contributions to the theory of molarity and molecular weights, the number of molecules in one mole was renamed Avogadro's number, N A . It is approximately 6.0221415 10 23 . Loschmidt first calculated the value of Avogadro's number, now called Avogadro's constant, which is still sometimes referred to as the Loschmidt number in German-language countries (Loschmidt constant now has another meaning). Avogadro's number is commonly used to compute the results of chemical reactions. It allows chemists to determine the exact amounts of substances produced in a given reaction. During his stay in Vercelli he wrote a concise note (memoria) in which he declared the hypothesis of what we now call Avogadro's law: :equal volumes of gases, at the same temperature and pressure, contain the same number of molecules. This memoria he sent to De Lamétherie's Journal de Physique, de Chimie et d'Histoire naturelle and it was published in the edition of July 14, 1811 with the title Essai d'une manière de déterminer les masses relatives des molecules élémentaires des corps, et les proportions selon lesquelles elles entrent dans ces combinaisons . Avogadro's Law implies that the relationship occurring between the weights of same volumes of different gases (at the same temperature and pressure) corresponds to the relationship between respective molecular weights. Hence, relative molecular masses can be calculated from the masses of gas samples. Avogadro developed this hypothesis after Joseph Louis Gay-Lussac had published in 1808 his law on volumes (and combining gases). The greatest difficulty Avogadro had to resolve was the huge confusion at that time regarding atoms and molecules one of the most important contributions of Avogadro's work was clearly distinguishing one from the other, admitting that simple particles too could be composed of molecules, and that these are composed of atoms. For instance, John Dalton did not consider this possibility. Avogadro did not actually use the word "atom" as the words "atom" and "molecule" were used almost without difference. He considered that there were three kinds of "molecules," including an "elementary molecule" (our "atom"). Also, a keener attention was given to the definition of mass, as distinguished from weight. In 1814 he published Mémoire sur les masses relatives des molécules des corps simples, ou densités présumées de leur gaz, et sur la constitution de quelques-uns de leur composés, pour servir de suite à l'Essai sur le même sujet, publié dans le Journal de Physique, juillet 1811 (), about gas densities. In 1821 he published another memoria, Nouvelles considérations sur la théorie des proportions déterminées dans les combinaisons, et sur la détermination des masses des molécules des corps and little after Mémoire sur la manière de ramener les composès organiques aux lois ordinaires des proportions déterminées. In 1841 he completed and published his work in Fisica dei corpi ponderabili, ossia Trattato della costituzione materiale de' corpi, 4 volumes. The scientific community did not reserve great attention to his theory, so Avogadro's hypothesis was not immediately accepted when announced. André-Marie Ampère too was able three years later to achieve the same result by another method (in his Sur la détermination des proportions dans lesquelles les corps se combinent d'après le nombre et la disposition respective des molécules dont leurs particules intégrantes sont composées), but the same indifferent regard was given to his theories as well. Only with studies by Gerhardt, Laurent and Williamson on organic chemistry, was it possible to demonstrate that Avogadro's law was indispensable to explain why same quantities of molecules, brought to a vapour state, have the same volume. Unfortunately, in the performance of related experiments, some inorganic substances showed exceptions to the law. The matter was finally concluded by Stanislao Cannizzaro, as announced at Karlsruhe Congress (1860, four years after Avogadro's death), where he explained that these exceptions happened because of molecular dissociations which occurred at certain temperatures, and that Avogadro's law could determine not only molar masses, but as a consequence, atomic masses too. In 1911, a historic meeting took place in Turin to commemorate the hundredth anniversary of the publication of Avogadro's classic 1811 memoir. King Victor Emmanuel III was there to pay homage to Avogadro. Thus Avogadro's great contribution to chemistry was recognised and he is recognised as a great Italian chemist. (Note: In 1911, Victor Emmanuel III was the King of a unified Italy with Rome instead or Turin as its capital. The unification of Italy did not happen during the life time of Avogadro. In fact, Avogadro's famous 1811 paper was written in French.) Clausius, by his kinetic theory on gases, was able to give another confirmation of Avogadro's law. Not long after, in his researches regarding dilute solutions (and the consequent discovery of analogies between the behaviour of solutions and gases), J. H. van 't Hoff added his final consensus for the triumph of the Italian scientist, who since then has been considered the founder of the atomic-molecular theory. * Avogadro (lunar crater) * Avogadro's constant * * Morselli, Mario. (1984). Amedeo Avogadro, a scientific biography. Kluwer. ISBN 9027716242. Related Wikipedia Articles Caricature August 9 1776 July 9 1856 Italy savant molarity atom molecule ion mole (unit) Avogadro's number Turin Piedmont Italy ecclesiastical law physics mathematics Vercelli Turin King of Sardinia Sardinia Savoy Kings of Savoy Charles Albert of Savoy Statuto Albertino Sardinia molarity mole (unit) Avogadro's number Loschmidt Loschmidt number Loschmidt constant Avogadro's law De LamÃ©therie Joseph Louis Gay-Lussac Law of Charles and Gay-Lussac John Dalton mass weight AndrÃ©-Marie AmpÃ¨re Charles FrÃ©dÃ©ric Gerhardt Auguste Laurent Williamson organic chemistry Stanislao Cannizzaro Karlsruhe Turin Rome Turin Rudolf Clausius J. H. van 't Hoff Atomic theory#Modern atomic theory Avogadro (crater) lunar crater Avogadro's constant Dictionary of Scientific Biography
Amedeo_Avogadro	null	null	data/set4/a8	Amedeo Avogadro Caricature of Amedeo Avogadro Lorenzo Romano Amedeo Carlo Avogadro, Count of Quaregna and Cerreto (August 9, 1776 July 9, 1856) was an Italian savant. He is most noted for his contributions to the theory of molarity and molecular weight. As a tribute to him, the number of elementary entities (atoms, molecules, ions or other particles) in one mole of a substance, 6.02214199x10 23 , is known as Avogadro's number. Amedeo Avogadro was born in Turin August 9th 1776 to a noble ancient family of Piedmont, Italy. He graduated in ecclesiastical law at the early age of 20 and began to practice. Soon there after he dedicated himself to the study of physics and mathematics (then called positive philosophy), and in 1809 started teaching them at a liceo (high school) in Vercelli (where his family had some properties). In 1811, he published an article with the title Essai d'une manière de déterminer les masses relatives des molécules élémentaires des corps, et les proportions selon lesquelles elles entrent dans ces combinaisons, which contains the famous Avogadro's hypothesis. The title of this famous 1811 paper can be roughly translated into English as "Essay on Determining the Relative Masses of the Elementary Molecules of Bodies". (Note: At that time in 1811, northern Italy was actually under French rule during the era of Napoléon Bonaparte. Avogadro submitted his poem to a French journal. This paper was written in French, not in Italian.) In 1820 he became a professor of physics at the University of Turin. (Note: After the downfall of Napoléon in 1815, northern Italy was under the rule of the Kingdom of Piedmont-Sardinia and Turin was the capital of this kingdom.) He was active in the political revolutionary movements of 1821 against the king of Sardinia, and as a result, was removed from his chair in 1823 (or, as officially declared, the university was "very glad to allow this interesting scientist to take a rest from heavy teaching duties, in order to be able to give a better attention to his researches") . However over time, Avogadro's political isolation became less, as revolutionary ideas received increasing attention from Savoy kings, until in 1848 when Charles Albert granted a modern Constitution (Statuto Albertino). Well before this, following the increasing attention to his works, Avogadro had been recalled to Turin university in 1833, where he taught for another twenty years. Very little is known about Avogadro's private life and political activity although he seems to have led a sober and religious life. He married Felicita Mazzé and had six children. Several historical studies confirm that he sponsored and helped some Sardinian plotters who were organising a revolution in that island, stopped at the very last moment by the concession of Charles Albert's statute. Some doubts however remain, considering the very slight evidence. Avogadro held public posts in statistics, meteorology, and weights and measures (he introduced decimal metric system in Piedmont) and was a member of the Royal Superior Council on Public Instruction. In honour of Avogadro's contributions to the theory of molarity and molecular weights, the number of molecules in one mole was renamed Avogadro's number, N A . It is approximately 6.0221415 10 23 . Loschmidt first calculated the value of Avogadro's number, now called Avogadro's constant, which is still sometimes referred to as the Loschmidt number in German-language countries (Loschmidt constant now has another meaning). Avogadro's number is commonly used to compute the results of chemical reactions. It allows chemists to determine the exact amounts of substances produced in a given reaction. During his stay in Vercelli he wrote a concise note (memoria) in which he declared the hypothesis of what we now call Avogadro's law: :equal volumes of gases, at the same temperature and pressure, contain the same number of molecules. This memoria he sent to De Lamétherie's Journal de Physique, de Chimie et d'Histoire naturelle and it was published in the edition of July 14, 1811 with the title Essai d'une manière de déterminer les masses relatives des molecules élémentaires des corps, et les proportions selon lesquelles elles entrent dans ces combinaisons . Avogadro's Law implies that the relationship occurring between the weights of same volumes of different gases (at the same temperature and pressure) corresponds to the relationship between respective molecular weights. Hence, relative molecular masses can be calculated from the masses of gas samples. Avogadro developed this hypothesis after Joseph Louis Gay-Lussac had published in 1808 his law on volumes (and combining gases). The greatest difficulty Avogadro had to resolve was the huge confusion at that time regarding atoms and molecules one of the most important contributions of Avogadro's work was clearly distinguishing one from the other, admitting that simple particles too could be composed of molecules, and that these are composed of atoms. For instance, John Dalton did not consider this possibility. Avogadro did not actually use the word "atom" as the words "atom" and "molecule" were used almost without difference. He considered that there were three kinds of "molecules," including an "elementary molecule" (our "atom"). Also, a keener attention was given to the definition of mass, as distinguished from weight. In 1814 he published Mémoire sur les masses relatives des molécules des corps simples, ou densités présumées de leur gaz, et sur la constitution de quelques-uns de leur composés, pour servir de suite à l'Essai sur le même sujet, publié dans le Journal de Physique, juillet 1811 (), about gas densities. In 1821 he published another memoria, Nouvelles considérations sur la théorie des proportions déterminées dans les combinaisons, et sur la détermination des masses des molécules des corps and little after Mémoire sur la manière de ramener les composès organiques aux lois ordinaires des proportions déterminées. In 1841 he completed and published his work in Fisica dei corpi ponderabili, ossia Trattato della costituzione materiale de' corpi, 4 volumes. The scientific community did not reserve great attention to his theory, so Avogadro's hypothesis was not immediately accepted when announced. André-Marie Ampère too was able three years later to achieve the same result by another method (in his Sur la détermination des proportions dans lesquelles les corps se combinent d'après le nombre et la disposition respective des molécules dont leurs particules intégrantes sont composées), but the same indifferent regard was given to his theories as well. Only with studies by Gerhardt, Laurent and Williamson on organic chemistry, was it possible to demonstrate that Avogadro's law was indispensable to explain why same quantities of molecules, brought to a vapour state, have the same volume. Unfortunately, in the performance of related experiments, some inorganic substances showed exceptions to the law. The matter was finally concluded by Stanislao Cannizzaro, as announced at Karlsruhe Congress (1860, four years after Avogadro's death), where he explained that these exceptions happened because of molecular dissociations which occurred at certain temperatures, and that Avogadro's law could determine not only molar masses, but as a consequence, atomic masses too. In 1911, a historic meeting took place in Turin to commemorate the hundredth anniversary of the publication of Avogadro's classic 1811 memoir. King Victor Emmanuel III was there to pay homage to Avogadro. Thus Avogadro's great contribution to chemistry was recognised and he is recognised as a great Italian chemist. (Note: In 1911, Victor Emmanuel III was the King of a unified Italy with Rome instead or Turin as its capital. The unification of Italy did not happen during the life time of Avogadro. In fact, Avogadro's famous 1811 paper was written in French.) Clausius, by his kinetic theory on gases, was able to give another confirmation of Avogadro's law. Not long after, in his researches regarding dilute solutions (and the consequent discovery of analogies between the behaviour of solutions and gases), J. H. van 't Hoff added his final consensus for the triumph of the Italian scientist, who since then has been considered the founder of the atomic-molecular theory. * Avogadro (lunar crater) * Avogadro's constant * * Morselli, Mario. (1984). Amedeo Avogadro, a scientific biography. Kluwer. ISBN 9027716242. Related Wikipedia Articles Caricature August 9 1776 July 9 1856 Italy savant molarity atom molecule ion mole (unit) Avogadro's number Turin Piedmont Italy ecclesiastical law physics mathematics Vercelli Turin King of Sardinia Sardinia Savoy Kings of Savoy Charles Albert of Savoy Statuto Albertino Sardinia molarity mole (unit) Avogadro's number Loschmidt Loschmidt number Loschmidt constant Avogadro's law De LamÃ©therie Joseph Louis Gay-Lussac Law of Charles and Gay-Lussac John Dalton mass weight AndrÃ©-Marie AmpÃ¨re Charles FrÃ©dÃ©ric Gerhardt Auguste Laurent Williamson organic chemistry Stanislao Cannizzaro Karlsruhe Turin Rome Turin Rudolf Clausius J. H. van 't Hoff Atomic theory#Modern atomic theory Avogadro (crater) lunar crater Avogadro's constant Dictionary of Scientific Biography
Amedeo_Avogadro	null	null	data/set4/a8	Amedeo Avogadro Caricature of Amedeo Avogadro Lorenzo Romano Amedeo Carlo Avogadro, Count of Quaregna and Cerreto (August 9, 1776 July 9, 1856) was an Italian savant. He is most noted for his contributions to the theory of molarity and molecular weight. As a tribute to him, the number of elementary entities (atoms, molecules, ions or other particles) in one mole of a substance, 6.02214199x10 23 , is known as Avogadro's number. Amedeo Avogadro was born in Turin August 9th 1776 to a noble ancient family of Piedmont, Italy. He graduated in ecclesiastical law at the early age of 20 and began to practice. Soon there after he dedicated himself to the study of physics and mathematics (then called positive philosophy), and in 1809 started teaching them at a liceo (high school) in Vercelli (where his family had some properties). In 1811, he published an article with the title Essai d'une manière de déterminer les masses relatives des molécules élémentaires des corps, et les proportions selon lesquelles elles entrent dans ces combinaisons, which contains the famous Avogadro's hypothesis. The title of this famous 1811 paper can be roughly translated into English as "Essay on Determining the Relative Masses of the Elementary Molecules of Bodies". (Note: At that time in 1811, northern Italy was actually under French rule during the era of Napoléon Bonaparte. Avogadro submitted his poem to a French journal. This paper was written in French, not in Italian.) In 1820 he became a professor of physics at the University of Turin. (Note: After the downfall of Napoléon in 1815, northern Italy was under the rule of the Kingdom of Piedmont-Sardinia and Turin was the capital of this kingdom.) He was active in the political revolutionary movements of 1821 against the king of Sardinia, and as a result, was removed from his chair in 1823 (or, as officially declared, the university was "very glad to allow this interesting scientist to take a rest from heavy teaching duties, in order to be able to give a better attention to his researches") . However over time, Avogadro's political isolation became less, as revolutionary ideas received increasing attention from Savoy kings, until in 1848 when Charles Albert granted a modern Constitution (Statuto Albertino). Well before this, following the increasing attention to his works, Avogadro had been recalled to Turin university in 1833, where he taught for another twenty years. Very little is known about Avogadro's private life and political activity although he seems to have led a sober and religious life. He married Felicita Mazzé and had six children. Several historical studies confirm that he sponsored and helped some Sardinian plotters who were organising a revolution in that island, stopped at the very last moment by the concession of Charles Albert's statute. Some doubts however remain, considering the very slight evidence. Avogadro held public posts in statistics, meteorology, and weights and measures (he introduced decimal metric system in Piedmont) and was a member of the Royal Superior Council on Public Instruction. In honour of Avogadro's contributions to the theory of molarity and molecular weights, the number of molecules in one mole was renamed Avogadro's number, N A . It is approximately 6.0221415 10 23 . Loschmidt first calculated the value of Avogadro's number, now called Avogadro's constant, which is still sometimes referred to as the Loschmidt number in German-language countries (Loschmidt constant now has another meaning). Avogadro's number is commonly used to compute the results of chemical reactions. It allows chemists to determine the exact amounts of substances produced in a given reaction. During his stay in Vercelli he wrote a concise note (memoria) in which he declared the hypothesis of what we now call Avogadro's law: :equal volumes of gases, at the same temperature and pressure, contain the same number of molecules. This memoria he sent to De Lamétherie's Journal de Physique, de Chimie et d'Histoire naturelle and it was published in the edition of July 14, 1811 with the title Essai d'une manière de déterminer les masses relatives des molecules élémentaires des corps, et les proportions selon lesquelles elles entrent dans ces combinaisons . Avogadro's Law implies that the relationship occurring between the weights of same volumes of different gases (at the same temperature and pressure) corresponds to the relationship between respective molecular weights. Hence, relative molecular masses can be calculated from the masses of gas samples. Avogadro developed this hypothesis after Joseph Louis Gay-Lussac had published in 1808 his law on volumes (and combining gases). The greatest difficulty Avogadro had to resolve was the huge confusion at that time regarding atoms and molecules one of the most important contributions of Avogadro's work was clearly distinguishing one from the other, admitting that simple particles too could be composed of molecules, and that these are composed of atoms. For instance, John Dalton did not consider this possibility. Avogadro did not actually use the word "atom" as the words "atom" and "molecule" were used almost without difference. He considered that there were three kinds of "molecules," including an "elementary molecule" (our "atom"). Also, a keener attention was given to the definition of mass, as distinguished from weight. In 1814 he published Mémoire sur les masses relatives des molécules des corps simples, ou densités présumées de leur gaz, et sur la constitution de quelques-uns de leur composés, pour servir de suite à l'Essai sur le même sujet, publié dans le Journal de Physique, juillet 1811 (), about gas densities. In 1821 he published another memoria, Nouvelles considérations sur la théorie des proportions déterminées dans les combinaisons, et sur la détermination des masses des molécules des corps and little after Mémoire sur la manière de ramener les composès organiques aux lois ordinaires des proportions déterminées. In 1841 he completed and published his work in Fisica dei corpi ponderabili, ossia Trattato della costituzione materiale de' corpi, 4 volumes. The scientific community did not reserve great attention to his theory, so Avogadro's hypothesis was not immediately accepted when announced. André-Marie Ampère too was able three years later to achieve the same result by another method (in his Sur la détermination des proportions dans lesquelles les corps se combinent d'après le nombre et la disposition respective des molécules dont leurs particules intégrantes sont composées), but the same indifferent regard was given to his theories as well. Only with studies by Gerhardt, Laurent and Williamson on organic chemistry, was it possible to demonstrate that Avogadro's law was indispensable to explain why same quantities of molecules, brought to a vapour state, have the same volume. Unfortunately, in the performance of related experiments, some inorganic substances showed exceptions to the law. The matter was finally concluded by Stanislao Cannizzaro, as announced at Karlsruhe Congress (1860, four years after Avogadro's death), where he explained that these exceptions happened because of molecular dissociations which occurred at certain temperatures, and that Avogadro's law could determine not only molar masses, but as a consequence, atomic masses too. In 1911, a historic meeting took place in Turin to commemorate the hundredth anniversary of the publication of Avogadro's classic 1811 memoir. King Victor Emmanuel III was there to pay homage to Avogadro. Thus Avogadro's great contribution to chemistry was recognised and he is recognised as a great Italian chemist. (Note: In 1911, Victor Emmanuel III was the King of a unified Italy with Rome instead or Turin as its capital. The unification of Italy did not happen during the life time of Avogadro. In fact, Avogadro's famous 1811 paper was written in French.) Clausius, by his kinetic theory on gases, was able to give another confirmation of Avogadro's law. Not long after, in his researches regarding dilute solutions (and the consequent discovery of analogies between the behaviour of solutions and gases), J. H. van 't Hoff added his final consensus for the triumph of the Italian scientist, who since then has been considered the founder of the atomic-molecular theory. * Avogadro (lunar crater) * Avogadro's constant * * Morselli, Mario. (1984). Amedeo Avogadro, a scientific biography. Kluwer. ISBN 9027716242. Related Wikipedia Articles Caricature August 9 1776 July 9 1856 Italy savant molarity atom molecule ion mole (unit) Avogadro's number Turin Piedmont Italy ecclesiastical law physics mathematics Vercelli Turin King of Sardinia Sardinia Savoy Kings of Savoy Charles Albert of Savoy Statuto Albertino Sardinia molarity mole (unit) Avogadro's number Loschmidt Loschmidt number Loschmidt constant Avogadro's law De LamÃ©therie Joseph Louis Gay-Lussac Law of Charles and Gay-Lussac John Dalton mass weight AndrÃ©-Marie AmpÃ¨re Charles FrÃ©dÃ©ric Gerhardt Auguste Laurent Williamson organic chemistry Stanislao Cannizzaro Karlsruhe Turin Rome Turin Rudolf Clausius J. H. van 't Hoff Atomic theory#Modern atomic theory Avogadro (crater) lunar crater Avogadro's constant Dictionary of Scientific Biography
Amedeo_Avogadro	null	null	data/set4/a8	Amedeo Avogadro Caricature of Amedeo Avogadro Lorenzo Romano Amedeo Carlo Avogadro, Count of Quaregna and Cerreto (August 9, 1776 July 9, 1856) was an Italian savant. He is most noted for his contributions to the theory of molarity and molecular weight. As a tribute to him, the number of elementary entities (atoms, molecules, ions or other particles) in one mole of a substance, 6.02214199x10 23 , is known as Avogadro's number. Amedeo Avogadro was born in Turin August 9th 1776 to a noble ancient family of Piedmont, Italy. He graduated in ecclesiastical law at the early age of 20 and began to practice. Soon there after he dedicated himself to the study of physics and mathematics (then called positive philosophy), and in 1809 started teaching them at a liceo (high school) in Vercelli (where his family had some properties). In 1811, he published an article with the title Essai d'une manière de déterminer les masses relatives des molécules élémentaires des corps, et les proportions selon lesquelles elles entrent dans ces combinaisons, which contains the famous Avogadro's hypothesis. The title of this famous 1811 paper can be roughly translated into English as "Essay on Determining the Relative Masses of the Elementary Molecules of Bodies". (Note: At that time in 1811, northern Italy was actually under French rule during the era of Napoléon Bonaparte. Avogadro submitted his poem to a French journal. This paper was written in French, not in Italian.) In 1820 he became a professor of physics at the University of Turin. (Note: After the downfall of Napoléon in 1815, northern Italy was under the rule of the Kingdom of Piedmont-Sardinia and Turin was the capital of this kingdom.) He was active in the political revolutionary movements of 1821 against the king of Sardinia, and as a result, was removed from his chair in 1823 (or, as officially declared, the university was "very glad to allow this interesting scientist to take a rest from heavy teaching duties, in order to be able to give a better attention to his researches") . However over time, Avogadro's political isolation became less, as revolutionary ideas received increasing attention from Savoy kings, until in 1848 when Charles Albert granted a modern Constitution (Statuto Albertino). Well before this, following the increasing attention to his works, Avogadro had been recalled to Turin university in 1833, where he taught for another twenty years. Very little is known about Avogadro's private life and political activity although he seems to have led a sober and religious life. He married Felicita Mazzé and had six children. Several historical studies confirm that he sponsored and helped some Sardinian plotters who were organising a revolution in that island, stopped at the very last moment by the concession of Charles Albert's statute. Some doubts however remain, considering the very slight evidence. Avogadro held public posts in statistics, meteorology, and weights and measures (he introduced decimal metric system in Piedmont) and was a member of the Royal Superior Council on Public Instruction. In honour of Avogadro's contributions to the theory of molarity and molecular weights, the number of molecules in one mole was renamed Avogadro's number, N A . It is approximately 6.0221415 10 23 . Loschmidt first calculated the value of Avogadro's number, now called Avogadro's constant, which is still sometimes referred to as the Loschmidt number in German-language countries (Loschmidt constant now has another meaning). Avogadro's number is commonly used to compute the results of chemical reactions. It allows chemists to determine the exact amounts of substances produced in a given reaction. During his stay in Vercelli he wrote a concise note (memoria) in which he declared the hypothesis of what we now call Avogadro's law: :equal volumes of gases, at the same temperature and pressure, contain the same number of molecules. This memoria he sent to De Lamétherie's Journal de Physique, de Chimie et d'Histoire naturelle and it was published in the edition of July 14, 1811 with the title Essai d'une manière de déterminer les masses relatives des molecules élémentaires des corps, et les proportions selon lesquelles elles entrent dans ces combinaisons . Avogadro's Law implies that the relationship occurring between the weights of same volumes of different gases (at the same temperature and pressure) corresponds to the relationship between respective molecular weights. Hence, relative molecular masses can be calculated from the masses of gas samples. Avogadro developed this hypothesis after Joseph Louis Gay-Lussac had published in 1808 his law on volumes (and combining gases). The greatest difficulty Avogadro had to resolve was the huge confusion at that time regarding atoms and molecules one of the most important contributions of Avogadro's work was clearly distinguishing one from the other, admitting that simple particles too could be composed of molecules, and that these are composed of atoms. For instance, John Dalton did not consider this possibility. Avogadro did not actually use the word "atom" as the words "atom" and "molecule" were used almost without difference. He considered that there were three kinds of "molecules," including an "elementary molecule" (our "atom"). Also, a keener attention was given to the definition of mass, as distinguished from weight. In 1814 he published Mémoire sur les masses relatives des molécules des corps simples, ou densités présumées de leur gaz, et sur la constitution de quelques-uns de leur composés, pour servir de suite à l'Essai sur le même sujet, publié dans le Journal de Physique, juillet 1811 (), about gas densities. In 1821 he published another memoria, Nouvelles considérations sur la théorie des proportions déterminées dans les combinaisons, et sur la détermination des masses des molécules des corps and little after Mémoire sur la manière de ramener les composès organiques aux lois ordinaires des proportions déterminées. In 1841 he completed and published his work in Fisica dei corpi ponderabili, ossia Trattato della costituzione materiale de' corpi, 4 volumes. The scientific community did not reserve great attention to his theory, so Avogadro's hypothesis was not immediately accepted when announced. André-Marie Ampère too was able three years later to achieve the same result by another method (in his Sur la détermination des proportions dans lesquelles les corps se combinent d'après le nombre et la disposition respective des molécules dont leurs particules intégrantes sont composées), but the same indifferent regard was given to his theories as well. Only with studies by Gerhardt, Laurent and Williamson on organic chemistry, was it possible to demonstrate that Avogadro's law was indispensable to explain why same quantities of molecules, brought to a vapour state, have the same volume. Unfortunately, in the performance of related experiments, some inorganic substances showed exceptions to the law. The matter was finally concluded by Stanislao Cannizzaro, as announced at Karlsruhe Congress (1860, four years after Avogadro's death), where he explained that these exceptions happened because of molecular dissociations which occurred at certain temperatures, and that Avogadro's law could determine not only molar masses, but as a consequence, atomic masses too. In 1911, a historic meeting took place in Turin to commemorate the hundredth anniversary of the publication of Avogadro's classic 1811 memoir. King Victor Emmanuel III was there to pay homage to Avogadro. Thus Avogadro's great contribution to chemistry was recognised and he is recognised as a great Italian chemist. (Note: In 1911, Victor Emmanuel III was the King of a unified Italy with Rome instead or Turin as its capital. The unification of Italy did not happen during the life time of Avogadro. In fact, Avogadro's famous 1811 paper was written in French.) Clausius, by his kinetic theory on gases, was able to give another confirmation of Avogadro's law. Not long after, in his researches regarding dilute solutions (and the consequent discovery of analogies between the behaviour of solutions and gases), J. H. van 't Hoff added his final consensus for the triumph of the Italian scientist, who since then has been considered the founder of the atomic-molecular theory. * Avogadro (lunar crater) * Avogadro's constant * * Morselli, Mario. (1984). Amedeo Avogadro, a scientific biography. Kluwer. ISBN 9027716242. Related Wikipedia Articles Caricature August 9 1776 July 9 1856 Italy savant molarity atom molecule ion mole (unit) Avogadro's number Turin Piedmont Italy ecclesiastical law physics mathematics Vercelli Turin King of Sardinia Sardinia Savoy Kings of Savoy Charles Albert of Savoy Statuto Albertino Sardinia molarity mole (unit) Avogadro's number Loschmidt Loschmidt number Loschmidt constant Avogadro's law De LamÃ©therie Joseph Louis Gay-Lussac Law of Charles and Gay-Lussac John Dalton mass weight AndrÃ©-Marie AmpÃ¨re Charles FrÃ©dÃ©ric Gerhardt Auguste Laurent Williamson organic chemistry Stanislao Cannizzaro Karlsruhe Turin Rome Turin Rudolf Clausius J. H. van 't Hoff Atomic theory#Modern atomic theory Avogadro (crater) lunar crater Avogadro's constant Dictionary of Scientific Biography
Amedeo_Avogadro	null	null	data/set4/a8	Amedeo Avogadro Caricature of Amedeo Avogadro Lorenzo Romano Amedeo Carlo Avogadro, Count of Quaregna and Cerreto (August 9, 1776 July 9, 1856) was an Italian savant. He is most noted for his contributions to the theory of molarity and molecular weight. As a tribute to him, the number of elementary entities (atoms, molecules, ions or other particles) in one mole of a substance, 6.02214199x10 23 , is known as Avogadro's number. Amedeo Avogadro was born in Turin August 9th 1776 to a noble ancient family of Piedmont, Italy. He graduated in ecclesiastical law at the early age of 20 and began to practice. Soon there after he dedicated himself to the study of physics and mathematics (then called positive philosophy), and in 1809 started teaching them at a liceo (high school) in Vercelli (where his family had some properties). In 1811, he published an article with the title Essai d'une manière de déterminer les masses relatives des molécules élémentaires des corps, et les proportions selon lesquelles elles entrent dans ces combinaisons, which contains the famous Avogadro's hypothesis. The title of this famous 1811 paper can be roughly translated into English as "Essay on Determining the Relative Masses of the Elementary Molecules of Bodies". (Note: At that time in 1811, northern Italy was actually under French rule during the era of Napoléon Bonaparte. Avogadro submitted his poem to a French journal. This paper was written in French, not in Italian.) In 1820 he became a professor of physics at the University of Turin. (Note: After the downfall of Napoléon in 1815, northern Italy was under the rule of the Kingdom of Piedmont-Sardinia and Turin was the capital of this kingdom.) He was active in the political revolutionary movements of 1821 against the king of Sardinia, and as a result, was removed from his chair in 1823 (or, as officially declared, the university was "very glad to allow this interesting scientist to take a rest from heavy teaching duties, in order to be able to give a better attention to his researches") . However over time, Avogadro's political isolation became less, as revolutionary ideas received increasing attention from Savoy kings, until in 1848 when Charles Albert granted a modern Constitution (Statuto Albertino). Well before this, following the increasing attention to his works, Avogadro had been recalled to Turin university in 1833, where he taught for another twenty years. Very little is known about Avogadro's private life and political activity although he seems to have led a sober and religious life. He married Felicita Mazzé and had six children. Several historical studies confirm that he sponsored and helped some Sardinian plotters who were organising a revolution in that island, stopped at the very last moment by the concession of Charles Albert's statute. Some doubts however remain, considering the very slight evidence. Avogadro held public posts in statistics, meteorology, and weights and measures (he introduced decimal metric system in Piedmont) and was a member of the Royal Superior Council on Public Instruction. In honour of Avogadro's contributions to the theory of molarity and molecular weights, the number of molecules in one mole was renamed Avogadro's number, N A . It is approximately 6.0221415 10 23 . Loschmidt first calculated the value of Avogadro's number, now called Avogadro's constant, which is still sometimes referred to as the Loschmidt number in German-language countries (Loschmidt constant now has another meaning). Avogadro's number is commonly used to compute the results of chemical reactions. It allows chemists to determine the exact amounts of substances produced in a given reaction. During his stay in Vercelli he wrote a concise note (memoria) in which he declared the hypothesis of what we now call Avogadro's law: :equal volumes of gases, at the same temperature and pressure, contain the same number of molecules. This memoria he sent to De Lamétherie's Journal de Physique, de Chimie et d'Histoire naturelle and it was published in the edition of July 14, 1811 with the title Essai d'une manière de déterminer les masses relatives des molecules élémentaires des corps, et les proportions selon lesquelles elles entrent dans ces combinaisons . Avogadro's Law implies that the relationship occurring between the weights of same volumes of different gases (at the same temperature and pressure) corresponds to the relationship between respective molecular weights. Hence, relative molecular masses can be calculated from the masses of gas samples. Avogadro developed this hypothesis after Joseph Louis Gay-Lussac had published in 1808 his law on volumes (and combining gases). The greatest difficulty Avogadro had to resolve was the huge confusion at that time regarding atoms and molecules one of the most important contributions of Avogadro's work was clearly distinguishing one from the other, admitting that simple particles too could be composed of molecules, and that these are composed of atoms. For instance, John Dalton did not consider this possibility. Avogadro did not actually use the word "atom" as the words "atom" and "molecule" were used almost without difference. He considered that there were three kinds of "molecules," including an "elementary molecule" (our "atom"). Also, a keener attention was given to the definition of mass, as distinguished from weight. In 1814 he published Mémoire sur les masses relatives des molécules des corps simples, ou densités présumées de leur gaz, et sur la constitution de quelques-uns de leur composés, pour servir de suite à l'Essai sur le même sujet, publié dans le Journal de Physique, juillet 1811 (), about gas densities. In 1821 he published another memoria, Nouvelles considérations sur la théorie des proportions déterminées dans les combinaisons, et sur la détermination des masses des molécules des corps and little after Mémoire sur la manière de ramener les composès organiques aux lois ordinaires des proportions déterminées. In 1841 he completed and published his work in Fisica dei corpi ponderabili, ossia Trattato della costituzione materiale de' corpi, 4 volumes. The scientific community did not reserve great attention to his theory, so Avogadro's hypothesis was not immediately accepted when announced. André-Marie Ampère too was able three years later to achieve the same result by another method (in his Sur la détermination des proportions dans lesquelles les corps se combinent d'après le nombre et la disposition respective des molécules dont leurs particules intégrantes sont composées), but the same indifferent regard was given to his theories as well. Only with studies by Gerhardt, Laurent and Williamson on organic chemistry, was it possible to demonstrate that Avogadro's law was indispensable to explain why same quantities of molecules, brought to a vapour state, have the same volume. Unfortunately, in the performance of related experiments, some inorganic substances showed exceptions to the law. The matter was finally concluded by Stanislao Cannizzaro, as announced at Karlsruhe Congress (1860, four years after Avogadro's death), where he explained that these exceptions happened because of molecular dissociations which occurred at certain temperatures, and that Avogadro's law could determine not only molar masses, but as a consequence, atomic masses too. In 1911, a historic meeting took place in Turin to commemorate the hundredth anniversary of the publication of Avogadro's classic 1811 memoir. King Victor Emmanuel III was there to pay homage to Avogadro. Thus Avogadro's great contribution to chemistry was recognised and he is recognised as a great Italian chemist. (Note: In 1911, Victor Emmanuel III was the King of a unified Italy with Rome instead or Turin as its capital. The unification of Italy did not happen during the life time of Avogadro. In fact, Avogadro's famous 1811 paper was written in French.) Clausius, by his kinetic theory on gases, was able to give another confirmation of Avogadro's law. Not long after, in his researches regarding dilute solutions (and the consequent discovery of analogies between the behaviour of solutions and gases), J. H. van 't Hoff added his final consensus for the triumph of the Italian scientist, who since then has been considered the founder of the atomic-molecular theory. * Avogadro (lunar crater) * Avogadro's constant * * Morselli, Mario. (1984). Amedeo Avogadro, a scientific biography. Kluwer. ISBN 9027716242. Related Wikipedia Articles Caricature August 9 1776 July 9 1856 Italy savant molarity atom molecule ion mole (unit) Avogadro's number Turin Piedmont Italy ecclesiastical law physics mathematics Vercelli Turin King of Sardinia Sardinia Savoy Kings of Savoy Charles Albert of Savoy Statuto Albertino Sardinia molarity mole (unit) Avogadro's number Loschmidt Loschmidt number Loschmidt constant Avogadro's law De LamÃ©therie Joseph Louis Gay-Lussac Law of Charles and Gay-Lussac John Dalton mass weight AndrÃ©-Marie AmpÃ¨re Charles FrÃ©dÃ©ric Gerhardt Auguste Laurent Williamson organic chemistry Stanislao Cannizzaro Karlsruhe Turin Rome Turin Rudolf Clausius J. H. van 't Hoff Atomic theory#Modern atomic theory Avogadro (crater) lunar crater Avogadro's constant Dictionary of Scientific Biography
Amedeo_Avogadro	null	null	data/set4/a8	Amedeo Avogadro Caricature of Amedeo Avogadro Lorenzo Romano Amedeo Carlo Avogadro, Count of Quaregna and Cerreto (August 9, 1776 July 9, 1856) was an Italian savant. He is most noted for his contributions to the theory of molarity and molecular weight. As a tribute to him, the number of elementary entities (atoms, molecules, ions or other particles) in one mole of a substance, 6.02214199x10 23 , is known as Avogadro's number. Amedeo Avogadro was born in Turin August 9th 1776 to a noble ancient family of Piedmont, Italy. He graduated in ecclesiastical law at the early age of 20 and began to practice. Soon there after he dedicated himself to the study of physics and mathematics (then called positive philosophy), and in 1809 started teaching them at a liceo (high school) in Vercelli (where his family had some properties). In 1811, he published an article with the title Essai d'une manière de déterminer les masses relatives des molécules élémentaires des corps, et les proportions selon lesquelles elles entrent dans ces combinaisons, which contains the famous Avogadro's hypothesis. The title of this famous 1811 paper can be roughly translated into English as "Essay on Determining the Relative Masses of the Elementary Molecules of Bodies". (Note: At that time in 1811, northern Italy was actually under French rule during the era of Napoléon Bonaparte. Avogadro submitted his poem to a French journal. This paper was written in French, not in Italian.) In 1820 he became a professor of physics at the University of Turin. (Note: After the downfall of Napoléon in 1815, northern Italy was under the rule of the Kingdom of Piedmont-Sardinia and Turin was the capital of this kingdom.) He was active in the political revolutionary movements of 1821 against the king of Sardinia, and as a result, was removed from his chair in 1823 (or, as officially declared, the university was "very glad to allow this interesting scientist to take a rest from heavy teaching duties, in order to be able to give a better attention to his researches") . However over time, Avogadro's political isolation became less, as revolutionary ideas received increasing attention from Savoy kings, until in 1848 when Charles Albert granted a modern Constitution (Statuto Albertino). Well before this, following the increasing attention to his works, Avogadro had been recalled to Turin university in 1833, where he taught for another twenty years. Very little is known about Avogadro's private life and political activity although he seems to have led a sober and religious life. He married Felicita Mazzé and had six children. Several historical studies confirm that he sponsored and helped some Sardinian plotters who were organising a revolution in that island, stopped at the very last moment by the concession of Charles Albert's statute. Some doubts however remain, considering the very slight evidence. Avogadro held public posts in statistics, meteorology, and weights and measures (he introduced decimal metric system in Piedmont) and was a member of the Royal Superior Council on Public Instruction. In honour of Avogadro's contributions to the theory of molarity and molecular weights, the number of molecules in one mole was renamed Avogadro's number, N A . It is approximately 6.0221415 10 23 . Loschmidt first calculated the value of Avogadro's number, now called Avogadro's constant, which is still sometimes referred to as the Loschmidt number in German-language countries (Loschmidt constant now has another meaning). Avogadro's number is commonly used to compute the results of chemical reactions. It allows chemists to determine the exact amounts of substances produced in a given reaction. During his stay in Vercelli he wrote a concise note (memoria) in which he declared the hypothesis of what we now call Avogadro's law: :equal volumes of gases, at the same temperature and pressure, contain the same number of molecules. This memoria he sent to De Lamétherie's Journal de Physique, de Chimie et d'Histoire naturelle and it was published in the edition of July 14, 1811 with the title Essai d'une manière de déterminer les masses relatives des molecules élémentaires des corps, et les proportions selon lesquelles elles entrent dans ces combinaisons . Avogadro's Law implies that the relationship occurring between the weights of same volumes of different gases (at the same temperature and pressure) corresponds to the relationship between respective molecular weights. Hence, relative molecular masses can be calculated from the masses of gas samples. Avogadro developed this hypothesis after Joseph Louis Gay-Lussac had published in 1808 his law on volumes (and combining gases). The greatest difficulty Avogadro had to resolve was the huge confusion at that time regarding atoms and molecules one of the most important contributions of Avogadro's work was clearly distinguishing one from the other, admitting that simple particles too could be composed of molecules, and that these are composed of atoms. For instance, John Dalton did not consider this possibility. Avogadro did not actually use the word "atom" as the words "atom" and "molecule" were used almost without difference. He considered that there were three kinds of "molecules," including an "elementary molecule" (our "atom"). Also, a keener attention was given to the definition of mass, as distinguished from weight. In 1814 he published Mémoire sur les masses relatives des molécules des corps simples, ou densités présumées de leur gaz, et sur la constitution de quelques-uns de leur composés, pour servir de suite à l'Essai sur le même sujet, publié dans le Journal de Physique, juillet 1811 (), about gas densities. In 1821 he published another memoria, Nouvelles considérations sur la théorie des proportions déterminées dans les combinaisons, et sur la détermination des masses des molécules des corps and little after Mémoire sur la manière de ramener les composès organiques aux lois ordinaires des proportions déterminées. In 1841 he completed and published his work in Fisica dei corpi ponderabili, ossia Trattato della costituzione materiale de' corpi, 4 volumes. The scientific community did not reserve great attention to his theory, so Avogadro's hypothesis was not immediately accepted when announced. André-Marie Ampère too was able three years later to achieve the same result by another method (in his Sur la détermination des proportions dans lesquelles les corps se combinent d'après le nombre et la disposition respective des molécules dont leurs particules intégrantes sont composées), but the same indifferent regard was given to his theories as well. Only with studies by Gerhardt, Laurent and Williamson on organic chemistry, was it possible to demonstrate that Avogadro's law was indispensable to explain why same quantities of molecules, brought to a vapour state, have the same volume. Unfortunately, in the performance of related experiments, some inorganic substances showed exceptions to the law. The matter was finally concluded by Stanislao Cannizzaro, as announced at Karlsruhe Congress (1860, four years after Avogadro's death), where he explained that these exceptions happened because of molecular dissociations which occurred at certain temperatures, and that Avogadro's law could determine not only molar masses, but as a consequence, atomic masses too. In 1911, a historic meeting took place in Turin to commemorate the hundredth anniversary of the publication of Avogadro's classic 1811 memoir. King Victor Emmanuel III was there to pay homage to Avogadro. Thus Avogadro's great contribution to chemistry was recognised and he is recognised as a great Italian chemist. (Note: In 1911, Victor Emmanuel III was the King of a unified Italy with Rome instead or Turin as its capital. The unification of Italy did not happen during the life time of Avogadro. In fact, Avogadro's famous 1811 paper was written in French.) Clausius, by his kinetic theory on gases, was able to give another confirmation of Avogadro's law. Not long after, in his researches regarding dilute solutions (and the consequent discovery of analogies between the behaviour of solutions and gases), J. H. van 't Hoff added his final consensus for the triumph of the Italian scientist, who since then has been considered the founder of the atomic-molecular theory. * Avogadro (lunar crater) * Avogadro's constant * * Morselli, Mario. (1984). Amedeo Avogadro, a scientific biography. Kluwer. ISBN 9027716242. Related Wikipedia Articles Caricature August 9 1776 July 9 1856 Italy savant molarity atom molecule ion mole (unit) Avogadro's number Turin Piedmont Italy ecclesiastical law physics mathematics Vercelli Turin King of Sardinia Sardinia Savoy Kings of Savoy Charles Albert of Savoy Statuto Albertino Sardinia molarity mole (unit) Avogadro's number Loschmidt Loschmidt number Loschmidt constant Avogadro's law De LamÃ©therie Joseph Louis Gay-Lussac Law of Charles and Gay-Lussac John Dalton mass weight AndrÃ©-Marie AmpÃ¨re Charles FrÃ©dÃ©ric Gerhardt Auguste Laurent Williamson organic chemistry Stanislao Cannizzaro Karlsruhe Turin Rome Turin Rudolf Clausius J. H. van 't Hoff Atomic theory#Modern atomic theory Avogadro (crater) lunar crater Avogadro's constant Dictionary of Scientific Biography
Amedeo_Avogadro	Who confirm that he sponsored and helped some Sardinian plotters who were organising a revolution in that island , stopped at the very last moment by the concession of Charles Albert 's statute ?	null	data/set4/a8	Amedeo Avogadro Caricature of Amedeo Avogadro Lorenzo Romano Amedeo Carlo Avogadro, Count of Quaregna and Cerreto (August 9, 1776 July 9, 1856) was an Italian savant. He is most noted for his contributions to the theory of molarity and molecular weight. As a tribute to him, the number of elementary entities (atoms, molecules, ions or other particles) in one mole of a substance, 6.02214199x10 23 , is known as Avogadro's number. Amedeo Avogadro was born in Turin August 9th 1776 to a noble ancient family of Piedmont, Italy. He graduated in ecclesiastical law at the early age of 20 and began to practice. Soon there after he dedicated himself to the study of physics and mathematics (then called positive philosophy), and in 1809 started teaching them at a liceo (high school) in Vercelli (where his family had some properties). In 1811, he published an article with the title Essai d'une manière de déterminer les masses relatives des molécules élémentaires des corps, et les proportions selon lesquelles elles entrent dans ces combinaisons, which contains the famous Avogadro's hypothesis. The title of this famous 1811 paper can be roughly translated into English as "Essay on Determining the Relative Masses of the Elementary Molecules of Bodies". (Note: At that time in 1811, northern Italy was actually under French rule during the era of Napoléon Bonaparte. Avogadro submitted his poem to a French journal. This paper was written in French, not in Italian.) In 1820 he became a professor of physics at the University of Turin. (Note: After the downfall of Napoléon in 1815, northern Italy was under the rule of the Kingdom of Piedmont-Sardinia and Turin was the capital of this kingdom.) He was active in the political revolutionary movements of 1821 against the king of Sardinia, and as a result, was removed from his chair in 1823 (or, as officially declared, the university was "very glad to allow this interesting scientist to take a rest from heavy teaching duties, in order to be able to give a better attention to his researches") . However over time, Avogadro's political isolation became less, as revolutionary ideas received increasing attention from Savoy kings, until in 1848 when Charles Albert granted a modern Constitution (Statuto Albertino). Well before this, following the increasing attention to his works, Avogadro had been recalled to Turin university in 1833, where he taught for another twenty years. Very little is known about Avogadro's private life and political activity although he seems to have led a sober and religious life. He married Felicita Mazzé and had six children. Several historical studies confirm that he sponsored and helped some Sardinian plotters who were organising a revolution in that island, stopped at the very last moment by the concession of Charles Albert's statute. Some doubts however remain, considering the very slight evidence. Avogadro held public posts in statistics, meteorology, and weights and measures (he introduced decimal metric system in Piedmont) and was a member of the Royal Superior Council on Public Instruction. In honour of Avogadro's contributions to the theory of molarity and molecular weights, the number of molecules in one mole was renamed Avogadro's number, N A . It is approximately 6.0221415 10 23 . Loschmidt first calculated the value of Avogadro's number, now called Avogadro's constant, which is still sometimes referred to as the Loschmidt number in German-language countries (Loschmidt constant now has another meaning). Avogadro's number is commonly used to compute the results of chemical reactions. It allows chemists to determine the exact amounts of substances produced in a given reaction. During his stay in Vercelli he wrote a concise note (memoria) in which he declared the hypothesis of what we now call Avogadro's law: :equal volumes of gases, at the same temperature and pressure, contain the same number of molecules. This memoria he sent to De Lamétherie's Journal de Physique, de Chimie et d'Histoire naturelle and it was published in the edition of July 14, 1811 with the title Essai d'une manière de déterminer les masses relatives des molecules élémentaires des corps, et les proportions selon lesquelles elles entrent dans ces combinaisons . Avogadro's Law implies that the relationship occurring between the weights of same volumes of different gases (at the same temperature and pressure) corresponds to the relationship between respective molecular weights. Hence, relative molecular masses can be calculated from the masses of gas samples. Avogadro developed this hypothesis after Joseph Louis Gay-Lussac had published in 1808 his law on volumes (and combining gases). The greatest difficulty Avogadro had to resolve was the huge confusion at that time regarding atoms and molecules one of the most important contributions of Avogadro's work was clearly distinguishing one from the other, admitting that simple particles too could be composed of molecules, and that these are composed of atoms. For instance, John Dalton did not consider this possibility. Avogadro did not actually use the word "atom" as the words "atom" and "molecule" were used almost without difference. He considered that there were three kinds of "molecules," including an "elementary molecule" (our "atom"). Also, a keener attention was given to the definition of mass, as distinguished from weight. In 1814 he published Mémoire sur les masses relatives des molécules des corps simples, ou densités présumées de leur gaz, et sur la constitution de quelques-uns de leur composés, pour servir de suite à l'Essai sur le même sujet, publié dans le Journal de Physique, juillet 1811 (), about gas densities. In 1821 he published another memoria, Nouvelles considérations sur la théorie des proportions déterminées dans les combinaisons, et sur la détermination des masses des molécules des corps and little after Mémoire sur la manière de ramener les composès organiques aux lois ordinaires des proportions déterminées. In 1841 he completed and published his work in Fisica dei corpi ponderabili, ossia Trattato della costituzione materiale de' corpi, 4 volumes. The scientific community did not reserve great attention to his theory, so Avogadro's hypothesis was not immediately accepted when announced. André-Marie Ampère too was able three years later to achieve the same result by another method (in his Sur la détermination des proportions dans lesquelles les corps se combinent d'après le nombre et la disposition respective des molécules dont leurs particules intégrantes sont composées), but the same indifferent regard was given to his theories as well. Only with studies by Gerhardt, Laurent and Williamson on organic chemistry, was it possible to demonstrate that Avogadro's law was indispensable to explain why same quantities of molecules, brought to a vapour state, have the same volume. Unfortunately, in the performance of related experiments, some inorganic substances showed exceptions to the law. The matter was finally concluded by Stanislao Cannizzaro, as announced at Karlsruhe Congress (1860, four years after Avogadro's death), where he explained that these exceptions happened because of molecular dissociations which occurred at certain temperatures, and that Avogadro's law could determine not only molar masses, but as a consequence, atomic masses too. In 1911, a historic meeting took place in Turin to commemorate the hundredth anniversary of the publication of Avogadro's classic 1811 memoir. King Victor Emmanuel III was there to pay homage to Avogadro. Thus Avogadro's great contribution to chemistry was recognised and he is recognised as a great Italian chemist. (Note: In 1911, Victor Emmanuel III was the King of a unified Italy with Rome instead or Turin as its capital. The unification of Italy did not happen during the life time of Avogadro. In fact, Avogadro's famous 1811 paper was written in French.) Clausius, by his kinetic theory on gases, was able to give another confirmation of Avogadro's law. Not long after, in his researches regarding dilute solutions (and the consequent discovery of analogies between the behaviour of solutions and gases), J. H. van 't Hoff added his final consensus for the triumph of the Italian scientist, who since then has been considered the founder of the atomic-molecular theory. * Avogadro (lunar crater) * Avogadro's constant * * Morselli, Mario. (1984). Amedeo Avogadro, a scientific biography. Kluwer. ISBN 9027716242. Related Wikipedia Articles Caricature August 9 1776 July 9 1856 Italy savant molarity atom molecule ion mole (unit) Avogadro's number Turin Piedmont Italy ecclesiastical law physics mathematics Vercelli Turin King of Sardinia Sardinia Savoy Kings of Savoy Charles Albert of Savoy Statuto Albertino Sardinia molarity mole (unit) Avogadro's number Loschmidt Loschmidt number Loschmidt constant Avogadro's law De LamÃ©therie Joseph Louis Gay-Lussac Law of Charles and Gay-Lussac John Dalton mass weight AndrÃ©-Marie AmpÃ¨re Charles FrÃ©dÃ©ric Gerhardt Auguste Laurent Williamson organic chemistry Stanislao Cannizzaro Karlsruhe Turin Rome Turin Rudolf Clausius J. H. van 't Hoff Atomic theory#Modern atomic theory Avogadro (crater) lunar crater Avogadro's constant Dictionary of Scientific Biography
Amedeo_Avogadro	Who confirm that he sponsored and helped some Sardinian plotters who were organising a revolution in that island , stopped at the very last moment by the concession of Charles Albert 's statute ?	null	data/set4/a8	Amedeo Avogadro Caricature of Amedeo Avogadro Lorenzo Romano Amedeo Carlo Avogadro, Count of Quaregna and Cerreto (August 9, 1776 July 9, 1856) was an Italian savant. He is most noted for his contributions to the theory of molarity and molecular weight. As a tribute to him, the number of elementary entities (atoms, molecules, ions or other particles) in one mole of a substance, 6.02214199x10 23 , is known as Avogadro's number. Amedeo Avogadro was born in Turin August 9th 1776 to a noble ancient family of Piedmont, Italy. He graduated in ecclesiastical law at the early age of 20 and began to practice. Soon there after he dedicated himself to the study of physics and mathematics (then called positive philosophy), and in 1809 started teaching them at a liceo (high school) in Vercelli (where his family had some properties). In 1811, he published an article with the title Essai d'une manière de déterminer les masses relatives des molécules élémentaires des corps, et les proportions selon lesquelles elles entrent dans ces combinaisons, which contains the famous Avogadro's hypothesis. The title of this famous 1811 paper can be roughly translated into English as "Essay on Determining the Relative Masses of the Elementary Molecules of Bodies". (Note: At that time in 1811, northern Italy was actually under French rule during the era of Napoléon Bonaparte. Avogadro submitted his poem to a French journal. This paper was written in French, not in Italian.) In 1820 he became a professor of physics at the University of Turin. (Note: After the downfall of Napoléon in 1815, northern Italy was under the rule of the Kingdom of Piedmont-Sardinia and Turin was the capital of this kingdom.) He was active in the political revolutionary movements of 1821 against the king of Sardinia, and as a result, was removed from his chair in 1823 (or, as officially declared, the university was "very glad to allow this interesting scientist to take a rest from heavy teaching duties, in order to be able to give a better attention to his researches") . However over time, Avogadro's political isolation became less, as revolutionary ideas received increasing attention from Savoy kings, until in 1848 when Charles Albert granted a modern Constitution (Statuto Albertino). Well before this, following the increasing attention to his works, Avogadro had been recalled to Turin university in 1833, where he taught for another twenty years. Very little is known about Avogadro's private life and political activity although he seems to have led a sober and religious life. He married Felicita Mazzé and had six children. Several historical studies confirm that he sponsored and helped some Sardinian plotters who were organising a revolution in that island, stopped at the very last moment by the concession of Charles Albert's statute. Some doubts however remain, considering the very slight evidence. Avogadro held public posts in statistics, meteorology, and weights and measures (he introduced decimal metric system in Piedmont) and was a member of the Royal Superior Council on Public Instruction. In honour of Avogadro's contributions to the theory of molarity and molecular weights, the number of molecules in one mole was renamed Avogadro's number, N A . It is approximately 6.0221415 10 23 . Loschmidt first calculated the value of Avogadro's number, now called Avogadro's constant, which is still sometimes referred to as the Loschmidt number in German-language countries (Loschmidt constant now has another meaning). Avogadro's number is commonly used to compute the results of chemical reactions. It allows chemists to determine the exact amounts of substances produced in a given reaction. During his stay in Vercelli he wrote a concise note (memoria) in which he declared the hypothesis of what we now call Avogadro's law: :equal volumes of gases, at the same temperature and pressure, contain the same number of molecules. This memoria he sent to De Lamétherie's Journal de Physique, de Chimie et d'Histoire naturelle and it was published in the edition of July 14, 1811 with the title Essai d'une manière de déterminer les masses relatives des molecules élémentaires des corps, et les proportions selon lesquelles elles entrent dans ces combinaisons . Avogadro's Law implies that the relationship occurring between the weights of same volumes of different gases (at the same temperature and pressure) corresponds to the relationship between respective molecular weights. Hence, relative molecular masses can be calculated from the masses of gas samples. Avogadro developed this hypothesis after Joseph Louis Gay-Lussac had published in 1808 his law on volumes (and combining gases). The greatest difficulty Avogadro had to resolve was the huge confusion at that time regarding atoms and molecules one of the most important contributions of Avogadro's work was clearly distinguishing one from the other, admitting that simple particles too could be composed of molecules, and that these are composed of atoms. For instance, John Dalton did not consider this possibility. Avogadro did not actually use the word "atom" as the words "atom" and "molecule" were used almost without difference. He considered that there were three kinds of "molecules," including an "elementary molecule" (our "atom"). Also, a keener attention was given to the definition of mass, as distinguished from weight. In 1814 he published Mémoire sur les masses relatives des molécules des corps simples, ou densités présumées de leur gaz, et sur la constitution de quelques-uns de leur composés, pour servir de suite à l'Essai sur le même sujet, publié dans le Journal de Physique, juillet 1811 (), about gas densities. In 1821 he published another memoria, Nouvelles considérations sur la théorie des proportions déterminées dans les combinaisons, et sur la détermination des masses des molécules des corps and little after Mémoire sur la manière de ramener les composès organiques aux lois ordinaires des proportions déterminées. In 1841 he completed and published his work in Fisica dei corpi ponderabili, ossia Trattato della costituzione materiale de' corpi, 4 volumes. The scientific community did not reserve great attention to his theory, so Avogadro's hypothesis was not immediately accepted when announced. André-Marie Ampère too was able three years later to achieve the same result by another method (in his Sur la détermination des proportions dans lesquelles les corps se combinent d'après le nombre et la disposition respective des molécules dont leurs particules intégrantes sont composées), but the same indifferent regard was given to his theories as well. Only with studies by Gerhardt, Laurent and Williamson on organic chemistry, was it possible to demonstrate that Avogadro's law was indispensable to explain why same quantities of molecules, brought to a vapour state, have the same volume. Unfortunately, in the performance of related experiments, some inorganic substances showed exceptions to the law. The matter was finally concluded by Stanislao Cannizzaro, as announced at Karlsruhe Congress (1860, four years after Avogadro's death), where he explained that these exceptions happened because of molecular dissociations which occurred at certain temperatures, and that Avogadro's law could determine not only molar masses, but as a consequence, atomic masses too. In 1911, a historic meeting took place in Turin to commemorate the hundredth anniversary of the publication of Avogadro's classic 1811 memoir. King Victor Emmanuel III was there to pay homage to Avogadro. Thus Avogadro's great contribution to chemistry was recognised and he is recognised as a great Italian chemist. (Note: In 1911, Victor Emmanuel III was the King of a unified Italy with Rome instead or Turin as its capital. The unification of Italy did not happen during the life time of Avogadro. In fact, Avogadro's famous 1811 paper was written in French.) Clausius, by his kinetic theory on gases, was able to give another confirmation of Avogadro's law. Not long after, in his researches regarding dilute solutions (and the consequent discovery of analogies between the behaviour of solutions and gases), J. H. van 't Hoff added his final consensus for the triumph of the Italian scientist, who since then has been considered the founder of the atomic-molecular theory. * Avogadro (lunar crater) * Avogadro's constant * * Morselli, Mario. (1984). Amedeo Avogadro, a scientific biography. Kluwer. ISBN 9027716242. Related Wikipedia Articles Caricature August 9 1776 July 9 1856 Italy savant molarity atom molecule ion mole (unit) Avogadro's number Turin Piedmont Italy ecclesiastical law physics mathematics Vercelli Turin King of Sardinia Sardinia Savoy Kings of Savoy Charles Albert of Savoy Statuto Albertino Sardinia molarity mole (unit) Avogadro's number Loschmidt Loschmidt number Loschmidt constant Avogadro's law De LamÃ©therie Joseph Louis Gay-Lussac Law of Charles and Gay-Lussac John Dalton mass weight AndrÃ©-Marie AmpÃ¨re Charles FrÃ©dÃ©ric Gerhardt Auguste Laurent Williamson organic chemistry Stanislao Cannizzaro Karlsruhe Turin Rome Turin Rudolf Clausius J. H. van 't Hoff Atomic theory#Modern atomic theory Avogadro (crater) lunar crater Avogadro's constant Dictionary of Scientific Biography
Amedeo_Avogadro	He is what?	null	data/set4/a8	Amedeo Avogadro Caricature of Amedeo Avogadro Lorenzo Romano Amedeo Carlo Avogadro, Count of Quaregna and Cerreto (August 9, 1776 July 9, 1856) was an Italian savant. He is most noted for his contributions to the theory of molarity and molecular weight. As a tribute to him, the number of elementary entities (atoms, molecules, ions or other particles) in one mole of a substance, 6.02214199x10 23 , is known as Avogadro's number. Amedeo Avogadro was born in Turin August 9th 1776 to a noble ancient family of Piedmont, Italy. He graduated in ecclesiastical law at the early age of 20 and began to practice. Soon there after he dedicated himself to the study of physics and mathematics (then called positive philosophy), and in 1809 started teaching them at a liceo (high school) in Vercelli (where his family had some properties). In 1811, he published an article with the title Essai d'une manière de déterminer les masses relatives des molécules élémentaires des corps, et les proportions selon lesquelles elles entrent dans ces combinaisons, which contains the famous Avogadro's hypothesis. The title of this famous 1811 paper can be roughly translated into English as "Essay on Determining the Relative Masses of the Elementary Molecules of Bodies". (Note: At that time in 1811, northern Italy was actually under French rule during the era of Napoléon Bonaparte. Avogadro submitted his poem to a French journal. This paper was written in French, not in Italian.) In 1820 he became a professor of physics at the University of Turin. (Note: After the downfall of Napoléon in 1815, northern Italy was under the rule of the Kingdom of Piedmont-Sardinia and Turin was the capital of this kingdom.) He was active in the political revolutionary movements of 1821 against the king of Sardinia, and as a result, was removed from his chair in 1823 (or, as officially declared, the university was "very glad to allow this interesting scientist to take a rest from heavy teaching duties, in order to be able to give a better attention to his researches") . However over time, Avogadro's political isolation became less, as revolutionary ideas received increasing attention from Savoy kings, until in 1848 when Charles Albert granted a modern Constitution (Statuto Albertino). Well before this, following the increasing attention to his works, Avogadro had been recalled to Turin university in 1833, where he taught for another twenty years. Very little is known about Avogadro's private life and political activity although he seems to have led a sober and religious life. He married Felicita Mazzé and had six children. Several historical studies confirm that he sponsored and helped some Sardinian plotters who were organising a revolution in that island, stopped at the very last moment by the concession of Charles Albert's statute. Some doubts however remain, considering the very slight evidence. Avogadro held public posts in statistics, meteorology, and weights and measures (he introduced decimal metric system in Piedmont) and was a member of the Royal Superior Council on Public Instruction. In honour of Avogadro's contributions to the theory of molarity and molecular weights, the number of molecules in one mole was renamed Avogadro's number, N A . It is approximately 6.0221415 10 23 . Loschmidt first calculated the value of Avogadro's number, now called Avogadro's constant, which is still sometimes referred to as the Loschmidt number in German-language countries (Loschmidt constant now has another meaning). Avogadro's number is commonly used to compute the results of chemical reactions. It allows chemists to determine the exact amounts of substances produced in a given reaction. During his stay in Vercelli he wrote a concise note (memoria) in which he declared the hypothesis of what we now call Avogadro's law: :equal volumes of gases, at the same temperature and pressure, contain the same number of molecules. This memoria he sent to De Lamétherie's Journal de Physique, de Chimie et d'Histoire naturelle and it was published in the edition of July 14, 1811 with the title Essai d'une manière de déterminer les masses relatives des molecules élémentaires des corps, et les proportions selon lesquelles elles entrent dans ces combinaisons . Avogadro's Law implies that the relationship occurring between the weights of same volumes of different gases (at the same temperature and pressure) corresponds to the relationship between respective molecular weights. Hence, relative molecular masses can be calculated from the masses of gas samples. Avogadro developed this hypothesis after Joseph Louis Gay-Lussac had published in 1808 his law on volumes (and combining gases). The greatest difficulty Avogadro had to resolve was the huge confusion at that time regarding atoms and molecules one of the most important contributions of Avogadro's work was clearly distinguishing one from the other, admitting that simple particles too could be composed of molecules, and that these are composed of atoms. For instance, John Dalton did not consider this possibility. Avogadro did not actually use the word "atom" as the words "atom" and "molecule" were used almost without difference. He considered that there were three kinds of "molecules," including an "elementary molecule" (our "atom"). Also, a keener attention was given to the definition of mass, as distinguished from weight. In 1814 he published Mémoire sur les masses relatives des molécules des corps simples, ou densités présumées de leur gaz, et sur la constitution de quelques-uns de leur composés, pour servir de suite à l'Essai sur le même sujet, publié dans le Journal de Physique, juillet 1811 (), about gas densities. In 1821 he published another memoria, Nouvelles considérations sur la théorie des proportions déterminées dans les combinaisons, et sur la détermination des masses des molécules des corps and little after Mémoire sur la manière de ramener les composès organiques aux lois ordinaires des proportions déterminées. In 1841 he completed and published his work in Fisica dei corpi ponderabili, ossia Trattato della costituzione materiale de' corpi, 4 volumes. The scientific community did not reserve great attention to his theory, so Avogadro's hypothesis was not immediately accepted when announced. André-Marie Ampère too was able three years later to achieve the same result by another method (in his Sur la détermination des proportions dans lesquelles les corps se combinent d'après le nombre et la disposition respective des molécules dont leurs particules intégrantes sont composées), but the same indifferent regard was given to his theories as well. Only with studies by Gerhardt, Laurent and Williamson on organic chemistry, was it possible to demonstrate that Avogadro's law was indispensable to explain why same quantities of molecules, brought to a vapour state, have the same volume. Unfortunately, in the performance of related experiments, some inorganic substances showed exceptions to the law. The matter was finally concluded by Stanislao Cannizzaro, as announced at Karlsruhe Congress (1860, four years after Avogadro's death), where he explained that these exceptions happened because of molecular dissociations which occurred at certain temperatures, and that Avogadro's law could determine not only molar masses, but as a consequence, atomic masses too. In 1911, a historic meeting took place in Turin to commemorate the hundredth anniversary of the publication of Avogadro's classic 1811 memoir. King Victor Emmanuel III was there to pay homage to Avogadro. Thus Avogadro's great contribution to chemistry was recognised and he is recognised as a great Italian chemist. (Note: In 1911, Victor Emmanuel III was the King of a unified Italy with Rome instead or Turin as its capital. The unification of Italy did not happen during the life time of Avogadro. In fact, Avogadro's famous 1811 paper was written in French.) Clausius, by his kinetic theory on gases, was able to give another confirmation of Avogadro's law. Not long after, in his researches regarding dilute solutions (and the consequent discovery of analogies between the behaviour of solutions and gases), J. H. van 't Hoff added his final consensus for the triumph of the Italian scientist, who since then has been considered the founder of the atomic-molecular theory. * Avogadro (lunar crater) * Avogadro's constant * * Morselli, Mario. (1984). Amedeo Avogadro, a scientific biography. Kluwer. ISBN 9027716242. Related Wikipedia Articles Caricature August 9 1776 July 9 1856 Italy savant molarity atom molecule ion mole (unit) Avogadro's number Turin Piedmont Italy ecclesiastical law physics mathematics Vercelli Turin King of Sardinia Sardinia Savoy Kings of Savoy Charles Albert of Savoy Statuto Albertino Sardinia molarity mole (unit) Avogadro's number Loschmidt Loschmidt number Loschmidt constant Avogadro's law De LamÃ©therie Joseph Louis Gay-Lussac Law of Charles and Gay-Lussac John Dalton mass weight AndrÃ©-Marie AmpÃ¨re Charles FrÃ©dÃ©ric Gerhardt Auguste Laurent Williamson organic chemistry Stanislao Cannizzaro Karlsruhe Turin Rome Turin Rudolf Clausius J. H. van 't Hoff Atomic theory#Modern atomic theory Avogadro (crater) lunar crater Avogadro's constant Dictionary of Scientific Biography
Amedeo_Avogadro	He is what?	null	data/set4/a8	Amedeo Avogadro Caricature of Amedeo Avogadro Lorenzo Romano Amedeo Carlo Avogadro, Count of Quaregna and Cerreto (August 9, 1776 July 9, 1856) was an Italian savant. He is most noted for his contributions to the theory of molarity and molecular weight. As a tribute to him, the number of elementary entities (atoms, molecules, ions or other particles) in one mole of a substance, 6.02214199x10 23 , is known as Avogadro's number. Amedeo Avogadro was born in Turin August 9th 1776 to a noble ancient family of Piedmont, Italy. He graduated in ecclesiastical law at the early age of 20 and began to practice. Soon there after he dedicated himself to the study of physics and mathematics (then called positive philosophy), and in 1809 started teaching them at a liceo (high school) in Vercelli (where his family had some properties). In 1811, he published an article with the title Essai d'une manière de déterminer les masses relatives des molécules élémentaires des corps, et les proportions selon lesquelles elles entrent dans ces combinaisons, which contains the famous Avogadro's hypothesis. The title of this famous 1811 paper can be roughly translated into English as "Essay on Determining the Relative Masses of the Elementary Molecules of Bodies". (Note: At that time in 1811, northern Italy was actually under French rule during the era of Napoléon Bonaparte. Avogadro submitted his poem to a French journal. This paper was written in French, not in Italian.) In 1820 he became a professor of physics at the University of Turin. (Note: After the downfall of Napoléon in 1815, northern Italy was under the rule of the Kingdom of Piedmont-Sardinia and Turin was the capital of this kingdom.) He was active in the political revolutionary movements of 1821 against the king of Sardinia, and as a result, was removed from his chair in 1823 (or, as officially declared, the university was "very glad to allow this interesting scientist to take a rest from heavy teaching duties, in order to be able to give a better attention to his researches") . However over time, Avogadro's political isolation became less, as revolutionary ideas received increasing attention from Savoy kings, until in 1848 when Charles Albert granted a modern Constitution (Statuto Albertino). Well before this, following the increasing attention to his works, Avogadro had been recalled to Turin university in 1833, where he taught for another twenty years. Very little is known about Avogadro's private life and political activity although he seems to have led a sober and religious life. He married Felicita Mazzé and had six children. Several historical studies confirm that he sponsored and helped some Sardinian plotters who were organising a revolution in that island, stopped at the very last moment by the concession of Charles Albert's statute. Some doubts however remain, considering the very slight evidence. Avogadro held public posts in statistics, meteorology, and weights and measures (he introduced decimal metric system in Piedmont) and was a member of the Royal Superior Council on Public Instruction. In honour of Avogadro's contributions to the theory of molarity and molecular weights, the number of molecules in one mole was renamed Avogadro's number, N A . It is approximately 6.0221415 10 23 . Loschmidt first calculated the value of Avogadro's number, now called Avogadro's constant, which is still sometimes referred to as the Loschmidt number in German-language countries (Loschmidt constant now has another meaning). Avogadro's number is commonly used to compute the results of chemical reactions. It allows chemists to determine the exact amounts of substances produced in a given reaction. During his stay in Vercelli he wrote a concise note (memoria) in which he declared the hypothesis of what we now call Avogadro's law: :equal volumes of gases, at the same temperature and pressure, contain the same number of molecules. This memoria he sent to De Lamétherie's Journal de Physique, de Chimie et d'Histoire naturelle and it was published in the edition of July 14, 1811 with the title Essai d'une manière de déterminer les masses relatives des molecules élémentaires des corps, et les proportions selon lesquelles elles entrent dans ces combinaisons . Avogadro's Law implies that the relationship occurring between the weights of same volumes of different gases (at the same temperature and pressure) corresponds to the relationship between respective molecular weights. Hence, relative molecular masses can be calculated from the masses of gas samples. Avogadro developed this hypothesis after Joseph Louis Gay-Lussac had published in 1808 his law on volumes (and combining gases). The greatest difficulty Avogadro had to resolve was the huge confusion at that time regarding atoms and molecules one of the most important contributions of Avogadro's work was clearly distinguishing one from the other, admitting that simple particles too could be composed of molecules, and that these are composed of atoms. For instance, John Dalton did not consider this possibility. Avogadro did not actually use the word "atom" as the words "atom" and "molecule" were used almost without difference. He considered that there were three kinds of "molecules," including an "elementary molecule" (our "atom"). Also, a keener attention was given to the definition of mass, as distinguished from weight. In 1814 he published Mémoire sur les masses relatives des molécules des corps simples, ou densités présumées de leur gaz, et sur la constitution de quelques-uns de leur composés, pour servir de suite à l'Essai sur le même sujet, publié dans le Journal de Physique, juillet 1811 (), about gas densities. In 1821 he published another memoria, Nouvelles considérations sur la théorie des proportions déterminées dans les combinaisons, et sur la détermination des masses des molécules des corps and little after Mémoire sur la manière de ramener les composès organiques aux lois ordinaires des proportions déterminées. In 1841 he completed and published his work in Fisica dei corpi ponderabili, ossia Trattato della costituzione materiale de' corpi, 4 volumes. The scientific community did not reserve great attention to his theory, so Avogadro's hypothesis was not immediately accepted when announced. André-Marie Ampère too was able three years later to achieve the same result by another method (in his Sur la détermination des proportions dans lesquelles les corps se combinent d'après le nombre et la disposition respective des molécules dont leurs particules intégrantes sont composées), but the same indifferent regard was given to his theories as well. Only with studies by Gerhardt, Laurent and Williamson on organic chemistry, was it possible to demonstrate that Avogadro's law was indispensable to explain why same quantities of molecules, brought to a vapour state, have the same volume. Unfortunately, in the performance of related experiments, some inorganic substances showed exceptions to the law. The matter was finally concluded by Stanislao Cannizzaro, as announced at Karlsruhe Congress (1860, four years after Avogadro's death), where he explained that these exceptions happened because of molecular dissociations which occurred at certain temperatures, and that Avogadro's law could determine not only molar masses, but as a consequence, atomic masses too. In 1911, a historic meeting took place in Turin to commemorate the hundredth anniversary of the publication of Avogadro's classic 1811 memoir. King Victor Emmanuel III was there to pay homage to Avogadro. Thus Avogadro's great contribution to chemistry was recognised and he is recognised as a great Italian chemist. (Note: In 1911, Victor Emmanuel III was the King of a unified Italy with Rome instead or Turin as its capital. The unification of Italy did not happen during the life time of Avogadro. In fact, Avogadro's famous 1811 paper was written in French.) Clausius, by his kinetic theory on gases, was able to give another confirmation of Avogadro's law. Not long after, in his researches regarding dilute solutions (and the consequent discovery of analogies between the behaviour of solutions and gases), J. H. van 't Hoff added his final consensus for the triumph of the Italian scientist, who since then has been considered the founder of the atomic-molecular theory. * Avogadro (lunar crater) * Avogadro's constant * * Morselli, Mario. (1984). Amedeo Avogadro, a scientific biography. Kluwer. ISBN 9027716242. Related Wikipedia Articles Caricature August 9 1776 July 9 1856 Italy savant molarity atom molecule ion mole (unit) Avogadro's number Turin Piedmont Italy ecclesiastical law physics mathematics Vercelli Turin King of Sardinia Sardinia Savoy Kings of Savoy Charles Albert of Savoy Statuto Albertino Sardinia molarity mole (unit) Avogadro's number Loschmidt Loschmidt number Loschmidt constant Avogadro's law De LamÃ©therie Joseph Louis Gay-Lussac Law of Charles and Gay-Lussac John Dalton mass weight AndrÃ©-Marie AmpÃ¨re Charles FrÃ©dÃ©ric Gerhardt Auguste Laurent Williamson organic chemistry Stanislao Cannizzaro Karlsruhe Turin Rome Turin Rudolf Clausius J. H. van 't Hoff Atomic theory#Modern atomic theory Avogadro (crater) lunar crater Avogadro's constant Dictionary of Scientific Biography
Amedeo_Avogadro	The unification of Italy did what?	null	data/set4/a8	Amedeo Avogadro Caricature of Amedeo Avogadro Lorenzo Romano Amedeo Carlo Avogadro, Count of Quaregna and Cerreto (August 9, 1776 July 9, 1856) was an Italian savant. He is most noted for his contributions to the theory of molarity and molecular weight. As a tribute to him, the number of elementary entities (atoms, molecules, ions or other particles) in one mole of a substance, 6.02214199x10 23 , is known as Avogadro's number. Amedeo Avogadro was born in Turin August 9th 1776 to a noble ancient family of Piedmont, Italy. He graduated in ecclesiastical law at the early age of 20 and began to practice. Soon there after he dedicated himself to the study of physics and mathematics (then called positive philosophy), and in 1809 started teaching them at a liceo (high school) in Vercelli (where his family had some properties). In 1811, he published an article with the title Essai d'une manière de déterminer les masses relatives des molécules élémentaires des corps, et les proportions selon lesquelles elles entrent dans ces combinaisons, which contains the famous Avogadro's hypothesis. The title of this famous 1811 paper can be roughly translated into English as "Essay on Determining the Relative Masses of the Elementary Molecules of Bodies". (Note: At that time in 1811, northern Italy was actually under French rule during the era of Napoléon Bonaparte. Avogadro submitted his poem to a French journal. This paper was written in French, not in Italian.) In 1820 he became a professor of physics at the University of Turin. (Note: After the downfall of Napoléon in 1815, northern Italy was under the rule of the Kingdom of Piedmont-Sardinia and Turin was the capital of this kingdom.) He was active in the political revolutionary movements of 1821 against the king of Sardinia, and as a result, was removed from his chair in 1823 (or, as officially declared, the university was "very glad to allow this interesting scientist to take a rest from heavy teaching duties, in order to be able to give a better attention to his researches") . However over time, Avogadro's political isolation became less, as revolutionary ideas received increasing attention from Savoy kings, until in 1848 when Charles Albert granted a modern Constitution (Statuto Albertino). Well before this, following the increasing attention to his works, Avogadro had been recalled to Turin university in 1833, where he taught for another twenty years. Very little is known about Avogadro's private life and political activity although he seems to have led a sober and religious life. He married Felicita Mazzé and had six children. Several historical studies confirm that he sponsored and helped some Sardinian plotters who were organising a revolution in that island, stopped at the very last moment by the concession of Charles Albert's statute. Some doubts however remain, considering the very slight evidence. Avogadro held public posts in statistics, meteorology, and weights and measures (he introduced decimal metric system in Piedmont) and was a member of the Royal Superior Council on Public Instruction. In honour of Avogadro's contributions to the theory of molarity and molecular weights, the number of molecules in one mole was renamed Avogadro's number, N A . It is approximately 6.0221415 10 23 . Loschmidt first calculated the value of Avogadro's number, now called Avogadro's constant, which is still sometimes referred to as the Loschmidt number in German-language countries (Loschmidt constant now has another meaning). Avogadro's number is commonly used to compute the results of chemical reactions. It allows chemists to determine the exact amounts of substances produced in a given reaction. During his stay in Vercelli he wrote a concise note (memoria) in which he declared the hypothesis of what we now call Avogadro's law: :equal volumes of gases, at the same temperature and pressure, contain the same number of molecules. This memoria he sent to De Lamétherie's Journal de Physique, de Chimie et d'Histoire naturelle and it was published in the edition of July 14, 1811 with the title Essai d'une manière de déterminer les masses relatives des molecules élémentaires des corps, et les proportions selon lesquelles elles entrent dans ces combinaisons . Avogadro's Law implies that the relationship occurring between the weights of same volumes of different gases (at the same temperature and pressure) corresponds to the relationship between respective molecular weights. Hence, relative molecular masses can be calculated from the masses of gas samples. Avogadro developed this hypothesis after Joseph Louis Gay-Lussac had published in 1808 his law on volumes (and combining gases). The greatest difficulty Avogadro had to resolve was the huge confusion at that time regarding atoms and molecules one of the most important contributions of Avogadro's work was clearly distinguishing one from the other, admitting that simple particles too could be composed of molecules, and that these are composed of atoms. For instance, John Dalton did not consider this possibility. Avogadro did not actually use the word "atom" as the words "atom" and "molecule" were used almost without difference. He considered that there were three kinds of "molecules," including an "elementary molecule" (our "atom"). Also, a keener attention was given to the definition of mass, as distinguished from weight. In 1814 he published Mémoire sur les masses relatives des molécules des corps simples, ou densités présumées de leur gaz, et sur la constitution de quelques-uns de leur composés, pour servir de suite à l'Essai sur le même sujet, publié dans le Journal de Physique, juillet 1811 (), about gas densities. In 1821 he published another memoria, Nouvelles considérations sur la théorie des proportions déterminées dans les combinaisons, et sur la détermination des masses des molécules des corps and little after Mémoire sur la manière de ramener les composès organiques aux lois ordinaires des proportions déterminées. In 1841 he completed and published his work in Fisica dei corpi ponderabili, ossia Trattato della costituzione materiale de' corpi, 4 volumes. The scientific community did not reserve great attention to his theory, so Avogadro's hypothesis was not immediately accepted when announced. André-Marie Ampère too was able three years later to achieve the same result by another method (in his Sur la détermination des proportions dans lesquelles les corps se combinent d'après le nombre et la disposition respective des molécules dont leurs particules intégrantes sont composées), but the same indifferent regard was given to his theories as well. Only with studies by Gerhardt, Laurent and Williamson on organic chemistry, was it possible to demonstrate that Avogadro's law was indispensable to explain why same quantities of molecules, brought to a vapour state, have the same volume. Unfortunately, in the performance of related experiments, some inorganic substances showed exceptions to the law. The matter was finally concluded by Stanislao Cannizzaro, as announced at Karlsruhe Congress (1860, four years after Avogadro's death), where he explained that these exceptions happened because of molecular dissociations which occurred at certain temperatures, and that Avogadro's law could determine not only molar masses, but as a consequence, atomic masses too. In 1911, a historic meeting took place in Turin to commemorate the hundredth anniversary of the publication of Avogadro's classic 1811 memoir. King Victor Emmanuel III was there to pay homage to Avogadro. Thus Avogadro's great contribution to chemistry was recognised and he is recognised as a great Italian chemist. (Note: In 1911, Victor Emmanuel III was the King of a unified Italy with Rome instead or Turin as its capital. The unification of Italy did not happen during the life time of Avogadro. In fact, Avogadro's famous 1811 paper was written in French.) Clausius, by his kinetic theory on gases, was able to give another confirmation of Avogadro's law. Not long after, in his researches regarding dilute solutions (and the consequent discovery of analogies between the behaviour of solutions and gases), J. H. van 't Hoff added his final consensus for the triumph of the Italian scientist, who since then has been considered the founder of the atomic-molecular theory. * Avogadro (lunar crater) * Avogadro's constant * * Morselli, Mario. (1984). Amedeo Avogadro, a scientific biography. Kluwer. ISBN 9027716242. Related Wikipedia Articles Caricature August 9 1776 July 9 1856 Italy savant molarity atom molecule ion mole (unit) Avogadro's number Turin Piedmont Italy ecclesiastical law physics mathematics Vercelli Turin King of Sardinia Sardinia Savoy Kings of Savoy Charles Albert of Savoy Statuto Albertino Sardinia molarity mole (unit) Avogadro's number Loschmidt Loschmidt number Loschmidt constant Avogadro's law De LamÃ©therie Joseph Louis Gay-Lussac Law of Charles and Gay-Lussac John Dalton mass weight AndrÃ©-Marie AmpÃ¨re Charles FrÃ©dÃ©ric Gerhardt Auguste Laurent Williamson organic chemistry Stanislao Cannizzaro Karlsruhe Turin Rome Turin Rudolf Clausius J. H. van 't Hoff Atomic theory#Modern atomic theory Avogadro (crater) lunar crater Avogadro's constant Dictionary of Scientific Biography
Amedeo_Avogadro	Was King Victor Emmanuel III there to pay homage to Avogadro ?	yes	data/set4/a8	Amedeo Avogadro Caricature of Amedeo Avogadro Lorenzo Romano Amedeo Carlo Avogadro, Count of Quaregna and Cerreto (August 9, 1776 July 9, 1856) was an Italian savant. He is most noted for his contributions to the theory of molarity and molecular weight. As a tribute to him, the number of elementary entities (atoms, molecules, ions or other particles) in one mole of a substance, 6.02214199x10 23 , is known as Avogadro's number. Amedeo Avogadro was born in Turin August 9th 1776 to a noble ancient family of Piedmont, Italy. He graduated in ecclesiastical law at the early age of 20 and began to practice. Soon there after he dedicated himself to the study of physics and mathematics (then called positive philosophy), and in 1809 started teaching them at a liceo (high school) in Vercelli (where his family had some properties). In 1811, he published an article with the title Essai d'une manière de déterminer les masses relatives des molécules élémentaires des corps, et les proportions selon lesquelles elles entrent dans ces combinaisons, which contains the famous Avogadro's hypothesis. The title of this famous 1811 paper can be roughly translated into English as "Essay on Determining the Relative Masses of the Elementary Molecules of Bodies". (Note: At that time in 1811, northern Italy was actually under French rule during the era of Napoléon Bonaparte. Avogadro submitted his poem to a French journal. This paper was written in French, not in Italian.) In 1820 he became a professor of physics at the University of Turin. (Note: After the downfall of Napoléon in 1815, northern Italy was under the rule of the Kingdom of Piedmont-Sardinia and Turin was the capital of this kingdom.) He was active in the political revolutionary movements of 1821 against the king of Sardinia, and as a result, was removed from his chair in 1823 (or, as officially declared, the university was "very glad to allow this interesting scientist to take a rest from heavy teaching duties, in order to be able to give a better attention to his researches") . However over time, Avogadro's political isolation became less, as revolutionary ideas received increasing attention from Savoy kings, until in 1848 when Charles Albert granted a modern Constitution (Statuto Albertino). Well before this, following the increasing attention to his works, Avogadro had been recalled to Turin university in 1833, where he taught for another twenty years. Very little is known about Avogadro's private life and political activity although he seems to have led a sober and religious life. He married Felicita Mazzé and had six children. Several historical studies confirm that he sponsored and helped some Sardinian plotters who were organising a revolution in that island, stopped at the very last moment by the concession of Charles Albert's statute. Some doubts however remain, considering the very slight evidence. Avogadro held public posts in statistics, meteorology, and weights and measures (he introduced decimal metric system in Piedmont) and was a member of the Royal Superior Council on Public Instruction. In honour of Avogadro's contributions to the theory of molarity and molecular weights, the number of molecules in one mole was renamed Avogadro's number, N A . It is approximately 6.0221415 10 23 . Loschmidt first calculated the value of Avogadro's number, now called Avogadro's constant, which is still sometimes referred to as the Loschmidt number in German-language countries (Loschmidt constant now has another meaning). Avogadro's number is commonly used to compute the results of chemical reactions. It allows chemists to determine the exact amounts of substances produced in a given reaction. During his stay in Vercelli he wrote a concise note (memoria) in which he declared the hypothesis of what we now call Avogadro's law: :equal volumes of gases, at the same temperature and pressure, contain the same number of molecules. This memoria he sent to De Lamétherie's Journal de Physique, de Chimie et d'Histoire naturelle and it was published in the edition of July 14, 1811 with the title Essai d'une manière de déterminer les masses relatives des molecules élémentaires des corps, et les proportions selon lesquelles elles entrent dans ces combinaisons . Avogadro's Law implies that the relationship occurring between the weights of same volumes of different gases (at the same temperature and pressure) corresponds to the relationship between respective molecular weights. Hence, relative molecular masses can be calculated from the masses of gas samples. Avogadro developed this hypothesis after Joseph Louis Gay-Lussac had published in 1808 his law on volumes (and combining gases). The greatest difficulty Avogadro had to resolve was the huge confusion at that time regarding atoms and molecules one of the most important contributions of Avogadro's work was clearly distinguishing one from the other, admitting that simple particles too could be composed of molecules, and that these are composed of atoms. For instance, John Dalton did not consider this possibility. Avogadro did not actually use the word "atom" as the words "atom" and "molecule" were used almost without difference. He considered that there were three kinds of "molecules," including an "elementary molecule" (our "atom"). Also, a keener attention was given to the definition of mass, as distinguished from weight. In 1814 he published Mémoire sur les masses relatives des molécules des corps simples, ou densités présumées de leur gaz, et sur la constitution de quelques-uns de leur composés, pour servir de suite à l'Essai sur le même sujet, publié dans le Journal de Physique, juillet 1811 (), about gas densities. In 1821 he published another memoria, Nouvelles considérations sur la théorie des proportions déterminées dans les combinaisons, et sur la détermination des masses des molécules des corps and little after Mémoire sur la manière de ramener les composès organiques aux lois ordinaires des proportions déterminées. In 1841 he completed and published his work in Fisica dei corpi ponderabili, ossia Trattato della costituzione materiale de' corpi, 4 volumes. The scientific community did not reserve great attention to his theory, so Avogadro's hypothesis was not immediately accepted when announced. André-Marie Ampère too was able three years later to achieve the same result by another method (in his Sur la détermination des proportions dans lesquelles les corps se combinent d'après le nombre et la disposition respective des molécules dont leurs particules intégrantes sont composées), but the same indifferent regard was given to his theories as well. Only with studies by Gerhardt, Laurent and Williamson on organic chemistry, was it possible to demonstrate that Avogadro's law was indispensable to explain why same quantities of molecules, brought to a vapour state, have the same volume. Unfortunately, in the performance of related experiments, some inorganic substances showed exceptions to the law. The matter was finally concluded by Stanislao Cannizzaro, as announced at Karlsruhe Congress (1860, four years after Avogadro's death), where he explained that these exceptions happened because of molecular dissociations which occurred at certain temperatures, and that Avogadro's law could determine not only molar masses, but as a consequence, atomic masses too. In 1911, a historic meeting took place in Turin to commemorate the hundredth anniversary of the publication of Avogadro's classic 1811 memoir. King Victor Emmanuel III was there to pay homage to Avogadro. Thus Avogadro's great contribution to chemistry was recognised and he is recognised as a great Italian chemist. (Note: In 1911, Victor Emmanuel III was the King of a unified Italy with Rome instead or Turin as its capital. The unification of Italy did not happen during the life time of Avogadro. In fact, Avogadro's famous 1811 paper was written in French.) Clausius, by his kinetic theory on gases, was able to give another confirmation of Avogadro's law. Not long after, in his researches regarding dilute solutions (and the consequent discovery of analogies between the behaviour of solutions and gases), J. H. van 't Hoff added his final consensus for the triumph of the Italian scientist, who since then has been considered the founder of the atomic-molecular theory. * Avogadro (lunar crater) * Avogadro's constant * * Morselli, Mario. (1984). Amedeo Avogadro, a scientific biography. Kluwer. ISBN 9027716242. Related Wikipedia Articles Caricature August 9 1776 July 9 1856 Italy savant molarity atom molecule ion mole (unit) Avogadro's number Turin Piedmont Italy ecclesiastical law physics mathematics Vercelli Turin King of Sardinia Sardinia Savoy Kings of Savoy Charles Albert of Savoy Statuto Albertino Sardinia molarity mole (unit) Avogadro's number Loschmidt Loschmidt number Loschmidt constant Avogadro's law De LamÃ©therie Joseph Louis Gay-Lussac Law of Charles and Gay-Lussac John Dalton mass weight AndrÃ©-Marie AmpÃ¨re Charles FrÃ©dÃ©ric Gerhardt Auguste Laurent Williamson organic chemistry Stanislao Cannizzaro Karlsruhe Turin Rome Turin Rudolf Clausius J. H. van 't Hoff Atomic theory#Modern atomic theory Avogadro (crater) lunar crater Avogadro's constant Dictionary of Scientific Biography
Amedeo_Avogadro	Was King Victor Emmanuel III there to pay homage to Avogadro ?	null	data/set4/a8	Amedeo Avogadro Caricature of Amedeo Avogadro Lorenzo Romano Amedeo Carlo Avogadro, Count of Quaregna and Cerreto (August 9, 1776 July 9, 1856) was an Italian savant. He is most noted for his contributions to the theory of molarity and molecular weight. As a tribute to him, the number of elementary entities (atoms, molecules, ions or other particles) in one mole of a substance, 6.02214199x10 23 , is known as Avogadro's number. Amedeo Avogadro was born in Turin August 9th 1776 to a noble ancient family of Piedmont, Italy. He graduated in ecclesiastical law at the early age of 20 and began to practice. Soon there after he dedicated himself to the study of physics and mathematics (then called positive philosophy), and in 1809 started teaching them at a liceo (high school) in Vercelli (where his family had some properties). In 1811, he published an article with the title Essai d'une manière de déterminer les masses relatives des molécules élémentaires des corps, et les proportions selon lesquelles elles entrent dans ces combinaisons, which contains the famous Avogadro's hypothesis. The title of this famous 1811 paper can be roughly translated into English as "Essay on Determining the Relative Masses of the Elementary Molecules of Bodies". (Note: At that time in 1811, northern Italy was actually under French rule during the era of Napoléon Bonaparte. Avogadro submitted his poem to a French journal. This paper was written in French, not in Italian.) In 1820 he became a professor of physics at the University of Turin. (Note: After the downfall of Napoléon in 1815, northern Italy was under the rule of the Kingdom of Piedmont-Sardinia and Turin was the capital of this kingdom.) He was active in the political revolutionary movements of 1821 against the king of Sardinia, and as a result, was removed from his chair in 1823 (or, as officially declared, the university was "very glad to allow this interesting scientist to take a rest from heavy teaching duties, in order to be able to give a better attention to his researches") . However over time, Avogadro's political isolation became less, as revolutionary ideas received increasing attention from Savoy kings, until in 1848 when Charles Albert granted a modern Constitution (Statuto Albertino). Well before this, following the increasing attention to his works, Avogadro had been recalled to Turin university in 1833, where he taught for another twenty years. Very little is known about Avogadro's private life and political activity although he seems to have led a sober and religious life. He married Felicita Mazzé and had six children. Several historical studies confirm that he sponsored and helped some Sardinian plotters who were organising a revolution in that island, stopped at the very last moment by the concession of Charles Albert's statute. Some doubts however remain, considering the very slight evidence. Avogadro held public posts in statistics, meteorology, and weights and measures (he introduced decimal metric system in Piedmont) and was a member of the Royal Superior Council on Public Instruction. In honour of Avogadro's contributions to the theory of molarity and molecular weights, the number of molecules in one mole was renamed Avogadro's number, N A . It is approximately 6.0221415 10 23 . Loschmidt first calculated the value of Avogadro's number, now called Avogadro's constant, which is still sometimes referred to as the Loschmidt number in German-language countries (Loschmidt constant now has another meaning). Avogadro's number is commonly used to compute the results of chemical reactions. It allows chemists to determine the exact amounts of substances produced in a given reaction. During his stay in Vercelli he wrote a concise note (memoria) in which he declared the hypothesis of what we now call Avogadro's law: :equal volumes of gases, at the same temperature and pressure, contain the same number of molecules. This memoria he sent to De Lamétherie's Journal de Physique, de Chimie et d'Histoire naturelle and it was published in the edition of July 14, 1811 with the title Essai d'une manière de déterminer les masses relatives des molecules élémentaires des corps, et les proportions selon lesquelles elles entrent dans ces combinaisons . Avogadro's Law implies that the relationship occurring between the weights of same volumes of different gases (at the same temperature and pressure) corresponds to the relationship between respective molecular weights. Hence, relative molecular masses can be calculated from the masses of gas samples. Avogadro developed this hypothesis after Joseph Louis Gay-Lussac had published in 1808 his law on volumes (and combining gases). The greatest difficulty Avogadro had to resolve was the huge confusion at that time regarding atoms and molecules one of the most important contributions of Avogadro's work was clearly distinguishing one from the other, admitting that simple particles too could be composed of molecules, and that these are composed of atoms. For instance, John Dalton did not consider this possibility. Avogadro did not actually use the word "atom" as the words "atom" and "molecule" were used almost without difference. He considered that there were three kinds of "molecules," including an "elementary molecule" (our "atom"). Also, a keener attention was given to the definition of mass, as distinguished from weight. In 1814 he published Mémoire sur les masses relatives des molécules des corps simples, ou densités présumées de leur gaz, et sur la constitution de quelques-uns de leur composés, pour servir de suite à l'Essai sur le même sujet, publié dans le Journal de Physique, juillet 1811 (), about gas densities. In 1821 he published another memoria, Nouvelles considérations sur la théorie des proportions déterminées dans les combinaisons, et sur la détermination des masses des molécules des corps and little after Mémoire sur la manière de ramener les composès organiques aux lois ordinaires des proportions déterminées. In 1841 he completed and published his work in Fisica dei corpi ponderabili, ossia Trattato della costituzione materiale de' corpi, 4 volumes. The scientific community did not reserve great attention to his theory, so Avogadro's hypothesis was not immediately accepted when announced. André-Marie Ampère too was able three years later to achieve the same result by another method (in his Sur la détermination des proportions dans lesquelles les corps se combinent d'après le nombre et la disposition respective des molécules dont leurs particules intégrantes sont composées), but the same indifferent regard was given to his theories as well. Only with studies by Gerhardt, Laurent and Williamson on organic chemistry, was it possible to demonstrate that Avogadro's law was indispensable to explain why same quantities of molecules, brought to a vapour state, have the same volume. Unfortunately, in the performance of related experiments, some inorganic substances showed exceptions to the law. The matter was finally concluded by Stanislao Cannizzaro, as announced at Karlsruhe Congress (1860, four years after Avogadro's death), where he explained that these exceptions happened because of molecular dissociations which occurred at certain temperatures, and that Avogadro's law could determine not only molar masses, but as a consequence, atomic masses too. In 1911, a historic meeting took place in Turin to commemorate the hundredth anniversary of the publication of Avogadro's classic 1811 memoir. King Victor Emmanuel III was there to pay homage to Avogadro. Thus Avogadro's great contribution to chemistry was recognised and he is recognised as a great Italian chemist. (Note: In 1911, Victor Emmanuel III was the King of a unified Italy with Rome instead or Turin as its capital. The unification of Italy did not happen during the life time of Avogadro. In fact, Avogadro's famous 1811 paper was written in French.) Clausius, by his kinetic theory on gases, was able to give another confirmation of Avogadro's law. Not long after, in his researches regarding dilute solutions (and the consequent discovery of analogies between the behaviour of solutions and gases), J. H. van 't Hoff added his final consensus for the triumph of the Italian scientist, who since then has been considered the founder of the atomic-molecular theory. * Avogadro (lunar crater) * Avogadro's constant * * Morselli, Mario. (1984). Amedeo Avogadro, a scientific biography. Kluwer. ISBN 9027716242. Related Wikipedia Articles Caricature August 9 1776 July 9 1856 Italy savant molarity atom molecule ion mole (unit) Avogadro's number Turin Piedmont Italy ecclesiastical law physics mathematics Vercelli Turin King of Sardinia Sardinia Savoy Kings of Savoy Charles Albert of Savoy Statuto Albertino Sardinia molarity mole (unit) Avogadro's number Loschmidt Loschmidt number Loschmidt constant Avogadro's law De LamÃ©therie Joseph Louis Gay-Lussac Law of Charles and Gay-Lussac John Dalton mass weight AndrÃ©-Marie AmpÃ¨re Charles FrÃ©dÃ©ric Gerhardt Auguste Laurent Williamson organic chemistry Stanislao Cannizzaro Karlsruhe Turin Rome Turin Rudolf Clausius J. H. van 't Hoff Atomic theory#Modern atomic theory Avogadro (crater) lunar crater Avogadro's constant Dictionary of Scientific Biography
Amedeo_Avogadro	Was King Victor Emmanuel III there to pay homage to Avogadro ?	null	data/set4/a8	Amedeo Avogadro Caricature of Amedeo Avogadro Lorenzo Romano Amedeo Carlo Avogadro, Count of Quaregna and Cerreto (August 9, 1776 July 9, 1856) was an Italian savant. He is most noted for his contributions to the theory of molarity and molecular weight. As a tribute to him, the number of elementary entities (atoms, molecules, ions or other particles) in one mole of a substance, 6.02214199x10 23 , is known as Avogadro's number. Amedeo Avogadro was born in Turin August 9th 1776 to a noble ancient family of Piedmont, Italy. He graduated in ecclesiastical law at the early age of 20 and began to practice. Soon there after he dedicated himself to the study of physics and mathematics (then called positive philosophy), and in 1809 started teaching them at a liceo (high school) in Vercelli (where his family had some properties). In 1811, he published an article with the title Essai d'une manière de déterminer les masses relatives des molécules élémentaires des corps, et les proportions selon lesquelles elles entrent dans ces combinaisons, which contains the famous Avogadro's hypothesis. The title of this famous 1811 paper can be roughly translated into English as "Essay on Determining the Relative Masses of the Elementary Molecules of Bodies". (Note: At that time in 1811, northern Italy was actually under French rule during the era of Napoléon Bonaparte. Avogadro submitted his poem to a French journal. This paper was written in French, not in Italian.) In 1820 he became a professor of physics at the University of Turin. (Note: After the downfall of Napoléon in 1815, northern Italy was under the rule of the Kingdom of Piedmont-Sardinia and Turin was the capital of this kingdom.) He was active in the political revolutionary movements of 1821 against the king of Sardinia, and as a result, was removed from his chair in 1823 (or, as officially declared, the university was "very glad to allow this interesting scientist to take a rest from heavy teaching duties, in order to be able to give a better attention to his researches") . However over time, Avogadro's political isolation became less, as revolutionary ideas received increasing attention from Savoy kings, until in 1848 when Charles Albert granted a modern Constitution (Statuto Albertino). Well before this, following the increasing attention to his works, Avogadro had been recalled to Turin university in 1833, where he taught for another twenty years. Very little is known about Avogadro's private life and political activity although he seems to have led a sober and religious life. He married Felicita Mazzé and had six children. Several historical studies confirm that he sponsored and helped some Sardinian plotters who were organising a revolution in that island, stopped at the very last moment by the concession of Charles Albert's statute. Some doubts however remain, considering the very slight evidence. Avogadro held public posts in statistics, meteorology, and weights and measures (he introduced decimal metric system in Piedmont) and was a member of the Royal Superior Council on Public Instruction. In honour of Avogadro's contributions to the theory of molarity and molecular weights, the number of molecules in one mole was renamed Avogadro's number, N A . It is approximately 6.0221415 10 23 . Loschmidt first calculated the value of Avogadro's number, now called Avogadro's constant, which is still sometimes referred to as the Loschmidt number in German-language countries (Loschmidt constant now has another meaning). Avogadro's number is commonly used to compute the results of chemical reactions. It allows chemists to determine the exact amounts of substances produced in a given reaction. During his stay in Vercelli he wrote a concise note (memoria) in which he declared the hypothesis of what we now call Avogadro's law: :equal volumes of gases, at the same temperature and pressure, contain the same number of molecules. This memoria he sent to De Lamétherie's Journal de Physique, de Chimie et d'Histoire naturelle and it was published in the edition of July 14, 1811 with the title Essai d'une manière de déterminer les masses relatives des molecules élémentaires des corps, et les proportions selon lesquelles elles entrent dans ces combinaisons . Avogadro's Law implies that the relationship occurring between the weights of same volumes of different gases (at the same temperature and pressure) corresponds to the relationship between respective molecular weights. Hence, relative molecular masses can be calculated from the masses of gas samples. Avogadro developed this hypothesis after Joseph Louis Gay-Lussac had published in 1808 his law on volumes (and combining gases). The greatest difficulty Avogadro had to resolve was the huge confusion at that time regarding atoms and molecules one of the most important contributions of Avogadro's work was clearly distinguishing one from the other, admitting that simple particles too could be composed of molecules, and that these are composed of atoms. For instance, John Dalton did not consider this possibility. Avogadro did not actually use the word "atom" as the words "atom" and "molecule" were used almost without difference. He considered that there were three kinds of "molecules," including an "elementary molecule" (our "atom"). Also, a keener attention was given to the definition of mass, as distinguished from weight. In 1814 he published Mémoire sur les masses relatives des molécules des corps simples, ou densités présumées de leur gaz, et sur la constitution de quelques-uns de leur composés, pour servir de suite à l'Essai sur le même sujet, publié dans le Journal de Physique, juillet 1811 (), about gas densities. In 1821 he published another memoria, Nouvelles considérations sur la théorie des proportions déterminées dans les combinaisons, et sur la détermination des masses des molécules des corps and little after Mémoire sur la manière de ramener les composès organiques aux lois ordinaires des proportions déterminées. In 1841 he completed and published his work in Fisica dei corpi ponderabili, ossia Trattato della costituzione materiale de' corpi, 4 volumes. The scientific community did not reserve great attention to his theory, so Avogadro's hypothesis was not immediately accepted when announced. André-Marie Ampère too was able three years later to achieve the same result by another method (in his Sur la détermination des proportions dans lesquelles les corps se combinent d'après le nombre et la disposition respective des molécules dont leurs particules intégrantes sont composées), but the same indifferent regard was given to his theories as well. Only with studies by Gerhardt, Laurent and Williamson on organic chemistry, was it possible to demonstrate that Avogadro's law was indispensable to explain why same quantities of molecules, brought to a vapour state, have the same volume. Unfortunately, in the performance of related experiments, some inorganic substances showed exceptions to the law. The matter was finally concluded by Stanislao Cannizzaro, as announced at Karlsruhe Congress (1860, four years after Avogadro's death), where he explained that these exceptions happened because of molecular dissociations which occurred at certain temperatures, and that Avogadro's law could determine not only molar masses, but as a consequence, atomic masses too. In 1911, a historic meeting took place in Turin to commemorate the hundredth anniversary of the publication of Avogadro's classic 1811 memoir. King Victor Emmanuel III was there to pay homage to Avogadro. Thus Avogadro's great contribution to chemistry was recognised and he is recognised as a great Italian chemist. (Note: In 1911, Victor Emmanuel III was the King of a unified Italy with Rome instead or Turin as its capital. The unification of Italy did not happen during the life time of Avogadro. In fact, Avogadro's famous 1811 paper was written in French.) Clausius, by his kinetic theory on gases, was able to give another confirmation of Avogadro's law. Not long after, in his researches regarding dilute solutions (and the consequent discovery of analogies between the behaviour of solutions and gases), J. H. van 't Hoff added his final consensus for the triumph of the Italian scientist, who since then has been considered the founder of the atomic-molecular theory. * Avogadro (lunar crater) * Avogadro's constant * * Morselli, Mario. (1984). Amedeo Avogadro, a scientific biography. Kluwer. ISBN 9027716242. Related Wikipedia Articles Caricature August 9 1776 July 9 1856 Italy savant molarity atom molecule ion mole (unit) Avogadro's number Turin Piedmont Italy ecclesiastical law physics mathematics Vercelli Turin King of Sardinia Sardinia Savoy Kings of Savoy Charles Albert of Savoy Statuto Albertino Sardinia molarity mole (unit) Avogadro's number Loschmidt Loschmidt number Loschmidt constant Avogadro's law De LamÃ©therie Joseph Louis Gay-Lussac Law of Charles and Gay-Lussac John Dalton mass weight AndrÃ©-Marie AmpÃ¨re Charles FrÃ©dÃ©ric Gerhardt Auguste Laurent Williamson organic chemistry Stanislao Cannizzaro Karlsruhe Turin Rome Turin Rudolf Clausius J. H. van 't Hoff Atomic theory#Modern atomic theory Avogadro (crater) lunar crater Avogadro's constant Dictionary of Scientific Biography
Amedeo_Avogadro	Is Avogadro 's number commonly used to compute the results of chemical reactions ?	yes	data/set4/a8	Amedeo Avogadro Caricature of Amedeo Avogadro Lorenzo Romano Amedeo Carlo Avogadro, Count of Quaregna and Cerreto (August 9, 1776 July 9, 1856) was an Italian savant. He is most noted for his contributions to the theory of molarity and molecular weight. As a tribute to him, the number of elementary entities (atoms, molecules, ions or other particles) in one mole of a substance, 6.02214199x10 23 , is known as Avogadro's number. Amedeo Avogadro was born in Turin August 9th 1776 to a noble ancient family of Piedmont, Italy. He graduated in ecclesiastical law at the early age of 20 and began to practice. Soon there after he dedicated himself to the study of physics and mathematics (then called positive philosophy), and in 1809 started teaching them at a liceo (high school) in Vercelli (where his family had some properties). In 1811, he published an article with the title Essai d'une manière de déterminer les masses relatives des molécules élémentaires des corps, et les proportions selon lesquelles elles entrent dans ces combinaisons, which contains the famous Avogadro's hypothesis. The title of this famous 1811 paper can be roughly translated into English as "Essay on Determining the Relative Masses of the Elementary Molecules of Bodies". (Note: At that time in 1811, northern Italy was actually under French rule during the era of Napoléon Bonaparte. Avogadro submitted his poem to a French journal. This paper was written in French, not in Italian.) In 1820 he became a professor of physics at the University of Turin. (Note: After the downfall of Napoléon in 1815, northern Italy was under the rule of the Kingdom of Piedmont-Sardinia and Turin was the capital of this kingdom.) He was active in the political revolutionary movements of 1821 against the king of Sardinia, and as a result, was removed from his chair in 1823 (or, as officially declared, the university was "very glad to allow this interesting scientist to take a rest from heavy teaching duties, in order to be able to give a better attention to his researches") . However over time, Avogadro's political isolation became less, as revolutionary ideas received increasing attention from Savoy kings, until in 1848 when Charles Albert granted a modern Constitution (Statuto Albertino). Well before this, following the increasing attention to his works, Avogadro had been recalled to Turin university in 1833, where he taught for another twenty years. Very little is known about Avogadro's private life and political activity although he seems to have led a sober and religious life. He married Felicita Mazzé and had six children. Several historical studies confirm that he sponsored and helped some Sardinian plotters who were organising a revolution in that island, stopped at the very last moment by the concession of Charles Albert's statute. Some doubts however remain, considering the very slight evidence. Avogadro held public posts in statistics, meteorology, and weights and measures (he introduced decimal metric system in Piedmont) and was a member of the Royal Superior Council on Public Instruction. In honour of Avogadro's contributions to the theory of molarity and molecular weights, the number of molecules in one mole was renamed Avogadro's number, N A . It is approximately 6.0221415 10 23 . Loschmidt first calculated the value of Avogadro's number, now called Avogadro's constant, which is still sometimes referred to as the Loschmidt number in German-language countries (Loschmidt constant now has another meaning). Avogadro's number is commonly used to compute the results of chemical reactions. It allows chemists to determine the exact amounts of substances produced in a given reaction. During his stay in Vercelli he wrote a concise note (memoria) in which he declared the hypothesis of what we now call Avogadro's law: :equal volumes of gases, at the same temperature and pressure, contain the same number of molecules. This memoria he sent to De Lamétherie's Journal de Physique, de Chimie et d'Histoire naturelle and it was published in the edition of July 14, 1811 with the title Essai d'une manière de déterminer les masses relatives des molecules élémentaires des corps, et les proportions selon lesquelles elles entrent dans ces combinaisons . Avogadro's Law implies that the relationship occurring between the weights of same volumes of different gases (at the same temperature and pressure) corresponds to the relationship between respective molecular weights. Hence, relative molecular masses can be calculated from the masses of gas samples. Avogadro developed this hypothesis after Joseph Louis Gay-Lussac had published in 1808 his law on volumes (and combining gases). The greatest difficulty Avogadro had to resolve was the huge confusion at that time regarding atoms and molecules one of the most important contributions of Avogadro's work was clearly distinguishing one from the other, admitting that simple particles too could be composed of molecules, and that these are composed of atoms. For instance, John Dalton did not consider this possibility. Avogadro did not actually use the word "atom" as the words "atom" and "molecule" were used almost without difference. He considered that there were three kinds of "molecules," including an "elementary molecule" (our "atom"). Also, a keener attention was given to the definition of mass, as distinguished from weight. In 1814 he published Mémoire sur les masses relatives des molécules des corps simples, ou densités présumées de leur gaz, et sur la constitution de quelques-uns de leur composés, pour servir de suite à l'Essai sur le même sujet, publié dans le Journal de Physique, juillet 1811 (), about gas densities. In 1821 he published another memoria, Nouvelles considérations sur la théorie des proportions déterminées dans les combinaisons, et sur la détermination des masses des molécules des corps and little after Mémoire sur la manière de ramener les composès organiques aux lois ordinaires des proportions déterminées. In 1841 he completed and published his work in Fisica dei corpi ponderabili, ossia Trattato della costituzione materiale de' corpi, 4 volumes. The scientific community did not reserve great attention to his theory, so Avogadro's hypothesis was not immediately accepted when announced. André-Marie Ampère too was able three years later to achieve the same result by another method (in his Sur la détermination des proportions dans lesquelles les corps se combinent d'après le nombre et la disposition respective des molécules dont leurs particules intégrantes sont composées), but the same indifferent regard was given to his theories as well. Only with studies by Gerhardt, Laurent and Williamson on organic chemistry, was it possible to demonstrate that Avogadro's law was indispensable to explain why same quantities of molecules, brought to a vapour state, have the same volume. Unfortunately, in the performance of related experiments, some inorganic substances showed exceptions to the law. The matter was finally concluded by Stanislao Cannizzaro, as announced at Karlsruhe Congress (1860, four years after Avogadro's death), where he explained that these exceptions happened because of molecular dissociations which occurred at certain temperatures, and that Avogadro's law could determine not only molar masses, but as a consequence, atomic masses too. In 1911, a historic meeting took place in Turin to commemorate the hundredth anniversary of the publication of Avogadro's classic 1811 memoir. King Victor Emmanuel III was there to pay homage to Avogadro. Thus Avogadro's great contribution to chemistry was recognised and he is recognised as a great Italian chemist. (Note: In 1911, Victor Emmanuel III was the King of a unified Italy with Rome instead or Turin as its capital. The unification of Italy did not happen during the life time of Avogadro. In fact, Avogadro's famous 1811 paper was written in French.) Clausius, by his kinetic theory on gases, was able to give another confirmation of Avogadro's law. Not long after, in his researches regarding dilute solutions (and the consequent discovery of analogies between the behaviour of solutions and gases), J. H. van 't Hoff added his final consensus for the triumph of the Italian scientist, who since then has been considered the founder of the atomic-molecular theory. * Avogadro (lunar crater) * Avogadro's constant * * Morselli, Mario. (1984). Amedeo Avogadro, a scientific biography. Kluwer. ISBN 9027716242. Related Wikipedia Articles Caricature August 9 1776 July 9 1856 Italy savant molarity atom molecule ion mole (unit) Avogadro's number Turin Piedmont Italy ecclesiastical law physics mathematics Vercelli Turin King of Sardinia Sardinia Savoy Kings of Savoy Charles Albert of Savoy Statuto Albertino Sardinia molarity mole (unit) Avogadro's number Loschmidt Loschmidt number Loschmidt constant Avogadro's law De LamÃ©therie Joseph Louis Gay-Lussac Law of Charles and Gay-Lussac John Dalton mass weight AndrÃ©-Marie AmpÃ¨re Charles FrÃ©dÃ©ric Gerhardt Auguste Laurent Williamson organic chemistry Stanislao Cannizzaro Karlsruhe Turin Rome Turin Rudolf Clausius J. H. van 't Hoff Atomic theory#Modern atomic theory Avogadro (crater) lunar crater Avogadro's constant Dictionary of Scientific Biography
Amedeo_Avogadro	Is Avogadro 's number commonly used to compute the results of chemical reactions ?	null	data/set4/a8	Amedeo Avogadro Caricature of Amedeo Avogadro Lorenzo Romano Amedeo Carlo Avogadro, Count of Quaregna and Cerreto (August 9, 1776 July 9, 1856) was an Italian savant. He is most noted for his contributions to the theory of molarity and molecular weight. As a tribute to him, the number of elementary entities (atoms, molecules, ions or other particles) in one mole of a substance, 6.02214199x10 23 , is known as Avogadro's number. Amedeo Avogadro was born in Turin August 9th 1776 to a noble ancient family of Piedmont, Italy. He graduated in ecclesiastical law at the early age of 20 and began to practice. Soon there after he dedicated himself to the study of physics and mathematics (then called positive philosophy), and in 1809 started teaching them at a liceo (high school) in Vercelli (where his family had some properties). In 1811, he published an article with the title Essai d'une manière de déterminer les masses relatives des molécules élémentaires des corps, et les proportions selon lesquelles elles entrent dans ces combinaisons, which contains the famous Avogadro's hypothesis. The title of this famous 1811 paper can be roughly translated into English as "Essay on Determining the Relative Masses of the Elementary Molecules of Bodies". (Note: At that time in 1811, northern Italy was actually under French rule during the era of Napoléon Bonaparte. Avogadro submitted his poem to a French journal. This paper was written in French, not in Italian.) In 1820 he became a professor of physics at the University of Turin. (Note: After the downfall of Napoléon in 1815, northern Italy was under the rule of the Kingdom of Piedmont-Sardinia and Turin was the capital of this kingdom.) He was active in the political revolutionary movements of 1821 against the king of Sardinia, and as a result, was removed from his chair in 1823 (or, as officially declared, the university was "very glad to allow this interesting scientist to take a rest from heavy teaching duties, in order to be able to give a better attention to his researches") . However over time, Avogadro's political isolation became less, as revolutionary ideas received increasing attention from Savoy kings, until in 1848 when Charles Albert granted a modern Constitution (Statuto Albertino). Well before this, following the increasing attention to his works, Avogadro had been recalled to Turin university in 1833, where he taught for another twenty years. Very little is known about Avogadro's private life and political activity although he seems to have led a sober and religious life. He married Felicita Mazzé and had six children. Several historical studies confirm that he sponsored and helped some Sardinian plotters who were organising a revolution in that island, stopped at the very last moment by the concession of Charles Albert's statute. Some doubts however remain, considering the very slight evidence. Avogadro held public posts in statistics, meteorology, and weights and measures (he introduced decimal metric system in Piedmont) and was a member of the Royal Superior Council on Public Instruction. In honour of Avogadro's contributions to the theory of molarity and molecular weights, the number of molecules in one mole was renamed Avogadro's number, N A . It is approximately 6.0221415 10 23 . Loschmidt first calculated the value of Avogadro's number, now called Avogadro's constant, which is still sometimes referred to as the Loschmidt number in German-language countries (Loschmidt constant now has another meaning). Avogadro's number is commonly used to compute the results of chemical reactions. It allows chemists to determine the exact amounts of substances produced in a given reaction. During his stay in Vercelli he wrote a concise note (memoria) in which he declared the hypothesis of what we now call Avogadro's law: :equal volumes of gases, at the same temperature and pressure, contain the same number of molecules. This memoria he sent to De Lamétherie's Journal de Physique, de Chimie et d'Histoire naturelle and it was published in the edition of July 14, 1811 with the title Essai d'une manière de déterminer les masses relatives des molecules élémentaires des corps, et les proportions selon lesquelles elles entrent dans ces combinaisons . Avogadro's Law implies that the relationship occurring between the weights of same volumes of different gases (at the same temperature and pressure) corresponds to the relationship between respective molecular weights. Hence, relative molecular masses can be calculated from the masses of gas samples. Avogadro developed this hypothesis after Joseph Louis Gay-Lussac had published in 1808 his law on volumes (and combining gases). The greatest difficulty Avogadro had to resolve was the huge confusion at that time regarding atoms and molecules one of the most important contributions of Avogadro's work was clearly distinguishing one from the other, admitting that simple particles too could be composed of molecules, and that these are composed of atoms. For instance, John Dalton did not consider this possibility. Avogadro did not actually use the word "atom" as the words "atom" and "molecule" were used almost without difference. He considered that there were three kinds of "molecules," including an "elementary molecule" (our "atom"). Also, a keener attention was given to the definition of mass, as distinguished from weight. In 1814 he published Mémoire sur les masses relatives des molécules des corps simples, ou densités présumées de leur gaz, et sur la constitution de quelques-uns de leur composés, pour servir de suite à l'Essai sur le même sujet, publié dans le Journal de Physique, juillet 1811 (), about gas densities. In 1821 he published another memoria, Nouvelles considérations sur la théorie des proportions déterminées dans les combinaisons, et sur la détermination des masses des molécules des corps and little after Mémoire sur la manière de ramener les composès organiques aux lois ordinaires des proportions déterminées. In 1841 he completed and published his work in Fisica dei corpi ponderabili, ossia Trattato della costituzione materiale de' corpi, 4 volumes. The scientific community did not reserve great attention to his theory, so Avogadro's hypothesis was not immediately accepted when announced. André-Marie Ampère too was able three years later to achieve the same result by another method (in his Sur la détermination des proportions dans lesquelles les corps se combinent d'après le nombre et la disposition respective des molécules dont leurs particules intégrantes sont composées), but the same indifferent regard was given to his theories as well. Only with studies by Gerhardt, Laurent and Williamson on organic chemistry, was it possible to demonstrate that Avogadro's law was indispensable to explain why same quantities of molecules, brought to a vapour state, have the same volume. Unfortunately, in the performance of related experiments, some inorganic substances showed exceptions to the law. The matter was finally concluded by Stanislao Cannizzaro, as announced at Karlsruhe Congress (1860, four years after Avogadro's death), where he explained that these exceptions happened because of molecular dissociations which occurred at certain temperatures, and that Avogadro's law could determine not only molar masses, but as a consequence, atomic masses too. In 1911, a historic meeting took place in Turin to commemorate the hundredth anniversary of the publication of Avogadro's classic 1811 memoir. King Victor Emmanuel III was there to pay homage to Avogadro. Thus Avogadro's great contribution to chemistry was recognised and he is recognised as a great Italian chemist. (Note: In 1911, Victor Emmanuel III was the King of a unified Italy with Rome instead or Turin as its capital. The unification of Italy did not happen during the life time of Avogadro. In fact, Avogadro's famous 1811 paper was written in French.) Clausius, by his kinetic theory on gases, was able to give another confirmation of Avogadro's law. Not long after, in his researches regarding dilute solutions (and the consequent discovery of analogies between the behaviour of solutions and gases), J. H. van 't Hoff added his final consensus for the triumph of the Italian scientist, who since then has been considered the founder of the atomic-molecular theory. * Avogadro (lunar crater) * Avogadro's constant * * Morselli, Mario. (1984). Amedeo Avogadro, a scientific biography. Kluwer. ISBN 9027716242. Related Wikipedia Articles Caricature August 9 1776 July 9 1856 Italy savant molarity atom molecule ion mole (unit) Avogadro's number Turin Piedmont Italy ecclesiastical law physics mathematics Vercelli Turin King of Sardinia Sardinia Savoy Kings of Savoy Charles Albert of Savoy Statuto Albertino Sardinia molarity mole (unit) Avogadro's number Loschmidt Loschmidt number Loschmidt constant Avogadro's law De LamÃ©therie Joseph Louis Gay-Lussac Law of Charles and Gay-Lussac John Dalton mass weight AndrÃ©-Marie AmpÃ¨re Charles FrÃ©dÃ©ric Gerhardt Auguste Laurent Williamson organic chemistry Stanislao Cannizzaro Karlsruhe Turin Rome Turin Rudolf Clausius J. H. van 't Hoff Atomic theory#Modern atomic theory Avogadro (crater) lunar crater Avogadro's constant Dictionary of Scientific Biography
Amedeo_Avogadro	Is Avogadro 's number commonly used to compute the results of chemical reactions ?	null	data/set4/a8	Amedeo Avogadro Caricature of Amedeo Avogadro Lorenzo Romano Amedeo Carlo Avogadro, Count of Quaregna and Cerreto (August 9, 1776 July 9, 1856) was an Italian savant. He is most noted for his contributions to the theory of molarity and molecular weight. As a tribute to him, the number of elementary entities (atoms, molecules, ions or other particles) in one mole of a substance, 6.02214199x10 23 , is known as Avogadro's number. Amedeo Avogadro was born in Turin August 9th 1776 to a noble ancient family of Piedmont, Italy. He graduated in ecclesiastical law at the early age of 20 and began to practice. Soon there after he dedicated himself to the study of physics and mathematics (then called positive philosophy), and in 1809 started teaching them at a liceo (high school) in Vercelli (where his family had some properties). In 1811, he published an article with the title Essai d'une manière de déterminer les masses relatives des molécules élémentaires des corps, et les proportions selon lesquelles elles entrent dans ces combinaisons, which contains the famous Avogadro's hypothesis. The title of this famous 1811 paper can be roughly translated into English as "Essay on Determining the Relative Masses of the Elementary Molecules of Bodies". (Note: At that time in 1811, northern Italy was actually under French rule during the era of Napoléon Bonaparte. Avogadro submitted his poem to a French journal. This paper was written in French, not in Italian.) In 1820 he became a professor of physics at the University of Turin. (Note: After the downfall of Napoléon in 1815, northern Italy was under the rule of the Kingdom of Piedmont-Sardinia and Turin was the capital of this kingdom.) He was active in the political revolutionary movements of 1821 against the king of Sardinia, and as a result, was removed from his chair in 1823 (or, as officially declared, the university was "very glad to allow this interesting scientist to take a rest from heavy teaching duties, in order to be able to give a better attention to his researches") . However over time, Avogadro's political isolation became less, as revolutionary ideas received increasing attention from Savoy kings, until in 1848 when Charles Albert granted a modern Constitution (Statuto Albertino). Well before this, following the increasing attention to his works, Avogadro had been recalled to Turin university in 1833, where he taught for another twenty years. Very little is known about Avogadro's private life and political activity although he seems to have led a sober and religious life. He married Felicita Mazzé and had six children. Several historical studies confirm that he sponsored and helped some Sardinian plotters who were organising a revolution in that island, stopped at the very last moment by the concession of Charles Albert's statute. Some doubts however remain, considering the very slight evidence. Avogadro held public posts in statistics, meteorology, and weights and measures (he introduced decimal metric system in Piedmont) and was a member of the Royal Superior Council on Public Instruction. In honour of Avogadro's contributions to the theory of molarity and molecular weights, the number of molecules in one mole was renamed Avogadro's number, N A . It is approximately 6.0221415 10 23 . Loschmidt first calculated the value of Avogadro's number, now called Avogadro's constant, which is still sometimes referred to as the Loschmidt number in German-language countries (Loschmidt constant now has another meaning). Avogadro's number is commonly used to compute the results of chemical reactions. It allows chemists to determine the exact amounts of substances produced in a given reaction. During his stay in Vercelli he wrote a concise note (memoria) in which he declared the hypothesis of what we now call Avogadro's law: :equal volumes of gases, at the same temperature and pressure, contain the same number of molecules. This memoria he sent to De Lamétherie's Journal de Physique, de Chimie et d'Histoire naturelle and it was published in the edition of July 14, 1811 with the title Essai d'une manière de déterminer les masses relatives des molecules élémentaires des corps, et les proportions selon lesquelles elles entrent dans ces combinaisons . Avogadro's Law implies that the relationship occurring between the weights of same volumes of different gases (at the same temperature and pressure) corresponds to the relationship between respective molecular weights. Hence, relative molecular masses can be calculated from the masses of gas samples. Avogadro developed this hypothesis after Joseph Louis Gay-Lussac had published in 1808 his law on volumes (and combining gases). The greatest difficulty Avogadro had to resolve was the huge confusion at that time regarding atoms and molecules one of the most important contributions of Avogadro's work was clearly distinguishing one from the other, admitting that simple particles too could be composed of molecules, and that these are composed of atoms. For instance, John Dalton did not consider this possibility. Avogadro did not actually use the word "atom" as the words "atom" and "molecule" were used almost without difference. He considered that there were three kinds of "molecules," including an "elementary molecule" (our "atom"). Also, a keener attention was given to the definition of mass, as distinguished from weight. In 1814 he published Mémoire sur les masses relatives des molécules des corps simples, ou densités présumées de leur gaz, et sur la constitution de quelques-uns de leur composés, pour servir de suite à l'Essai sur le même sujet, publié dans le Journal de Physique, juillet 1811 (), about gas densities. In 1821 he published another memoria, Nouvelles considérations sur la théorie des proportions déterminées dans les combinaisons, et sur la détermination des masses des molécules des corps and little after Mémoire sur la manière de ramener les composès organiques aux lois ordinaires des proportions déterminées. In 1841 he completed and published his work in Fisica dei corpi ponderabili, ossia Trattato della costituzione materiale de' corpi, 4 volumes. The scientific community did not reserve great attention to his theory, so Avogadro's hypothesis was not immediately accepted when announced. André-Marie Ampère too was able three years later to achieve the same result by another method (in his Sur la détermination des proportions dans lesquelles les corps se combinent d'après le nombre et la disposition respective des molécules dont leurs particules intégrantes sont composées), but the same indifferent regard was given to his theories as well. Only with studies by Gerhardt, Laurent and Williamson on organic chemistry, was it possible to demonstrate that Avogadro's law was indispensable to explain why same quantities of molecules, brought to a vapour state, have the same volume. Unfortunately, in the performance of related experiments, some inorganic substances showed exceptions to the law. The matter was finally concluded by Stanislao Cannizzaro, as announced at Karlsruhe Congress (1860, four years after Avogadro's death), where he explained that these exceptions happened because of molecular dissociations which occurred at certain temperatures, and that Avogadro's law could determine not only molar masses, but as a consequence, atomic masses too. In 1911, a historic meeting took place in Turin to commemorate the hundredth anniversary of the publication of Avogadro's classic 1811 memoir. King Victor Emmanuel III was there to pay homage to Avogadro. Thus Avogadro's great contribution to chemistry was recognised and he is recognised as a great Italian chemist. (Note: In 1911, Victor Emmanuel III was the King of a unified Italy with Rome instead or Turin as its capital. The unification of Italy did not happen during the life time of Avogadro. In fact, Avogadro's famous 1811 paper was written in French.) Clausius, by his kinetic theory on gases, was able to give another confirmation of Avogadro's law. Not long after, in his researches regarding dilute solutions (and the consequent discovery of analogies between the behaviour of solutions and gases), J. H. van 't Hoff added his final consensus for the triumph of the Italian scientist, who since then has been considered the founder of the atomic-molecular theory. * Avogadro (lunar crater) * Avogadro's constant * * Morselli, Mario. (1984). Amedeo Avogadro, a scientific biography. Kluwer. ISBN 9027716242. Related Wikipedia Articles Caricature August 9 1776 July 9 1856 Italy savant molarity atom molecule ion mole (unit) Avogadro's number Turin Piedmont Italy ecclesiastical law physics mathematics Vercelli Turin King of Sardinia Sardinia Savoy Kings of Savoy Charles Albert of Savoy Statuto Albertino Sardinia molarity mole (unit) Avogadro's number Loschmidt Loschmidt number Loschmidt constant Avogadro's law De LamÃ©therie Joseph Louis Gay-Lussac Law of Charles and Gay-Lussac John Dalton mass weight AndrÃ©-Marie AmpÃ¨re Charles FrÃ©dÃ©ric Gerhardt Auguste Laurent Williamson organic chemistry Stanislao Cannizzaro Karlsruhe Turin Rome Turin Rudolf Clausius J. H. van 't Hoff Atomic theory#Modern atomic theory Avogadro (crater) lunar crater Avogadro's constant Dictionary of Scientific Biography
Amedeo_Avogadro	Is it approximately 6.0221415 10 23 ?	null	data/set4/a8	Amedeo Avogadro Caricature of Amedeo Avogadro Lorenzo Romano Amedeo Carlo Avogadro, Count of Quaregna and Cerreto (August 9, 1776 July 9, 1856) was an Italian savant. He is most noted for his contributions to the theory of molarity and molecular weight. As a tribute to him, the number of elementary entities (atoms, molecules, ions or other particles) in one mole of a substance, 6.02214199x10 23 , is known as Avogadro's number. Amedeo Avogadro was born in Turin August 9th 1776 to a noble ancient family of Piedmont, Italy. He graduated in ecclesiastical law at the early age of 20 and began to practice. Soon there after he dedicated himself to the study of physics and mathematics (then called positive philosophy), and in 1809 started teaching them at a liceo (high school) in Vercelli (where his family had some properties). In 1811, he published an article with the title Essai d'une manière de déterminer les masses relatives des molécules élémentaires des corps, et les proportions selon lesquelles elles entrent dans ces combinaisons, which contains the famous Avogadro's hypothesis. The title of this famous 1811 paper can be roughly translated into English as "Essay on Determining the Relative Masses of the Elementary Molecules of Bodies". (Note: At that time in 1811, northern Italy was actually under French rule during the era of Napoléon Bonaparte. Avogadro submitted his poem to a French journal. This paper was written in French, not in Italian.) In 1820 he became a professor of physics at the University of Turin. (Note: After the downfall of Napoléon in 1815, northern Italy was under the rule of the Kingdom of Piedmont-Sardinia and Turin was the capital of this kingdom.) He was active in the political revolutionary movements of 1821 against the king of Sardinia, and as a result, was removed from his chair in 1823 (or, as officially declared, the university was "very glad to allow this interesting scientist to take a rest from heavy teaching duties, in order to be able to give a better attention to his researches") . However over time, Avogadro's political isolation became less, as revolutionary ideas received increasing attention from Savoy kings, until in 1848 when Charles Albert granted a modern Constitution (Statuto Albertino). Well before this, following the increasing attention to his works, Avogadro had been recalled to Turin university in 1833, where he taught for another twenty years. Very little is known about Avogadro's private life and political activity although he seems to have led a sober and religious life. He married Felicita Mazzé and had six children. Several historical studies confirm that he sponsored and helped some Sardinian plotters who were organising a revolution in that island, stopped at the very last moment by the concession of Charles Albert's statute. Some doubts however remain, considering the very slight evidence. Avogadro held public posts in statistics, meteorology, and weights and measures (he introduced decimal metric system in Piedmont) and was a member of the Royal Superior Council on Public Instruction. In honour of Avogadro's contributions to the theory of molarity and molecular weights, the number of molecules in one mole was renamed Avogadro's number, N A . It is approximately 6.0221415 10 23 . Loschmidt first calculated the value of Avogadro's number, now called Avogadro's constant, which is still sometimes referred to as the Loschmidt number in German-language countries (Loschmidt constant now has another meaning). Avogadro's number is commonly used to compute the results of chemical reactions. It allows chemists to determine the exact amounts of substances produced in a given reaction. During his stay in Vercelli he wrote a concise note (memoria) in which he declared the hypothesis of what we now call Avogadro's law: :equal volumes of gases, at the same temperature and pressure, contain the same number of molecules. This memoria he sent to De Lamétherie's Journal de Physique, de Chimie et d'Histoire naturelle and it was published in the edition of July 14, 1811 with the title Essai d'une manière de déterminer les masses relatives des molecules élémentaires des corps, et les proportions selon lesquelles elles entrent dans ces combinaisons . Avogadro's Law implies that the relationship occurring between the weights of same volumes of different gases (at the same temperature and pressure) corresponds to the relationship between respective molecular weights. Hence, relative molecular masses can be calculated from the masses of gas samples. Avogadro developed this hypothesis after Joseph Louis Gay-Lussac had published in 1808 his law on volumes (and combining gases). The greatest difficulty Avogadro had to resolve was the huge confusion at that time regarding atoms and molecules one of the most important contributions of Avogadro's work was clearly distinguishing one from the other, admitting that simple particles too could be composed of molecules, and that these are composed of atoms. For instance, John Dalton did not consider this possibility. Avogadro did not actually use the word "atom" as the words "atom" and "molecule" were used almost without difference. He considered that there were three kinds of "molecules," including an "elementary molecule" (our "atom"). Also, a keener attention was given to the definition of mass, as distinguished from weight. In 1814 he published Mémoire sur les masses relatives des molécules des corps simples, ou densités présumées de leur gaz, et sur la constitution de quelques-uns de leur composés, pour servir de suite à l'Essai sur le même sujet, publié dans le Journal de Physique, juillet 1811 (), about gas densities. In 1821 he published another memoria, Nouvelles considérations sur la théorie des proportions déterminées dans les combinaisons, et sur la détermination des masses des molécules des corps and little after Mémoire sur la manière de ramener les composès organiques aux lois ordinaires des proportions déterminées. In 1841 he completed and published his work in Fisica dei corpi ponderabili, ossia Trattato della costituzione materiale de' corpi, 4 volumes. The scientific community did not reserve great attention to his theory, so Avogadro's hypothesis was not immediately accepted when announced. André-Marie Ampère too was able three years later to achieve the same result by another method (in his Sur la détermination des proportions dans lesquelles les corps se combinent d'après le nombre et la disposition respective des molécules dont leurs particules intégrantes sont composées), but the same indifferent regard was given to his theories as well. Only with studies by Gerhardt, Laurent and Williamson on organic chemistry, was it possible to demonstrate that Avogadro's law was indispensable to explain why same quantities of molecules, brought to a vapour state, have the same volume. Unfortunately, in the performance of related experiments, some inorganic substances showed exceptions to the law. The matter was finally concluded by Stanislao Cannizzaro, as announced at Karlsruhe Congress (1860, four years after Avogadro's death), where he explained that these exceptions happened because of molecular dissociations which occurred at certain temperatures, and that Avogadro's law could determine not only molar masses, but as a consequence, atomic masses too. In 1911, a historic meeting took place in Turin to commemorate the hundredth anniversary of the publication of Avogadro's classic 1811 memoir. King Victor Emmanuel III was there to pay homage to Avogadro. Thus Avogadro's great contribution to chemistry was recognised and he is recognised as a great Italian chemist. (Note: In 1911, Victor Emmanuel III was the King of a unified Italy with Rome instead or Turin as its capital. The unification of Italy did not happen during the life time of Avogadro. In fact, Avogadro's famous 1811 paper was written in French.) Clausius, by his kinetic theory on gases, was able to give another confirmation of Avogadro's law. Not long after, in his researches regarding dilute solutions (and the consequent discovery of analogies between the behaviour of solutions and gases), J. H. van 't Hoff added his final consensus for the triumph of the Italian scientist, who since then has been considered the founder of the atomic-molecular theory. * Avogadro (lunar crater) * Avogadro's constant * * Morselli, Mario. (1984). Amedeo Avogadro, a scientific biography. Kluwer. ISBN 9027716242. Related Wikipedia Articles Caricature August 9 1776 July 9 1856 Italy savant molarity atom molecule ion mole (unit) Avogadro's number Turin Piedmont Italy ecclesiastical law physics mathematics Vercelli Turin King of Sardinia Sardinia Savoy Kings of Savoy Charles Albert of Savoy Statuto Albertino Sardinia molarity mole (unit) Avogadro's number Loschmidt Loschmidt number Loschmidt constant Avogadro's law De LamÃ©therie Joseph Louis Gay-Lussac Law of Charles and Gay-Lussac John Dalton mass weight AndrÃ©-Marie AmpÃ¨re Charles FrÃ©dÃ©ric Gerhardt Auguste Laurent Williamson organic chemistry Stanislao Cannizzaro Karlsruhe Turin Rome Turin Rudolf Clausius J. H. van 't Hoff Atomic theory#Modern atomic theory Avogadro (crater) lunar crater Avogadro's constant Dictionary of Scientific Biography
Amedeo_Avogadro	Is it approximately 6.0221415 10 23 ?	null	data/set4/a8	Amedeo Avogadro Caricature of Amedeo Avogadro Lorenzo Romano Amedeo Carlo Avogadro, Count of Quaregna and Cerreto (August 9, 1776 July 9, 1856) was an Italian savant. He is most noted for his contributions to the theory of molarity and molecular weight. As a tribute to him, the number of elementary entities (atoms, molecules, ions or other particles) in one mole of a substance, 6.02214199x10 23 , is known as Avogadro's number. Amedeo Avogadro was born in Turin August 9th 1776 to a noble ancient family of Piedmont, Italy. He graduated in ecclesiastical law at the early age of 20 and began to practice. Soon there after he dedicated himself to the study of physics and mathematics (then called positive philosophy), and in 1809 started teaching them at a liceo (high school) in Vercelli (where his family had some properties). In 1811, he published an article with the title Essai d'une manière de déterminer les masses relatives des molécules élémentaires des corps, et les proportions selon lesquelles elles entrent dans ces combinaisons, which contains the famous Avogadro's hypothesis. The title of this famous 1811 paper can be roughly translated into English as "Essay on Determining the Relative Masses of the Elementary Molecules of Bodies". (Note: At that time in 1811, northern Italy was actually under French rule during the era of Napoléon Bonaparte. Avogadro submitted his poem to a French journal. This paper was written in French, not in Italian.) In 1820 he became a professor of physics at the University of Turin. (Note: After the downfall of Napoléon in 1815, northern Italy was under the rule of the Kingdom of Piedmont-Sardinia and Turin was the capital of this kingdom.) He was active in the political revolutionary movements of 1821 against the king of Sardinia, and as a result, was removed from his chair in 1823 (or, as officially declared, the university was "very glad to allow this interesting scientist to take a rest from heavy teaching duties, in order to be able to give a better attention to his researches") . However over time, Avogadro's political isolation became less, as revolutionary ideas received increasing attention from Savoy kings, until in 1848 when Charles Albert granted a modern Constitution (Statuto Albertino). Well before this, following the increasing attention to his works, Avogadro had been recalled to Turin university in 1833, where he taught for another twenty years. Very little is known about Avogadro's private life and political activity although he seems to have led a sober and religious life. He married Felicita Mazzé and had six children. Several historical studies confirm that he sponsored and helped some Sardinian plotters who were organising a revolution in that island, stopped at the very last moment by the concession of Charles Albert's statute. Some doubts however remain, considering the very slight evidence. Avogadro held public posts in statistics, meteorology, and weights and measures (he introduced decimal metric system in Piedmont) and was a member of the Royal Superior Council on Public Instruction. In honour of Avogadro's contributions to the theory of molarity and molecular weights, the number of molecules in one mole was renamed Avogadro's number, N A . It is approximately 6.0221415 10 23 . Loschmidt first calculated the value of Avogadro's number, now called Avogadro's constant, which is still sometimes referred to as the Loschmidt number in German-language countries (Loschmidt constant now has another meaning). Avogadro's number is commonly used to compute the results of chemical reactions. It allows chemists to determine the exact amounts of substances produced in a given reaction. During his stay in Vercelli he wrote a concise note (memoria) in which he declared the hypothesis of what we now call Avogadro's law: :equal volumes of gases, at the same temperature and pressure, contain the same number of molecules. This memoria he sent to De Lamétherie's Journal de Physique, de Chimie et d'Histoire naturelle and it was published in the edition of July 14, 1811 with the title Essai d'une manière de déterminer les masses relatives des molecules élémentaires des corps, et les proportions selon lesquelles elles entrent dans ces combinaisons . Avogadro's Law implies that the relationship occurring between the weights of same volumes of different gases (at the same temperature and pressure) corresponds to the relationship between respective molecular weights. Hence, relative molecular masses can be calculated from the masses of gas samples. Avogadro developed this hypothesis after Joseph Louis Gay-Lussac had published in 1808 his law on volumes (and combining gases). The greatest difficulty Avogadro had to resolve was the huge confusion at that time regarding atoms and molecules one of the most important contributions of Avogadro's work was clearly distinguishing one from the other, admitting that simple particles too could be composed of molecules, and that these are composed of atoms. For instance, John Dalton did not consider this possibility. Avogadro did not actually use the word "atom" as the words "atom" and "molecule" were used almost without difference. He considered that there were three kinds of "molecules," including an "elementary molecule" (our "atom"). Also, a keener attention was given to the definition of mass, as distinguished from weight. In 1814 he published Mémoire sur les masses relatives des molécules des corps simples, ou densités présumées de leur gaz, et sur la constitution de quelques-uns de leur composés, pour servir de suite à l'Essai sur le même sujet, publié dans le Journal de Physique, juillet 1811 (), about gas densities. In 1821 he published another memoria, Nouvelles considérations sur la théorie des proportions déterminées dans les combinaisons, et sur la détermination des masses des molécules des corps and little after Mémoire sur la manière de ramener les composès organiques aux lois ordinaires des proportions déterminées. In 1841 he completed and published his work in Fisica dei corpi ponderabili, ossia Trattato della costituzione materiale de' corpi, 4 volumes. The scientific community did not reserve great attention to his theory, so Avogadro's hypothesis was not immediately accepted when announced. André-Marie Ampère too was able three years later to achieve the same result by another method (in his Sur la détermination des proportions dans lesquelles les corps se combinent d'après le nombre et la disposition respective des molécules dont leurs particules intégrantes sont composées), but the same indifferent regard was given to his theories as well. Only with studies by Gerhardt, Laurent and Williamson on organic chemistry, was it possible to demonstrate that Avogadro's law was indispensable to explain why same quantities of molecules, brought to a vapour state, have the same volume. Unfortunately, in the performance of related experiments, some inorganic substances showed exceptions to the law. The matter was finally concluded by Stanislao Cannizzaro, as announced at Karlsruhe Congress (1860, four years after Avogadro's death), where he explained that these exceptions happened because of molecular dissociations which occurred at certain temperatures, and that Avogadro's law could determine not only molar masses, but as a consequence, atomic masses too. In 1911, a historic meeting took place in Turin to commemorate the hundredth anniversary of the publication of Avogadro's classic 1811 memoir. King Victor Emmanuel III was there to pay homage to Avogadro. Thus Avogadro's great contribution to chemistry was recognised and he is recognised as a great Italian chemist. (Note: In 1911, Victor Emmanuel III was the King of a unified Italy with Rome instead or Turin as its capital. The unification of Italy did not happen during the life time of Avogadro. In fact, Avogadro's famous 1811 paper was written in French.) Clausius, by his kinetic theory on gases, was able to give another confirmation of Avogadro's law. Not long after, in his researches regarding dilute solutions (and the consequent discovery of analogies between the behaviour of solutions and gases), J. H. van 't Hoff added his final consensus for the triumph of the Italian scientist, who since then has been considered the founder of the atomic-molecular theory. * Avogadro (lunar crater) * Avogadro's constant * * Morselli, Mario. (1984). Amedeo Avogadro, a scientific biography. Kluwer. ISBN 9027716242. Related Wikipedia Articles Caricature August 9 1776 July 9 1856 Italy savant molarity atom molecule ion mole (unit) Avogadro's number Turin Piedmont Italy ecclesiastical law physics mathematics Vercelli Turin King of Sardinia Sardinia Savoy Kings of Savoy Charles Albert of Savoy Statuto Albertino Sardinia molarity mole (unit) Avogadro's number Loschmidt Loschmidt number Loschmidt constant Avogadro's law De LamÃ©therie Joseph Louis Gay-Lussac Law of Charles and Gay-Lussac John Dalton mass weight AndrÃ©-Marie AmpÃ¨re Charles FrÃ©dÃ©ric Gerhardt Auguste Laurent Williamson organic chemistry Stanislao Cannizzaro Karlsruhe Turin Rome Turin Rudolf Clausius J. H. van 't Hoff Atomic theory#Modern atomic theory Avogadro (crater) lunar crater Avogadro's constant Dictionary of Scientific Biography
Amedeo_Avogadro	Did the scientific community not reserve great attention to his theory ?	yes	data/set4/a8	Amedeo Avogadro Caricature of Amedeo Avogadro Lorenzo Romano Amedeo Carlo Avogadro, Count of Quaregna and Cerreto (August 9, 1776 July 9, 1856) was an Italian savant. He is most noted for his contributions to the theory of molarity and molecular weight. As a tribute to him, the number of elementary entities (atoms, molecules, ions or other particles) in one mole of a substance, 6.02214199x10 23 , is known as Avogadro's number. Amedeo Avogadro was born in Turin August 9th 1776 to a noble ancient family of Piedmont, Italy. He graduated in ecclesiastical law at the early age of 20 and began to practice. Soon there after he dedicated himself to the study of physics and mathematics (then called positive philosophy), and in 1809 started teaching them at a liceo (high school) in Vercelli (where his family had some properties). In 1811, he published an article with the title Essai d'une manière de déterminer les masses relatives des molécules élémentaires des corps, et les proportions selon lesquelles elles entrent dans ces combinaisons, which contains the famous Avogadro's hypothesis. The title of this famous 1811 paper can be roughly translated into English as "Essay on Determining the Relative Masses of the Elementary Molecules of Bodies". (Note: At that time in 1811, northern Italy was actually under French rule during the era of Napoléon Bonaparte. Avogadro submitted his poem to a French journal. This paper was written in French, not in Italian.) In 1820 he became a professor of physics at the University of Turin. (Note: After the downfall of Napoléon in 1815, northern Italy was under the rule of the Kingdom of Piedmont-Sardinia and Turin was the capital of this kingdom.) He was active in the political revolutionary movements of 1821 against the king of Sardinia, and as a result, was removed from his chair in 1823 (or, as officially declared, the university was "very glad to allow this interesting scientist to take a rest from heavy teaching duties, in order to be able to give a better attention to his researches") . However over time, Avogadro's political isolation became less, as revolutionary ideas received increasing attention from Savoy kings, until in 1848 when Charles Albert granted a modern Constitution (Statuto Albertino). Well before this, following the increasing attention to his works, Avogadro had been recalled to Turin university in 1833, where he taught for another twenty years. Very little is known about Avogadro's private life and political activity although he seems to have led a sober and religious life. He married Felicita Mazzé and had six children. Several historical studies confirm that he sponsored and helped some Sardinian plotters who were organising a revolution in that island, stopped at the very last moment by the concession of Charles Albert's statute. Some doubts however remain, considering the very slight evidence. Avogadro held public posts in statistics, meteorology, and weights and measures (he introduced decimal metric system in Piedmont) and was a member of the Royal Superior Council on Public Instruction. In honour of Avogadro's contributions to the theory of molarity and molecular weights, the number of molecules in one mole was renamed Avogadro's number, N A . It is approximately 6.0221415 10 23 . Loschmidt first calculated the value of Avogadro's number, now called Avogadro's constant, which is still sometimes referred to as the Loschmidt number in German-language countries (Loschmidt constant now has another meaning). Avogadro's number is commonly used to compute the results of chemical reactions. It allows chemists to determine the exact amounts of substances produced in a given reaction. During his stay in Vercelli he wrote a concise note (memoria) in which he declared the hypothesis of what we now call Avogadro's law: :equal volumes of gases, at the same temperature and pressure, contain the same number of molecules. This memoria he sent to De Lamétherie's Journal de Physique, de Chimie et d'Histoire naturelle and it was published in the edition of July 14, 1811 with the title Essai d'une manière de déterminer les masses relatives des molecules élémentaires des corps, et les proportions selon lesquelles elles entrent dans ces combinaisons . Avogadro's Law implies that the relationship occurring between the weights of same volumes of different gases (at the same temperature and pressure) corresponds to the relationship between respective molecular weights. Hence, relative molecular masses can be calculated from the masses of gas samples. Avogadro developed this hypothesis after Joseph Louis Gay-Lussac had published in 1808 his law on volumes (and combining gases). The greatest difficulty Avogadro had to resolve was the huge confusion at that time regarding atoms and molecules one of the most important contributions of Avogadro's work was clearly distinguishing one from the other, admitting that simple particles too could be composed of molecules, and that these are composed of atoms. For instance, John Dalton did not consider this possibility. Avogadro did not actually use the word "atom" as the words "atom" and "molecule" were used almost without difference. He considered that there were three kinds of "molecules," including an "elementary molecule" (our "atom"). Also, a keener attention was given to the definition of mass, as distinguished from weight. In 1814 he published Mémoire sur les masses relatives des molécules des corps simples, ou densités présumées de leur gaz, et sur la constitution de quelques-uns de leur composés, pour servir de suite à l'Essai sur le même sujet, publié dans le Journal de Physique, juillet 1811 (), about gas densities. In 1821 he published another memoria, Nouvelles considérations sur la théorie des proportions déterminées dans les combinaisons, et sur la détermination des masses des molécules des corps and little after Mémoire sur la manière de ramener les composès organiques aux lois ordinaires des proportions déterminées. In 1841 he completed and published his work in Fisica dei corpi ponderabili, ossia Trattato della costituzione materiale de' corpi, 4 volumes. The scientific community did not reserve great attention to his theory, so Avogadro's hypothesis was not immediately accepted when announced. André-Marie Ampère too was able three years later to achieve the same result by another method (in his Sur la détermination des proportions dans lesquelles les corps se combinent d'après le nombre et la disposition respective des molécules dont leurs particules intégrantes sont composées), but the same indifferent regard was given to his theories as well. Only with studies by Gerhardt, Laurent and Williamson on organic chemistry, was it possible to demonstrate that Avogadro's law was indispensable to explain why same quantities of molecules, brought to a vapour state, have the same volume. Unfortunately, in the performance of related experiments, some inorganic substances showed exceptions to the law. The matter was finally concluded by Stanislao Cannizzaro, as announced at Karlsruhe Congress (1860, four years after Avogadro's death), where he explained that these exceptions happened because of molecular dissociations which occurred at certain temperatures, and that Avogadro's law could determine not only molar masses, but as a consequence, atomic masses too. In 1911, a historic meeting took place in Turin to commemorate the hundredth anniversary of the publication of Avogadro's classic 1811 memoir. King Victor Emmanuel III was there to pay homage to Avogadro. Thus Avogadro's great contribution to chemistry was recognised and he is recognised as a great Italian chemist. (Note: In 1911, Victor Emmanuel III was the King of a unified Italy with Rome instead or Turin as its capital. The unification of Italy did not happen during the life time of Avogadro. In fact, Avogadro's famous 1811 paper was written in French.) Clausius, by his kinetic theory on gases, was able to give another confirmation of Avogadro's law. Not long after, in his researches regarding dilute solutions (and the consequent discovery of analogies between the behaviour of solutions and gases), J. H. van 't Hoff added his final consensus for the triumph of the Italian scientist, who since then has been considered the founder of the atomic-molecular theory. * Avogadro (lunar crater) * Avogadro's constant * * Morselli, Mario. (1984). Amedeo Avogadro, a scientific biography. Kluwer. ISBN 9027716242. Related Wikipedia Articles Caricature August 9 1776 July 9 1856 Italy savant molarity atom molecule ion mole (unit) Avogadro's number Turin Piedmont Italy ecclesiastical law physics mathematics Vercelli Turin King of Sardinia Sardinia Savoy Kings of Savoy Charles Albert of Savoy Statuto Albertino Sardinia molarity mole (unit) Avogadro's number Loschmidt Loschmidt number Loschmidt constant Avogadro's law De LamÃ©therie Joseph Louis Gay-Lussac Law of Charles and Gay-Lussac John Dalton mass weight AndrÃ©-Marie AmpÃ¨re Charles FrÃ©dÃ©ric Gerhardt Auguste Laurent Williamson organic chemistry Stanislao Cannizzaro Karlsruhe Turin Rome Turin Rudolf Clausius J. H. van 't Hoff Atomic theory#Modern atomic theory Avogadro (crater) lunar crater Avogadro's constant Dictionary of Scientific Biography
Amedeo_Avogadro	Did the scientific community not reserve great attention to his theory ?	null	data/set4/a8	Amedeo Avogadro Caricature of Amedeo Avogadro Lorenzo Romano Amedeo Carlo Avogadro, Count of Quaregna and Cerreto (August 9, 1776 July 9, 1856) was an Italian savant. He is most noted for his contributions to the theory of molarity and molecular weight. As a tribute to him, the number of elementary entities (atoms, molecules, ions or other particles) in one mole of a substance, 6.02214199x10 23 , is known as Avogadro's number. Amedeo Avogadro was born in Turin August 9th 1776 to a noble ancient family of Piedmont, Italy. He graduated in ecclesiastical law at the early age of 20 and began to practice. Soon there after he dedicated himself to the study of physics and mathematics (then called positive philosophy), and in 1809 started teaching them at a liceo (high school) in Vercelli (where his family had some properties). In 1811, he published an article with the title Essai d'une manière de déterminer les masses relatives des molécules élémentaires des corps, et les proportions selon lesquelles elles entrent dans ces combinaisons, which contains the famous Avogadro's hypothesis. The title of this famous 1811 paper can be roughly translated into English as "Essay on Determining the Relative Masses of the Elementary Molecules of Bodies". (Note: At that time in 1811, northern Italy was actually under French rule during the era of Napoléon Bonaparte. Avogadro submitted his poem to a French journal. This paper was written in French, not in Italian.) In 1820 he became a professor of physics at the University of Turin. (Note: After the downfall of Napoléon in 1815, northern Italy was under the rule of the Kingdom of Piedmont-Sardinia and Turin was the capital of this kingdom.) He was active in the political revolutionary movements of 1821 against the king of Sardinia, and as a result, was removed from his chair in 1823 (or, as officially declared, the university was "very glad to allow this interesting scientist to take a rest from heavy teaching duties, in order to be able to give a better attention to his researches") . However over time, Avogadro's political isolation became less, as revolutionary ideas received increasing attention from Savoy kings, until in 1848 when Charles Albert granted a modern Constitution (Statuto Albertino). Well before this, following the increasing attention to his works, Avogadro had been recalled to Turin university in 1833, where he taught for another twenty years. Very little is known about Avogadro's private life and political activity although he seems to have led a sober and religious life. He married Felicita Mazzé and had six children. Several historical studies confirm that he sponsored and helped some Sardinian plotters who were organising a revolution in that island, stopped at the very last moment by the concession of Charles Albert's statute. Some doubts however remain, considering the very slight evidence. Avogadro held public posts in statistics, meteorology, and weights and measures (he introduced decimal metric system in Piedmont) and was a member of the Royal Superior Council on Public Instruction. In honour of Avogadro's contributions to the theory of molarity and molecular weights, the number of molecules in one mole was renamed Avogadro's number, N A . It is approximately 6.0221415 10 23 . Loschmidt first calculated the value of Avogadro's number, now called Avogadro's constant, which is still sometimes referred to as the Loschmidt number in German-language countries (Loschmidt constant now has another meaning). Avogadro's number is commonly used to compute the results of chemical reactions. It allows chemists to determine the exact amounts of substances produced in a given reaction. During his stay in Vercelli he wrote a concise note (memoria) in which he declared the hypothesis of what we now call Avogadro's law: :equal volumes of gases, at the same temperature and pressure, contain the same number of molecules. This memoria he sent to De Lamétherie's Journal de Physique, de Chimie et d'Histoire naturelle and it was published in the edition of July 14, 1811 with the title Essai d'une manière de déterminer les masses relatives des molecules élémentaires des corps, et les proportions selon lesquelles elles entrent dans ces combinaisons . Avogadro's Law implies that the relationship occurring between the weights of same volumes of different gases (at the same temperature and pressure) corresponds to the relationship between respective molecular weights. Hence, relative molecular masses can be calculated from the masses of gas samples. Avogadro developed this hypothesis after Joseph Louis Gay-Lussac had published in 1808 his law on volumes (and combining gases). The greatest difficulty Avogadro had to resolve was the huge confusion at that time regarding atoms and molecules one of the most important contributions of Avogadro's work was clearly distinguishing one from the other, admitting that simple particles too could be composed of molecules, and that these are composed of atoms. For instance, John Dalton did not consider this possibility. Avogadro did not actually use the word "atom" as the words "atom" and "molecule" were used almost without difference. He considered that there were three kinds of "molecules," including an "elementary molecule" (our "atom"). Also, a keener attention was given to the definition of mass, as distinguished from weight. In 1814 he published Mémoire sur les masses relatives des molécules des corps simples, ou densités présumées de leur gaz, et sur la constitution de quelques-uns de leur composés, pour servir de suite à l'Essai sur le même sujet, publié dans le Journal de Physique, juillet 1811 (), about gas densities. In 1821 he published another memoria, Nouvelles considérations sur la théorie des proportions déterminées dans les combinaisons, et sur la détermination des masses des molécules des corps and little after Mémoire sur la manière de ramener les composès organiques aux lois ordinaires des proportions déterminées. In 1841 he completed and published his work in Fisica dei corpi ponderabili, ossia Trattato della costituzione materiale de' corpi, 4 volumes. The scientific community did not reserve great attention to his theory, so Avogadro's hypothesis was not immediately accepted when announced. André-Marie Ampère too was able three years later to achieve the same result by another method (in his Sur la détermination des proportions dans lesquelles les corps se combinent d'après le nombre et la disposition respective des molécules dont leurs particules intégrantes sont composées), but the same indifferent regard was given to his theories as well. Only with studies by Gerhardt, Laurent and Williamson on organic chemistry, was it possible to demonstrate that Avogadro's law was indispensable to explain why same quantities of molecules, brought to a vapour state, have the same volume. Unfortunately, in the performance of related experiments, some inorganic substances showed exceptions to the law. The matter was finally concluded by Stanislao Cannizzaro, as announced at Karlsruhe Congress (1860, four years after Avogadro's death), where he explained that these exceptions happened because of molecular dissociations which occurred at certain temperatures, and that Avogadro's law could determine not only molar masses, but as a consequence, atomic masses too. In 1911, a historic meeting took place in Turin to commemorate the hundredth anniversary of the publication of Avogadro's classic 1811 memoir. King Victor Emmanuel III was there to pay homage to Avogadro. Thus Avogadro's great contribution to chemistry was recognised and he is recognised as a great Italian chemist. (Note: In 1911, Victor Emmanuel III was the King of a unified Italy with Rome instead or Turin as its capital. The unification of Italy did not happen during the life time of Avogadro. In fact, Avogadro's famous 1811 paper was written in French.) Clausius, by his kinetic theory on gases, was able to give another confirmation of Avogadro's law. Not long after, in his researches regarding dilute solutions (and the consequent discovery of analogies between the behaviour of solutions and gases), J. H. van 't Hoff added his final consensus for the triumph of the Italian scientist, who since then has been considered the founder of the atomic-molecular theory. * Avogadro (lunar crater) * Avogadro's constant * * Morselli, Mario. (1984). Amedeo Avogadro, a scientific biography. Kluwer. ISBN 9027716242. Related Wikipedia Articles Caricature August 9 1776 July 9 1856 Italy savant molarity atom molecule ion mole (unit) Avogadro's number Turin Piedmont Italy ecclesiastical law physics mathematics Vercelli Turin King of Sardinia Sardinia Savoy Kings of Savoy Charles Albert of Savoy Statuto Albertino Sardinia molarity mole (unit) Avogadro's number Loschmidt Loschmidt number Loschmidt constant Avogadro's law De LamÃ©therie Joseph Louis Gay-Lussac Law of Charles and Gay-Lussac John Dalton mass weight AndrÃ©-Marie AmpÃ¨re Charles FrÃ©dÃ©ric Gerhardt Auguste Laurent Williamson organic chemistry Stanislao Cannizzaro Karlsruhe Turin Rome Turin Rudolf Clausius J. H. van 't Hoff Atomic theory#Modern atomic theory Avogadro (crater) lunar crater Avogadro's constant Dictionary of Scientific Biography
Amedeo_Avogadro	Did the scientific community not reserve great attention to his theory ?	null	data/set4/a8	Amedeo Avogadro Caricature of Amedeo Avogadro Lorenzo Romano Amedeo Carlo Avogadro, Count of Quaregna and Cerreto (August 9, 1776 July 9, 1856) was an Italian savant. He is most noted for his contributions to the theory of molarity and molecular weight. As a tribute to him, the number of elementary entities (atoms, molecules, ions or other particles) in one mole of a substance, 6.02214199x10 23 , is known as Avogadro's number. Amedeo Avogadro was born in Turin August 9th 1776 to a noble ancient family of Piedmont, Italy. He graduated in ecclesiastical law at the early age of 20 and began to practice. Soon there after he dedicated himself to the study of physics and mathematics (then called positive philosophy), and in 1809 started teaching them at a liceo (high school) in Vercelli (where his family had some properties). In 1811, he published an article with the title Essai d'une manière de déterminer les masses relatives des molécules élémentaires des corps, et les proportions selon lesquelles elles entrent dans ces combinaisons, which contains the famous Avogadro's hypothesis. The title of this famous 1811 paper can be roughly translated into English as "Essay on Determining the Relative Masses of the Elementary Molecules of Bodies". (Note: At that time in 1811, northern Italy was actually under French rule during the era of Napoléon Bonaparte. Avogadro submitted his poem to a French journal. This paper was written in French, not in Italian.) In 1820 he became a professor of physics at the University of Turin. (Note: After the downfall of Napoléon in 1815, northern Italy was under the rule of the Kingdom of Piedmont-Sardinia and Turin was the capital of this kingdom.) He was active in the political revolutionary movements of 1821 against the king of Sardinia, and as a result, was removed from his chair in 1823 (or, as officially declared, the university was "very glad to allow this interesting scientist to take a rest from heavy teaching duties, in order to be able to give a better attention to his researches") . However over time, Avogadro's political isolation became less, as revolutionary ideas received increasing attention from Savoy kings, until in 1848 when Charles Albert granted a modern Constitution (Statuto Albertino). Well before this, following the increasing attention to his works, Avogadro had been recalled to Turin university in 1833, where he taught for another twenty years. Very little is known about Avogadro's private life and political activity although he seems to have led a sober and religious life. He married Felicita Mazzé and had six children. Several historical studies confirm that he sponsored and helped some Sardinian plotters who were organising a revolution in that island, stopped at the very last moment by the concession of Charles Albert's statute. Some doubts however remain, considering the very slight evidence. Avogadro held public posts in statistics, meteorology, and weights and measures (he introduced decimal metric system in Piedmont) and was a member of the Royal Superior Council on Public Instruction. In honour of Avogadro's contributions to the theory of molarity and molecular weights, the number of molecules in one mole was renamed Avogadro's number, N A . It is approximately 6.0221415 10 23 . Loschmidt first calculated the value of Avogadro's number, now called Avogadro's constant, which is still sometimes referred to as the Loschmidt number in German-language countries (Loschmidt constant now has another meaning). Avogadro's number is commonly used to compute the results of chemical reactions. It allows chemists to determine the exact amounts of substances produced in a given reaction. During his stay in Vercelli he wrote a concise note (memoria) in which he declared the hypothesis of what we now call Avogadro's law: :equal volumes of gases, at the same temperature and pressure, contain the same number of molecules. This memoria he sent to De Lamétherie's Journal de Physique, de Chimie et d'Histoire naturelle and it was published in the edition of July 14, 1811 with the title Essai d'une manière de déterminer les masses relatives des molecules élémentaires des corps, et les proportions selon lesquelles elles entrent dans ces combinaisons . Avogadro's Law implies that the relationship occurring between the weights of same volumes of different gases (at the same temperature and pressure) corresponds to the relationship between respective molecular weights. Hence, relative molecular masses can be calculated from the masses of gas samples. Avogadro developed this hypothesis after Joseph Louis Gay-Lussac had published in 1808 his law on volumes (and combining gases). The greatest difficulty Avogadro had to resolve was the huge confusion at that time regarding atoms and molecules one of the most important contributions of Avogadro's work was clearly distinguishing one from the other, admitting that simple particles too could be composed of molecules, and that these are composed of atoms. For instance, John Dalton did not consider this possibility. Avogadro did not actually use the word "atom" as the words "atom" and "molecule" were used almost without difference. He considered that there were three kinds of "molecules," including an "elementary molecule" (our "atom"). Also, a keener attention was given to the definition of mass, as distinguished from weight. In 1814 he published Mémoire sur les masses relatives des molécules des corps simples, ou densités présumées de leur gaz, et sur la constitution de quelques-uns de leur composés, pour servir de suite à l'Essai sur le même sujet, publié dans le Journal de Physique, juillet 1811 (), about gas densities. In 1821 he published another memoria, Nouvelles considérations sur la théorie des proportions déterminées dans les combinaisons, et sur la détermination des masses des molécules des corps and little after Mémoire sur la manière de ramener les composès organiques aux lois ordinaires des proportions déterminées. In 1841 he completed and published his work in Fisica dei corpi ponderabili, ossia Trattato della costituzione materiale de' corpi, 4 volumes. The scientific community did not reserve great attention to his theory, so Avogadro's hypothesis was not immediately accepted when announced. André-Marie Ampère too was able three years later to achieve the same result by another method (in his Sur la détermination des proportions dans lesquelles les corps se combinent d'après le nombre et la disposition respective des molécules dont leurs particules intégrantes sont composées), but the same indifferent regard was given to his theories as well. Only with studies by Gerhardt, Laurent and Williamson on organic chemistry, was it possible to demonstrate that Avogadro's law was indispensable to explain why same quantities of molecules, brought to a vapour state, have the same volume. Unfortunately, in the performance of related experiments, some inorganic substances showed exceptions to the law. The matter was finally concluded by Stanislao Cannizzaro, as announced at Karlsruhe Congress (1860, four years after Avogadro's death), where he explained that these exceptions happened because of molecular dissociations which occurred at certain temperatures, and that Avogadro's law could determine not only molar masses, but as a consequence, atomic masses too. In 1911, a historic meeting took place in Turin to commemorate the hundredth anniversary of the publication of Avogadro's classic 1811 memoir. King Victor Emmanuel III was there to pay homage to Avogadro. Thus Avogadro's great contribution to chemistry was recognised and he is recognised as a great Italian chemist. (Note: In 1911, Victor Emmanuel III was the King of a unified Italy with Rome instead or Turin as its capital. The unification of Italy did not happen during the life time of Avogadro. In fact, Avogadro's famous 1811 paper was written in French.) Clausius, by his kinetic theory on gases, was able to give another confirmation of Avogadro's law. Not long after, in his researches regarding dilute solutions (and the consequent discovery of analogies between the behaviour of solutions and gases), J. H. van 't Hoff added his final consensus for the triumph of the Italian scientist, who since then has been considered the founder of the atomic-molecular theory. * Avogadro (lunar crater) * Avogadro's constant * * Morselli, Mario. (1984). Amedeo Avogadro, a scientific biography. Kluwer. ISBN 9027716242. Related Wikipedia Articles Caricature August 9 1776 July 9 1856 Italy savant molarity atom molecule ion mole (unit) Avogadro's number Turin Piedmont Italy ecclesiastical law physics mathematics Vercelli Turin King of Sardinia Sardinia Savoy Kings of Savoy Charles Albert of Savoy Statuto Albertino Sardinia molarity mole (unit) Avogadro's number Loschmidt Loschmidt number Loschmidt constant Avogadro's law De LamÃ©therie Joseph Louis Gay-Lussac Law of Charles and Gay-Lussac John Dalton mass weight AndrÃ©-Marie AmpÃ¨re Charles FrÃ©dÃ©ric Gerhardt Auguste Laurent Williamson organic chemistry Stanislao Cannizzaro Karlsruhe Turin Rome Turin Rudolf Clausius J. H. van 't Hoff Atomic theory#Modern atomic theory Avogadro (crater) lunar crater Avogadro's constant Dictionary of Scientific Biography
Amedeo_Avogadro	Does it not allow chemists to determine the exact amounts of substances produced in a given reaction ?	null	data/set4/a8	Amedeo Avogadro Caricature of Amedeo Avogadro Lorenzo Romano Amedeo Carlo Avogadro, Count of Quaregna and Cerreto (August 9, 1776 July 9, 1856) was an Italian savant. He is most noted for his contributions to the theory of molarity and molecular weight. As a tribute to him, the number of elementary entities (atoms, molecules, ions or other particles) in one mole of a substance, 6.02214199x10 23 , is known as Avogadro's number. Amedeo Avogadro was born in Turin August 9th 1776 to a noble ancient family of Piedmont, Italy. He graduated in ecclesiastical law at the early age of 20 and began to practice. Soon there after he dedicated himself to the study of physics and mathematics (then called positive philosophy), and in 1809 started teaching them at a liceo (high school) in Vercelli (where his family had some properties). In 1811, he published an article with the title Essai d'une manière de déterminer les masses relatives des molécules élémentaires des corps, et les proportions selon lesquelles elles entrent dans ces combinaisons, which contains the famous Avogadro's hypothesis. The title of this famous 1811 paper can be roughly translated into English as "Essay on Determining the Relative Masses of the Elementary Molecules of Bodies". (Note: At that time in 1811, northern Italy was actually under French rule during the era of Napoléon Bonaparte. Avogadro submitted his poem to a French journal. This paper was written in French, not in Italian.) In 1820 he became a professor of physics at the University of Turin. (Note: After the downfall of Napoléon in 1815, northern Italy was under the rule of the Kingdom of Piedmont-Sardinia and Turin was the capital of this kingdom.) He was active in the political revolutionary movements of 1821 against the king of Sardinia, and as a result, was removed from his chair in 1823 (or, as officially declared, the university was "very glad to allow this interesting scientist to take a rest from heavy teaching duties, in order to be able to give a better attention to his researches") . However over time, Avogadro's political isolation became less, as revolutionary ideas received increasing attention from Savoy kings, until in 1848 when Charles Albert granted a modern Constitution (Statuto Albertino). Well before this, following the increasing attention to his works, Avogadro had been recalled to Turin university in 1833, where he taught for another twenty years. Very little is known about Avogadro's private life and political activity although he seems to have led a sober and religious life. He married Felicita Mazzé and had six children. Several historical studies confirm that he sponsored and helped some Sardinian plotters who were organising a revolution in that island, stopped at the very last moment by the concession of Charles Albert's statute. Some doubts however remain, considering the very slight evidence. Avogadro held public posts in statistics, meteorology, and weights and measures (he introduced decimal metric system in Piedmont) and was a member of the Royal Superior Council on Public Instruction. In honour of Avogadro's contributions to the theory of molarity and molecular weights, the number of molecules in one mole was renamed Avogadro's number, N A . It is approximately 6.0221415 10 23 . Loschmidt first calculated the value of Avogadro's number, now called Avogadro's constant, which is still sometimes referred to as the Loschmidt number in German-language countries (Loschmidt constant now has another meaning). Avogadro's number is commonly used to compute the results of chemical reactions. It allows chemists to determine the exact amounts of substances produced in a given reaction. During his stay in Vercelli he wrote a concise note (memoria) in which he declared the hypothesis of what we now call Avogadro's law: :equal volumes of gases, at the same temperature and pressure, contain the same number of molecules. This memoria he sent to De Lamétherie's Journal de Physique, de Chimie et d'Histoire naturelle and it was published in the edition of July 14, 1811 with the title Essai d'une manière de déterminer les masses relatives des molecules élémentaires des corps, et les proportions selon lesquelles elles entrent dans ces combinaisons . Avogadro's Law implies that the relationship occurring between the weights of same volumes of different gases (at the same temperature and pressure) corresponds to the relationship between respective molecular weights. Hence, relative molecular masses can be calculated from the masses of gas samples. Avogadro developed this hypothesis after Joseph Louis Gay-Lussac had published in 1808 his law on volumes (and combining gases). The greatest difficulty Avogadro had to resolve was the huge confusion at that time regarding atoms and molecules one of the most important contributions of Avogadro's work was clearly distinguishing one from the other, admitting that simple particles too could be composed of molecules, and that these are composed of atoms. For instance, John Dalton did not consider this possibility. Avogadro did not actually use the word "atom" as the words "atom" and "molecule" were used almost without difference. He considered that there were three kinds of "molecules," including an "elementary molecule" (our "atom"). Also, a keener attention was given to the definition of mass, as distinguished from weight. In 1814 he published Mémoire sur les masses relatives des molécules des corps simples, ou densités présumées de leur gaz, et sur la constitution de quelques-uns de leur composés, pour servir de suite à l'Essai sur le même sujet, publié dans le Journal de Physique, juillet 1811 (), about gas densities. In 1821 he published another memoria, Nouvelles considérations sur la théorie des proportions déterminées dans les combinaisons, et sur la détermination des masses des molécules des corps and little after Mémoire sur la manière de ramener les composès organiques aux lois ordinaires des proportions déterminées. In 1841 he completed and published his work in Fisica dei corpi ponderabili, ossia Trattato della costituzione materiale de' corpi, 4 volumes. The scientific community did not reserve great attention to his theory, so Avogadro's hypothesis was not immediately accepted when announced. André-Marie Ampère too was able three years later to achieve the same result by another method (in his Sur la détermination des proportions dans lesquelles les corps se combinent d'après le nombre et la disposition respective des molécules dont leurs particules intégrantes sont composées), but the same indifferent regard was given to his theories as well. Only with studies by Gerhardt, Laurent and Williamson on organic chemistry, was it possible to demonstrate that Avogadro's law was indispensable to explain why same quantities of molecules, brought to a vapour state, have the same volume. Unfortunately, in the performance of related experiments, some inorganic substances showed exceptions to the law. The matter was finally concluded by Stanislao Cannizzaro, as announced at Karlsruhe Congress (1860, four years after Avogadro's death), where he explained that these exceptions happened because of molecular dissociations which occurred at certain temperatures, and that Avogadro's law could determine not only molar masses, but as a consequence, atomic masses too. In 1911, a historic meeting took place in Turin to commemorate the hundredth anniversary of the publication of Avogadro's classic 1811 memoir. King Victor Emmanuel III was there to pay homage to Avogadro. Thus Avogadro's great contribution to chemistry was recognised and he is recognised as a great Italian chemist. (Note: In 1911, Victor Emmanuel III was the King of a unified Italy with Rome instead or Turin as its capital. The unification of Italy did not happen during the life time of Avogadro. In fact, Avogadro's famous 1811 paper was written in French.) Clausius, by his kinetic theory on gases, was able to give another confirmation of Avogadro's law. Not long after, in his researches regarding dilute solutions (and the consequent discovery of analogies between the behaviour of solutions and gases), J. H. van 't Hoff added his final consensus for the triumph of the Italian scientist, who since then has been considered the founder of the atomic-molecular theory. * Avogadro (lunar crater) * Avogadro's constant * * Morselli, Mario. (1984). Amedeo Avogadro, a scientific biography. Kluwer. ISBN 9027716242. Related Wikipedia Articles Caricature August 9 1776 July 9 1856 Italy savant molarity atom molecule ion mole (unit) Avogadro's number Turin Piedmont Italy ecclesiastical law physics mathematics Vercelli Turin King of Sardinia Sardinia Savoy Kings of Savoy Charles Albert of Savoy Statuto Albertino Sardinia molarity mole (unit) Avogadro's number Loschmidt Loschmidt number Loschmidt constant Avogadro's law De LamÃ©therie Joseph Louis Gay-Lussac Law of Charles and Gay-Lussac John Dalton mass weight AndrÃ©-Marie AmpÃ¨re Charles FrÃ©dÃ©ric Gerhardt Auguste Laurent Williamson organic chemistry Stanislao Cannizzaro Karlsruhe Turin Rome Turin Rudolf Clausius J. H. van 't Hoff Atomic theory#Modern atomic theory Avogadro (crater) lunar crater Avogadro's constant Dictionary of Scientific Biography
Amedeo_Avogadro	Does it not allow chemists to determine the exact amounts of substances produced in a given reaction ?	null	data/set4/a8	Amedeo Avogadro Caricature of Amedeo Avogadro Lorenzo Romano Amedeo Carlo Avogadro, Count of Quaregna and Cerreto (August 9, 1776 July 9, 1856) was an Italian savant. He is most noted for his contributions to the theory of molarity and molecular weight. As a tribute to him, the number of elementary entities (atoms, molecules, ions or other particles) in one mole of a substance, 6.02214199x10 23 , is known as Avogadro's number. Amedeo Avogadro was born in Turin August 9th 1776 to a noble ancient family of Piedmont, Italy. He graduated in ecclesiastical law at the early age of 20 and began to practice. Soon there after he dedicated himself to the study of physics and mathematics (then called positive philosophy), and in 1809 started teaching them at a liceo (high school) in Vercelli (where his family had some properties). In 1811, he published an article with the title Essai d'une manière de déterminer les masses relatives des molécules élémentaires des corps, et les proportions selon lesquelles elles entrent dans ces combinaisons, which contains the famous Avogadro's hypothesis. The title of this famous 1811 paper can be roughly translated into English as "Essay on Determining the Relative Masses of the Elementary Molecules of Bodies". (Note: At that time in 1811, northern Italy was actually under French rule during the era of Napoléon Bonaparte. Avogadro submitted his poem to a French journal. This paper was written in French, not in Italian.) In 1820 he became a professor of physics at the University of Turin. (Note: After the downfall of Napoléon in 1815, northern Italy was under the rule of the Kingdom of Piedmont-Sardinia and Turin was the capital of this kingdom.) He was active in the political revolutionary movements of 1821 against the king of Sardinia, and as a result, was removed from his chair in 1823 (or, as officially declared, the university was "very glad to allow this interesting scientist to take a rest from heavy teaching duties, in order to be able to give a better attention to his researches") . However over time, Avogadro's political isolation became less, as revolutionary ideas received increasing attention from Savoy kings, until in 1848 when Charles Albert granted a modern Constitution (Statuto Albertino). Well before this, following the increasing attention to his works, Avogadro had been recalled to Turin university in 1833, where he taught for another twenty years. Very little is known about Avogadro's private life and political activity although he seems to have led a sober and religious life. He married Felicita Mazzé and had six children. Several historical studies confirm that he sponsored and helped some Sardinian plotters who were organising a revolution in that island, stopped at the very last moment by the concession of Charles Albert's statute. Some doubts however remain, considering the very slight evidence. Avogadro held public posts in statistics, meteorology, and weights and measures (he introduced decimal metric system in Piedmont) and was a member of the Royal Superior Council on Public Instruction. In honour of Avogadro's contributions to the theory of molarity and molecular weights, the number of molecules in one mole was renamed Avogadro's number, N A . It is approximately 6.0221415 10 23 . Loschmidt first calculated the value of Avogadro's number, now called Avogadro's constant, which is still sometimes referred to as the Loschmidt number in German-language countries (Loschmidt constant now has another meaning). Avogadro's number is commonly used to compute the results of chemical reactions. It allows chemists to determine the exact amounts of substances produced in a given reaction. During his stay in Vercelli he wrote a concise note (memoria) in which he declared the hypothesis of what we now call Avogadro's law: :equal volumes of gases, at the same temperature and pressure, contain the same number of molecules. This memoria he sent to De Lamétherie's Journal de Physique, de Chimie et d'Histoire naturelle and it was published in the edition of July 14, 1811 with the title Essai d'une manière de déterminer les masses relatives des molecules élémentaires des corps, et les proportions selon lesquelles elles entrent dans ces combinaisons . Avogadro's Law implies that the relationship occurring between the weights of same volumes of different gases (at the same temperature and pressure) corresponds to the relationship between respective molecular weights. Hence, relative molecular masses can be calculated from the masses of gas samples. Avogadro developed this hypothesis after Joseph Louis Gay-Lussac had published in 1808 his law on volumes (and combining gases). The greatest difficulty Avogadro had to resolve was the huge confusion at that time regarding atoms and molecules one of the most important contributions of Avogadro's work was clearly distinguishing one from the other, admitting that simple particles too could be composed of molecules, and that these are composed of atoms. For instance, John Dalton did not consider this possibility. Avogadro did not actually use the word "atom" as the words "atom" and "molecule" were used almost without difference. He considered that there were three kinds of "molecules," including an "elementary molecule" (our "atom"). Also, a keener attention was given to the definition of mass, as distinguished from weight. In 1814 he published Mémoire sur les masses relatives des molécules des corps simples, ou densités présumées de leur gaz, et sur la constitution de quelques-uns de leur composés, pour servir de suite à l'Essai sur le même sujet, publié dans le Journal de Physique, juillet 1811 (), about gas densities. In 1821 he published another memoria, Nouvelles considérations sur la théorie des proportions déterminées dans les combinaisons, et sur la détermination des masses des molécules des corps and little after Mémoire sur la manière de ramener les composès organiques aux lois ordinaires des proportions déterminées. In 1841 he completed and published his work in Fisica dei corpi ponderabili, ossia Trattato della costituzione materiale de' corpi, 4 volumes. The scientific community did not reserve great attention to his theory, so Avogadro's hypothesis was not immediately accepted when announced. André-Marie Ampère too was able three years later to achieve the same result by another method (in his Sur la détermination des proportions dans lesquelles les corps se combinent d'après le nombre et la disposition respective des molécules dont leurs particules intégrantes sont composées), but the same indifferent regard was given to his theories as well. Only with studies by Gerhardt, Laurent and Williamson on organic chemistry, was it possible to demonstrate that Avogadro's law was indispensable to explain why same quantities of molecules, brought to a vapour state, have the same volume. Unfortunately, in the performance of related experiments, some inorganic substances showed exceptions to the law. The matter was finally concluded by Stanislao Cannizzaro, as announced at Karlsruhe Congress (1860, four years after Avogadro's death), where he explained that these exceptions happened because of molecular dissociations which occurred at certain temperatures, and that Avogadro's law could determine not only molar masses, but as a consequence, atomic masses too. In 1911, a historic meeting took place in Turin to commemorate the hundredth anniversary of the publication of Avogadro's classic 1811 memoir. King Victor Emmanuel III was there to pay homage to Avogadro. Thus Avogadro's great contribution to chemistry was recognised and he is recognised as a great Italian chemist. (Note: In 1911, Victor Emmanuel III was the King of a unified Italy with Rome instead or Turin as its capital. The unification of Italy did not happen during the life time of Avogadro. In fact, Avogadro's famous 1811 paper was written in French.) Clausius, by his kinetic theory on gases, was able to give another confirmation of Avogadro's law. Not long after, in his researches regarding dilute solutions (and the consequent discovery of analogies between the behaviour of solutions and gases), J. H. van 't Hoff added his final consensus for the triumph of the Italian scientist, who since then has been considered the founder of the atomic-molecular theory. * Avogadro (lunar crater) * Avogadro's constant * * Morselli, Mario. (1984). Amedeo Avogadro, a scientific biography. Kluwer. ISBN 9027716242. Related Wikipedia Articles Caricature August 9 1776 July 9 1856 Italy savant molarity atom molecule ion mole (unit) Avogadro's number Turin Piedmont Italy ecclesiastical law physics mathematics Vercelli Turin King of Sardinia Sardinia Savoy Kings of Savoy Charles Albert of Savoy Statuto Albertino Sardinia molarity mole (unit) Avogadro's number Loschmidt Loschmidt number Loschmidt constant Avogadro's law De LamÃ©therie Joseph Louis Gay-Lussac Law of Charles and Gay-Lussac John Dalton mass weight AndrÃ©-Marie AmpÃ¨re Charles FrÃ©dÃ©ric Gerhardt Auguste Laurent Williamson organic chemistry Stanislao Cannizzaro Karlsruhe Turin Rome Turin Rudolf Clausius J. H. van 't Hoff Atomic theory#Modern atomic theory Avogadro (crater) lunar crater Avogadro's constant Dictionary of Scientific Biography
Amedeo_Avogadro	Was King Victor Emmanuel III there to pay homage to Avogadro ?	yes	data/set4/a8	Amedeo Avogadro Caricature of Amedeo Avogadro Lorenzo Romano Amedeo Carlo Avogadro, Count of Quaregna and Cerreto (August 9, 1776 July 9, 1856) was an Italian savant. He is most noted for his contributions to the theory of molarity and molecular weight. As a tribute to him, the number of elementary entities (atoms, molecules, ions or other particles) in one mole of a substance, 6.02214199x10 23 , is known as Avogadro's number. Amedeo Avogadro was born in Turin August 9th 1776 to a noble ancient family of Piedmont, Italy. He graduated in ecclesiastical law at the early age of 20 and began to practice. Soon there after he dedicated himself to the study of physics and mathematics (then called positive philosophy), and in 1809 started teaching them at a liceo (high school) in Vercelli (where his family had some properties). In 1811, he published an article with the title Essai d'une manière de déterminer les masses relatives des molécules élémentaires des corps, et les proportions selon lesquelles elles entrent dans ces combinaisons, which contains the famous Avogadro's hypothesis. The title of this famous 1811 paper can be roughly translated into English as "Essay on Determining the Relative Masses of the Elementary Molecules of Bodies". (Note: At that time in 1811, northern Italy was actually under French rule during the era of Napoléon Bonaparte. Avogadro submitted his poem to a French journal. This paper was written in French, not in Italian.) In 1820 he became a professor of physics at the University of Turin. (Note: After the downfall of Napoléon in 1815, northern Italy was under the rule of the Kingdom of Piedmont-Sardinia and Turin was the capital of this kingdom.) He was active in the political revolutionary movements of 1821 against the king of Sardinia, and as a result, was removed from his chair in 1823 (or, as officially declared, the university was "very glad to allow this interesting scientist to take a rest from heavy teaching duties, in order to be able to give a better attention to his researches") . However over time, Avogadro's political isolation became less, as revolutionary ideas received increasing attention from Savoy kings, until in 1848 when Charles Albert granted a modern Constitution (Statuto Albertino). Well before this, following the increasing attention to his works, Avogadro had been recalled to Turin university in 1833, where he taught for another twenty years. Very little is known about Avogadro's private life and political activity although he seems to have led a sober and religious life. He married Felicita Mazzé and had six children. Several historical studies confirm that he sponsored and helped some Sardinian plotters who were organising a revolution in that island, stopped at the very last moment by the concession of Charles Albert's statute. Some doubts however remain, considering the very slight evidence. Avogadro held public posts in statistics, meteorology, and weights and measures (he introduced decimal metric system in Piedmont) and was a member of the Royal Superior Council on Public Instruction. In honour of Avogadro's contributions to the theory of molarity and molecular weights, the number of molecules in one mole was renamed Avogadro's number, N A . It is approximately 6.0221415 10 23 . Loschmidt first calculated the value of Avogadro's number, now called Avogadro's constant, which is still sometimes referred to as the Loschmidt number in German-language countries (Loschmidt constant now has another meaning). Avogadro's number is commonly used to compute the results of chemical reactions. It allows chemists to determine the exact amounts of substances produced in a given reaction. During his stay in Vercelli he wrote a concise note (memoria) in which he declared the hypothesis of what we now call Avogadro's law: :equal volumes of gases, at the same temperature and pressure, contain the same number of molecules. This memoria he sent to De Lamétherie's Journal de Physique, de Chimie et d'Histoire naturelle and it was published in the edition of July 14, 1811 with the title Essai d'une manière de déterminer les masses relatives des molecules élémentaires des corps, et les proportions selon lesquelles elles entrent dans ces combinaisons . Avogadro's Law implies that the relationship occurring between the weights of same volumes of different gases (at the same temperature and pressure) corresponds to the relationship between respective molecular weights. Hence, relative molecular masses can be calculated from the masses of gas samples. Avogadro developed this hypothesis after Joseph Louis Gay-Lussac had published in 1808 his law on volumes (and combining gases). The greatest difficulty Avogadro had to resolve was the huge confusion at that time regarding atoms and molecules one of the most important contributions of Avogadro's work was clearly distinguishing one from the other, admitting that simple particles too could be composed of molecules, and that these are composed of atoms. For instance, John Dalton did not consider this possibility. Avogadro did not actually use the word "atom" as the words "atom" and "molecule" were used almost without difference. He considered that there were three kinds of "molecules," including an "elementary molecule" (our "atom"). Also, a keener attention was given to the definition of mass, as distinguished from weight. In 1814 he published Mémoire sur les masses relatives des molécules des corps simples, ou densités présumées de leur gaz, et sur la constitution de quelques-uns de leur composés, pour servir de suite à l'Essai sur le même sujet, publié dans le Journal de Physique, juillet 1811 (), about gas densities. In 1821 he published another memoria, Nouvelles considérations sur la théorie des proportions déterminées dans les combinaisons, et sur la détermination des masses des molécules des corps and little after Mémoire sur la manière de ramener les composès organiques aux lois ordinaires des proportions déterminées. In 1841 he completed and published his work in Fisica dei corpi ponderabili, ossia Trattato della costituzione materiale de' corpi, 4 volumes. The scientific community did not reserve great attention to his theory, so Avogadro's hypothesis was not immediately accepted when announced. André-Marie Ampère too was able three years later to achieve the same result by another method (in his Sur la détermination des proportions dans lesquelles les corps se combinent d'après le nombre et la disposition respective des molécules dont leurs particules intégrantes sont composées), but the same indifferent regard was given to his theories as well. Only with studies by Gerhardt, Laurent and Williamson on organic chemistry, was it possible to demonstrate that Avogadro's law was indispensable to explain why same quantities of molecules, brought to a vapour state, have the same volume. Unfortunately, in the performance of related experiments, some inorganic substances showed exceptions to the law. The matter was finally concluded by Stanislao Cannizzaro, as announced at Karlsruhe Congress (1860, four years after Avogadro's death), where he explained that these exceptions happened because of molecular dissociations which occurred at certain temperatures, and that Avogadro's law could determine not only molar masses, but as a consequence, atomic masses too. In 1911, a historic meeting took place in Turin to commemorate the hundredth anniversary of the publication of Avogadro's classic 1811 memoir. King Victor Emmanuel III was there to pay homage to Avogadro. Thus Avogadro's great contribution to chemistry was recognised and he is recognised as a great Italian chemist. (Note: In 1911, Victor Emmanuel III was the King of a unified Italy with Rome instead or Turin as its capital. The unification of Italy did not happen during the life time of Avogadro. In fact, Avogadro's famous 1811 paper was written in French.) Clausius, by his kinetic theory on gases, was able to give another confirmation of Avogadro's law. Not long after, in his researches regarding dilute solutions (and the consequent discovery of analogies between the behaviour of solutions and gases), J. H. van 't Hoff added his final consensus for the triumph of the Italian scientist, who since then has been considered the founder of the atomic-molecular theory. * Avogadro (lunar crater) * Avogadro's constant * * Morselli, Mario. (1984). Amedeo Avogadro, a scientific biography. Kluwer. ISBN 9027716242. Related Wikipedia Articles Caricature August 9 1776 July 9 1856 Italy savant molarity atom molecule ion mole (unit) Avogadro's number Turin Piedmont Italy ecclesiastical law physics mathematics Vercelli Turin King of Sardinia Sardinia Savoy Kings of Savoy Charles Albert of Savoy Statuto Albertino Sardinia molarity mole (unit) Avogadro's number Loschmidt Loschmidt number Loschmidt constant Avogadro's law De LamÃ©therie Joseph Louis Gay-Lussac Law of Charles and Gay-Lussac John Dalton mass weight AndrÃ©-Marie AmpÃ¨re Charles FrÃ©dÃ©ric Gerhardt Auguste Laurent Williamson organic chemistry Stanislao Cannizzaro Karlsruhe Turin Rome Turin Rudolf Clausius J. H. van 't Hoff Atomic theory#Modern atomic theory Avogadro (crater) lunar crater Avogadro's constant Dictionary of Scientific Biography
Amedeo_Avogadro	Was King Victor Emmanuel III there to pay homage to Avogadro ?	null	data/set4/a8	Amedeo Avogadro Caricature of Amedeo Avogadro Lorenzo Romano Amedeo Carlo Avogadro, Count of Quaregna and Cerreto (August 9, 1776 July 9, 1856) was an Italian savant. He is most noted for his contributions to the theory of molarity and molecular weight. As a tribute to him, the number of elementary entities (atoms, molecules, ions or other particles) in one mole of a substance, 6.02214199x10 23 , is known as Avogadro's number. Amedeo Avogadro was born in Turin August 9th 1776 to a noble ancient family of Piedmont, Italy. He graduated in ecclesiastical law at the early age of 20 and began to practice. Soon there after he dedicated himself to the study of physics and mathematics (then called positive philosophy), and in 1809 started teaching them at a liceo (high school) in Vercelli (where his family had some properties). In 1811, he published an article with the title Essai d'une manière de déterminer les masses relatives des molécules élémentaires des corps, et les proportions selon lesquelles elles entrent dans ces combinaisons, which contains the famous Avogadro's hypothesis. The title of this famous 1811 paper can be roughly translated into English as "Essay on Determining the Relative Masses of the Elementary Molecules of Bodies". (Note: At that time in 1811, northern Italy was actually under French rule during the era of Napoléon Bonaparte. Avogadro submitted his poem to a French journal. This paper was written in French, not in Italian.) In 1820 he became a professor of physics at the University of Turin. (Note: After the downfall of Napoléon in 1815, northern Italy was under the rule of the Kingdom of Piedmont-Sardinia and Turin was the capital of this kingdom.) He was active in the political revolutionary movements of 1821 against the king of Sardinia, and as a result, was removed from his chair in 1823 (or, as officially declared, the university was "very glad to allow this interesting scientist to take a rest from heavy teaching duties, in order to be able to give a better attention to his researches") . However over time, Avogadro's political isolation became less, as revolutionary ideas received increasing attention from Savoy kings, until in 1848 when Charles Albert granted a modern Constitution (Statuto Albertino). Well before this, following the increasing attention to his works, Avogadro had been recalled to Turin university in 1833, where he taught for another twenty years. Very little is known about Avogadro's private life and political activity although he seems to have led a sober and religious life. He married Felicita Mazzé and had six children. Several historical studies confirm that he sponsored and helped some Sardinian plotters who were organising a revolution in that island, stopped at the very last moment by the concession of Charles Albert's statute. Some doubts however remain, considering the very slight evidence. Avogadro held public posts in statistics, meteorology, and weights and measures (he introduced decimal metric system in Piedmont) and was a member of the Royal Superior Council on Public Instruction. In honour of Avogadro's contributions to the theory of molarity and molecular weights, the number of molecules in one mole was renamed Avogadro's number, N A . It is approximately 6.0221415 10 23 . Loschmidt first calculated the value of Avogadro's number, now called Avogadro's constant, which is still sometimes referred to as the Loschmidt number in German-language countries (Loschmidt constant now has another meaning). Avogadro's number is commonly used to compute the results of chemical reactions. It allows chemists to determine the exact amounts of substances produced in a given reaction. During his stay in Vercelli he wrote a concise note (memoria) in which he declared the hypothesis of what we now call Avogadro's law: :equal volumes of gases, at the same temperature and pressure, contain the same number of molecules. This memoria he sent to De Lamétherie's Journal de Physique, de Chimie et d'Histoire naturelle and it was published in the edition of July 14, 1811 with the title Essai d'une manière de déterminer les masses relatives des molecules élémentaires des corps, et les proportions selon lesquelles elles entrent dans ces combinaisons . Avogadro's Law implies that the relationship occurring between the weights of same volumes of different gases (at the same temperature and pressure) corresponds to the relationship between respective molecular weights. Hence, relative molecular masses can be calculated from the masses of gas samples. Avogadro developed this hypothesis after Joseph Louis Gay-Lussac had published in 1808 his law on volumes (and combining gases). The greatest difficulty Avogadro had to resolve was the huge confusion at that time regarding atoms and molecules one of the most important contributions of Avogadro's work was clearly distinguishing one from the other, admitting that simple particles too could be composed of molecules, and that these are composed of atoms. For instance, John Dalton did not consider this possibility. Avogadro did not actually use the word "atom" as the words "atom" and "molecule" were used almost without difference. He considered that there were three kinds of "molecules," including an "elementary molecule" (our "atom"). Also, a keener attention was given to the definition of mass, as distinguished from weight. In 1814 he published Mémoire sur les masses relatives des molécules des corps simples, ou densités présumées de leur gaz, et sur la constitution de quelques-uns de leur composés, pour servir de suite à l'Essai sur le même sujet, publié dans le Journal de Physique, juillet 1811 (), about gas densities. In 1821 he published another memoria, Nouvelles considérations sur la théorie des proportions déterminées dans les combinaisons, et sur la détermination des masses des molécules des corps and little after Mémoire sur la manière de ramener les composès organiques aux lois ordinaires des proportions déterminées. In 1841 he completed and published his work in Fisica dei corpi ponderabili, ossia Trattato della costituzione materiale de' corpi, 4 volumes. The scientific community did not reserve great attention to his theory, so Avogadro's hypothesis was not immediately accepted when announced. André-Marie Ampère too was able three years later to achieve the same result by another method (in his Sur la détermination des proportions dans lesquelles les corps se combinent d'après le nombre et la disposition respective des molécules dont leurs particules intégrantes sont composées), but the same indifferent regard was given to his theories as well. Only with studies by Gerhardt, Laurent and Williamson on organic chemistry, was it possible to demonstrate that Avogadro's law was indispensable to explain why same quantities of molecules, brought to a vapour state, have the same volume. Unfortunately, in the performance of related experiments, some inorganic substances showed exceptions to the law. The matter was finally concluded by Stanislao Cannizzaro, as announced at Karlsruhe Congress (1860, four years after Avogadro's death), where he explained that these exceptions happened because of molecular dissociations which occurred at certain temperatures, and that Avogadro's law could determine not only molar masses, but as a consequence, atomic masses too. In 1911, a historic meeting took place in Turin to commemorate the hundredth anniversary of the publication of Avogadro's classic 1811 memoir. King Victor Emmanuel III was there to pay homage to Avogadro. Thus Avogadro's great contribution to chemistry was recognised and he is recognised as a great Italian chemist. (Note: In 1911, Victor Emmanuel III was the King of a unified Italy with Rome instead or Turin as its capital. The unification of Italy did not happen during the life time of Avogadro. In fact, Avogadro's famous 1811 paper was written in French.) Clausius, by his kinetic theory on gases, was able to give another confirmation of Avogadro's law. Not long after, in his researches regarding dilute solutions (and the consequent discovery of analogies between the behaviour of solutions and gases), J. H. van 't Hoff added his final consensus for the triumph of the Italian scientist, who since then has been considered the founder of the atomic-molecular theory. * Avogadro (lunar crater) * Avogadro's constant * * Morselli, Mario. (1984). Amedeo Avogadro, a scientific biography. Kluwer. ISBN 9027716242. Related Wikipedia Articles Caricature August 9 1776 July 9 1856 Italy savant molarity atom molecule ion mole (unit) Avogadro's number Turin Piedmont Italy ecclesiastical law physics mathematics Vercelli Turin King of Sardinia Sardinia Savoy Kings of Savoy Charles Albert of Savoy Statuto Albertino Sardinia molarity mole (unit) Avogadro's number Loschmidt Loschmidt number Loschmidt constant Avogadro's law De LamÃ©therie Joseph Louis Gay-Lussac Law of Charles and Gay-Lussac John Dalton mass weight AndrÃ©-Marie AmpÃ¨re Charles FrÃ©dÃ©ric Gerhardt Auguste Laurent Williamson organic chemistry Stanislao Cannizzaro Karlsruhe Turin Rome Turin Rudolf Clausius J. H. van 't Hoff Atomic theory#Modern atomic theory Avogadro (crater) lunar crater Avogadro's constant Dictionary of Scientific Biography
Amedeo_Avogadro	Was King Victor Emmanuel III there to pay homage to Avogadro ?	null	data/set4/a8	Amedeo Avogadro Caricature of Amedeo Avogadro Lorenzo Romano Amedeo Carlo Avogadro, Count of Quaregna and Cerreto (August 9, 1776 July 9, 1856) was an Italian savant. He is most noted for his contributions to the theory of molarity and molecular weight. As a tribute to him, the number of elementary entities (atoms, molecules, ions or other particles) in one mole of a substance, 6.02214199x10 23 , is known as Avogadro's number. Amedeo Avogadro was born in Turin August 9th 1776 to a noble ancient family of Piedmont, Italy. He graduated in ecclesiastical law at the early age of 20 and began to practice. Soon there after he dedicated himself to the study of physics and mathematics (then called positive philosophy), and in 1809 started teaching them at a liceo (high school) in Vercelli (where his family had some properties). In 1811, he published an article with the title Essai d'une manière de déterminer les masses relatives des molécules élémentaires des corps, et les proportions selon lesquelles elles entrent dans ces combinaisons, which contains the famous Avogadro's hypothesis. The title of this famous 1811 paper can be roughly translated into English as "Essay on Determining the Relative Masses of the Elementary Molecules of Bodies". (Note: At that time in 1811, northern Italy was actually under French rule during the era of Napoléon Bonaparte. Avogadro submitted his poem to a French journal. This paper was written in French, not in Italian.) In 1820 he became a professor of physics at the University of Turin. (Note: After the downfall of Napoléon in 1815, northern Italy was under the rule of the Kingdom of Piedmont-Sardinia and Turin was the capital of this kingdom.) He was active in the political revolutionary movements of 1821 against the king of Sardinia, and as a result, was removed from his chair in 1823 (or, as officially declared, the university was "very glad to allow this interesting scientist to take a rest from heavy teaching duties, in order to be able to give a better attention to his researches") . However over time, Avogadro's political isolation became less, as revolutionary ideas received increasing attention from Savoy kings, until in 1848 when Charles Albert granted a modern Constitution (Statuto Albertino). Well before this, following the increasing attention to his works, Avogadro had been recalled to Turin university in 1833, where he taught for another twenty years. Very little is known about Avogadro's private life and political activity although he seems to have led a sober and religious life. He married Felicita Mazzé and had six children. Several historical studies confirm that he sponsored and helped some Sardinian plotters who were organising a revolution in that island, stopped at the very last moment by the concession of Charles Albert's statute. Some doubts however remain, considering the very slight evidence. Avogadro held public posts in statistics, meteorology, and weights and measures (he introduced decimal metric system in Piedmont) and was a member of the Royal Superior Council on Public Instruction. In honour of Avogadro's contributions to the theory of molarity and molecular weights, the number of molecules in one mole was renamed Avogadro's number, N A . It is approximately 6.0221415 10 23 . Loschmidt first calculated the value of Avogadro's number, now called Avogadro's constant, which is still sometimes referred to as the Loschmidt number in German-language countries (Loschmidt constant now has another meaning). Avogadro's number is commonly used to compute the results of chemical reactions. It allows chemists to determine the exact amounts of substances produced in a given reaction. During his stay in Vercelli he wrote a concise note (memoria) in which he declared the hypothesis of what we now call Avogadro's law: :equal volumes of gases, at the same temperature and pressure, contain the same number of molecules. This memoria he sent to De Lamétherie's Journal de Physique, de Chimie et d'Histoire naturelle and it was published in the edition of July 14, 1811 with the title Essai d'une manière de déterminer les masses relatives des molecules élémentaires des corps, et les proportions selon lesquelles elles entrent dans ces combinaisons . Avogadro's Law implies that the relationship occurring between the weights of same volumes of different gases (at the same temperature and pressure) corresponds to the relationship between respective molecular weights. Hence, relative molecular masses can be calculated from the masses of gas samples. Avogadro developed this hypothesis after Joseph Louis Gay-Lussac had published in 1808 his law on volumes (and combining gases). The greatest difficulty Avogadro had to resolve was the huge confusion at that time regarding atoms and molecules one of the most important contributions of Avogadro's work was clearly distinguishing one from the other, admitting that simple particles too could be composed of molecules, and that these are composed of atoms. For instance, John Dalton did not consider this possibility. Avogadro did not actually use the word "atom" as the words "atom" and "molecule" were used almost without difference. He considered that there were three kinds of "molecules," including an "elementary molecule" (our "atom"). Also, a keener attention was given to the definition of mass, as distinguished from weight. In 1814 he published Mémoire sur les masses relatives des molécules des corps simples, ou densités présumées de leur gaz, et sur la constitution de quelques-uns de leur composés, pour servir de suite à l'Essai sur le même sujet, publié dans le Journal de Physique, juillet 1811 (), about gas densities. In 1821 he published another memoria, Nouvelles considérations sur la théorie des proportions déterminées dans les combinaisons, et sur la détermination des masses des molécules des corps and little after Mémoire sur la manière de ramener les composès organiques aux lois ordinaires des proportions déterminées. In 1841 he completed and published his work in Fisica dei corpi ponderabili, ossia Trattato della costituzione materiale de' corpi, 4 volumes. The scientific community did not reserve great attention to his theory, so Avogadro's hypothesis was not immediately accepted when announced. André-Marie Ampère too was able three years later to achieve the same result by another method (in his Sur la détermination des proportions dans lesquelles les corps se combinent d'après le nombre et la disposition respective des molécules dont leurs particules intégrantes sont composées), but the same indifferent regard was given to his theories as well. Only with studies by Gerhardt, Laurent and Williamson on organic chemistry, was it possible to demonstrate that Avogadro's law was indispensable to explain why same quantities of molecules, brought to a vapour state, have the same volume. Unfortunately, in the performance of related experiments, some inorganic substances showed exceptions to the law. The matter was finally concluded by Stanislao Cannizzaro, as announced at Karlsruhe Congress (1860, four years after Avogadro's death), where he explained that these exceptions happened because of molecular dissociations which occurred at certain temperatures, and that Avogadro's law could determine not only molar masses, but as a consequence, atomic masses too. In 1911, a historic meeting took place in Turin to commemorate the hundredth anniversary of the publication of Avogadro's classic 1811 memoir. King Victor Emmanuel III was there to pay homage to Avogadro. Thus Avogadro's great contribution to chemistry was recognised and he is recognised as a great Italian chemist. (Note: In 1911, Victor Emmanuel III was the King of a unified Italy with Rome instead or Turin as its capital. The unification of Italy did not happen during the life time of Avogadro. In fact, Avogadro's famous 1811 paper was written in French.) Clausius, by his kinetic theory on gases, was able to give another confirmation of Avogadro's law. Not long after, in his researches regarding dilute solutions (and the consequent discovery of analogies between the behaviour of solutions and gases), J. H. van 't Hoff added his final consensus for the triumph of the Italian scientist, who since then has been considered the founder of the atomic-molecular theory. * Avogadro (lunar crater) * Avogadro's constant * * Morselli, Mario. (1984). Amedeo Avogadro, a scientific biography. Kluwer. ISBN 9027716242. Related Wikipedia Articles Caricature August 9 1776 July 9 1856 Italy savant molarity atom molecule ion mole (unit) Avogadro's number Turin Piedmont Italy ecclesiastical law physics mathematics Vercelli Turin King of Sardinia Sardinia Savoy Kings of Savoy Charles Albert of Savoy Statuto Albertino Sardinia molarity mole (unit) Avogadro's number Loschmidt Loschmidt number Loschmidt constant Avogadro's law De LamÃ©therie Joseph Louis Gay-Lussac Law of Charles and Gay-Lussac John Dalton mass weight AndrÃ©-Marie AmpÃ¨re Charles FrÃ©dÃ©ric Gerhardt Auguste Laurent Williamson organic chemistry Stanislao Cannizzaro Karlsruhe Turin Rome Turin Rudolf Clausius J. H. van 't Hoff Atomic theory#Modern atomic theory Avogadro (crater) lunar crater Avogadro's constant Dictionary of Scientific Biography
Amedeo_Avogadro	Can the title of this famous 1811 paper be roughly translated into english?	yes	data/set4/a8	Amedeo Avogadro Caricature of Amedeo Avogadro Lorenzo Romano Amedeo Carlo Avogadro, Count of Quaregna and Cerreto (August 9, 1776 July 9, 1856) was an Italian savant. He is most noted for his contributions to the theory of molarity and molecular weight. As a tribute to him, the number of elementary entities (atoms, molecules, ions or other particles) in one mole of a substance, 6.02214199x10 23 , is known as Avogadro's number. Amedeo Avogadro was born in Turin August 9th 1776 to a noble ancient family of Piedmont, Italy. He graduated in ecclesiastical law at the early age of 20 and began to practice. Soon there after he dedicated himself to the study of physics and mathematics (then called positive philosophy), and in 1809 started teaching them at a liceo (high school) in Vercelli (where his family had some properties). In 1811, he published an article with the title Essai d'une manière de déterminer les masses relatives des molécules élémentaires des corps, et les proportions selon lesquelles elles entrent dans ces combinaisons, which contains the famous Avogadro's hypothesis. The title of this famous 1811 paper can be roughly translated into English as "Essay on Determining the Relative Masses of the Elementary Molecules of Bodies". (Note: At that time in 1811, northern Italy was actually under French rule during the era of Napoléon Bonaparte. Avogadro submitted his poem to a French journal. This paper was written in French, not in Italian.) In 1820 he became a professor of physics at the University of Turin. (Note: After the downfall of Napoléon in 1815, northern Italy was under the rule of the Kingdom of Piedmont-Sardinia and Turin was the capital of this kingdom.) He was active in the political revolutionary movements of 1821 against the king of Sardinia, and as a result, was removed from his chair in 1823 (or, as officially declared, the university was "very glad to allow this interesting scientist to take a rest from heavy teaching duties, in order to be able to give a better attention to his researches") . However over time, Avogadro's political isolation became less, as revolutionary ideas received increasing attention from Savoy kings, until in 1848 when Charles Albert granted a modern Constitution (Statuto Albertino). Well before this, following the increasing attention to his works, Avogadro had been recalled to Turin university in 1833, where he taught for another twenty years. Very little is known about Avogadro's private life and political activity although he seems to have led a sober and religious life. He married Felicita Mazzé and had six children. Several historical studies confirm that he sponsored and helped some Sardinian plotters who were organising a revolution in that island, stopped at the very last moment by the concession of Charles Albert's statute. Some doubts however remain, considering the very slight evidence. Avogadro held public posts in statistics, meteorology, and weights and measures (he introduced decimal metric system in Piedmont) and was a member of the Royal Superior Council on Public Instruction. In honour of Avogadro's contributions to the theory of molarity and molecular weights, the number of molecules in one mole was renamed Avogadro's number, N A . It is approximately 6.0221415 10 23 . Loschmidt first calculated the value of Avogadro's number, now called Avogadro's constant, which is still sometimes referred to as the Loschmidt number in German-language countries (Loschmidt constant now has another meaning). Avogadro's number is commonly used to compute the results of chemical reactions. It allows chemists to determine the exact amounts of substances produced in a given reaction. During his stay in Vercelli he wrote a concise note (memoria) in which he declared the hypothesis of what we now call Avogadro's law: :equal volumes of gases, at the same temperature and pressure, contain the same number of molecules. This memoria he sent to De Lamétherie's Journal de Physique, de Chimie et d'Histoire naturelle and it was published in the edition of July 14, 1811 with the title Essai d'une manière de déterminer les masses relatives des molecules élémentaires des corps, et les proportions selon lesquelles elles entrent dans ces combinaisons . Avogadro's Law implies that the relationship occurring between the weights of same volumes of different gases (at the same temperature and pressure) corresponds to the relationship between respective molecular weights. Hence, relative molecular masses can be calculated from the masses of gas samples. Avogadro developed this hypothesis after Joseph Louis Gay-Lussac had published in 1808 his law on volumes (and combining gases). The greatest difficulty Avogadro had to resolve was the huge confusion at that time regarding atoms and molecules one of the most important contributions of Avogadro's work was clearly distinguishing one from the other, admitting that simple particles too could be composed of molecules, and that these are composed of atoms. For instance, John Dalton did not consider this possibility. Avogadro did not actually use the word "atom" as the words "atom" and "molecule" were used almost without difference. He considered that there were three kinds of "molecules," including an "elementary molecule" (our "atom"). Also, a keener attention was given to the definition of mass, as distinguished from weight. In 1814 he published Mémoire sur les masses relatives des molécules des corps simples, ou densités présumées de leur gaz, et sur la constitution de quelques-uns de leur composés, pour servir de suite à l'Essai sur le même sujet, publié dans le Journal de Physique, juillet 1811 (), about gas densities. In 1821 he published another memoria, Nouvelles considérations sur la théorie des proportions déterminées dans les combinaisons, et sur la détermination des masses des molécules des corps and little after Mémoire sur la manière de ramener les composès organiques aux lois ordinaires des proportions déterminées. In 1841 he completed and published his work in Fisica dei corpi ponderabili, ossia Trattato della costituzione materiale de' corpi, 4 volumes. The scientific community did not reserve great attention to his theory, so Avogadro's hypothesis was not immediately accepted when announced. André-Marie Ampère too was able three years later to achieve the same result by another method (in his Sur la détermination des proportions dans lesquelles les corps se combinent d'après le nombre et la disposition respective des molécules dont leurs particules intégrantes sont composées), but the same indifferent regard was given to his theories as well. Only with studies by Gerhardt, Laurent and Williamson on organic chemistry, was it possible to demonstrate that Avogadro's law was indispensable to explain why same quantities of molecules, brought to a vapour state, have the same volume. Unfortunately, in the performance of related experiments, some inorganic substances showed exceptions to the law. The matter was finally concluded by Stanislao Cannizzaro, as announced at Karlsruhe Congress (1860, four years after Avogadro's death), where he explained that these exceptions happened because of molecular dissociations which occurred at certain temperatures, and that Avogadro's law could determine not only molar masses, but as a consequence, atomic masses too. In 1911, a historic meeting took place in Turin to commemorate the hundredth anniversary of the publication of Avogadro's classic 1811 memoir. King Victor Emmanuel III was there to pay homage to Avogadro. Thus Avogadro's great contribution to chemistry was recognised and he is recognised as a great Italian chemist. (Note: In 1911, Victor Emmanuel III was the King of a unified Italy with Rome instead or Turin as its capital. The unification of Italy did not happen during the life time of Avogadro. In fact, Avogadro's famous 1811 paper was written in French.) Clausius, by his kinetic theory on gases, was able to give another confirmation of Avogadro's law. Not long after, in his researches regarding dilute solutions (and the consequent discovery of analogies between the behaviour of solutions and gases), J. H. van 't Hoff added his final consensus for the triumph of the Italian scientist, who since then has been considered the founder of the atomic-molecular theory. * Avogadro (lunar crater) * Avogadro's constant * * Morselli, Mario. (1984). Amedeo Avogadro, a scientific biography. Kluwer. ISBN 9027716242. Related Wikipedia Articles Caricature August 9 1776 July 9 1856 Italy savant molarity atom molecule ion mole (unit) Avogadro's number Turin Piedmont Italy ecclesiastical law physics mathematics Vercelli Turin King of Sardinia Sardinia Savoy Kings of Savoy Charles Albert of Savoy Statuto Albertino Sardinia molarity mole (unit) Avogadro's number Loschmidt Loschmidt number Loschmidt constant Avogadro's law De LamÃ©therie Joseph Louis Gay-Lussac Law of Charles and Gay-Lussac John Dalton mass weight AndrÃ©-Marie AmpÃ¨re Charles FrÃ©dÃ©ric Gerhardt Auguste Laurent Williamson organic chemistry Stanislao Cannizzaro Karlsruhe Turin Rome Turin Rudolf Clausius J. H. van 't Hoff Atomic theory#Modern atomic theory Avogadro (crater) lunar crater Avogadro's constant Dictionary of Scientific Biography
Amedeo_Avogadro	Can the title of this famous 1811 paper be roughly translated into english?	null	data/set4/a8	Amedeo Avogadro Caricature of Amedeo Avogadro Lorenzo Romano Amedeo Carlo Avogadro, Count of Quaregna and Cerreto (August 9, 1776 July 9, 1856) was an Italian savant. He is most noted for his contributions to the theory of molarity and molecular weight. As a tribute to him, the number of elementary entities (atoms, molecules, ions or other particles) in one mole of a substance, 6.02214199x10 23 , is known as Avogadro's number. Amedeo Avogadro was born in Turin August 9th 1776 to a noble ancient family of Piedmont, Italy. He graduated in ecclesiastical law at the early age of 20 and began to practice. Soon there after he dedicated himself to the study of physics and mathematics (then called positive philosophy), and in 1809 started teaching them at a liceo (high school) in Vercelli (where his family had some properties). In 1811, he published an article with the title Essai d'une manière de déterminer les masses relatives des molécules élémentaires des corps, et les proportions selon lesquelles elles entrent dans ces combinaisons, which contains the famous Avogadro's hypothesis. The title of this famous 1811 paper can be roughly translated into English as "Essay on Determining the Relative Masses of the Elementary Molecules of Bodies". (Note: At that time in 1811, northern Italy was actually under French rule during the era of Napoléon Bonaparte. Avogadro submitted his poem to a French journal. This paper was written in French, not in Italian.) In 1820 he became a professor of physics at the University of Turin. (Note: After the downfall of Napoléon in 1815, northern Italy was under the rule of the Kingdom of Piedmont-Sardinia and Turin was the capital of this kingdom.) He was active in the political revolutionary movements of 1821 against the king of Sardinia, and as a result, was removed from his chair in 1823 (or, as officially declared, the university was "very glad to allow this interesting scientist to take a rest from heavy teaching duties, in order to be able to give a better attention to his researches") . However over time, Avogadro's political isolation became less, as revolutionary ideas received increasing attention from Savoy kings, until in 1848 when Charles Albert granted a modern Constitution (Statuto Albertino). Well before this, following the increasing attention to his works, Avogadro had been recalled to Turin university in 1833, where he taught for another twenty years. Very little is known about Avogadro's private life and political activity although he seems to have led a sober and religious life. He married Felicita Mazzé and had six children. Several historical studies confirm that he sponsored and helped some Sardinian plotters who were organising a revolution in that island, stopped at the very last moment by the concession of Charles Albert's statute. Some doubts however remain, considering the very slight evidence. Avogadro held public posts in statistics, meteorology, and weights and measures (he introduced decimal metric system in Piedmont) and was a member of the Royal Superior Council on Public Instruction. In honour of Avogadro's contributions to the theory of molarity and molecular weights, the number of molecules in one mole was renamed Avogadro's number, N A . It is approximately 6.0221415 10 23 . Loschmidt first calculated the value of Avogadro's number, now called Avogadro's constant, which is still sometimes referred to as the Loschmidt number in German-language countries (Loschmidt constant now has another meaning). Avogadro's number is commonly used to compute the results of chemical reactions. It allows chemists to determine the exact amounts of substances produced in a given reaction. During his stay in Vercelli he wrote a concise note (memoria) in which he declared the hypothesis of what we now call Avogadro's law: :equal volumes of gases, at the same temperature and pressure, contain the same number of molecules. This memoria he sent to De Lamétherie's Journal de Physique, de Chimie et d'Histoire naturelle and it was published in the edition of July 14, 1811 with the title Essai d'une manière de déterminer les masses relatives des molecules élémentaires des corps, et les proportions selon lesquelles elles entrent dans ces combinaisons . Avogadro's Law implies that the relationship occurring between the weights of same volumes of different gases (at the same temperature and pressure) corresponds to the relationship between respective molecular weights. Hence, relative molecular masses can be calculated from the masses of gas samples. Avogadro developed this hypothesis after Joseph Louis Gay-Lussac had published in 1808 his law on volumes (and combining gases). The greatest difficulty Avogadro had to resolve was the huge confusion at that time regarding atoms and molecules one of the most important contributions of Avogadro's work was clearly distinguishing one from the other, admitting that simple particles too could be composed of molecules, and that these are composed of atoms. For instance, John Dalton did not consider this possibility. Avogadro did not actually use the word "atom" as the words "atom" and "molecule" were used almost without difference. He considered that there were three kinds of "molecules," including an "elementary molecule" (our "atom"). Also, a keener attention was given to the definition of mass, as distinguished from weight. In 1814 he published Mémoire sur les masses relatives des molécules des corps simples, ou densités présumées de leur gaz, et sur la constitution de quelques-uns de leur composés, pour servir de suite à l'Essai sur le même sujet, publié dans le Journal de Physique, juillet 1811 (), about gas densities. In 1821 he published another memoria, Nouvelles considérations sur la théorie des proportions déterminées dans les combinaisons, et sur la détermination des masses des molécules des corps and little after Mémoire sur la manière de ramener les composès organiques aux lois ordinaires des proportions déterminées. In 1841 he completed and published his work in Fisica dei corpi ponderabili, ossia Trattato della costituzione materiale de' corpi, 4 volumes. The scientific community did not reserve great attention to his theory, so Avogadro's hypothesis was not immediately accepted when announced. André-Marie Ampère too was able three years later to achieve the same result by another method (in his Sur la détermination des proportions dans lesquelles les corps se combinent d'après le nombre et la disposition respective des molécules dont leurs particules intégrantes sont composées), but the same indifferent regard was given to his theories as well. Only with studies by Gerhardt, Laurent and Williamson on organic chemistry, was it possible to demonstrate that Avogadro's law was indispensable to explain why same quantities of molecules, brought to a vapour state, have the same volume. Unfortunately, in the performance of related experiments, some inorganic substances showed exceptions to the law. The matter was finally concluded by Stanislao Cannizzaro, as announced at Karlsruhe Congress (1860, four years after Avogadro's death), where he explained that these exceptions happened because of molecular dissociations which occurred at certain temperatures, and that Avogadro's law could determine not only molar masses, but as a consequence, atomic masses too. In 1911, a historic meeting took place in Turin to commemorate the hundredth anniversary of the publication of Avogadro's classic 1811 memoir. King Victor Emmanuel III was there to pay homage to Avogadro. Thus Avogadro's great contribution to chemistry was recognised and he is recognised as a great Italian chemist. (Note: In 1911, Victor Emmanuel III was the King of a unified Italy with Rome instead or Turin as its capital. The unification of Italy did not happen during the life time of Avogadro. In fact, Avogadro's famous 1811 paper was written in French.) Clausius, by his kinetic theory on gases, was able to give another confirmation of Avogadro's law. Not long after, in his researches regarding dilute solutions (and the consequent discovery of analogies between the behaviour of solutions and gases), J. H. van 't Hoff added his final consensus for the triumph of the Italian scientist, who since then has been considered the founder of the atomic-molecular theory. * Avogadro (lunar crater) * Avogadro's constant * * Morselli, Mario. (1984). Amedeo Avogadro, a scientific biography. Kluwer. ISBN 9027716242. Related Wikipedia Articles Caricature August 9 1776 July 9 1856 Italy savant molarity atom molecule ion mole (unit) Avogadro's number Turin Piedmont Italy ecclesiastical law physics mathematics Vercelli Turin King of Sardinia Sardinia Savoy Kings of Savoy Charles Albert of Savoy Statuto Albertino Sardinia molarity mole (unit) Avogadro's number Loschmidt Loschmidt number Loschmidt constant Avogadro's law De LamÃ©therie Joseph Louis Gay-Lussac Law of Charles and Gay-Lussac John Dalton mass weight AndrÃ©-Marie AmpÃ¨re Charles FrÃ©dÃ©ric Gerhardt Auguste Laurent Williamson organic chemistry Stanislao Cannizzaro Karlsruhe Turin Rome Turin Rudolf Clausius J. H. van 't Hoff Atomic theory#Modern atomic theory Avogadro (crater) lunar crater Avogadro's constant Dictionary of Scientific Biography
Amedeo_Avogadro	Can the title of this famous 1811 paper be roughly translated into english?	null	data/set4/a8	Amedeo Avogadro Caricature of Amedeo Avogadro Lorenzo Romano Amedeo Carlo Avogadro, Count of Quaregna and Cerreto (August 9, 1776 July 9, 1856) was an Italian savant. He is most noted for his contributions to the theory of molarity and molecular weight. As a tribute to him, the number of elementary entities (atoms, molecules, ions or other particles) in one mole of a substance, 6.02214199x10 23 , is known as Avogadro's number. Amedeo Avogadro was born in Turin August 9th 1776 to a noble ancient family of Piedmont, Italy. He graduated in ecclesiastical law at the early age of 20 and began to practice. Soon there after he dedicated himself to the study of physics and mathematics (then called positive philosophy), and in 1809 started teaching them at a liceo (high school) in Vercelli (where his family had some properties). In 1811, he published an article with the title Essai d'une manière de déterminer les masses relatives des molécules élémentaires des corps, et les proportions selon lesquelles elles entrent dans ces combinaisons, which contains the famous Avogadro's hypothesis. The title of this famous 1811 paper can be roughly translated into English as "Essay on Determining the Relative Masses of the Elementary Molecules of Bodies". (Note: At that time in 1811, northern Italy was actually under French rule during the era of Napoléon Bonaparte. Avogadro submitted his poem to a French journal. This paper was written in French, not in Italian.) In 1820 he became a professor of physics at the University of Turin. (Note: After the downfall of Napoléon in 1815, northern Italy was under the rule of the Kingdom of Piedmont-Sardinia and Turin was the capital of this kingdom.) He was active in the political revolutionary movements of 1821 against the king of Sardinia, and as a result, was removed from his chair in 1823 (or, as officially declared, the university was "very glad to allow this interesting scientist to take a rest from heavy teaching duties, in order to be able to give a better attention to his researches") . However over time, Avogadro's political isolation became less, as revolutionary ideas received increasing attention from Savoy kings, until in 1848 when Charles Albert granted a modern Constitution (Statuto Albertino). Well before this, following the increasing attention to his works, Avogadro had been recalled to Turin university in 1833, where he taught for another twenty years. Very little is known about Avogadro's private life and political activity although he seems to have led a sober and religious life. He married Felicita Mazzé and had six children. Several historical studies confirm that he sponsored and helped some Sardinian plotters who were organising a revolution in that island, stopped at the very last moment by the concession of Charles Albert's statute. Some doubts however remain, considering the very slight evidence. Avogadro held public posts in statistics, meteorology, and weights and measures (he introduced decimal metric system in Piedmont) and was a member of the Royal Superior Council on Public Instruction. In honour of Avogadro's contributions to the theory of molarity and molecular weights, the number of molecules in one mole was renamed Avogadro's number, N A . It is approximately 6.0221415 10 23 . Loschmidt first calculated the value of Avogadro's number, now called Avogadro's constant, which is still sometimes referred to as the Loschmidt number in German-language countries (Loschmidt constant now has another meaning). Avogadro's number is commonly used to compute the results of chemical reactions. It allows chemists to determine the exact amounts of substances produced in a given reaction. During his stay in Vercelli he wrote a concise note (memoria) in which he declared the hypothesis of what we now call Avogadro's law: :equal volumes of gases, at the same temperature and pressure, contain the same number of molecules. This memoria he sent to De Lamétherie's Journal de Physique, de Chimie et d'Histoire naturelle and it was published in the edition of July 14, 1811 with the title Essai d'une manière de déterminer les masses relatives des molecules élémentaires des corps, et les proportions selon lesquelles elles entrent dans ces combinaisons . Avogadro's Law implies that the relationship occurring between the weights of same volumes of different gases (at the same temperature and pressure) corresponds to the relationship between respective molecular weights. Hence, relative molecular masses can be calculated from the masses of gas samples. Avogadro developed this hypothesis after Joseph Louis Gay-Lussac had published in 1808 his law on volumes (and combining gases). The greatest difficulty Avogadro had to resolve was the huge confusion at that time regarding atoms and molecules one of the most important contributions of Avogadro's work was clearly distinguishing one from the other, admitting that simple particles too could be composed of molecules, and that these are composed of atoms. For instance, John Dalton did not consider this possibility. Avogadro did not actually use the word "atom" as the words "atom" and "molecule" were used almost without difference. He considered that there were three kinds of "molecules," including an "elementary molecule" (our "atom"). Also, a keener attention was given to the definition of mass, as distinguished from weight. In 1814 he published Mémoire sur les masses relatives des molécules des corps simples, ou densités présumées de leur gaz, et sur la constitution de quelques-uns de leur composés, pour servir de suite à l'Essai sur le même sujet, publié dans le Journal de Physique, juillet 1811 (), about gas densities. In 1821 he published another memoria, Nouvelles considérations sur la théorie des proportions déterminées dans les combinaisons, et sur la détermination des masses des molécules des corps and little after Mémoire sur la manière de ramener les composès organiques aux lois ordinaires des proportions déterminées. In 1841 he completed and published his work in Fisica dei corpi ponderabili, ossia Trattato della costituzione materiale de' corpi, 4 volumes. The scientific community did not reserve great attention to his theory, so Avogadro's hypothesis was not immediately accepted when announced. André-Marie Ampère too was able three years later to achieve the same result by another method (in his Sur la détermination des proportions dans lesquelles les corps se combinent d'après le nombre et la disposition respective des molécules dont leurs particules intégrantes sont composées), but the same indifferent regard was given to his theories as well. Only with studies by Gerhardt, Laurent and Williamson on organic chemistry, was it possible to demonstrate that Avogadro's law was indispensable to explain why same quantities of molecules, brought to a vapour state, have the same volume. Unfortunately, in the performance of related experiments, some inorganic substances showed exceptions to the law. The matter was finally concluded by Stanislao Cannizzaro, as announced at Karlsruhe Congress (1860, four years after Avogadro's death), where he explained that these exceptions happened because of molecular dissociations which occurred at certain temperatures, and that Avogadro's law could determine not only molar masses, but as a consequence, atomic masses too. In 1911, a historic meeting took place in Turin to commemorate the hundredth anniversary of the publication of Avogadro's classic 1811 memoir. King Victor Emmanuel III was there to pay homage to Avogadro. Thus Avogadro's great contribution to chemistry was recognised and he is recognised as a great Italian chemist. (Note: In 1911, Victor Emmanuel III was the King of a unified Italy with Rome instead or Turin as its capital. The unification of Italy did not happen during the life time of Avogadro. In fact, Avogadro's famous 1811 paper was written in French.) Clausius, by his kinetic theory on gases, was able to give another confirmation of Avogadro's law. Not long after, in his researches regarding dilute solutions (and the consequent discovery of analogies between the behaviour of solutions and gases), J. H. van 't Hoff added his final consensus for the triumph of the Italian scientist, who since then has been considered the founder of the atomic-molecular theory. * Avogadro (lunar crater) * Avogadro's constant * * Morselli, Mario. (1984). Amedeo Avogadro, a scientific biography. Kluwer. ISBN 9027716242. Related Wikipedia Articles Caricature August 9 1776 July 9 1856 Italy savant molarity atom molecule ion mole (unit) Avogadro's number Turin Piedmont Italy ecclesiastical law physics mathematics Vercelli Turin King of Sardinia Sardinia Savoy Kings of Savoy Charles Albert of Savoy Statuto Albertino Sardinia molarity mole (unit) Avogadro's number Loschmidt Loschmidt number Loschmidt constant Avogadro's law De LamÃ©therie Joseph Louis Gay-Lussac Law of Charles and Gay-Lussac John Dalton mass weight AndrÃ©-Marie AmpÃ¨re Charles FrÃ©dÃ©ric Gerhardt Auguste Laurent Williamson organic chemistry Stanislao Cannizzaro Karlsruhe Turin Rome Turin Rudolf Clausius J. H. van 't Hoff Atomic theory#Modern atomic theory Avogadro (crater) lunar crater Avogadro's constant Dictionary of Scientific Biography
Amedeo_Avogadro	What happened in french?	null	data/set4/a8	Amedeo Avogadro Caricature of Amedeo Avogadro Lorenzo Romano Amedeo Carlo Avogadro, Count of Quaregna and Cerreto (August 9, 1776 July 9, 1856) was an Italian savant. He is most noted for his contributions to the theory of molarity and molecular weight. As a tribute to him, the number of elementary entities (atoms, molecules, ions or other particles) in one mole of a substance, 6.02214199x10 23 , is known as Avogadro's number. Amedeo Avogadro was born in Turin August 9th 1776 to a noble ancient family of Piedmont, Italy. He graduated in ecclesiastical law at the early age of 20 and began to practice. Soon there after he dedicated himself to the study of physics and mathematics (then called positive philosophy), and in 1809 started teaching them at a liceo (high school) in Vercelli (where his family had some properties). In 1811, he published an article with the title Essai d'une manière de déterminer les masses relatives des molécules élémentaires des corps, et les proportions selon lesquelles elles entrent dans ces combinaisons, which contains the famous Avogadro's hypothesis. The title of this famous 1811 paper can be roughly translated into English as "Essay on Determining the Relative Masses of the Elementary Molecules of Bodies". (Note: At that time in 1811, northern Italy was actually under French rule during the era of Napoléon Bonaparte. Avogadro submitted his poem to a French journal. This paper was written in French, not in Italian.) In 1820 he became a professor of physics at the University of Turin. (Note: After the downfall of Napoléon in 1815, northern Italy was under the rule of the Kingdom of Piedmont-Sardinia and Turin was the capital of this kingdom.) He was active in the political revolutionary movements of 1821 against the king of Sardinia, and as a result, was removed from his chair in 1823 (or, as officially declared, the university was "very glad to allow this interesting scientist to take a rest from heavy teaching duties, in order to be able to give a better attention to his researches") . However over time, Avogadro's political isolation became less, as revolutionary ideas received increasing attention from Savoy kings, until in 1848 when Charles Albert granted a modern Constitution (Statuto Albertino). Well before this, following the increasing attention to his works, Avogadro had been recalled to Turin university in 1833, where he taught for another twenty years. Very little is known about Avogadro's private life and political activity although he seems to have led a sober and religious life. He married Felicita Mazzé and had six children. Several historical studies confirm that he sponsored and helped some Sardinian plotters who were organising a revolution in that island, stopped at the very last moment by the concession of Charles Albert's statute. Some doubts however remain, considering the very slight evidence. Avogadro held public posts in statistics, meteorology, and weights and measures (he introduced decimal metric system in Piedmont) and was a member of the Royal Superior Council on Public Instruction. In honour of Avogadro's contributions to the theory of molarity and molecular weights, the number of molecules in one mole was renamed Avogadro's number, N A . It is approximately 6.0221415 10 23 . Loschmidt first calculated the value of Avogadro's number, now called Avogadro's constant, which is still sometimes referred to as the Loschmidt number in German-language countries (Loschmidt constant now has another meaning). Avogadro's number is commonly used to compute the results of chemical reactions. It allows chemists to determine the exact amounts of substances produced in a given reaction. During his stay in Vercelli he wrote a concise note (memoria) in which he declared the hypothesis of what we now call Avogadro's law: :equal volumes of gases, at the same temperature and pressure, contain the same number of molecules. This memoria he sent to De Lamétherie's Journal de Physique, de Chimie et d'Histoire naturelle and it was published in the edition of July 14, 1811 with the title Essai d'une manière de déterminer les masses relatives des molecules élémentaires des corps, et les proportions selon lesquelles elles entrent dans ces combinaisons . Avogadro's Law implies that the relationship occurring between the weights of same volumes of different gases (at the same temperature and pressure) corresponds to the relationship between respective molecular weights. Hence, relative molecular masses can be calculated from the masses of gas samples. Avogadro developed this hypothesis after Joseph Louis Gay-Lussac had published in 1808 his law on volumes (and combining gases). The greatest difficulty Avogadro had to resolve was the huge confusion at that time regarding atoms and molecules one of the most important contributions of Avogadro's work was clearly distinguishing one from the other, admitting that simple particles too could be composed of molecules, and that these are composed of atoms. For instance, John Dalton did not consider this possibility. Avogadro did not actually use the word "atom" as the words "atom" and "molecule" were used almost without difference. He considered that there were three kinds of "molecules," including an "elementary molecule" (our "atom"). Also, a keener attention was given to the definition of mass, as distinguished from weight. In 1814 he published Mémoire sur les masses relatives des molécules des corps simples, ou densités présumées de leur gaz, et sur la constitution de quelques-uns de leur composés, pour servir de suite à l'Essai sur le même sujet, publié dans le Journal de Physique, juillet 1811 (), about gas densities. In 1821 he published another memoria, Nouvelles considérations sur la théorie des proportions déterminées dans les combinaisons, et sur la détermination des masses des molécules des corps and little after Mémoire sur la manière de ramener les composès organiques aux lois ordinaires des proportions déterminées. In 1841 he completed and published his work in Fisica dei corpi ponderabili, ossia Trattato della costituzione materiale de' corpi, 4 volumes. The scientific community did not reserve great attention to his theory, so Avogadro's hypothesis was not immediately accepted when announced. André-Marie Ampère too was able three years later to achieve the same result by another method (in his Sur la détermination des proportions dans lesquelles les corps se combinent d'après le nombre et la disposition respective des molécules dont leurs particules intégrantes sont composées), but the same indifferent regard was given to his theories as well. Only with studies by Gerhardt, Laurent and Williamson on organic chemistry, was it possible to demonstrate that Avogadro's law was indispensable to explain why same quantities of molecules, brought to a vapour state, have the same volume. Unfortunately, in the performance of related experiments, some inorganic substances showed exceptions to the law. The matter was finally concluded by Stanislao Cannizzaro, as announced at Karlsruhe Congress (1860, four years after Avogadro's death), where he explained that these exceptions happened because of molecular dissociations which occurred at certain temperatures, and that Avogadro's law could determine not only molar masses, but as a consequence, atomic masses too. In 1911, a historic meeting took place in Turin to commemorate the hundredth anniversary of the publication of Avogadro's classic 1811 memoir. King Victor Emmanuel III was there to pay homage to Avogadro. Thus Avogadro's great contribution to chemistry was recognised and he is recognised as a great Italian chemist. (Note: In 1911, Victor Emmanuel III was the King of a unified Italy with Rome instead or Turin as its capital. The unification of Italy did not happen during the life time of Avogadro. In fact, Avogadro's famous 1811 paper was written in French.) Clausius, by his kinetic theory on gases, was able to give another confirmation of Avogadro's law. Not long after, in his researches regarding dilute solutions (and the consequent discovery of analogies between the behaviour of solutions and gases), J. H. van 't Hoff added his final consensus for the triumph of the Italian scientist, who since then has been considered the founder of the atomic-molecular theory. * Avogadro (lunar crater) * Avogadro's constant * * Morselli, Mario. (1984). Amedeo Avogadro, a scientific biography. Kluwer. ISBN 9027716242. Related Wikipedia Articles Caricature August 9 1776 July 9 1856 Italy savant molarity atom molecule ion mole (unit) Avogadro's number Turin Piedmont Italy ecclesiastical law physics mathematics Vercelli Turin King of Sardinia Sardinia Savoy Kings of Savoy Charles Albert of Savoy Statuto Albertino Sardinia molarity mole (unit) Avogadro's number Loschmidt Loschmidt number Loschmidt constant Avogadro's law De LamÃ©therie Joseph Louis Gay-Lussac Law of Charles and Gay-Lussac John Dalton mass weight AndrÃ©-Marie AmpÃ¨re Charles FrÃ©dÃ©ric Gerhardt Auguste Laurent Williamson organic chemistry Stanislao Cannizzaro Karlsruhe Turin Rome Turin Rudolf Clausius J. H. van 't Hoff Atomic theory#Modern atomic theory Avogadro (crater) lunar crater Avogadro's constant Dictionary of Scientific Biography
Amedeo_Avogadro	What happened in french?	null	data/set4/a8	Amedeo Avogadro Caricature of Amedeo Avogadro Lorenzo Romano Amedeo Carlo Avogadro, Count of Quaregna and Cerreto (August 9, 1776 July 9, 1856) was an Italian savant. He is most noted for his contributions to the theory of molarity and molecular weight. As a tribute to him, the number of elementary entities (atoms, molecules, ions or other particles) in one mole of a substance, 6.02214199x10 23 , is known as Avogadro's number. Amedeo Avogadro was born in Turin August 9th 1776 to a noble ancient family of Piedmont, Italy. He graduated in ecclesiastical law at the early age of 20 and began to practice. Soon there after he dedicated himself to the study of physics and mathematics (then called positive philosophy), and in 1809 started teaching them at a liceo (high school) in Vercelli (where his family had some properties). In 1811, he published an article with the title Essai d'une manière de déterminer les masses relatives des molécules élémentaires des corps, et les proportions selon lesquelles elles entrent dans ces combinaisons, which contains the famous Avogadro's hypothesis. The title of this famous 1811 paper can be roughly translated into English as "Essay on Determining the Relative Masses of the Elementary Molecules of Bodies". (Note: At that time in 1811, northern Italy was actually under French rule during the era of Napoléon Bonaparte. Avogadro submitted his poem to a French journal. This paper was written in French, not in Italian.) In 1820 he became a professor of physics at the University of Turin. (Note: After the downfall of Napoléon in 1815, northern Italy was under the rule of the Kingdom of Piedmont-Sardinia and Turin was the capital of this kingdom.) He was active in the political revolutionary movements of 1821 against the king of Sardinia, and as a result, was removed from his chair in 1823 (or, as officially declared, the university was "very glad to allow this interesting scientist to take a rest from heavy teaching duties, in order to be able to give a better attention to his researches") . However over time, Avogadro's political isolation became less, as revolutionary ideas received increasing attention from Savoy kings, until in 1848 when Charles Albert granted a modern Constitution (Statuto Albertino). Well before this, following the increasing attention to his works, Avogadro had been recalled to Turin university in 1833, where he taught for another twenty years. Very little is known about Avogadro's private life and political activity although he seems to have led a sober and religious life. He married Felicita Mazzé and had six children. Several historical studies confirm that he sponsored and helped some Sardinian plotters who were organising a revolution in that island, stopped at the very last moment by the concession of Charles Albert's statute. Some doubts however remain, considering the very slight evidence. Avogadro held public posts in statistics, meteorology, and weights and measures (he introduced decimal metric system in Piedmont) and was a member of the Royal Superior Council on Public Instruction. In honour of Avogadro's contributions to the theory of molarity and molecular weights, the number of molecules in one mole was renamed Avogadro's number, N A . It is approximately 6.0221415 10 23 . Loschmidt first calculated the value of Avogadro's number, now called Avogadro's constant, which is still sometimes referred to as the Loschmidt number in German-language countries (Loschmidt constant now has another meaning). Avogadro's number is commonly used to compute the results of chemical reactions. It allows chemists to determine the exact amounts of substances produced in a given reaction. During his stay in Vercelli he wrote a concise note (memoria) in which he declared the hypothesis of what we now call Avogadro's law: :equal volumes of gases, at the same temperature and pressure, contain the same number of molecules. This memoria he sent to De Lamétherie's Journal de Physique, de Chimie et d'Histoire naturelle and it was published in the edition of July 14, 1811 with the title Essai d'une manière de déterminer les masses relatives des molecules élémentaires des corps, et les proportions selon lesquelles elles entrent dans ces combinaisons . Avogadro's Law implies that the relationship occurring between the weights of same volumes of different gases (at the same temperature and pressure) corresponds to the relationship between respective molecular weights. Hence, relative molecular masses can be calculated from the masses of gas samples. Avogadro developed this hypothesis after Joseph Louis Gay-Lussac had published in 1808 his law on volumes (and combining gases). The greatest difficulty Avogadro had to resolve was the huge confusion at that time regarding atoms and molecules one of the most important contributions of Avogadro's work was clearly distinguishing one from the other, admitting that simple particles too could be composed of molecules, and that these are composed of atoms. For instance, John Dalton did not consider this possibility. Avogadro did not actually use the word "atom" as the words "atom" and "molecule" were used almost without difference. He considered that there were three kinds of "molecules," including an "elementary molecule" (our "atom"). Also, a keener attention was given to the definition of mass, as distinguished from weight. In 1814 he published Mémoire sur les masses relatives des molécules des corps simples, ou densités présumées de leur gaz, et sur la constitution de quelques-uns de leur composés, pour servir de suite à l'Essai sur le même sujet, publié dans le Journal de Physique, juillet 1811 (), about gas densities. In 1821 he published another memoria, Nouvelles considérations sur la théorie des proportions déterminées dans les combinaisons, et sur la détermination des masses des molécules des corps and little after Mémoire sur la manière de ramener les composès organiques aux lois ordinaires des proportions déterminées. In 1841 he completed and published his work in Fisica dei corpi ponderabili, ossia Trattato della costituzione materiale de' corpi, 4 volumes. The scientific community did not reserve great attention to his theory, so Avogadro's hypothesis was not immediately accepted when announced. André-Marie Ampère too was able three years later to achieve the same result by another method (in his Sur la détermination des proportions dans lesquelles les corps se combinent d'après le nombre et la disposition respective des molécules dont leurs particules intégrantes sont composées), but the same indifferent regard was given to his theories as well. Only with studies by Gerhardt, Laurent and Williamson on organic chemistry, was it possible to demonstrate that Avogadro's law was indispensable to explain why same quantities of molecules, brought to a vapour state, have the same volume. Unfortunately, in the performance of related experiments, some inorganic substances showed exceptions to the law. The matter was finally concluded by Stanislao Cannizzaro, as announced at Karlsruhe Congress (1860, four years after Avogadro's death), where he explained that these exceptions happened because of molecular dissociations which occurred at certain temperatures, and that Avogadro's law could determine not only molar masses, but as a consequence, atomic masses too. In 1911, a historic meeting took place in Turin to commemorate the hundredth anniversary of the publication of Avogadro's classic 1811 memoir. King Victor Emmanuel III was there to pay homage to Avogadro. Thus Avogadro's great contribution to chemistry was recognised and he is recognised as a great Italian chemist. (Note: In 1911, Victor Emmanuel III was the King of a unified Italy with Rome instead or Turin as its capital. The unification of Italy did not happen during the life time of Avogadro. In fact, Avogadro's famous 1811 paper was written in French.) Clausius, by his kinetic theory on gases, was able to give another confirmation of Avogadro's law. Not long after, in his researches regarding dilute solutions (and the consequent discovery of analogies between the behaviour of solutions and gases), J. H. van 't Hoff added his final consensus for the triumph of the Italian scientist, who since then has been considered the founder of the atomic-molecular theory. * Avogadro (lunar crater) * Avogadro's constant * * Morselli, Mario. (1984). Amedeo Avogadro, a scientific biography. Kluwer. ISBN 9027716242. Related Wikipedia Articles Caricature August 9 1776 July 9 1856 Italy savant molarity atom molecule ion mole (unit) Avogadro's number Turin Piedmont Italy ecclesiastical law physics mathematics Vercelli Turin King of Sardinia Sardinia Savoy Kings of Savoy Charles Albert of Savoy Statuto Albertino Sardinia molarity mole (unit) Avogadro's number Loschmidt Loschmidt number Loschmidt constant Avogadro's law De LamÃ©therie Joseph Louis Gay-Lussac Law of Charles and Gay-Lussac John Dalton mass weight AndrÃ©-Marie AmpÃ¨re Charles FrÃ©dÃ©ric Gerhardt Auguste Laurent Williamson organic chemistry Stanislao Cannizzaro Karlsruhe Turin Rome Turin Rudolf Clausius J. H. van 't Hoff Atomic theory#Modern atomic theory Avogadro (crater) lunar crater Avogadro's constant Dictionary of Scientific Biography
Amedeo_Avogadro	What happened in 1833?	Avogadro had been recalled to Turin university	data/set4/a8	Amedeo Avogadro Caricature of Amedeo Avogadro Lorenzo Romano Amedeo Carlo Avogadro, Count of Quaregna and Cerreto (August 9, 1776 July 9, 1856) was an Italian savant. He is most noted for his contributions to the theory of molarity and molecular weight. As a tribute to him, the number of elementary entities (atoms, molecules, ions or other particles) in one mole of a substance, 6.02214199x10 23 , is known as Avogadro's number. Amedeo Avogadro was born in Turin August 9th 1776 to a noble ancient family of Piedmont, Italy. He graduated in ecclesiastical law at the early age of 20 and began to practice. Soon there after he dedicated himself to the study of physics and mathematics (then called positive philosophy), and in 1809 started teaching them at a liceo (high school) in Vercelli (where his family had some properties). In 1811, he published an article with the title Essai d'une manière de déterminer les masses relatives des molécules élémentaires des corps, et les proportions selon lesquelles elles entrent dans ces combinaisons, which contains the famous Avogadro's hypothesis. The title of this famous 1811 paper can be roughly translated into English as "Essay on Determining the Relative Masses of the Elementary Molecules of Bodies". (Note: At that time in 1811, northern Italy was actually under French rule during the era of Napoléon Bonaparte. Avogadro submitted his poem to a French journal. This paper was written in French, not in Italian.) In 1820 he became a professor of physics at the University of Turin. (Note: After the downfall of Napoléon in 1815, northern Italy was under the rule of the Kingdom of Piedmont-Sardinia and Turin was the capital of this kingdom.) He was active in the political revolutionary movements of 1821 against the king of Sardinia, and as a result, was removed from his chair in 1823 (or, as officially declared, the university was "very glad to allow this interesting scientist to take a rest from heavy teaching duties, in order to be able to give a better attention to his researches") . However over time, Avogadro's political isolation became less, as revolutionary ideas received increasing attention from Savoy kings, until in 1848 when Charles Albert granted a modern Constitution (Statuto Albertino). Well before this, following the increasing attention to his works, Avogadro had been recalled to Turin university in 1833, where he taught for another twenty years. Very little is known about Avogadro's private life and political activity although he seems to have led a sober and religious life. He married Felicita Mazzé and had six children. Several historical studies confirm that he sponsored and helped some Sardinian plotters who were organising a revolution in that island, stopped at the very last moment by the concession of Charles Albert's statute. Some doubts however remain, considering the very slight evidence. Avogadro held public posts in statistics, meteorology, and weights and measures (he introduced decimal metric system in Piedmont) and was a member of the Royal Superior Council on Public Instruction. In honour of Avogadro's contributions to the theory of molarity and molecular weights, the number of molecules in one mole was renamed Avogadro's number, N A . It is approximately 6.0221415 10 23 . Loschmidt first calculated the value of Avogadro's number, now called Avogadro's constant, which is still sometimes referred to as the Loschmidt number in German-language countries (Loschmidt constant now has another meaning). Avogadro's number is commonly used to compute the results of chemical reactions. It allows chemists to determine the exact amounts of substances produced in a given reaction. During his stay in Vercelli he wrote a concise note (memoria) in which he declared the hypothesis of what we now call Avogadro's law: :equal volumes of gases, at the same temperature and pressure, contain the same number of molecules. This memoria he sent to De Lamétherie's Journal de Physique, de Chimie et d'Histoire naturelle and it was published in the edition of July 14, 1811 with the title Essai d'une manière de déterminer les masses relatives des molecules élémentaires des corps, et les proportions selon lesquelles elles entrent dans ces combinaisons . Avogadro's Law implies that the relationship occurring between the weights of same volumes of different gases (at the same temperature and pressure) corresponds to the relationship between respective molecular weights. Hence, relative molecular masses can be calculated from the masses of gas samples. Avogadro developed this hypothesis after Joseph Louis Gay-Lussac had published in 1808 his law on volumes (and combining gases). The greatest difficulty Avogadro had to resolve was the huge confusion at that time regarding atoms and molecules one of the most important contributions of Avogadro's work was clearly distinguishing one from the other, admitting that simple particles too could be composed of molecules, and that these are composed of atoms. For instance, John Dalton did not consider this possibility. Avogadro did not actually use the word "atom" as the words "atom" and "molecule" were used almost without difference. He considered that there were three kinds of "molecules," including an "elementary molecule" (our "atom"). Also, a keener attention was given to the definition of mass, as distinguished from weight. In 1814 he published Mémoire sur les masses relatives des molécules des corps simples, ou densités présumées de leur gaz, et sur la constitution de quelques-uns de leur composés, pour servir de suite à l'Essai sur le même sujet, publié dans le Journal de Physique, juillet 1811 (), about gas densities. In 1821 he published another memoria, Nouvelles considérations sur la théorie des proportions déterminées dans les combinaisons, et sur la détermination des masses des molécules des corps and little after Mémoire sur la manière de ramener les composès organiques aux lois ordinaires des proportions déterminées. In 1841 he completed and published his work in Fisica dei corpi ponderabili, ossia Trattato della costituzione materiale de' corpi, 4 volumes. The scientific community did not reserve great attention to his theory, so Avogadro's hypothesis was not immediately accepted when announced. André-Marie Ampère too was able three years later to achieve the same result by another method (in his Sur la détermination des proportions dans lesquelles les corps se combinent d'après le nombre et la disposition respective des molécules dont leurs particules intégrantes sont composées), but the same indifferent regard was given to his theories as well. Only with studies by Gerhardt, Laurent and Williamson on organic chemistry, was it possible to demonstrate that Avogadro's law was indispensable to explain why same quantities of molecules, brought to a vapour state, have the same volume. Unfortunately, in the performance of related experiments, some inorganic substances showed exceptions to the law. The matter was finally concluded by Stanislao Cannizzaro, as announced at Karlsruhe Congress (1860, four years after Avogadro's death), where he explained that these exceptions happened because of molecular dissociations which occurred at certain temperatures, and that Avogadro's law could determine not only molar masses, but as a consequence, atomic masses too. In 1911, a historic meeting took place in Turin to commemorate the hundredth anniversary of the publication of Avogadro's classic 1811 memoir. King Victor Emmanuel III was there to pay homage to Avogadro. Thus Avogadro's great contribution to chemistry was recognised and he is recognised as a great Italian chemist. (Note: In 1911, Victor Emmanuel III was the King of a unified Italy with Rome instead or Turin as its capital. The unification of Italy did not happen during the life time of Avogadro. In fact, Avogadro's famous 1811 paper was written in French.) Clausius, by his kinetic theory on gases, was able to give another confirmation of Avogadro's law. Not long after, in his researches regarding dilute solutions (and the consequent discovery of analogies between the behaviour of solutions and gases), J. H. van 't Hoff added his final consensus for the triumph of the Italian scientist, who since then has been considered the founder of the atomic-molecular theory. * Avogadro (lunar crater) * Avogadro's constant * * Morselli, Mario. (1984). Amedeo Avogadro, a scientific biography. Kluwer. ISBN 9027716242. Related Wikipedia Articles Caricature August 9 1776 July 9 1856 Italy savant molarity atom molecule ion mole (unit) Avogadro's number Turin Piedmont Italy ecclesiastical law physics mathematics Vercelli Turin King of Sardinia Sardinia Savoy Kings of Savoy Charles Albert of Savoy Statuto Albertino Sardinia molarity mole (unit) Avogadro's number Loschmidt Loschmidt number Loschmidt constant Avogadro's law De LamÃ©therie Joseph Louis Gay-Lussac Law of Charles and Gay-Lussac John Dalton mass weight AndrÃ©-Marie AmpÃ¨re Charles FrÃ©dÃ©ric Gerhardt Auguste Laurent Williamson organic chemistry Stanislao Cannizzaro Karlsruhe Turin Rome Turin Rudolf Clausius J. H. van 't Hoff Atomic theory#Modern atomic theory Avogadro (crater) lunar crater Avogadro's constant Dictionary of Scientific Biography
Amedeo_Avogadro	What happened in 1833?	null	data/set4/a8	Amedeo Avogadro Caricature of Amedeo Avogadro Lorenzo Romano Amedeo Carlo Avogadro, Count of Quaregna and Cerreto (August 9, 1776 July 9, 1856) was an Italian savant. He is most noted for his contributions to the theory of molarity and molecular weight. As a tribute to him, the number of elementary entities (atoms, molecules, ions or other particles) in one mole of a substance, 6.02214199x10 23 , is known as Avogadro's number. Amedeo Avogadro was born in Turin August 9th 1776 to a noble ancient family of Piedmont, Italy. He graduated in ecclesiastical law at the early age of 20 and began to practice. Soon there after he dedicated himself to the study of physics and mathematics (then called positive philosophy), and in 1809 started teaching them at a liceo (high school) in Vercelli (where his family had some properties). In 1811, he published an article with the title Essai d'une manière de déterminer les masses relatives des molécules élémentaires des corps, et les proportions selon lesquelles elles entrent dans ces combinaisons, which contains the famous Avogadro's hypothesis. The title of this famous 1811 paper can be roughly translated into English as "Essay on Determining the Relative Masses of the Elementary Molecules of Bodies". (Note: At that time in 1811, northern Italy was actually under French rule during the era of Napoléon Bonaparte. Avogadro submitted his poem to a French journal. This paper was written in French, not in Italian.) In 1820 he became a professor of physics at the University of Turin. (Note: After the downfall of Napoléon in 1815, northern Italy was under the rule of the Kingdom of Piedmont-Sardinia and Turin was the capital of this kingdom.) He was active in the political revolutionary movements of 1821 against the king of Sardinia, and as a result, was removed from his chair in 1823 (or, as officially declared, the university was "very glad to allow this interesting scientist to take a rest from heavy teaching duties, in order to be able to give a better attention to his researches") . However over time, Avogadro's political isolation became less, as revolutionary ideas received increasing attention from Savoy kings, until in 1848 when Charles Albert granted a modern Constitution (Statuto Albertino). Well before this, following the increasing attention to his works, Avogadro had been recalled to Turin university in 1833, where he taught for another twenty years. Very little is known about Avogadro's private life and political activity although he seems to have led a sober and religious life. He married Felicita Mazzé and had six children. Several historical studies confirm that he sponsored and helped some Sardinian plotters who were organising a revolution in that island, stopped at the very last moment by the concession of Charles Albert's statute. Some doubts however remain, considering the very slight evidence. Avogadro held public posts in statistics, meteorology, and weights and measures (he introduced decimal metric system in Piedmont) and was a member of the Royal Superior Council on Public Instruction. In honour of Avogadro's contributions to the theory of molarity and molecular weights, the number of molecules in one mole was renamed Avogadro's number, N A . It is approximately 6.0221415 10 23 . Loschmidt first calculated the value of Avogadro's number, now called Avogadro's constant, which is still sometimes referred to as the Loschmidt number in German-language countries (Loschmidt constant now has another meaning). Avogadro's number is commonly used to compute the results of chemical reactions. It allows chemists to determine the exact amounts of substances produced in a given reaction. During his stay in Vercelli he wrote a concise note (memoria) in which he declared the hypothesis of what we now call Avogadro's law: :equal volumes of gases, at the same temperature and pressure, contain the same number of molecules. This memoria he sent to De Lamétherie's Journal de Physique, de Chimie et d'Histoire naturelle and it was published in the edition of July 14, 1811 with the title Essai d'une manière de déterminer les masses relatives des molecules élémentaires des corps, et les proportions selon lesquelles elles entrent dans ces combinaisons . Avogadro's Law implies that the relationship occurring between the weights of same volumes of different gases (at the same temperature and pressure) corresponds to the relationship between respective molecular weights. Hence, relative molecular masses can be calculated from the masses of gas samples. Avogadro developed this hypothesis after Joseph Louis Gay-Lussac had published in 1808 his law on volumes (and combining gases). The greatest difficulty Avogadro had to resolve was the huge confusion at that time regarding atoms and molecules one of the most important contributions of Avogadro's work was clearly distinguishing one from the other, admitting that simple particles too could be composed of molecules, and that these are composed of atoms. For instance, John Dalton did not consider this possibility. Avogadro did not actually use the word "atom" as the words "atom" and "molecule" were used almost without difference. He considered that there were three kinds of "molecules," including an "elementary molecule" (our "atom"). Also, a keener attention was given to the definition of mass, as distinguished from weight. In 1814 he published Mémoire sur les masses relatives des molécules des corps simples, ou densités présumées de leur gaz, et sur la constitution de quelques-uns de leur composés, pour servir de suite à l'Essai sur le même sujet, publié dans le Journal de Physique, juillet 1811 (), about gas densities. In 1821 he published another memoria, Nouvelles considérations sur la théorie des proportions déterminées dans les combinaisons, et sur la détermination des masses des molécules des corps and little after Mémoire sur la manière de ramener les composès organiques aux lois ordinaires des proportions déterminées. In 1841 he completed and published his work in Fisica dei corpi ponderabili, ossia Trattato della costituzione materiale de' corpi, 4 volumes. The scientific community did not reserve great attention to his theory, so Avogadro's hypothesis was not immediately accepted when announced. André-Marie Ampère too was able three years later to achieve the same result by another method (in his Sur la détermination des proportions dans lesquelles les corps se combinent d'après le nombre et la disposition respective des molécules dont leurs particules intégrantes sont composées), but the same indifferent regard was given to his theories as well. Only with studies by Gerhardt, Laurent and Williamson on organic chemistry, was it possible to demonstrate that Avogadro's law was indispensable to explain why same quantities of molecules, brought to a vapour state, have the same volume. Unfortunately, in the performance of related experiments, some inorganic substances showed exceptions to the law. The matter was finally concluded by Stanislao Cannizzaro, as announced at Karlsruhe Congress (1860, four years after Avogadro's death), where he explained that these exceptions happened because of molecular dissociations which occurred at certain temperatures, and that Avogadro's law could determine not only molar masses, but as a consequence, atomic masses too. In 1911, a historic meeting took place in Turin to commemorate the hundredth anniversary of the publication of Avogadro's classic 1811 memoir. King Victor Emmanuel III was there to pay homage to Avogadro. Thus Avogadro's great contribution to chemistry was recognised and he is recognised as a great Italian chemist. (Note: In 1911, Victor Emmanuel III was the King of a unified Italy with Rome instead or Turin as its capital. The unification of Italy did not happen during the life time of Avogadro. In fact, Avogadro's famous 1811 paper was written in French.) Clausius, by his kinetic theory on gases, was able to give another confirmation of Avogadro's law. Not long after, in his researches regarding dilute solutions (and the consequent discovery of analogies between the behaviour of solutions and gases), J. H. van 't Hoff added his final consensus for the triumph of the Italian scientist, who since then has been considered the founder of the atomic-molecular theory. * Avogadro (lunar crater) * Avogadro's constant * * Morselli, Mario. (1984). Amedeo Avogadro, a scientific biography. Kluwer. ISBN 9027716242. Related Wikipedia Articles Caricature August 9 1776 July 9 1856 Italy savant molarity atom molecule ion mole (unit) Avogadro's number Turin Piedmont Italy ecclesiastical law physics mathematics Vercelli Turin King of Sardinia Sardinia Savoy Kings of Savoy Charles Albert of Savoy Statuto Albertino Sardinia molarity mole (unit) Avogadro's number Loschmidt Loschmidt number Loschmidt constant Avogadro's law De LamÃ©therie Joseph Louis Gay-Lussac Law of Charles and Gay-Lussac John Dalton mass weight AndrÃ©-Marie AmpÃ¨re Charles FrÃ©dÃ©ric Gerhardt Auguste Laurent Williamson organic chemistry Stanislao Cannizzaro Karlsruhe Turin Rome Turin Rudolf Clausius J. H. van 't Hoff Atomic theory#Modern atomic theory Avogadro (crater) lunar crater Avogadro's constant Dictionary of Scientific Biography
Amedeo_Avogadro	What happened in 1833?	blah blah blah	data/set4/a8	Amedeo Avogadro Caricature of Amedeo Avogadro Lorenzo Romano Amedeo Carlo Avogadro, Count of Quaregna and Cerreto (August 9, 1776 July 9, 1856) was an Italian savant. He is most noted for his contributions to the theory of molarity and molecular weight. As a tribute to him, the number of elementary entities (atoms, molecules, ions or other particles) in one mole of a substance, 6.02214199x10 23 , is known as Avogadro's number. Amedeo Avogadro was born in Turin August 9th 1776 to a noble ancient family of Piedmont, Italy. He graduated in ecclesiastical law at the early age of 20 and began to practice. Soon there after he dedicated himself to the study of physics and mathematics (then called positive philosophy), and in 1809 started teaching them at a liceo (high school) in Vercelli (where his family had some properties). In 1811, he published an article with the title Essai d'une manière de déterminer les masses relatives des molécules élémentaires des corps, et les proportions selon lesquelles elles entrent dans ces combinaisons, which contains the famous Avogadro's hypothesis. The title of this famous 1811 paper can be roughly translated into English as "Essay on Determining the Relative Masses of the Elementary Molecules of Bodies". (Note: At that time in 1811, northern Italy was actually under French rule during the era of Napoléon Bonaparte. Avogadro submitted his poem to a French journal. This paper was written in French, not in Italian.) In 1820 he became a professor of physics at the University of Turin. (Note: After the downfall of Napoléon in 1815, northern Italy was under the rule of the Kingdom of Piedmont-Sardinia and Turin was the capital of this kingdom.) He was active in the political revolutionary movements of 1821 against the king of Sardinia, and as a result, was removed from his chair in 1823 (or, as officially declared, the university was "very glad to allow this interesting scientist to take a rest from heavy teaching duties, in order to be able to give a better attention to his researches") . However over time, Avogadro's political isolation became less, as revolutionary ideas received increasing attention from Savoy kings, until in 1848 when Charles Albert granted a modern Constitution (Statuto Albertino). Well before this, following the increasing attention to his works, Avogadro had been recalled to Turin university in 1833, where he taught for another twenty years. Very little is known about Avogadro's private life and political activity although he seems to have led a sober and religious life. He married Felicita Mazzé and had six children. Several historical studies confirm that he sponsored and helped some Sardinian plotters who were organising a revolution in that island, stopped at the very last moment by the concession of Charles Albert's statute. Some doubts however remain, considering the very slight evidence. Avogadro held public posts in statistics, meteorology, and weights and measures (he introduced decimal metric system in Piedmont) and was a member of the Royal Superior Council on Public Instruction. In honour of Avogadro's contributions to the theory of molarity and molecular weights, the number of molecules in one mole was renamed Avogadro's number, N A . It is approximately 6.0221415 10 23 . Loschmidt first calculated the value of Avogadro's number, now called Avogadro's constant, which is still sometimes referred to as the Loschmidt number in German-language countries (Loschmidt constant now has another meaning). Avogadro's number is commonly used to compute the results of chemical reactions. It allows chemists to determine the exact amounts of substances produced in a given reaction. During his stay in Vercelli he wrote a concise note (memoria) in which he declared the hypothesis of what we now call Avogadro's law: :equal volumes of gases, at the same temperature and pressure, contain the same number of molecules. This memoria he sent to De Lamétherie's Journal de Physique, de Chimie et d'Histoire naturelle and it was published in the edition of July 14, 1811 with the title Essai d'une manière de déterminer les masses relatives des molecules élémentaires des corps, et les proportions selon lesquelles elles entrent dans ces combinaisons . Avogadro's Law implies that the relationship occurring between the weights of same volumes of different gases (at the same temperature and pressure) corresponds to the relationship between respective molecular weights. Hence, relative molecular masses can be calculated from the masses of gas samples. Avogadro developed this hypothesis after Joseph Louis Gay-Lussac had published in 1808 his law on volumes (and combining gases). The greatest difficulty Avogadro had to resolve was the huge confusion at that time regarding atoms and molecules one of the most important contributions of Avogadro's work was clearly distinguishing one from the other, admitting that simple particles too could be composed of molecules, and that these are composed of atoms. For instance, John Dalton did not consider this possibility. Avogadro did not actually use the word "atom" as the words "atom" and "molecule" were used almost without difference. He considered that there were three kinds of "molecules," including an "elementary molecule" (our "atom"). Also, a keener attention was given to the definition of mass, as distinguished from weight. In 1814 he published Mémoire sur les masses relatives des molécules des corps simples, ou densités présumées de leur gaz, et sur la constitution de quelques-uns de leur composés, pour servir de suite à l'Essai sur le même sujet, publié dans le Journal de Physique, juillet 1811 (), about gas densities. In 1821 he published another memoria, Nouvelles considérations sur la théorie des proportions déterminées dans les combinaisons, et sur la détermination des masses des molécules des corps and little after Mémoire sur la manière de ramener les composès organiques aux lois ordinaires des proportions déterminées. In 1841 he completed and published his work in Fisica dei corpi ponderabili, ossia Trattato della costituzione materiale de' corpi, 4 volumes. The scientific community did not reserve great attention to his theory, so Avogadro's hypothesis was not immediately accepted when announced. André-Marie Ampère too was able three years later to achieve the same result by another method (in his Sur la détermination des proportions dans lesquelles les corps se combinent d'après le nombre et la disposition respective des molécules dont leurs particules intégrantes sont composées), but the same indifferent regard was given to his theories as well. Only with studies by Gerhardt, Laurent and Williamson on organic chemistry, was it possible to demonstrate that Avogadro's law was indispensable to explain why same quantities of molecules, brought to a vapour state, have the same volume. Unfortunately, in the performance of related experiments, some inorganic substances showed exceptions to the law. The matter was finally concluded by Stanislao Cannizzaro, as announced at Karlsruhe Congress (1860, four years after Avogadro's death), where he explained that these exceptions happened because of molecular dissociations which occurred at certain temperatures, and that Avogadro's law could determine not only molar masses, but as a consequence, atomic masses too. In 1911, a historic meeting took place in Turin to commemorate the hundredth anniversary of the publication of Avogadro's classic 1811 memoir. King Victor Emmanuel III was there to pay homage to Avogadro. Thus Avogadro's great contribution to chemistry was recognised and he is recognised as a great Italian chemist. (Note: In 1911, Victor Emmanuel III was the King of a unified Italy with Rome instead or Turin as its capital. The unification of Italy did not happen during the life time of Avogadro. In fact, Avogadro's famous 1811 paper was written in French.) Clausius, by his kinetic theory on gases, was able to give another confirmation of Avogadro's law. Not long after, in his researches regarding dilute solutions (and the consequent discovery of analogies between the behaviour of solutions and gases), J. H. van 't Hoff added his final consensus for the triumph of the Italian scientist, who since then has been considered the founder of the atomic-molecular theory. * Avogadro (lunar crater) * Avogadro's constant * * Morselli, Mario. (1984). Amedeo Avogadro, a scientific biography. Kluwer. ISBN 9027716242. Related Wikipedia Articles Caricature August 9 1776 July 9 1856 Italy savant molarity atom molecule ion mole (unit) Avogadro's number Turin Piedmont Italy ecclesiastical law physics mathematics Vercelli Turin King of Sardinia Sardinia Savoy Kings of Savoy Charles Albert of Savoy Statuto Albertino Sardinia molarity mole (unit) Avogadro's number Loschmidt Loschmidt number Loschmidt constant Avogadro's law De LamÃ©therie Joseph Louis Gay-Lussac Law of Charles and Gay-Lussac John Dalton mass weight AndrÃ©-Marie AmpÃ¨re Charles FrÃ©dÃ©ric Gerhardt Auguste Laurent Williamson organic chemistry Stanislao Cannizzaro Karlsruhe Turin Rome Turin Rudolf Clausius J. H. van 't Hoff Atomic theory#Modern atomic theory Avogadro (crater) lunar crater Avogadro's constant Dictionary of Scientific Biography
Anders_Celsius	Who determined the dependence of the boiling of water with atmospheric pressure?	Anders Celsius	data/set4/a5	Anders_Celsius Anders Celsius The observatory of Anders Celsius, from a contemporary engraving. Anders Celsius (November 27, 1701 April 25, 1744) was a Swedish astronomer. Celsius was born in Uppsala in Sweden. He was professor of astronomy at Uppsala University from 1730 to 1744, but traveled from 1732 to 1735 visiting notable observatories in Germany, Italy and France. At Nuremberg in 1733 he published a collection of 316 observations of the aurora borealis made by himself and others over the period 1716-1732. In Paris he advocated the measurement of an arc of the meridian in Lapland, and in 1736 took part in the expedition organized for that purpose by the French Academy of Sciences, led by the French mathematician Pierre Louis Maupertuis. Celsius founded the Uppsala Astronomical Observatory in 1741, and in 1742 he proposed the Celsius temperature scale in a paper to the Royal Swedish Academy of Sciences. His thermometer had 100 for the freezing point of water and 0 for the boiling point. The scale was reversed by Carolus Linnaeus in 1745, to how it is today Linnaeus' thermometer . Anders Celsius was the first to perform and publish careful experiments aiming at the definition of an international temperature scale on scientific grounds. In his Swedish paper "Observations of two persistent degrees on a thermometer" he reports on experiments to check that the freezing point is independent of latitude (and of atmospheric pressure). He determined the dependence of the boiling of water with atmospheric pressure (in excellent agreement with modern data). He further gave a rule for the determination of the boiling point if the barometric pressure deviates from a certain standard pressure History of the Celsius temperature scale . In 1744 he died of tuberculosis in Uppsala, and was buried in the Old Uppsala Church. The Celsius crater on the Moon is named after him. Related Wikipedia Articles November 27 1701 April 25 1744 Sweden astronomy Uppsala Sweden Uppsala University Germany Italy France Nuremberg aurora borealis Paris Laponia (historical province) French Academy of Sciences France Pierre Louis Maupertuis Uppsala Astronomical Observatory Celsius temperature Royal Swedish Academy of Sciences Carolus Linnaeus temperature Celsius tuberculosis Uppsala Gamla Uppsala#The Church Celsius (crater) Moon
Anders_Celsius	What is named after him?	The Celsius crater on the Moon	data/set4/a5	Anders_Celsius Anders Celsius The observatory of Anders Celsius, from a contemporary engraving. Anders Celsius (November 27, 1701 April 25, 1744) was a Swedish astronomer. Celsius was born in Uppsala in Sweden. He was professor of astronomy at Uppsala University from 1730 to 1744, but traveled from 1732 to 1735 visiting notable observatories in Germany, Italy and France. At Nuremberg in 1733 he published a collection of 316 observations of the aurora borealis made by himself and others over the period 1716-1732. In Paris he advocated the measurement of an arc of the meridian in Lapland, and in 1736 took part in the expedition organized for that purpose by the French Academy of Sciences, led by the French mathematician Pierre Louis Maupertuis. Celsius founded the Uppsala Astronomical Observatory in 1741, and in 1742 he proposed the Celsius temperature scale in a paper to the Royal Swedish Academy of Sciences. His thermometer had 100 for the freezing point of water and 0 for the boiling point. The scale was reversed by Carolus Linnaeus in 1745, to how it is today Linnaeus' thermometer . Anders Celsius was the first to perform and publish careful experiments aiming at the definition of an international temperature scale on scientific grounds. In his Swedish paper "Observations of two persistent degrees on a thermometer" he reports on experiments to check that the freezing point is independent of latitude (and of atmospheric pressure). He determined the dependence of the boiling of water with atmospheric pressure (in excellent agreement with modern data). He further gave a rule for the determination of the boiling point if the barometric pressure deviates from a certain standard pressure History of the Celsius temperature scale . In 1744 he died of tuberculosis in Uppsala, and was buried in the Old Uppsala Church. The Celsius crater on the Moon is named after him. Related Wikipedia Articles November 27 1701 April 25 1744 Sweden astronomy Uppsala Sweden Uppsala University Germany Italy France Nuremberg aurora borealis Paris Laponia (historical province) French Academy of Sciences France Pierre Louis Maupertuis Uppsala Astronomical Observatory Celsius temperature Royal Swedish Academy of Sciences Carolus Linnaeus temperature Celsius tuberculosis Uppsala Gamla Uppsala#The Church Celsius (crater) Moon
Anders_Celsius	When did he publish a collection?	1733	data/set4/a5	Anders_Celsius Anders Celsius The observatory of Anders Celsius, from a contemporary engraving. Anders Celsius (November 27, 1701 April 25, 1744) was a Swedish astronomer. Celsius was born in Uppsala in Sweden. He was professor of astronomy at Uppsala University from 1730 to 1744, but traveled from 1732 to 1735 visiting notable observatories in Germany, Italy and France. At Nuremberg in 1733 he published a collection of 316 observations of the aurora borealis made by himself and others over the period 1716-1732. In Paris he advocated the measurement of an arc of the meridian in Lapland, and in 1736 took part in the expedition organized for that purpose by the French Academy of Sciences, led by the French mathematician Pierre Louis Maupertuis. Celsius founded the Uppsala Astronomical Observatory in 1741, and in 1742 he proposed the Celsius temperature scale in a paper to the Royal Swedish Academy of Sciences. His thermometer had 100 for the freezing point of water and 0 for the boiling point. The scale was reversed by Carolus Linnaeus in 1745, to how it is today Linnaeus' thermometer . Anders Celsius was the first to perform and publish careful experiments aiming at the definition of an international temperature scale on scientific grounds. In his Swedish paper "Observations of two persistent degrees on a thermometer" he reports on experiments to check that the freezing point is independent of latitude (and of atmospheric pressure). He determined the dependence of the boiling of water with atmospheric pressure (in excellent agreement with modern data). He further gave a rule for the determination of the boiling point if the barometric pressure deviates from a certain standard pressure History of the Celsius temperature scale . In 1744 he died of tuberculosis in Uppsala, and was buried in the Old Uppsala Church. The Celsius crater on the Moon is named after him. Related Wikipedia Articles November 27 1701 April 25 1744 Sweden astronomy Uppsala Sweden Uppsala University Germany Italy France Nuremberg aurora borealis Paris Laponia (historical province) French Academy of Sciences France Pierre Louis Maupertuis Uppsala Astronomical Observatory Celsius temperature Royal Swedish Academy of Sciences Carolus Linnaeus temperature Celsius tuberculosis Uppsala Gamla Uppsala#The Church Celsius (crater) Moon
Anders_Celsius	Is it true that he published a collection in 1738?	No	data/set4/a5	Anders_Celsius Anders Celsius The observatory of Anders Celsius, from a contemporary engraving. Anders Celsius (November 27, 1701 April 25, 1744) was a Swedish astronomer. Celsius was born in Uppsala in Sweden. He was professor of astronomy at Uppsala University from 1730 to 1744, but traveled from 1732 to 1735 visiting notable observatories in Germany, Italy and France. At Nuremberg in 1733 he published a collection of 316 observations of the aurora borealis made by himself and others over the period 1716-1732. In Paris he advocated the measurement of an arc of the meridian in Lapland, and in 1736 took part in the expedition organized for that purpose by the French Academy of Sciences, led by the French mathematician Pierre Louis Maupertuis. Celsius founded the Uppsala Astronomical Observatory in 1741, and in 1742 he proposed the Celsius temperature scale in a paper to the Royal Swedish Academy of Sciences. His thermometer had 100 for the freezing point of water and 0 for the boiling point. The scale was reversed by Carolus Linnaeus in 1745, to how it is today Linnaeus' thermometer . Anders Celsius was the first to perform and publish careful experiments aiming at the definition of an international temperature scale on scientific grounds. In his Swedish paper "Observations of two persistent degrees on a thermometer" he reports on experiments to check that the freezing point is independent of latitude (and of atmospheric pressure). He determined the dependence of the boiling of water with atmospheric pressure (in excellent agreement with modern data). He further gave a rule for the determination of the boiling point if the barometric pressure deviates from a certain standard pressure History of the Celsius temperature scale . In 1744 he died of tuberculosis in Uppsala, and was buried in the Old Uppsala Church. The Celsius crater on the Moon is named after him. Related Wikipedia Articles November 27 1701 April 25 1744 Sweden astronomy Uppsala Sweden Uppsala University Germany Italy France Nuremberg aurora borealis Paris Laponia (historical province) French Academy of Sciences France Pierre Louis Maupertuis Uppsala Astronomical Observatory Celsius temperature Royal Swedish Academy of Sciences Carolus Linnaeus temperature Celsius tuberculosis Uppsala Gamla Uppsala#The Church Celsius (crater) Moon
Anders_Celsius	Is it true that thermometer had 100 for the freezing point?	Yes	data/set4/a5	Anders_Celsius Anders Celsius The observatory of Anders Celsius, from a contemporary engraving. Anders Celsius (November 27, 1701 April 25, 1744) was a Swedish astronomer. Celsius was born in Uppsala in Sweden. He was professor of astronomy at Uppsala University from 1730 to 1744, but traveled from 1732 to 1735 visiting notable observatories in Germany, Italy and France. At Nuremberg in 1733 he published a collection of 316 observations of the aurora borealis made by himself and others over the period 1716-1732. In Paris he advocated the measurement of an arc of the meridian in Lapland, and in 1736 took part in the expedition organized for that purpose by the French Academy of Sciences, led by the French mathematician Pierre Louis Maupertuis. Celsius founded the Uppsala Astronomical Observatory in 1741, and in 1742 he proposed the Celsius temperature scale in a paper to the Royal Swedish Academy of Sciences. His thermometer had 100 for the freezing point of water and 0 for the boiling point. The scale was reversed by Carolus Linnaeus in 1745, to how it is today Linnaeus' thermometer . Anders Celsius was the first to perform and publish careful experiments aiming at the definition of an international temperature scale on scientific grounds. In his Swedish paper "Observations of two persistent degrees on a thermometer" he reports on experiments to check that the freezing point is independent of latitude (and of atmospheric pressure). He determined the dependence of the boiling of water with atmospheric pressure (in excellent agreement with modern data). He further gave a rule for the determination of the boiling point if the barometric pressure deviates from a certain standard pressure History of the Celsius temperature scale . In 1744 he died of tuberculosis in Uppsala, and was buried in the Old Uppsala Church. The Celsius crater on the Moon is named after him. Related Wikipedia Articles November 27 1701 April 25 1744 Sweden astronomy Uppsala Sweden Uppsala University Germany Italy France Nuremberg aurora borealis Paris Laponia (historical province) French Academy of Sciences France Pierre Louis Maupertuis Uppsala Astronomical Observatory Celsius temperature Royal Swedish Academy of Sciences Carolus Linnaeus temperature Celsius tuberculosis Uppsala Gamla Uppsala#The Church Celsius (crater) Moon
Anders_Celsius	Was Celsius born in Uppsala in Sweden?	Yes	data/set4/a5	Anders_Celsius Anders Celsius The observatory of Anders Celsius, from a contemporary engraving. Anders Celsius (November 27, 1701 April 25, 1744) was a Swedish astronomer. Celsius was born in Uppsala in Sweden. He was professor of astronomy at Uppsala University from 1730 to 1744, but traveled from 1732 to 1735 visiting notable observatories in Germany, Italy and France. At Nuremberg in 1733 he published a collection of 316 observations of the aurora borealis made by himself and others over the period 1716-1732. In Paris he advocated the measurement of an arc of the meridian in Lapland, and in 1736 took part in the expedition organized for that purpose by the French Academy of Sciences, led by the French mathematician Pierre Louis Maupertuis. Celsius founded the Uppsala Astronomical Observatory in 1741, and in 1742 he proposed the Celsius temperature scale in a paper to the Royal Swedish Academy of Sciences. His thermometer had 100 for the freezing point of water and 0 for the boiling point. The scale was reversed by Carolus Linnaeus in 1745, to how it is today Linnaeus' thermometer . Anders Celsius was the first to perform and publish careful experiments aiming at the definition of an international temperature scale on scientific grounds. In his Swedish paper "Observations of two persistent degrees on a thermometer" he reports on experiments to check that the freezing point is independent of latitude (and of atmospheric pressure). He determined the dependence of the boiling of water with atmospheric pressure (in excellent agreement with modern data). He further gave a rule for the determination of the boiling point if the barometric pressure deviates from a certain standard pressure History of the Celsius temperature scale . In 1744 he died of tuberculosis in Uppsala, and was buried in the Old Uppsala Church. The Celsius crater on the Moon is named after him. Related Wikipedia Articles November 27 1701 April 25 1744 Sweden astronomy Uppsala Sweden Uppsala University Germany Italy France Nuremberg aurora borealis Paris Laponia (historical province) French Academy of Sciences France Pierre Louis Maupertuis Uppsala Astronomical Observatory Celsius temperature Royal Swedish Academy of Sciences Carolus Linnaeus temperature Celsius tuberculosis Uppsala Gamla Uppsala#The Church Celsius (crater) Moon
Anders_Celsius	Was Anders Celsius (November 27, 1701 April 25, 1744) a Swedish astronomer?	Yes	data/set4/a5	Anders_Celsius Anders Celsius The observatory of Anders Celsius, from a contemporary engraving. Anders Celsius (November 27, 1701 April 25, 1744) was a Swedish astronomer. Celsius was born in Uppsala in Sweden. He was professor of astronomy at Uppsala University from 1730 to 1744, but traveled from 1732 to 1735 visiting notable observatories in Germany, Italy and France. At Nuremberg in 1733 he published a collection of 316 observations of the aurora borealis made by himself and others over the period 1716-1732. In Paris he advocated the measurement of an arc of the meridian in Lapland, and in 1736 took part in the expedition organized for that purpose by the French Academy of Sciences, led by the French mathematician Pierre Louis Maupertuis. Celsius founded the Uppsala Astronomical Observatory in 1741, and in 1742 he proposed the Celsius temperature scale in a paper to the Royal Swedish Academy of Sciences. His thermometer had 100 for the freezing point of water and 0 for the boiling point. The scale was reversed by Carolus Linnaeus in 1745, to how it is today Linnaeus' thermometer . Anders Celsius was the first to perform and publish careful experiments aiming at the definition of an international temperature scale on scientific grounds. In his Swedish paper "Observations of two persistent degrees on a thermometer" he reports on experiments to check that the freezing point is independent of latitude (and of atmospheric pressure). He determined the dependence of the boiling of water with atmospheric pressure (in excellent agreement with modern data). He further gave a rule for the determination of the boiling point if the barometric pressure deviates from a certain standard pressure History of the Celsius temperature scale . In 1744 he died of tuberculosis in Uppsala, and was buried in the Old Uppsala Church. The Celsius crater on the Moon is named after him. Related Wikipedia Articles November 27 1701 April 25 1744 Sweden astronomy Uppsala Sweden Uppsala University Germany Italy France Nuremberg aurora borealis Paris Laponia (historical province) French Academy of Sciences France Pierre Louis Maupertuis Uppsala Astronomical Observatory Celsius temperature Royal Swedish Academy of Sciences Carolus Linnaeus temperature Celsius tuberculosis Uppsala Gamla Uppsala#The Church Celsius (crater) Moon
Anders_Celsius	Is The Celsius crater on the Moon named after him?	Yes	data/set4/a5	Anders_Celsius Anders Celsius The observatory of Anders Celsius, from a contemporary engraving. Anders Celsius (November 27, 1701 April 25, 1744) was a Swedish astronomer. Celsius was born in Uppsala in Sweden. He was professor of astronomy at Uppsala University from 1730 to 1744, but traveled from 1732 to 1735 visiting notable observatories in Germany, Italy and France. At Nuremberg in 1733 he published a collection of 316 observations of the aurora borealis made by himself and others over the period 1716-1732. In Paris he advocated the measurement of an arc of the meridian in Lapland, and in 1736 took part in the expedition organized for that purpose by the French Academy of Sciences, led by the French mathematician Pierre Louis Maupertuis. Celsius founded the Uppsala Astronomical Observatory in 1741, and in 1742 he proposed the Celsius temperature scale in a paper to the Royal Swedish Academy of Sciences. His thermometer had 100 for the freezing point of water and 0 for the boiling point. The scale was reversed by Carolus Linnaeus in 1745, to how it is today Linnaeus' thermometer . Anders Celsius was the first to perform and publish careful experiments aiming at the definition of an international temperature scale on scientific grounds. In his Swedish paper "Observations of two persistent degrees on a thermometer" he reports on experiments to check that the freezing point is independent of latitude (and of atmospheric pressure). He determined the dependence of the boiling of water with atmospheric pressure (in excellent agreement with modern data). He further gave a rule for the determination of the boiling point if the barometric pressure deviates from a certain standard pressure History of the Celsius temperature scale . In 1744 he died of tuberculosis in Uppsala, and was buried in the Old Uppsala Church. The Celsius crater on the Moon is named after him. Related Wikipedia Articles November 27 1701 April 25 1744 Sweden astronomy Uppsala Sweden Uppsala University Germany Italy France Nuremberg aurora borealis Paris Laponia (historical province) French Academy of Sciences France Pierre Louis Maupertuis Uppsala Astronomical Observatory Celsius temperature Royal Swedish Academy of Sciences Carolus Linnaeus temperature Celsius tuberculosis Uppsala Gamla Uppsala#The Church Celsius (crater) Moon
Anders_Celsius	Who was the first to perform and publish careful experiments aiming at the definition of an international temperature scale on scientific grounds ?	Anders Celsius	data/set4/a5	Anders_Celsius Anders Celsius The observatory of Anders Celsius, from a contemporary engraving. Anders Celsius (November 27, 1701 April 25, 1744) was a Swedish astronomer. Celsius was born in Uppsala in Sweden. He was professor of astronomy at Uppsala University from 1730 to 1744, but traveled from 1732 to 1735 visiting notable observatories in Germany, Italy and France. At Nuremberg in 1733 he published a collection of 316 observations of the aurora borealis made by himself and others over the period 1716-1732. In Paris he advocated the measurement of an arc of the meridian in Lapland, and in 1736 took part in the expedition organized for that purpose by the French Academy of Sciences, led by the French mathematician Pierre Louis Maupertuis. Celsius founded the Uppsala Astronomical Observatory in 1741, and in 1742 he proposed the Celsius temperature scale in a paper to the Royal Swedish Academy of Sciences. His thermometer had 100 for the freezing point of water and 0 for the boiling point. The scale was reversed by Carolus Linnaeus in 1745, to how it is today Linnaeus' thermometer . Anders Celsius was the first to perform and publish careful experiments aiming at the definition of an international temperature scale on scientific grounds. In his Swedish paper "Observations of two persistent degrees on a thermometer" he reports on experiments to check that the freezing point is independent of latitude (and of atmospheric pressure). He determined the dependence of the boiling of water with atmospheric pressure (in excellent agreement with modern data). He further gave a rule for the determination of the boiling point if the barometric pressure deviates from a certain standard pressure History of the Celsius temperature scale . In 1744 he died of tuberculosis in Uppsala, and was buried in the Old Uppsala Church. The Celsius crater on the Moon is named after him. Related Wikipedia Articles November 27 1701 April 25 1744 Sweden astronomy Uppsala Sweden Uppsala University Germany Italy France Nuremberg aurora borealis Paris Laponia (historical province) French Academy of Sciences France Pierre Louis Maupertuis Uppsala Astronomical Observatory Celsius temperature Royal Swedish Academy of Sciences Carolus Linnaeus temperature Celsius tuberculosis Uppsala Gamla Uppsala#The Church Celsius (crater) Moon
Anders_Celsius	The Celsius crater on the Moon is what?	named after him	data/set4/a5	Anders_Celsius Anders Celsius The observatory of Anders Celsius, from a contemporary engraving. Anders Celsius (November 27, 1701 April 25, 1744) was a Swedish astronomer. Celsius was born in Uppsala in Sweden. He was professor of astronomy at Uppsala University from 1730 to 1744, but traveled from 1732 to 1735 visiting notable observatories in Germany, Italy and France. At Nuremberg in 1733 he published a collection of 316 observations of the aurora borealis made by himself and others over the period 1716-1732. In Paris he advocated the measurement of an arc of the meridian in Lapland, and in 1736 took part in the expedition organized for that purpose by the French Academy of Sciences, led by the French mathematician Pierre Louis Maupertuis. Celsius founded the Uppsala Astronomical Observatory in 1741, and in 1742 he proposed the Celsius temperature scale in a paper to the Royal Swedish Academy of Sciences. His thermometer had 100 for the freezing point of water and 0 for the boiling point. The scale was reversed by Carolus Linnaeus in 1745, to how it is today Linnaeus' thermometer . Anders Celsius was the first to perform and publish careful experiments aiming at the definition of an international temperature scale on scientific grounds. In his Swedish paper "Observations of two persistent degrees on a thermometer" he reports on experiments to check that the freezing point is independent of latitude (and of atmospheric pressure). He determined the dependence of the boiling of water with atmospheric pressure (in excellent agreement with modern data). He further gave a rule for the determination of the boiling point if the barometric pressure deviates from a certain standard pressure History of the Celsius temperature scale . In 1744 he died of tuberculosis in Uppsala, and was buried in the Old Uppsala Church. The Celsius crater on the Moon is named after him. Related Wikipedia Articles November 27 1701 April 25 1744 Sweden astronomy Uppsala Sweden Uppsala University Germany Italy France Nuremberg aurora borealis Paris Laponia (historical province) French Academy of Sciences France Pierre Louis Maupertuis Uppsala Astronomical Observatory Celsius temperature Royal Swedish Academy of Sciences Carolus Linnaeus temperature Celsius tuberculosis Uppsala Gamla Uppsala#The Church Celsius (crater) Moon
Anders_Celsius	Is the Celsius crater on the Moon named after him ?	Yes	data/set4/a5	Anders_Celsius Anders Celsius The observatory of Anders Celsius, from a contemporary engraving. Anders Celsius (November 27, 1701 April 25, 1744) was a Swedish astronomer. Celsius was born in Uppsala in Sweden. He was professor of astronomy at Uppsala University from 1730 to 1744, but traveled from 1732 to 1735 visiting notable observatories in Germany, Italy and France. At Nuremberg in 1733 he published a collection of 316 observations of the aurora borealis made by himself and others over the period 1716-1732. In Paris he advocated the measurement of an arc of the meridian in Lapland, and in 1736 took part in the expedition organized for that purpose by the French Academy of Sciences, led by the French mathematician Pierre Louis Maupertuis. Celsius founded the Uppsala Astronomical Observatory in 1741, and in 1742 he proposed the Celsius temperature scale in a paper to the Royal Swedish Academy of Sciences. His thermometer had 100 for the freezing point of water and 0 for the boiling point. The scale was reversed by Carolus Linnaeus in 1745, to how it is today Linnaeus' thermometer . Anders Celsius was the first to perform and publish careful experiments aiming at the definition of an international temperature scale on scientific grounds. In his Swedish paper "Observations of two persistent degrees on a thermometer" he reports on experiments to check that the freezing point is independent of latitude (and of atmospheric pressure). He determined the dependence of the boiling of water with atmospheric pressure (in excellent agreement with modern data). He further gave a rule for the determination of the boiling point if the barometric pressure deviates from a certain standard pressure History of the Celsius temperature scale . In 1744 he died of tuberculosis in Uppsala, and was buried in the Old Uppsala Church. The Celsius crater on the Moon is named after him. Related Wikipedia Articles November 27 1701 April 25 1744 Sweden astronomy Uppsala Sweden Uppsala University Germany Italy France Nuremberg aurora borealis Paris Laponia (historical province) French Academy of Sciences France Pierre Louis Maupertuis Uppsala Astronomical Observatory Celsius temperature Royal Swedish Academy of Sciences Carolus Linnaeus temperature Celsius tuberculosis Uppsala Gamla Uppsala#The Church Celsius (crater) Moon
Anders_Celsius	Had his thermometer 100 for the freezing point of water and 0 for the boiling point ?	Yes it had	data/set4/a5	Anders_Celsius Anders Celsius The observatory of Anders Celsius, from a contemporary engraving. Anders Celsius (November 27, 1701 April 25, 1744) was a Swedish astronomer. Celsius was born in Uppsala in Sweden. He was professor of astronomy at Uppsala University from 1730 to 1744, but traveled from 1732 to 1735 visiting notable observatories in Germany, Italy and France. At Nuremberg in 1733 he published a collection of 316 observations of the aurora borealis made by himself and others over the period 1716-1732. In Paris he advocated the measurement of an arc of the meridian in Lapland, and in 1736 took part in the expedition organized for that purpose by the French Academy of Sciences, led by the French mathematician Pierre Louis Maupertuis. Celsius founded the Uppsala Astronomical Observatory in 1741, and in 1742 he proposed the Celsius temperature scale in a paper to the Royal Swedish Academy of Sciences. His thermometer had 100 for the freezing point of water and 0 for the boiling point. The scale was reversed by Carolus Linnaeus in 1745, to how it is today Linnaeus' thermometer . Anders Celsius was the first to perform and publish careful experiments aiming at the definition of an international temperature scale on scientific grounds. In his Swedish paper "Observations of two persistent degrees on a thermometer" he reports on experiments to check that the freezing point is independent of latitude (and of atmospheric pressure). He determined the dependence of the boiling of water with atmospheric pressure (in excellent agreement with modern data). He further gave a rule for the determination of the boiling point if the barometric pressure deviates from a certain standard pressure History of the Celsius temperature scale . In 1744 he died of tuberculosis in Uppsala, and was buried in the Old Uppsala Church. The Celsius crater on the Moon is named after him. Related Wikipedia Articles November 27 1701 April 25 1744 Sweden astronomy Uppsala Sweden Uppsala University Germany Italy France Nuremberg aurora borealis Paris Laponia (historical province) French Academy of Sciences France Pierre Louis Maupertuis Uppsala Astronomical Observatory Celsius temperature Royal Swedish Academy of Sciences Carolus Linnaeus temperature Celsius tuberculosis Uppsala Gamla Uppsala#The Church Celsius (crater) Moon
Anders_Celsius	Was Celsius born in Uppsala in Sweden ?	Yes	data/set4/a5	Anders_Celsius Anders Celsius The observatory of Anders Celsius, from a contemporary engraving. Anders Celsius (November 27, 1701 April 25, 1744) was a Swedish astronomer. Celsius was born in Uppsala in Sweden. He was professor of astronomy at Uppsala University from 1730 to 1744, but traveled from 1732 to 1735 visiting notable observatories in Germany, Italy and France. At Nuremberg in 1733 he published a collection of 316 observations of the aurora borealis made by himself and others over the period 1716-1732. In Paris he advocated the measurement of an arc of the meridian in Lapland, and in 1736 took part in the expedition organized for that purpose by the French Academy of Sciences, led by the French mathematician Pierre Louis Maupertuis. Celsius founded the Uppsala Astronomical Observatory in 1741, and in 1742 he proposed the Celsius temperature scale in a paper to the Royal Swedish Academy of Sciences. His thermometer had 100 for the freezing point of water and 0 for the boiling point. The scale was reversed by Carolus Linnaeus in 1745, to how it is today Linnaeus' thermometer . Anders Celsius was the first to perform and publish careful experiments aiming at the definition of an international temperature scale on scientific grounds. In his Swedish paper "Observations of two persistent degrees on a thermometer" he reports on experiments to check that the freezing point is independent of latitude (and of atmospheric pressure). He determined the dependence of the boiling of water with atmospheric pressure (in excellent agreement with modern data). He further gave a rule for the determination of the boiling point if the barometric pressure deviates from a certain standard pressure History of the Celsius temperature scale . In 1744 he died of tuberculosis in Uppsala, and was buried in the Old Uppsala Church. The Celsius crater on the Moon is named after him. Related Wikipedia Articles November 27 1701 April 25 1744 Sweden astronomy Uppsala Sweden Uppsala University Germany Italy France Nuremberg aurora borealis Paris Laponia (historical province) French Academy of Sciences France Pierre Louis Maupertuis Uppsala Astronomical Observatory Celsius temperature Royal Swedish Academy of Sciences Carolus Linnaeus temperature Celsius tuberculosis Uppsala Gamla Uppsala#The Church Celsius (crater) Moon
Anders_Celsius	Is the Celsius crater on the Moon named after him ?	Yes	data/set4/a5	Anders_Celsius Anders Celsius The observatory of Anders Celsius, from a contemporary engraving. Anders Celsius (November 27, 1701 April 25, 1744) was a Swedish astronomer. Celsius was born in Uppsala in Sweden. He was professor of astronomy at Uppsala University from 1730 to 1744, but traveled from 1732 to 1735 visiting notable observatories in Germany, Italy and France. At Nuremberg in 1733 he published a collection of 316 observations of the aurora borealis made by himself and others over the period 1716-1732. In Paris he advocated the measurement of an arc of the meridian in Lapland, and in 1736 took part in the expedition organized for that purpose by the French Academy of Sciences, led by the French mathematician Pierre Louis Maupertuis. Celsius founded the Uppsala Astronomical Observatory in 1741, and in 1742 he proposed the Celsius temperature scale in a paper to the Royal Swedish Academy of Sciences. His thermometer had 100 for the freezing point of water and 0 for the boiling point. The scale was reversed by Carolus Linnaeus in 1745, to how it is today Linnaeus' thermometer . Anders Celsius was the first to perform and publish careful experiments aiming at the definition of an international temperature scale on scientific grounds. In his Swedish paper "Observations of two persistent degrees on a thermometer" he reports on experiments to check that the freezing point is independent of latitude (and of atmospheric pressure). He determined the dependence of the boiling of water with atmospheric pressure (in excellent agreement with modern data). He further gave a rule for the determination of the boiling point if the barometric pressure deviates from a certain standard pressure History of the Celsius temperature scale . In 1744 he died of tuberculosis in Uppsala, and was buried in the Old Uppsala Church. The Celsius crater on the Moon is named after him. Related Wikipedia Articles November 27 1701 April 25 1744 Sweden astronomy Uppsala Sweden Uppsala University Germany Italy France Nuremberg aurora borealis Paris Laponia (historical province) French Academy of Sciences France Pierre Louis Maupertuis Uppsala Astronomical Observatory Celsius temperature Royal Swedish Academy of Sciences Carolus Linnaeus temperature Celsius tuberculosis Uppsala Gamla Uppsala#The Church Celsius (crater) Moon
Anders_Celsius	Did he not determine the dependence of the boiling of water with atmospheric pressure -LRB- in excellent agreement with modern data -RRB- ?	Yes he did	data/set4/a5	Anders_Celsius Anders Celsius The observatory of Anders Celsius, from a contemporary engraving. Anders Celsius (November 27, 1701 April 25, 1744) was a Swedish astronomer. Celsius was born in Uppsala in Sweden. He was professor of astronomy at Uppsala University from 1730 to 1744, but traveled from 1732 to 1735 visiting notable observatories in Germany, Italy and France. At Nuremberg in 1733 he published a collection of 316 observations of the aurora borealis made by himself and others over the period 1716-1732. In Paris he advocated the measurement of an arc of the meridian in Lapland, and in 1736 took part in the expedition organized for that purpose by the French Academy of Sciences, led by the French mathematician Pierre Louis Maupertuis. Celsius founded the Uppsala Astronomical Observatory in 1741, and in 1742 he proposed the Celsius temperature scale in a paper to the Royal Swedish Academy of Sciences. His thermometer had 100 for the freezing point of water and 0 for the boiling point. The scale was reversed by Carolus Linnaeus in 1745, to how it is today Linnaeus' thermometer . Anders Celsius was the first to perform and publish careful experiments aiming at the definition of an international temperature scale on scientific grounds. In his Swedish paper "Observations of two persistent degrees on a thermometer" he reports on experiments to check that the freezing point is independent of latitude (and of atmospheric pressure). He determined the dependence of the boiling of water with atmospheric pressure (in excellent agreement with modern data). He further gave a rule for the determination of the boiling point if the barometric pressure deviates from a certain standard pressure History of the Celsius temperature scale . In 1744 he died of tuberculosis in Uppsala, and was buried in the Old Uppsala Church. The Celsius crater on the Moon is named after him. Related Wikipedia Articles November 27 1701 April 25 1744 Sweden astronomy Uppsala Sweden Uppsala University Germany Italy France Nuremberg aurora borealis Paris Laponia (historical province) French Academy of Sciences France Pierre Louis Maupertuis Uppsala Astronomical Observatory Celsius temperature Royal Swedish Academy of Sciences Carolus Linnaeus temperature Celsius tuberculosis Uppsala Gamla Uppsala#The Church Celsius (crater) Moon
Anders_Celsius	What happened from 1730 to 1744?	He was professor of astronomy at Uppsala University	data/set4/a5	Anders_Celsius Anders Celsius The observatory of Anders Celsius, from a contemporary engraving. Anders Celsius (November 27, 1701 April 25, 1744) was a Swedish astronomer. Celsius was born in Uppsala in Sweden. He was professor of astronomy at Uppsala University from 1730 to 1744, but traveled from 1732 to 1735 visiting notable observatories in Germany, Italy and France. At Nuremberg in 1733 he published a collection of 316 observations of the aurora borealis made by himself and others over the period 1716-1732. In Paris he advocated the measurement of an arc of the meridian in Lapland, and in 1736 took part in the expedition organized for that purpose by the French Academy of Sciences, led by the French mathematician Pierre Louis Maupertuis. Celsius founded the Uppsala Astronomical Observatory in 1741, and in 1742 he proposed the Celsius temperature scale in a paper to the Royal Swedish Academy of Sciences. His thermometer had 100 for the freezing point of water and 0 for the boiling point. The scale was reversed by Carolus Linnaeus in 1745, to how it is today Linnaeus' thermometer . Anders Celsius was the first to perform and publish careful experiments aiming at the definition of an international temperature scale on scientific grounds. In his Swedish paper "Observations of two persistent degrees on a thermometer" he reports on experiments to check that the freezing point is independent of latitude (and of atmospheric pressure). He determined the dependence of the boiling of water with atmospheric pressure (in excellent agreement with modern data). He further gave a rule for the determination of the boiling point if the barometric pressure deviates from a certain standard pressure History of the Celsius temperature scale . In 1744 he died of tuberculosis in Uppsala, and was buried in the Old Uppsala Church. The Celsius crater on the Moon is named after him. Related Wikipedia Articles November 27 1701 April 25 1744 Sweden astronomy Uppsala Sweden Uppsala University Germany Italy France Nuremberg aurora borealis Paris Laponia (historical province) French Academy of Sciences France Pierre Louis Maupertuis Uppsala Astronomical Observatory Celsius temperature Royal Swedish Academy of Sciences Carolus Linnaeus temperature Celsius tuberculosis Uppsala Gamla Uppsala#The Church Celsius (crater) Moon
Anders_Celsius	What happened in 1745?	The scale was reversed	data/set4/a5	Anders_Celsius Anders Celsius The observatory of Anders Celsius, from a contemporary engraving. Anders Celsius (November 27, 1701 April 25, 1744) was a Swedish astronomer. Celsius was born in Uppsala in Sweden. He was professor of astronomy at Uppsala University from 1730 to 1744, but traveled from 1732 to 1735 visiting notable observatories in Germany, Italy and France. At Nuremberg in 1733 he published a collection of 316 observations of the aurora borealis made by himself and others over the period 1716-1732. In Paris he advocated the measurement of an arc of the meridian in Lapland, and in 1736 took part in the expedition organized for that purpose by the French Academy of Sciences, led by the French mathematician Pierre Louis Maupertuis. Celsius founded the Uppsala Astronomical Observatory in 1741, and in 1742 he proposed the Celsius temperature scale in a paper to the Royal Swedish Academy of Sciences. His thermometer had 100 for the freezing point of water and 0 for the boiling point. The scale was reversed by Carolus Linnaeus in 1745, to how it is today Linnaeus' thermometer . Anders Celsius was the first to perform and publish careful experiments aiming at the definition of an international temperature scale on scientific grounds. In his Swedish paper "Observations of two persistent degrees on a thermometer" he reports on experiments to check that the freezing point is independent of latitude (and of atmospheric pressure). He determined the dependence of the boiling of water with atmospheric pressure (in excellent agreement with modern data). He further gave a rule for the determination of the boiling point if the barometric pressure deviates from a certain standard pressure History of the Celsius temperature scale . In 1744 he died of tuberculosis in Uppsala, and was buried in the Old Uppsala Church. The Celsius crater on the Moon is named after him. Related Wikipedia Articles November 27 1701 April 25 1744 Sweden astronomy Uppsala Sweden Uppsala University Germany Italy France Nuremberg aurora borealis Paris Laponia (historical province) French Academy of Sciences France Pierre Louis Maupertuis Uppsala Astronomical Observatory Celsius temperature Royal Swedish Academy of Sciences Carolus Linnaeus temperature Celsius tuberculosis Uppsala Gamla Uppsala#The Church Celsius (crater) Moon
beetle	Are beetles insects?	Yes	data/set1/a8	beetle Beetles are a group of insects which have the largest number of species. They are placed in the order Coleoptera,which means "sheathed wing" and contains more described species than in any other order in the animal kingdom, constituting about twenty-five percent of all known life-forms. James K. Liebherr and Joseph V. McHugh in Resh, V. H. & R. T. CardÃ© (Editors) 2003. Encyclopedia of Insects. Academic Press. Forty percent of all described insect species are beetles (about 350,000 species ), and new species are frequently discovered. Estimates put the total number of species, described and undescribed, at between 5 and 8 million. Beetles can be found in almost all habitats, but are not known to occur in the sea or in the polar regions. They interact with their ecosystems in several ways. They often feed on plants and fungi, break down animal and plant debris, and eat other invertebrates. Some species are prey of various animals including birds and mammals. Certain species are agricultural pests, such as the Colorado potato beetle Leptinotarsa decemlineata, the boll weevil Anthonomus grandis, the red flour beetle Tribolium castaneum, and the mungbean or cowpea beetle Callosobruchus maculatus, while other species of beetles are important controls of agricultural pests. For example, coccinellidae ("ladybirds" or "ladybugs") consume aphids, scale insects, thrips, and other plant-sucking insects that damage crops. The name "Coleoptera" was given by Aristotle for the hardened shield like forewings (coleo = shield + ptera = wing). A cockchafer with its elytra raised, exposing the membranous flight wings, where the veins are visible Trogodendron fasciculatum, a clerid beetle with bright yellow antennae Other characters of this group which are believed to be monophyletic include a holometabolous life cycle; having a prothorax that is distinct from and freely articulating with the mesothorax; the meso- and meta-thoracic segments fusing to form a pterothorax; a depressed body shape with the legs on the ventral surface; the coxae of legs recessed into cavities formed by heavily sclerotized thoracic sclerites; the abdominal sternites more sclerotized than the tergites; antennae with 11 or fewer segments; and terminal genitalic appendages retracted into the abdomen and invisible at rest. The general anatomy of beetles is quite uniform, although specific organs and appendages may vary greatly in appearance and function between the many families in the order. Like all insects, beetles' bodies are divided into three sections: the head, the thorax, and the abdomen. When viewed from below, the thorax is that part from which all three pairs of legs and both pairs of wings arise. The abdomen is everything posterior to the thorax. When viewed from above, most beetles appear to have three clear sections, but this is deceptive: on the beetle's upper surface, the middle "section" is a hard plate called the pronotum, which is only the front part of the thorax; the back part of the thorax is concealed by the beetle's wings. Like all arthropods, beetles are segmented organisms, and all three of the major sections of the body are themselves composed of several further segments, although these are not always readily discernible. This further segmentation is usually best seen on the abdomen. Beetles are generally characterised by a particularly hard exoskeleton and hard forewings (elytra). The beetle's exoskeleton is made up of numerous plates called sclerites, separated by thin sutures. This design creates the armoured defences of the beetle while maintaining flexibility. The elytra are not used for flight, but tend to cover the hind part of the body and protect the second pair of wings (alae). The elytra must be raised in order to move the hind flight wings. A beetle's flight wings are crossed with veins and are folded after landing, often along these veins, and are stored below the elytra. In some beetles, the ability to fly has been lost. These include the ground beetles (family Carabidae) and some "true weevils" (family Curculionidae), but also some desert and cave-dwelling species of other families. Many of these species have the two elytra fused together, forming a solid shield over the abdomen. In a few families, both the ability to fly and the elytra have been lost, with the best known example being the glow-worms of the family Phengodidae, in which the females are larviform throughout their lives. Beetles have mouthparts similar to those of grasshoppers. Of these parts, the most commonly known are probably the mandibles, which appear as large pincers on the front of some beetles. The mandibles are a pair of hard, often tooth-like structures that move horizontally to grasp, crush, or cut food or enemies (see defence, below). Two pairs of finger-like appendages are found around the mouth in most beetles, serving to move food into the mouth. These are the maxillary and labial palpi. The eyes are compound and may display remarkable adaptability, as in the case of whirligig beetles (family Gyrinidae), in which the eyes are split to allow a view both above and below the waterline. Other species also have divided eyes â some longhorn beetles (family Cerambycidae) and weevils â while many beetles have eyes that are notched to some degree. A few beetle genera also possess ocelli, which are small, simple eyes usually situated farther back on the head (on the vertex). Beetles' antennae are primarily organs of smell, but may also be used to feel out a beetle's environment physically. They may also be used in some families during mating, or among a few beetles for defence. Antennae vary greatly in form within the Coleoptera, but are often similar within any given family. In some cases, males and females of the same species will have different antennal forms. Antennae may be clavate (flabellate and lamellate are sub-forms of clavate, or clubbed antennae), filiform, geniculate, moniliform, pectinate, or serrate. For images of these antennal forms see antenna (biology). Acilius sulcatus, a diving beetle showing hind legs adapted for life in water The legs, which are multi-segmented, end in two to five small segments called tarsi. Like many other insect orders beetles bear claws, usually one pair, on the end of the last tarsal segment of each leg. While most beetles use their legs for walking, legs may be variously modified and adapted for other uses. Among aquatic families â Dytiscidae, Haliplidae, many species of Hydrophilidae and others â the legs, most notably the last pair, are modified for swimming and often bear rows of long hairs to aid this purpose. Other beetles have fossorial legs that are widened and often spined for digging. Species with such adaptations are found among the scarabs, ground beetles, and clown beetles (family Histeridae). The hind legs of some beetles, such as flea beetles (within Chrysomelidae) and flea weevils (within Curculionidae), are enlarged and designed for jumping. Oxygen is obtained via a tracheal system. Air enters a series of tubes along the body through openings called spiracles, and is then taken into increasingly finer fibres. Pumping movements of the body force the air through the system. Beetles have haemolymph instead of blood, and the open circulatory system of the beetle is powered by a tube-like heart attached to the top inside of the thorax. Scarabaeiform larva of the cockchafer, Melolontha melolontha Beetles are endopterygotes with complete metamorphosis. A single female may lay from several dozen to several thousand eggs during her lifetime. Eggs are usually laid according to the substrate the larva will feed on upon hatching. Among others, they can be laid loose in the substrate (e.g. flour beetle), laid in clumps on leaves (e.g. Colorado potato beetle), or individually attached (e.g. mungbean beetle and other seed borers) or buried in the medium (e.g. carrot weevil). The larva is usually the principal feeding stage of the beetle life cycle. Larvae tend to feed voraciously once they emerge from their eggs. Some feed externally on plants, such as those of certain leaf beetles, while others feed within their food sources. Examples of internal feeders are most Buprestidae and longhorn beetles. The larvae of many beetle families are predatory like the adults (ground beetles, ladybirds, rove beetles). The larval period varies between species but can be as long as several years. Beetle larvae can be differentiated from other insect larvae by their hardened, often darkened head, the presence of chewing mouthparts, and spiracles along the sides of the body. Like adult beetles, the larvae are varied in appearance, particularly between beetle families. Beetles whose larvae are somewhat flattened and are highly mobile are the ground beetles, some rove beetles, and others; their larvae are described as campodeiform. Some beetle larvae resemble hardened worms with dark head capsules and minute legs. These are elateriform larvae, and are found in the click beetle (Elateridae) and darkling beetle (Tenebrionidae) families. Some elateriform larvae of click beetles are known as wireworms. Beetles in the families of the Scarabaeoidea have short, thick larvae described as scarabaeiform, but more commonly known as grubs. All beetle larvae go through several instars, which are the developmental stages between each moult. In many species the larvae simply increase in size with each successive instar as more food is consumed. In some cases, however, more dramatic changes occur. Among certain beetle families or genera, particularly those that exhibit parasitic lifestyles, the first instar (the planidium) is highly mobile in order to search out a host, while the following instars are more sedentary and remain on or within their host. This is known as hypermetamorphosis; examples include the blister beetles (family Meloidae) and some rove beetles, particularly those of the genus Aleochara. As with all endopterygotes, beetle larvae pupate, and from this pupa emerges a fully formed, sexually mature adult beetle, or imago. Adults have an extremely variable lifespan, from weeks to years, depending on the species. Beetles mating in San Francisco Flamboyant flower beetle, Eudicella gralli, from the forests of Central Africa. The iridescent elytra are used in marriage ceremonies. Beetles may display extremely intricate behaviour when mating. Smell is thought to be important in the location of a mate. Conflict can play a part in the mating rituals of species such as burying beetles (genus Nicrophorus) where conflicts between males and females rage until only one of each is left, thus ensuring reproduction by the strongest and fittest. Many beetles are territorial and will fiercely defend their small patch of territory from intruding males. Pairing is generally short but in some cases will last for several hours. During pairing sperm cells are transferred to the female to fertilise the egg. Parental care varies between species, ranging from the simple laying of eggs under a leaf to certain scarab beetles, which construct underground structures complete with a supply of dung to house and feed their young. Other beetles are leaf rollers, biting sections of leaves to cause them to curl inwards, then laying their eggs, thus protected, inside. Brachinus sp., a bombardier beetle Beetles and their larvae have a variety of strategies to avoid being attacked by predators or parasitoids. These include camouflage, mimicry, toxicity, and active defence. Camouflage involves the use of colouration or shape to blend into the surrounding environment. Among those that exhibit this defensive strategy are some of the leaf beetles (family Chysomelidae), having green colouring very similar to their habitat on plant leaves. More complex camouflage also occurs, as with some weevils, where various coloured scales or hairs cause the beetle to resemble bird dung. Another defence that often uses colour or shape to deceive potential enemies is mimicry. A number of longhorn beetles (family Cerambycidae) bear a striking resemblance to wasps, which fools predators into keeping their distance even though the beetles are in fact harmless. This defence can be found to a lesser extent in other beetle families, such as the scarab beetles. Beetles may combine their colour mimicry with behavioural mimicry, acting like the wasps they already closely resemble. Many beetle species, including ladybirds and blister beetles, can secrete distasteful or toxic substances to make them unpalatable or even poisonous. These same species often exhibit aposematism, where bright or contrasting colour patterns warn away potential predators. Large ground beetles and longhorn beetles may go on the attack, using their strong mandibles to forcibly persuade a predator to seek out easier prey. Others, such as bombardier beetles (within Carabidae) spray acidic gas from their abdomen to repel predators. Besides being abundant and varied, the Coleoptera are able to exploit the wide diversity of food sources available in their many habitats. Some are generalists, eating both plants and animals. Other beetles are highly specialised in their diet. Many species of leaf beetles, longhorn beetles, and weevils are very host specific, feeding on only a single species of plant. Ground beetles and rove beetles (family Staphylinidae), among others, are primarily carnivorous and will catch and consume many other arthropods and small prey such as earthworms and snails. While most predatory beetles are generalists, a few species have more specific prey requirements or preferences. Decaying organic matter is a primary diet for many species. This can range from dung, which is consumed by coprophagous species such as certain scarab beetles (family Scarabaeidae), to dead animals, which are eaten by necrophagous species such as the carrion beetles (family Silphidae). Some of the beetles found within dung and carrion are in fact predatory, such as the clown beetles, preying on the larvae of coprophagous and necrophagous insects. Aquatic beetles use several techniques for retaining air beneath the water's surface. Beetles of the family Dytiscidae hold air between the abdomen and the elytra when diving. Hydrophilidae have hairs on their under surface that retain a layer of air against their bodies. Adult crawling water beetles use both their elytra and their hind coxae (the basal segment of the back legs) in air retention while whirligig beetles simply carry an air bubble down with them whenever they dive. Sphaerius acaroides, a member of the small suborder Myxophaga While some authorities believe modern beetles began about 140 million years ago, research announced in 2007 showed that beetles may have entered the fossil record during the Lower Permian, about 265 to 300 million years ago. Modern Beetles Predate Dinosaurs, Dave Mosher, LiveScience.com, 26 December 2007. The four extant suborders of beetle are these: * Polyphaga is the largest suborder, containing more than 300,000 described species in more than 170 families, including rove beetles (Staphylinidae), scarab beetles (Scarabaeidae), blister beetles (Meloidae), stag beetles (Lucanidae) and true weevils (Curculionidae). These beetles can be identified by the cervical sclerites (hardened parts of the head used as points of attachment for muscles) absent in the other suborders. * Adephaga contains about 10 families of largely predatory beetles, includes ground beetles (Carabidae), Dytiscidae and whirligig beetles (Gyrinidae). In these beetles the testes are tubular and the first abdominal sternum (a plate of the exoskeleton) is divided by the hind coxae (the basal joints of the beetle's legs). * Archostemata contains four families of mainly wood-eating beetles, including reticulated beetles (Cupedidae) and the telephone-pole beetle. * Myxophaga contains about 100 described species in four families, mostly very small, including Hydroscaphidae and the genus Sphaerius. These suborders diverged in the Permian and Triassic. Their phylogenetic relationship is uncertain, with the most popular hypothesis being that Polyphaga and Myxophaga are most closely related, with Adephaga as the sister group to those two, and Archostemata as sister to the other three collectively. There are about 350,000 species of beetles. Such a large number of species poses special problems for classification, with some families consisting of thousands of species and needing further division into subfamilies and tribes. Colorado potato beetle (Leptinotarsa decemlineata) larvae Many agricultural, forestry, and household insect pests are beetles. These include the following: * The Colorado potato beetle, Leptinotarsa decemlineata, is a notorious pest of potato plants. Crops are destroyed and the beetle can only be treated by employing expensive pesticides, many of which it has begun to develop resistance to. As well as potatoes, suitable hosts can be a number of plants from the potato family (Solanaceae), such as nightshade, tomato, aubergine and capsicum. * The boll weevil, Anthonomus grandis, has cost cotton producers in the United States billions of dollars since it first entered that country. * The bark beetles Hylurgopinus rufipes and Scolytus multistriatus, the elm leaf beetle, Pyrrhalta luteola, and other beetles attack elm trees. The bark beetles are important elm pests because they carry Dutch elm disease as they move from infected breeding sites to feed on healthy elm trees. The spread of the fungus by the beetle has led to the devastation of elm trees in many parts of the Northern Hemisphere, notably in Europe and North America. * The death watch beetle, Xestobium rufovillosum, (family Anobiidae) is of considerable importance as a pest of older wooden buildings in Great Britain. It attacks hardwoods such as oak and chestnut, always where some fungal decay has taken or is taking place. It is thought that the actual introduction of the pest into buildings takes place at the time of construction. * Asian long-horned beetle * Citrus long-horned beetle * Western corn rootworm * Coconut hispine beetle or Brontispa longissima gestro feeds on young leaves and damages seedlings and mature coconut palms. On September 27, 2007, Philippines' Metro Manila and 26 provinces were quarantined due to having been infested with this pest (to save the $800-million Philippine coconut industry). Inquirer.net, Beetles infest coconuts in Manila, 26 provinces Coccinella septempunctata, a beneficial beetle * Both the larvae and adults of some ladybirds (family Coccinellidae) are found in aphid colonies. Other lady beetles feed on scale insects and mealybugs. If normal food sources are scarce they may feed on other things, such as small caterpillars, young plant bugs, honeydew and nectar. * Ground beetles (family Carabidae) are common predators of many different insects and other arthropods, including fly eggs, caterpillars, wireworms and others. * Plant-feeding beetles are often important beneficial insects, controlling problem weeds. Some flea beetles of the genus Aphthona feed on leafy spurge, a considerable weed of rangeland in western North America. Some farmers develop beetle banks to foster and provide cover for beneficial beetles. Beetles of the Dermestidae family are often used in taxidermy to clean bones of remaining flesh. Ancient Egyptian scene depicting a scarab beetle Several species of dung beetle, most notably Scarabaeus sacer (often referred to as "scarab"), enjoyed a sacred status among the ancient Egyptians, as the creatures were likened to the major god Khepri. Some scholars suggest that the Egyptians' practice of making mummies was inspired by the brooding process of the beetle. Many thousands of amulets and stamp seals have been excavated that depict the scarab. In many artifacts, the scarab is depicted pushing the sun along its course in the sky, much as scarabs push or roll balls of dung to their brood sites. During and following the New Kingdom, scarab amulets were often placed over the heart of the mummified deceased. Some tribal groups, particularly in tropical parts of the world, use the colourful, iridescent elytra of certain beetles, especially certain Scarabaeidae, in ceremonies and as adornment. Beetle collection at the Melbourne Museum, Australia The study of beetles is called coleopterology, and its practitioners are coleopterists. Coleopterists have formed organisations to facilitate the study of beetles. Among these is The Coleopterists Society, an international organisation based in the United States. Such organisations may have both professionals and amateurs interested in beetles as members. Research in this field is often published in peer-reviewed journals specific to the field of coleopterology, though journals dealing with general entomology also publish many papers on various aspects of beetle biology. Some of the journals specific to beetle research are: The Coleopterist (United Kingdom beetle fauna) The Coleopterists Bulletin (published by The Coleopterists Society) There is a thriving industry in the collection of beetle specimens for amateur and professional collectors. Many coleopterists prefer to collect beetle specimens for themselves, recording detailed information about each specimen and its habitat. Such collections add to the body of knowledge about the Coleoptera. Some countries have established laws governing or prohibiting the collection of certain rare (and often much sought after) species. One such beetle whose collection is illegal or restricted is the American burying beetle, Nicrophorus americanus. * Poul Beckmann, Living Jewels: The Natural Design of Beetles ISBN 3-7913-2528-0 * Arthur V. Evans, Charles Bellamy, and Lisa Charles Watson, An Inordinate Fondness for Beetles ISBN 0-520-22323-3 * Entomological Society of America, Beetle Larvae of the World ISBN 0-643-05506-1 * David Grimaldi, Michael S. Engel, Evolution of the Insects ISBN 0-521-82149-5 * Ross H. Arnett, Jr. and Michael C. Thomas, American Beetles (CRC Press, 2001-2). ISBN 0-8493-1925-0 * K. W. Harde, A Field Guide in Colour to Beetles ISBN 0-7064-1937-5 Pages 7-24 * White, R.E. 1983. Beetles. Houghton Mifflin Company, New York, NY. ISBN 0-395-91089-7 Heteroptera - insect suborder that is superficially similar to beetles - Coleoptera All what do you need to know about coleoptera, collecting and preparation * The Beetle Ring - A group of websites about beetles (Coleoptera). * List of major Beetle collections - worldwide * Entomology - online insect museum, entomology, tips and tricks, how to spread and pin insects, etc. * - Gallery of Central European beetles * Coleoptera from the Tree of Life * Australian borers species * Beetles and coleopterologists Russian site with English version, with information about biology, systematics and paleontology of beetles * North American Beetles from BugGuide * Bibliography on fossil insects * Coleoptera Families of the World * A digital collection of Southeast Asian beetles Related Wikipedia Articles coleopter Hylobius abietis weevil Animal Arthropod Insect Pterygota Neoptera Endopterygota Carolus Linnaeus Systema Naturae Suborder (biology) Adephaga Archostemata Myxophaga Polyphaga subgroups of the order Coleoptera insect species species animal polar region ecosystem plant fungus invertebrate Colorado potato beetle boll weevil coccinellidae aphid scale insect thrips Aristotle cockchafer Trogodendron fasciculatum monophyletic holometabolous prothorax coxa anatomy appendage pronotum insect wing segmentation (biology) exoskeleton elytron sclerite insect flight insect wing ground beetle Curculionidae glowworm Phengodidae Larviform female mouthparts grasshopper mandible (insect) #Defence appendage compound eye whirligig beetle longhorn beetle ocellus vertex (anatomy) antenna (biology) antenna (biology) Acilius sulcatus arthropod leg Dytiscidae Haliplidae Hydrophilidae fossorial clown beetle flea beetle Oxygen invertebrate trachea spiracle hemolymph blood open circulatory system Melolontha melolontha Endopterygota metamorphosis (biology) larva Colorado potato beetle larva Biological life cycle Buprestidae spiracle click beetle darkling beetle click beetle Scarabaeoidea instar ecdysis planidium hypermetamorphosis blister beetle Aleochara pupa imago San Francisco Flamboyant flower beetle burying beetle Spermatozoon fertilisation Scarabaeidae leaf roller Brachinus bombardier beetle parasitoid camouflage mimicry leaf beetle weevil longhorn beetle wasp Coccinellidae blister beetle aposematism ground beetle Mandible (insect) bombardier beetle Ground beetle rove beetle arthropod dung coprophagous dung beetle necrophagous carrion beetle clown beetle coxa Ross H. Arnett, Jr. Michael C. Thomas American Beetles CRC Press Boca Raton, Florida whirligig beetle Sphaerius Myxophaga fossil Permian Polyphaga rove beetle scarabaeidae blister beetle stag beetle Curculionidae sclerite Adephaga ground beetle Dytiscidae whirligig beetle testes exoskeleton coxa Archostemata reticulated beetle telephone-pole beetle Myxophaga Hydroscaphidae Sphaerius Triassic phylogenetics sister group Linnaean taxonomy Colorado potato beetle Colorado potato beetle potato pesticide pesticide resistance Solanaceae nightshade tomato aubergine capsicum boll weevil United States bark beetle elm leaf beetle elm Dutch elm disease Northern Hemisphere Europe North America death watch beetle Anobiidae Great Britain hardwood oak chestnut Asian long-horned beetle Citrus long-horned beetle Western corn rootworm Coconut leaves seedlings coconut palms September 27 Philippines Metro Manila provinces quarantined pest coconut industry Coccinella septempunctata ladybirds Coccinellidae aphid scale insect mealybug honeydew nectar Ground beetle caterpillar Aphthona leafy spurge beetle bank Dermestidae taxidermy Dung beetle Scarabaeus sacer Ancient Egyptian Khepri Mummy New Kingdom Elytron Melbourne Museum coleopterology list of coleopterists The Coleopterists Society international organisation scientific journal The Coleopterist The Coleopterists Bulletin Nicrophorus americanus Entomological Society of America David Grimaldi Michael S. Engel Ross H. Arnett, Jr. Michael C. Thomas American Beetles Heteroptera
beetle	Are beetles insects?	Yes	data/set1/a8	beetle Beetles are a group of insects which have the largest number of species. They are placed in the order Coleoptera,which means "sheathed wing" and contains more described species than in any other order in the animal kingdom, constituting about twenty-five percent of all known life-forms. James K. Liebherr and Joseph V. McHugh in Resh, V. H. & R. T. CardÃ© (Editors) 2003. Encyclopedia of Insects. Academic Press. Forty percent of all described insect species are beetles (about 350,000 species ), and new species are frequently discovered. Estimates put the total number of species, described and undescribed, at between 5 and 8 million. Beetles can be found in almost all habitats, but are not known to occur in the sea or in the polar regions. They interact with their ecosystems in several ways. They often feed on plants and fungi, break down animal and plant debris, and eat other invertebrates. Some species are prey of various animals including birds and mammals. Certain species are agricultural pests, such as the Colorado potato beetle Leptinotarsa decemlineata, the boll weevil Anthonomus grandis, the red flour beetle Tribolium castaneum, and the mungbean or cowpea beetle Callosobruchus maculatus, while other species of beetles are important controls of agricultural pests. For example, coccinellidae ("ladybirds" or "ladybugs") consume aphids, scale insects, thrips, and other plant-sucking insects that damage crops. The name "Coleoptera" was given by Aristotle for the hardened shield like forewings (coleo = shield + ptera = wing). A cockchafer with its elytra raised, exposing the membranous flight wings, where the veins are visible Trogodendron fasciculatum, a clerid beetle with bright yellow antennae Other characters of this group which are believed to be monophyletic include a holometabolous life cycle; having a prothorax that is distinct from and freely articulating with the mesothorax; the meso- and meta-thoracic segments fusing to form a pterothorax; a depressed body shape with the legs on the ventral surface; the coxae of legs recessed into cavities formed by heavily sclerotized thoracic sclerites; the abdominal sternites more sclerotized than the tergites; antennae with 11 or fewer segments; and terminal genitalic appendages retracted into the abdomen and invisible at rest. The general anatomy of beetles is quite uniform, although specific organs and appendages may vary greatly in appearance and function between the many families in the order. Like all insects, beetles' bodies are divided into three sections: the head, the thorax, and the abdomen. When viewed from below, the thorax is that part from which all three pairs of legs and both pairs of wings arise. The abdomen is everything posterior to the thorax. When viewed from above, most beetles appear to have three clear sections, but this is deceptive: on the beetle's upper surface, the middle "section" is a hard plate called the pronotum, which is only the front part of the thorax; the back part of the thorax is concealed by the beetle's wings. Like all arthropods, beetles are segmented organisms, and all three of the major sections of the body are themselves composed of several further segments, although these are not always readily discernible. This further segmentation is usually best seen on the abdomen. Beetles are generally characterised by a particularly hard exoskeleton and hard forewings (elytra). The beetle's exoskeleton is made up of numerous plates called sclerites, separated by thin sutures. This design creates the armoured defences of the beetle while maintaining flexibility. The elytra are not used for flight, but tend to cover the hind part of the body and protect the second pair of wings (alae). The elytra must be raised in order to move the hind flight wings. A beetle's flight wings are crossed with veins and are folded after landing, often along these veins, and are stored below the elytra. In some beetles, the ability to fly has been lost. These include the ground beetles (family Carabidae) and some "true weevils" (family Curculionidae), but also some desert and cave-dwelling species of other families. Many of these species have the two elytra fused together, forming a solid shield over the abdomen. In a few families, both the ability to fly and the elytra have been lost, with the best known example being the glow-worms of the family Phengodidae, in which the females are larviform throughout their lives. Beetles have mouthparts similar to those of grasshoppers. Of these parts, the most commonly known are probably the mandibles, which appear as large pincers on the front of some beetles. The mandibles are a pair of hard, often tooth-like structures that move horizontally to grasp, crush, or cut food or enemies (see defence, below). Two pairs of finger-like appendages are found around the mouth in most beetles, serving to move food into the mouth. These are the maxillary and labial palpi. The eyes are compound and may display remarkable adaptability, as in the case of whirligig beetles (family Gyrinidae), in which the eyes are split to allow a view both above and below the waterline. Other species also have divided eyes â some longhorn beetles (family Cerambycidae) and weevils â while many beetles have eyes that are notched to some degree. A few beetle genera also possess ocelli, which are small, simple eyes usually situated farther back on the head (on the vertex). Beetles' antennae are primarily organs of smell, but may also be used to feel out a beetle's environment physically. They may also be used in some families during mating, or among a few beetles for defence. Antennae vary greatly in form within the Coleoptera, but are often similar within any given family. In some cases, males and females of the same species will have different antennal forms. Antennae may be clavate (flabellate and lamellate are sub-forms of clavate, or clubbed antennae), filiform, geniculate, moniliform, pectinate, or serrate. For images of these antennal forms see antenna (biology). Acilius sulcatus, a diving beetle showing hind legs adapted for life in water The legs, which are multi-segmented, end in two to five small segments called tarsi. Like many other insect orders beetles bear claws, usually one pair, on the end of the last tarsal segment of each leg. While most beetles use their legs for walking, legs may be variously modified and adapted for other uses. Among aquatic families â Dytiscidae, Haliplidae, many species of Hydrophilidae and others â the legs, most notably the last pair, are modified for swimming and often bear rows of long hairs to aid this purpose. Other beetles have fossorial legs that are widened and often spined for digging. Species with such adaptations are found among the scarabs, ground beetles, and clown beetles (family Histeridae). The hind legs of some beetles, such as flea beetles (within Chrysomelidae) and flea weevils (within Curculionidae), are enlarged and designed for jumping. Oxygen is obtained via a tracheal system. Air enters a series of tubes along the body through openings called spiracles, and is then taken into increasingly finer fibres. Pumping movements of the body force the air through the system. Beetles have haemolymph instead of blood, and the open circulatory system of the beetle is powered by a tube-like heart attached to the top inside of the thorax. Scarabaeiform larva of the cockchafer, Melolontha melolontha Beetles are endopterygotes with complete metamorphosis. A single female may lay from several dozen to several thousand eggs during her lifetime. Eggs are usually laid according to the substrate the larva will feed on upon hatching. Among others, they can be laid loose in the substrate (e.g. flour beetle), laid in clumps on leaves (e.g. Colorado potato beetle), or individually attached (e.g. mungbean beetle and other seed borers) or buried in the medium (e.g. carrot weevil). The larva is usually the principal feeding stage of the beetle life cycle. Larvae tend to feed voraciously once they emerge from their eggs. Some feed externally on plants, such as those of certain leaf beetles, while others feed within their food sources. Examples of internal feeders are most Buprestidae and longhorn beetles. The larvae of many beetle families are predatory like the adults (ground beetles, ladybirds, rove beetles). The larval period varies between species but can be as long as several years. Beetle larvae can be differentiated from other insect larvae by their hardened, often darkened head, the presence of chewing mouthparts, and spiracles along the sides of the body. Like adult beetles, the larvae are varied in appearance, particularly between beetle families. Beetles whose larvae are somewhat flattened and are highly mobile are the ground beetles, some rove beetles, and others; their larvae are described as campodeiform. Some beetle larvae resemble hardened worms with dark head capsules and minute legs. These are elateriform larvae, and are found in the click beetle (Elateridae) and darkling beetle (Tenebrionidae) families. Some elateriform larvae of click beetles are known as wireworms. Beetles in the families of the Scarabaeoidea have short, thick larvae described as scarabaeiform, but more commonly known as grubs. All beetle larvae go through several instars, which are the developmental stages between each moult. In many species the larvae simply increase in size with each successive instar as more food is consumed. In some cases, however, more dramatic changes occur. Among certain beetle families or genera, particularly those that exhibit parasitic lifestyles, the first instar (the planidium) is highly mobile in order to search out a host, while the following instars are more sedentary and remain on or within their host. This is known as hypermetamorphosis; examples include the blister beetles (family Meloidae) and some rove beetles, particularly those of the genus Aleochara. As with all endopterygotes, beetle larvae pupate, and from this pupa emerges a fully formed, sexually mature adult beetle, or imago. Adults have an extremely variable lifespan, from weeks to years, depending on the species. Beetles mating in San Francisco Flamboyant flower beetle, Eudicella gralli, from the forests of Central Africa. The iridescent elytra are used in marriage ceremonies. Beetles may display extremely intricate behaviour when mating. Smell is thought to be important in the location of a mate. Conflict can play a part in the mating rituals of species such as burying beetles (genus Nicrophorus) where conflicts between males and females rage until only one of each is left, thus ensuring reproduction by the strongest and fittest. Many beetles are territorial and will fiercely defend their small patch of territory from intruding males. Pairing is generally short but in some cases will last for several hours. During pairing sperm cells are transferred to the female to fertilise the egg. Parental care varies between species, ranging from the simple laying of eggs under a leaf to certain scarab beetles, which construct underground structures complete with a supply of dung to house and feed their young. Other beetles are leaf rollers, biting sections of leaves to cause them to curl inwards, then laying their eggs, thus protected, inside. Brachinus sp., a bombardier beetle Beetles and their larvae have a variety of strategies to avoid being attacked by predators or parasitoids. These include camouflage, mimicry, toxicity, and active defence. Camouflage involves the use of colouration or shape to blend into the surrounding environment. Among those that exhibit this defensive strategy are some of the leaf beetles (family Chysomelidae), having green colouring very similar to their habitat on plant leaves. More complex camouflage also occurs, as with some weevils, where various coloured scales or hairs cause the beetle to resemble bird dung. Another defence that often uses colour or shape to deceive potential enemies is mimicry. A number of longhorn beetles (family Cerambycidae) bear a striking resemblance to wasps, which fools predators into keeping their distance even though the beetles are in fact harmless. This defence can be found to a lesser extent in other beetle families, such as the scarab beetles. Beetles may combine their colour mimicry with behavioural mimicry, acting like the wasps they already closely resemble. Many beetle species, including ladybirds and blister beetles, can secrete distasteful or toxic substances to make them unpalatable or even poisonous. These same species often exhibit aposematism, where bright or contrasting colour patterns warn away potential predators. Large ground beetles and longhorn beetles may go on the attack, using their strong mandibles to forcibly persuade a predator to seek out easier prey. Others, such as bombardier beetles (within Carabidae) spray acidic gas from their abdomen to repel predators. Besides being abundant and varied, the Coleoptera are able to exploit the wide diversity of food sources available in their many habitats. Some are generalists, eating both plants and animals. Other beetles are highly specialised in their diet. Many species of leaf beetles, longhorn beetles, and weevils are very host specific, feeding on only a single species of plant. Ground beetles and rove beetles (family Staphylinidae), among others, are primarily carnivorous and will catch and consume many other arthropods and small prey such as earthworms and snails. While most predatory beetles are generalists, a few species have more specific prey requirements or preferences. Decaying organic matter is a primary diet for many species. This can range from dung, which is consumed by coprophagous species such as certain scarab beetles (family Scarabaeidae), to dead animals, which are eaten by necrophagous species such as the carrion beetles (family Silphidae). Some of the beetles found within dung and carrion are in fact predatory, such as the clown beetles, preying on the larvae of coprophagous and necrophagous insects. Aquatic beetles use several techniques for retaining air beneath the water's surface. Beetles of the family Dytiscidae hold air between the abdomen and the elytra when diving. Hydrophilidae have hairs on their under surface that retain a layer of air against their bodies. Adult crawling water beetles use both their elytra and their hind coxae (the basal segment of the back legs) in air retention while whirligig beetles simply carry an air bubble down with them whenever they dive. Sphaerius acaroides, a member of the small suborder Myxophaga While some authorities believe modern beetles began about 140 million years ago, research announced in 2007 showed that beetles may have entered the fossil record during the Lower Permian, about 265 to 300 million years ago. Modern Beetles Predate Dinosaurs, Dave Mosher, LiveScience.com, 26 December 2007. The four extant suborders of beetle are these: * Polyphaga is the largest suborder, containing more than 300,000 described species in more than 170 families, including rove beetles (Staphylinidae), scarab beetles (Scarabaeidae), blister beetles (Meloidae), stag beetles (Lucanidae) and true weevils (Curculionidae). These beetles can be identified by the cervical sclerites (hardened parts of the head used as points of attachment for muscles) absent in the other suborders. * Adephaga contains about 10 families of largely predatory beetles, includes ground beetles (Carabidae), Dytiscidae and whirligig beetles (Gyrinidae). In these beetles the testes are tubular and the first abdominal sternum (a plate of the exoskeleton) is divided by the hind coxae (the basal joints of the beetle's legs). * Archostemata contains four families of mainly wood-eating beetles, including reticulated beetles (Cupedidae) and the telephone-pole beetle. * Myxophaga contains about 100 described species in four families, mostly very small, including Hydroscaphidae and the genus Sphaerius. These suborders diverged in the Permian and Triassic. Their phylogenetic relationship is uncertain, with the most popular hypothesis being that Polyphaga and Myxophaga are most closely related, with Adephaga as the sister group to those two, and Archostemata as sister to the other three collectively. There are about 350,000 species of beetles. Such a large number of species poses special problems for classification, with some families consisting of thousands of species and needing further division into subfamilies and tribes. Colorado potato beetle (Leptinotarsa decemlineata) larvae Many agricultural, forestry, and household insect pests are beetles. These include the following: * The Colorado potato beetle, Leptinotarsa decemlineata, is a notorious pest of potato plants. Crops are destroyed and the beetle can only be treated by employing expensive pesticides, many of which it has begun to develop resistance to. As well as potatoes, suitable hosts can be a number of plants from the potato family (Solanaceae), such as nightshade, tomato, aubergine and capsicum. * The boll weevil, Anthonomus grandis, has cost cotton producers in the United States billions of dollars since it first entered that country. * The bark beetles Hylurgopinus rufipes and Scolytus multistriatus, the elm leaf beetle, Pyrrhalta luteola, and other beetles attack elm trees. The bark beetles are important elm pests because they carry Dutch elm disease as they move from infected breeding sites to feed on healthy elm trees. The spread of the fungus by the beetle has led to the devastation of elm trees in many parts of the Northern Hemisphere, notably in Europe and North America. * The death watch beetle, Xestobium rufovillosum, (family Anobiidae) is of considerable importance as a pest of older wooden buildings in Great Britain. It attacks hardwoods such as oak and chestnut, always where some fungal decay has taken or is taking place. It is thought that the actual introduction of the pest into buildings takes place at the time of construction. * Asian long-horned beetle * Citrus long-horned beetle * Western corn rootworm * Coconut hispine beetle or Brontispa longissima gestro feeds on young leaves and damages seedlings and mature coconut palms. On September 27, 2007, Philippines' Metro Manila and 26 provinces were quarantined due to having been infested with this pest (to save the $800-million Philippine coconut industry). Inquirer.net, Beetles infest coconuts in Manila, 26 provinces Coccinella septempunctata, a beneficial beetle * Both the larvae and adults of some ladybirds (family Coccinellidae) are found in aphid colonies. Other lady beetles feed on scale insects and mealybugs. If normal food sources are scarce they may feed on other things, such as small caterpillars, young plant bugs, honeydew and nectar. * Ground beetles (family Carabidae) are common predators of many different insects and other arthropods, including fly eggs, caterpillars, wireworms and others. * Plant-feeding beetles are often important beneficial insects, controlling problem weeds. Some flea beetles of the genus Aphthona feed on leafy spurge, a considerable weed of rangeland in western North America. Some farmers develop beetle banks to foster and provide cover for beneficial beetles. Beetles of the Dermestidae family are often used in taxidermy to clean bones of remaining flesh. Ancient Egyptian scene depicting a scarab beetle Several species of dung beetle, most notably Scarabaeus sacer (often referred to as "scarab"), enjoyed a sacred status among the ancient Egyptians, as the creatures were likened to the major god Khepri. Some scholars suggest that the Egyptians' practice of making mummies was inspired by the brooding process of the beetle. Many thousands of amulets and stamp seals have been excavated that depict the scarab. In many artifacts, the scarab is depicted pushing the sun along its course in the sky, much as scarabs push or roll balls of dung to their brood sites. During and following the New Kingdom, scarab amulets were often placed over the heart of the mummified deceased. Some tribal groups, particularly in tropical parts of the world, use the colourful, iridescent elytra of certain beetles, especially certain Scarabaeidae, in ceremonies and as adornment. Beetle collection at the Melbourne Museum, Australia The study of beetles is called coleopterology, and its practitioners are coleopterists. Coleopterists have formed organisations to facilitate the study of beetles. Among these is The Coleopterists Society, an international organisation based in the United States. Such organisations may have both professionals and amateurs interested in beetles as members. Research in this field is often published in peer-reviewed journals specific to the field of coleopterology, though journals dealing with general entomology also publish many papers on various aspects of beetle biology. Some of the journals specific to beetle research are: The Coleopterist (United Kingdom beetle fauna) The Coleopterists Bulletin (published by The Coleopterists Society) There is a thriving industry in the collection of beetle specimens for amateur and professional collectors. Many coleopterists prefer to collect beetle specimens for themselves, recording detailed information about each specimen and its habitat. Such collections add to the body of knowledge about the Coleoptera. Some countries have established laws governing or prohibiting the collection of certain rare (and often much sought after) species. One such beetle whose collection is illegal or restricted is the American burying beetle, Nicrophorus americanus. * Poul Beckmann, Living Jewels: The Natural Design of Beetles ISBN 3-7913-2528-0 * Arthur V. Evans, Charles Bellamy, and Lisa Charles Watson, An Inordinate Fondness for Beetles ISBN 0-520-22323-3 * Entomological Society of America, Beetle Larvae of the World ISBN 0-643-05506-1 * David Grimaldi, Michael S. Engel, Evolution of the Insects ISBN 0-521-82149-5 * Ross H. Arnett, Jr. and Michael C. Thomas, American Beetles (CRC Press, 2001-2). ISBN 0-8493-1925-0 * K. W. Harde, A Field Guide in Colour to Beetles ISBN 0-7064-1937-5 Pages 7-24 * White, R.E. 1983. Beetles. Houghton Mifflin Company, New York, NY. ISBN 0-395-91089-7 Heteroptera - insect suborder that is superficially similar to beetles - Coleoptera All what do you need to know about coleoptera, collecting and preparation * The Beetle Ring - A group of websites about beetles (Coleoptera). * List of major Beetle collections - worldwide * Entomology - online insect museum, entomology, tips and tricks, how to spread and pin insects, etc. * - Gallery of Central European beetles * Coleoptera from the Tree of Life * Australian borers species * Beetles and coleopterologists Russian site with English version, with information about biology, systematics and paleontology of beetles * North American Beetles from BugGuide * Bibliography on fossil insects * Coleoptera Families of the World * A digital collection of Southeast Asian beetles Related Wikipedia Articles coleopter Hylobius abietis weevil Animal Arthropod Insect Pterygota Neoptera Endopterygota Carolus Linnaeus Systema Naturae Suborder (biology) Adephaga Archostemata Myxophaga Polyphaga subgroups of the order Coleoptera insect species species animal polar region ecosystem plant fungus invertebrate Colorado potato beetle boll weevil coccinellidae aphid scale insect thrips Aristotle cockchafer Trogodendron fasciculatum monophyletic holometabolous prothorax coxa anatomy appendage pronotum insect wing segmentation (biology) exoskeleton elytron sclerite insect flight insect wing ground beetle Curculionidae glowworm Phengodidae Larviform female mouthparts grasshopper mandible (insect) #Defence appendage compound eye whirligig beetle longhorn beetle ocellus vertex (anatomy) antenna (biology) antenna (biology) Acilius sulcatus arthropod leg Dytiscidae Haliplidae Hydrophilidae fossorial clown beetle flea beetle Oxygen invertebrate trachea spiracle hemolymph blood open circulatory system Melolontha melolontha Endopterygota metamorphosis (biology) larva Colorado potato beetle larva Biological life cycle Buprestidae spiracle click beetle darkling beetle click beetle Scarabaeoidea instar ecdysis planidium hypermetamorphosis blister beetle Aleochara pupa imago San Francisco Flamboyant flower beetle burying beetle Spermatozoon fertilisation Scarabaeidae leaf roller Brachinus bombardier beetle parasitoid camouflage mimicry leaf beetle weevil longhorn beetle wasp Coccinellidae blister beetle aposematism ground beetle Mandible (insect) bombardier beetle Ground beetle rove beetle arthropod dung coprophagous dung beetle necrophagous carrion beetle clown beetle coxa Ross H. Arnett, Jr. Michael C. Thomas American Beetles CRC Press Boca Raton, Florida whirligig beetle Sphaerius Myxophaga fossil Permian Polyphaga rove beetle scarabaeidae blister beetle stag beetle Curculionidae sclerite Adephaga ground beetle Dytiscidae whirligig beetle testes exoskeleton coxa Archostemata reticulated beetle telephone-pole beetle Myxophaga Hydroscaphidae Sphaerius Triassic phylogenetics sister group Linnaean taxonomy Colorado potato beetle Colorado potato beetle potato pesticide pesticide resistance Solanaceae nightshade tomato aubergine capsicum boll weevil United States bark beetle elm leaf beetle elm Dutch elm disease Northern Hemisphere Europe North America death watch beetle Anobiidae Great Britain hardwood oak chestnut Asian long-horned beetle Citrus long-horned beetle Western corn rootworm Coconut leaves seedlings coconut palms September 27 Philippines Metro Manila provinces quarantined pest coconut industry Coccinella septempunctata ladybirds Coccinellidae aphid scale insect mealybug honeydew nectar Ground beetle caterpillar Aphthona leafy spurge beetle bank Dermestidae taxidermy Dung beetle Scarabaeus sacer Ancient Egyptian Khepri Mummy New Kingdom Elytron Melbourne Museum coleopterology list of coleopterists The Coleopterists Society international organisation scientific journal The Coleopterist The Coleopterists Bulletin Nicrophorus americanus Entomological Society of America David Grimaldi Michael S. Engel Ross H. Arnett, Jr. Michael C. Thomas American Beetles Heteroptera
beetle	Can beetles be found in polar regions?	No	data/set1/a8	beetle Beetles are a group of insects which have the largest number of species. They are placed in the order Coleoptera,which means "sheathed wing" and contains more described species than in any other order in the animal kingdom, constituting about twenty-five percent of all known life-forms. James K. Liebherr and Joseph V. McHugh in Resh, V. H. & R. T. CardÃ© (Editors) 2003. Encyclopedia of Insects. Academic Press. Forty percent of all described insect species are beetles (about 350,000 species ), and new species are frequently discovered. Estimates put the total number of species, described and undescribed, at between 5 and 8 million. Beetles can be found in almost all habitats, but are not known to occur in the sea or in the polar regions. They interact with their ecosystems in several ways. They often feed on plants and fungi, break down animal and plant debris, and eat other invertebrates. Some species are prey of various animals including birds and mammals. Certain species are agricultural pests, such as the Colorado potato beetle Leptinotarsa decemlineata, the boll weevil Anthonomus grandis, the red flour beetle Tribolium castaneum, and the mungbean or cowpea beetle Callosobruchus maculatus, while other species of beetles are important controls of agricultural pests. For example, coccinellidae ("ladybirds" or "ladybugs") consume aphids, scale insects, thrips, and other plant-sucking insects that damage crops. The name "Coleoptera" was given by Aristotle for the hardened shield like forewings (coleo = shield + ptera = wing). A cockchafer with its elytra raised, exposing the membranous flight wings, where the veins are visible Trogodendron fasciculatum, a clerid beetle with bright yellow antennae Other characters of this group which are believed to be monophyletic include a holometabolous life cycle; having a prothorax that is distinct from and freely articulating with the mesothorax; the meso- and meta-thoracic segments fusing to form a pterothorax; a depressed body shape with the legs on the ventral surface; the coxae of legs recessed into cavities formed by heavily sclerotized thoracic sclerites; the abdominal sternites more sclerotized than the tergites; antennae with 11 or fewer segments; and terminal genitalic appendages retracted into the abdomen and invisible at rest. The general anatomy of beetles is quite uniform, although specific organs and appendages may vary greatly in appearance and function between the many families in the order. Like all insects, beetles' bodies are divided into three sections: the head, the thorax, and the abdomen. When viewed from below, the thorax is that part from which all three pairs of legs and both pairs of wings arise. The abdomen is everything posterior to the thorax. When viewed from above, most beetles appear to have three clear sections, but this is deceptive: on the beetle's upper surface, the middle "section" is a hard plate called the pronotum, which is only the front part of the thorax; the back part of the thorax is concealed by the beetle's wings. Like all arthropods, beetles are segmented organisms, and all three of the major sections of the body are themselves composed of several further segments, although these are not always readily discernible. This further segmentation is usually best seen on the abdomen. Beetles are generally characterised by a particularly hard exoskeleton and hard forewings (elytra). The beetle's exoskeleton is made up of numerous plates called sclerites, separated by thin sutures. This design creates the armoured defences of the beetle while maintaining flexibility. The elytra are not used for flight, but tend to cover the hind part of the body and protect the second pair of wings (alae). The elytra must be raised in order to move the hind flight wings. A beetle's flight wings are crossed with veins and are folded after landing, often along these veins, and are stored below the elytra. In some beetles, the ability to fly has been lost. These include the ground beetles (family Carabidae) and some "true weevils" (family Curculionidae), but also some desert and cave-dwelling species of other families. Many of these species have the two elytra fused together, forming a solid shield over the abdomen. In a few families, both the ability to fly and the elytra have been lost, with the best known example being the glow-worms of the family Phengodidae, in which the females are larviform throughout their lives. Beetles have mouthparts similar to those of grasshoppers. Of these parts, the most commonly known are probably the mandibles, which appear as large pincers on the front of some beetles. The mandibles are a pair of hard, often tooth-like structures that move horizontally to grasp, crush, or cut food or enemies (see defence, below). Two pairs of finger-like appendages are found around the mouth in most beetles, serving to move food into the mouth. These are the maxillary and labial palpi. The eyes are compound and may display remarkable adaptability, as in the case of whirligig beetles (family Gyrinidae), in which the eyes are split to allow a view both above and below the waterline. Other species also have divided eyes â some longhorn beetles (family Cerambycidae) and weevils â while many beetles have eyes that are notched to some degree. A few beetle genera also possess ocelli, which are small, simple eyes usually situated farther back on the head (on the vertex). Beetles' antennae are primarily organs of smell, but may also be used to feel out a beetle's environment physically. They may also be used in some families during mating, or among a few beetles for defence. Antennae vary greatly in form within the Coleoptera, but are often similar within any given family. In some cases, males and females of the same species will have different antennal forms. Antennae may be clavate (flabellate and lamellate are sub-forms of clavate, or clubbed antennae), filiform, geniculate, moniliform, pectinate, or serrate. For images of these antennal forms see antenna (biology). Acilius sulcatus, a diving beetle showing hind legs adapted for life in water The legs, which are multi-segmented, end in two to five small segments called tarsi. Like many other insect orders beetles bear claws, usually one pair, on the end of the last tarsal segment of each leg. While most beetles use their legs for walking, legs may be variously modified and adapted for other uses. Among aquatic families â Dytiscidae, Haliplidae, many species of Hydrophilidae and others â the legs, most notably the last pair, are modified for swimming and often bear rows of long hairs to aid this purpose. Other beetles have fossorial legs that are widened and often spined for digging. Species with such adaptations are found among the scarabs, ground beetles, and clown beetles (family Histeridae). The hind legs of some beetles, such as flea beetles (within Chrysomelidae) and flea weevils (within Curculionidae), are enlarged and designed for jumping. Oxygen is obtained via a tracheal system. Air enters a series of tubes along the body through openings called spiracles, and is then taken into increasingly finer fibres. Pumping movements of the body force the air through the system. Beetles have haemolymph instead of blood, and the open circulatory system of the beetle is powered by a tube-like heart attached to the top inside of the thorax. Scarabaeiform larva of the cockchafer, Melolontha melolontha Beetles are endopterygotes with complete metamorphosis. A single female may lay from several dozen to several thousand eggs during her lifetime. Eggs are usually laid according to the substrate the larva will feed on upon hatching. Among others, they can be laid loose in the substrate (e.g. flour beetle), laid in clumps on leaves (e.g. Colorado potato beetle), or individually attached (e.g. mungbean beetle and other seed borers) or buried in the medium (e.g. carrot weevil). The larva is usually the principal feeding stage of the beetle life cycle. Larvae tend to feed voraciously once they emerge from their eggs. Some feed externally on plants, such as those of certain leaf beetles, while others feed within their food sources. Examples of internal feeders are most Buprestidae and longhorn beetles. The larvae of many beetle families are predatory like the adults (ground beetles, ladybirds, rove beetles). The larval period varies between species but can be as long as several years. Beetle larvae can be differentiated from other insect larvae by their hardened, often darkened head, the presence of chewing mouthparts, and spiracles along the sides of the body. Like adult beetles, the larvae are varied in appearance, particularly between beetle families. Beetles whose larvae are somewhat flattened and are highly mobile are the ground beetles, some rove beetles, and others; their larvae are described as campodeiform. Some beetle larvae resemble hardened worms with dark head capsules and minute legs. These are elateriform larvae, and are found in the click beetle (Elateridae) and darkling beetle (Tenebrionidae) families. Some elateriform larvae of click beetles are known as wireworms. Beetles in the families of the Scarabaeoidea have short, thick larvae described as scarabaeiform, but more commonly known as grubs. All beetle larvae go through several instars, which are the developmental stages between each moult. In many species the larvae simply increase in size with each successive instar as more food is consumed. In some cases, however, more dramatic changes occur. Among certain beetle families or genera, particularly those that exhibit parasitic lifestyles, the first instar (the planidium) is highly mobile in order to search out a host, while the following instars are more sedentary and remain on or within their host. This is known as hypermetamorphosis; examples include the blister beetles (family Meloidae) and some rove beetles, particularly those of the genus Aleochara. As with all endopterygotes, beetle larvae pupate, and from this pupa emerges a fully formed, sexually mature adult beetle, or imago. Adults have an extremely variable lifespan, from weeks to years, depending on the species. Beetles mating in San Francisco Flamboyant flower beetle, Eudicella gralli, from the forests of Central Africa. The iridescent elytra are used in marriage ceremonies. Beetles may display extremely intricate behaviour when mating. Smell is thought to be important in the location of a mate. Conflict can play a part in the mating rituals of species such as burying beetles (genus Nicrophorus) where conflicts between males and females rage until only one of each is left, thus ensuring reproduction by the strongest and fittest. Many beetles are territorial and will fiercely defend their small patch of territory from intruding males. Pairing is generally short but in some cases will last for several hours. During pairing sperm cells are transferred to the female to fertilise the egg. Parental care varies between species, ranging from the simple laying of eggs under a leaf to certain scarab beetles, which construct underground structures complete with a supply of dung to house and feed their young. Other beetles are leaf rollers, biting sections of leaves to cause them to curl inwards, then laying their eggs, thus protected, inside. Brachinus sp., a bombardier beetle Beetles and their larvae have a variety of strategies to avoid being attacked by predators or parasitoids. These include camouflage, mimicry, toxicity, and active defence. Camouflage involves the use of colouration or shape to blend into the surrounding environment. Among those that exhibit this defensive strategy are some of the leaf beetles (family Chysomelidae), having green colouring very similar to their habitat on plant leaves. More complex camouflage also occurs, as with some weevils, where various coloured scales or hairs cause the beetle to resemble bird dung. Another defence that often uses colour or shape to deceive potential enemies is mimicry. A number of longhorn beetles (family Cerambycidae) bear a striking resemblance to wasps, which fools predators into keeping their distance even though the beetles are in fact harmless. This defence can be found to a lesser extent in other beetle families, such as the scarab beetles. Beetles may combine their colour mimicry with behavioural mimicry, acting like the wasps they already closely resemble. Many beetle species, including ladybirds and blister beetles, can secrete distasteful or toxic substances to make them unpalatable or even poisonous. These same species often exhibit aposematism, where bright or contrasting colour patterns warn away potential predators. Large ground beetles and longhorn beetles may go on the attack, using their strong mandibles to forcibly persuade a predator to seek out easier prey. Others, such as bombardier beetles (within Carabidae) spray acidic gas from their abdomen to repel predators. Besides being abundant and varied, the Coleoptera are able to exploit the wide diversity of food sources available in their many habitats. Some are generalists, eating both plants and animals. Other beetles are highly specialised in their diet. Many species of leaf beetles, longhorn beetles, and weevils are very host specific, feeding on only a single species of plant. Ground beetles and rove beetles (family Staphylinidae), among others, are primarily carnivorous and will catch and consume many other arthropods and small prey such as earthworms and snails. While most predatory beetles are generalists, a few species have more specific prey requirements or preferences. Decaying organic matter is a primary diet for many species. This can range from dung, which is consumed by coprophagous species such as certain scarab beetles (family Scarabaeidae), to dead animals, which are eaten by necrophagous species such as the carrion beetles (family Silphidae). Some of the beetles found within dung and carrion are in fact predatory, such as the clown beetles, preying on the larvae of coprophagous and necrophagous insects. Aquatic beetles use several techniques for retaining air beneath the water's surface. Beetles of the family Dytiscidae hold air between the abdomen and the elytra when diving. Hydrophilidae have hairs on their under surface that retain a layer of air against their bodies. Adult crawling water beetles use both their elytra and their hind coxae (the basal segment of the back legs) in air retention while whirligig beetles simply carry an air bubble down with them whenever they dive. Sphaerius acaroides, a member of the small suborder Myxophaga While some authorities believe modern beetles began about 140 million years ago, research announced in 2007 showed that beetles may have entered the fossil record during the Lower Permian, about 265 to 300 million years ago. Modern Beetles Predate Dinosaurs, Dave Mosher, LiveScience.com, 26 December 2007. The four extant suborders of beetle are these: * Polyphaga is the largest suborder, containing more than 300,000 described species in more than 170 families, including rove beetles (Staphylinidae), scarab beetles (Scarabaeidae), blister beetles (Meloidae), stag beetles (Lucanidae) and true weevils (Curculionidae). These beetles can be identified by the cervical sclerites (hardened parts of the head used as points of attachment for muscles) absent in the other suborders. * Adephaga contains about 10 families of largely predatory beetles, includes ground beetles (Carabidae), Dytiscidae and whirligig beetles (Gyrinidae). In these beetles the testes are tubular and the first abdominal sternum (a plate of the exoskeleton) is divided by the hind coxae (the basal joints of the beetle's legs). * Archostemata contains four families of mainly wood-eating beetles, including reticulated beetles (Cupedidae) and the telephone-pole beetle. * Myxophaga contains about 100 described species in four families, mostly very small, including Hydroscaphidae and the genus Sphaerius. These suborders diverged in the Permian and Triassic. Their phylogenetic relationship is uncertain, with the most popular hypothesis being that Polyphaga and Myxophaga are most closely related, with Adephaga as the sister group to those two, and Archostemata as sister to the other three collectively. There are about 350,000 species of beetles. Such a large number of species poses special problems for classification, with some families consisting of thousands of species and needing further division into subfamilies and tribes. Colorado potato beetle (Leptinotarsa decemlineata) larvae Many agricultural, forestry, and household insect pests are beetles. These include the following: * The Colorado potato beetle, Leptinotarsa decemlineata, is a notorious pest of potato plants. Crops are destroyed and the beetle can only be treated by employing expensive pesticides, many of which it has begun to develop resistance to. As well as potatoes, suitable hosts can be a number of plants from the potato family (Solanaceae), such as nightshade, tomato, aubergine and capsicum. * The boll weevil, Anthonomus grandis, has cost cotton producers in the United States billions of dollars since it first entered that country. * The bark beetles Hylurgopinus rufipes and Scolytus multistriatus, the elm leaf beetle, Pyrrhalta luteola, and other beetles attack elm trees. The bark beetles are important elm pests because they carry Dutch elm disease as they move from infected breeding sites to feed on healthy elm trees. The spread of the fungus by the beetle has led to the devastation of elm trees in many parts of the Northern Hemisphere, notably in Europe and North America. * The death watch beetle, Xestobium rufovillosum, (family Anobiidae) is of considerable importance as a pest of older wooden buildings in Great Britain. It attacks hardwoods such as oak and chestnut, always where some fungal decay has taken or is taking place. It is thought that the actual introduction of the pest into buildings takes place at the time of construction. * Asian long-horned beetle * Citrus long-horned beetle * Western corn rootworm * Coconut hispine beetle or Brontispa longissima gestro feeds on young leaves and damages seedlings and mature coconut palms. On September 27, 2007, Philippines' Metro Manila and 26 provinces were quarantined due to having been infested with this pest (to save the $800-million Philippine coconut industry). Inquirer.net, Beetles infest coconuts in Manila, 26 provinces Coccinella septempunctata, a beneficial beetle * Both the larvae and adults of some ladybirds (family Coccinellidae) are found in aphid colonies. Other lady beetles feed on scale insects and mealybugs. If normal food sources are scarce they may feed on other things, such as small caterpillars, young plant bugs, honeydew and nectar. * Ground beetles (family Carabidae) are common predators of many different insects and other arthropods, including fly eggs, caterpillars, wireworms and others. * Plant-feeding beetles are often important beneficial insects, controlling problem weeds. Some flea beetles of the genus Aphthona feed on leafy spurge, a considerable weed of rangeland in western North America. Some farmers develop beetle banks to foster and provide cover for beneficial beetles. Beetles of the Dermestidae family are often used in taxidermy to clean bones of remaining flesh. Ancient Egyptian scene depicting a scarab beetle Several species of dung beetle, most notably Scarabaeus sacer (often referred to as "scarab"), enjoyed a sacred status among the ancient Egyptians, as the creatures were likened to the major god Khepri. Some scholars suggest that the Egyptians' practice of making mummies was inspired by the brooding process of the beetle. Many thousands of amulets and stamp seals have been excavated that depict the scarab. In many artifacts, the scarab is depicted pushing the sun along its course in the sky, much as scarabs push or roll balls of dung to their brood sites. During and following the New Kingdom, scarab amulets were often placed over the heart of the mummified deceased. Some tribal groups, particularly in tropical parts of the world, use the colourful, iridescent elytra of certain beetles, especially certain Scarabaeidae, in ceremonies and as adornment. Beetle collection at the Melbourne Museum, Australia The study of beetles is called coleopterology, and its practitioners are coleopterists. Coleopterists have formed organisations to facilitate the study of beetles. Among these is The Coleopterists Society, an international organisation based in the United States. Such organisations may have both professionals and amateurs interested in beetles as members. Research in this field is often published in peer-reviewed journals specific to the field of coleopterology, though journals dealing with general entomology also publish many papers on various aspects of beetle biology. Some of the journals specific to beetle research are: The Coleopterist (United Kingdom beetle fauna) The Coleopterists Bulletin (published by The Coleopterists Society) There is a thriving industry in the collection of beetle specimens for amateur and professional collectors. Many coleopterists prefer to collect beetle specimens for themselves, recording detailed information about each specimen and its habitat. Such collections add to the body of knowledge about the Coleoptera. Some countries have established laws governing or prohibiting the collection of certain rare (and often much sought after) species. One such beetle whose collection is illegal or restricted is the American burying beetle, Nicrophorus americanus. * Poul Beckmann, Living Jewels: The Natural Design of Beetles ISBN 3-7913-2528-0 * Arthur V. Evans, Charles Bellamy, and Lisa Charles Watson, An Inordinate Fondness for Beetles ISBN 0-520-22323-3 * Entomological Society of America, Beetle Larvae of the World ISBN 0-643-05506-1 * David Grimaldi, Michael S. Engel, Evolution of the Insects ISBN 0-521-82149-5 * Ross H. Arnett, Jr. and Michael C. Thomas, American Beetles (CRC Press, 2001-2). ISBN 0-8493-1925-0 * K. W. Harde, A Field Guide in Colour to Beetles ISBN 0-7064-1937-5 Pages 7-24 * White, R.E. 1983. Beetles. Houghton Mifflin Company, New York, NY. ISBN 0-395-91089-7 Heteroptera - insect suborder that is superficially similar to beetles - Coleoptera All what do you need to know about coleoptera, collecting and preparation * The Beetle Ring - A group of websites about beetles (Coleoptera). * List of major Beetle collections - worldwide * Entomology - online insect museum, entomology, tips and tricks, how to spread and pin insects, etc. * - Gallery of Central European beetles * Coleoptera from the Tree of Life * Australian borers species * Beetles and coleopterologists Russian site with English version, with information about biology, systematics and paleontology of beetles * North American Beetles from BugGuide * Bibliography on fossil insects * Coleoptera Families of the World * A digital collection of Southeast Asian beetles Related Wikipedia Articles coleopter Hylobius abietis weevil Animal Arthropod Insect Pterygota Neoptera Endopterygota Carolus Linnaeus Systema Naturae Suborder (biology) Adephaga Archostemata Myxophaga Polyphaga subgroups of the order Coleoptera insect species species animal polar region ecosystem plant fungus invertebrate Colorado potato beetle boll weevil coccinellidae aphid scale insect thrips Aristotle cockchafer Trogodendron fasciculatum monophyletic holometabolous prothorax coxa anatomy appendage pronotum insect wing segmentation (biology) exoskeleton elytron sclerite insect flight insect wing ground beetle Curculionidae glowworm Phengodidae Larviform female mouthparts grasshopper mandible (insect) #Defence appendage compound eye whirligig beetle longhorn beetle ocellus vertex (anatomy) antenna (biology) antenna (biology) Acilius sulcatus arthropod leg Dytiscidae Haliplidae Hydrophilidae fossorial clown beetle flea beetle Oxygen invertebrate trachea spiracle hemolymph blood open circulatory system Melolontha melolontha Endopterygota metamorphosis (biology) larva Colorado potato beetle larva Biological life cycle Buprestidae spiracle click beetle darkling beetle click beetle Scarabaeoidea instar ecdysis planidium hypermetamorphosis blister beetle Aleochara pupa imago San Francisco Flamboyant flower beetle burying beetle Spermatozoon fertilisation Scarabaeidae leaf roller Brachinus bombardier beetle parasitoid camouflage mimicry leaf beetle weevil longhorn beetle wasp Coccinellidae blister beetle aposematism ground beetle Mandible (insect) bombardier beetle Ground beetle rove beetle arthropod dung coprophagous dung beetle necrophagous carrion beetle clown beetle coxa Ross H. Arnett, Jr. Michael C. Thomas American Beetles CRC Press Boca Raton, Florida whirligig beetle Sphaerius Myxophaga fossil Permian Polyphaga rove beetle scarabaeidae blister beetle stag beetle Curculionidae sclerite Adephaga ground beetle Dytiscidae whirligig beetle testes exoskeleton coxa Archostemata reticulated beetle telephone-pole beetle Myxophaga Hydroscaphidae Sphaerius Triassic phylogenetics sister group Linnaean taxonomy Colorado potato beetle Colorado potato beetle potato pesticide pesticide resistance Solanaceae nightshade tomato aubergine capsicum boll weevil United States bark beetle elm leaf beetle elm Dutch elm disease Northern Hemisphere Europe North America death watch beetle Anobiidae Great Britain hardwood oak chestnut Asian long-horned beetle Citrus long-horned beetle Western corn rootworm Coconut leaves seedlings coconut palms September 27 Philippines Metro Manila provinces quarantined pest coconut industry Coccinella septempunctata ladybirds Coccinellidae aphid scale insect mealybug honeydew nectar Ground beetle caterpillar Aphthona leafy spurge beetle bank Dermestidae taxidermy Dung beetle Scarabaeus sacer Ancient Egyptian Khepri Mummy New Kingdom Elytron Melbourne Museum coleopterology list of coleopterists The Coleopterists Society international organisation scientific journal The Coleopterist The Coleopterists Bulletin Nicrophorus americanus Entomological Society of America David Grimaldi Michael S. Engel Ross H. Arnett, Jr. Michael C. Thomas American Beetles Heteroptera
beetle	Can beetles be found in polar regions?	No	data/set1/a8	beetle Beetles are a group of insects which have the largest number of species. They are placed in the order Coleoptera,which means "sheathed wing" and contains more described species than in any other order in the animal kingdom, constituting about twenty-five percent of all known life-forms. James K. Liebherr and Joseph V. McHugh in Resh, V. H. & R. T. CardÃ© (Editors) 2003. Encyclopedia of Insects. Academic Press. Forty percent of all described insect species are beetles (about 350,000 species ), and new species are frequently discovered. Estimates put the total number of species, described and undescribed, at between 5 and 8 million. Beetles can be found in almost all habitats, but are not known to occur in the sea or in the polar regions. They interact with their ecosystems in several ways. They often feed on plants and fungi, break down animal and plant debris, and eat other invertebrates. Some species are prey of various animals including birds and mammals. Certain species are agricultural pests, such as the Colorado potato beetle Leptinotarsa decemlineata, the boll weevil Anthonomus grandis, the red flour beetle Tribolium castaneum, and the mungbean or cowpea beetle Callosobruchus maculatus, while other species of beetles are important controls of agricultural pests. For example, coccinellidae ("ladybirds" or "ladybugs") consume aphids, scale insects, thrips, and other plant-sucking insects that damage crops. The name "Coleoptera" was given by Aristotle for the hardened shield like forewings (coleo = shield + ptera = wing). A cockchafer with its elytra raised, exposing the membranous flight wings, where the veins are visible Trogodendron fasciculatum, a clerid beetle with bright yellow antennae Other characters of this group which are believed to be monophyletic include a holometabolous life cycle; having a prothorax that is distinct from and freely articulating with the mesothorax; the meso- and meta-thoracic segments fusing to form a pterothorax; a depressed body shape with the legs on the ventral surface; the coxae of legs recessed into cavities formed by heavily sclerotized thoracic sclerites; the abdominal sternites more sclerotized than the tergites; antennae with 11 or fewer segments; and terminal genitalic appendages retracted into the abdomen and invisible at rest. The general anatomy of beetles is quite uniform, although specific organs and appendages may vary greatly in appearance and function between the many families in the order. Like all insects, beetles' bodies are divided into three sections: the head, the thorax, and the abdomen. When viewed from below, the thorax is that part from which all three pairs of legs and both pairs of wings arise. The abdomen is everything posterior to the thorax. When viewed from above, most beetles appear to have three clear sections, but this is deceptive: on the beetle's upper surface, the middle "section" is a hard plate called the pronotum, which is only the front part of the thorax; the back part of the thorax is concealed by the beetle's wings. Like all arthropods, beetles are segmented organisms, and all three of the major sections of the body are themselves composed of several further segments, although these are not always readily discernible. This further segmentation is usually best seen on the abdomen. Beetles are generally characterised by a particularly hard exoskeleton and hard forewings (elytra). The beetle's exoskeleton is made up of numerous plates called sclerites, separated by thin sutures. This design creates the armoured defences of the beetle while maintaining flexibility. The elytra are not used for flight, but tend to cover the hind part of the body and protect the second pair of wings (alae). The elytra must be raised in order to move the hind flight wings. A beetle's flight wings are crossed with veins and are folded after landing, often along these veins, and are stored below the elytra. In some beetles, the ability to fly has been lost. These include the ground beetles (family Carabidae) and some "true weevils" (family Curculionidae), but also some desert and cave-dwelling species of other families. Many of these species have the two elytra fused together, forming a solid shield over the abdomen. In a few families, both the ability to fly and the elytra have been lost, with the best known example being the glow-worms of the family Phengodidae, in which the females are larviform throughout their lives. Beetles have mouthparts similar to those of grasshoppers. Of these parts, the most commonly known are probably the mandibles, which appear as large pincers on the front of some beetles. The mandibles are a pair of hard, often tooth-like structures that move horizontally to grasp, crush, or cut food or enemies (see defence, below). Two pairs of finger-like appendages are found around the mouth in most beetles, serving to move food into the mouth. These are the maxillary and labial palpi. The eyes are compound and may display remarkable adaptability, as in the case of whirligig beetles (family Gyrinidae), in which the eyes are split to allow a view both above and below the waterline. Other species also have divided eyes â some longhorn beetles (family Cerambycidae) and weevils â while many beetles have eyes that are notched to some degree. A few beetle genera also possess ocelli, which are small, simple eyes usually situated farther back on the head (on the vertex). Beetles' antennae are primarily organs of smell, but may also be used to feel out a beetle's environment physically. They may also be used in some families during mating, or among a few beetles for defence. Antennae vary greatly in form within the Coleoptera, but are often similar within any given family. In some cases, males and females of the same species will have different antennal forms. Antennae may be clavate (flabellate and lamellate are sub-forms of clavate, or clubbed antennae), filiform, geniculate, moniliform, pectinate, or serrate. For images of these antennal forms see antenna (biology). Acilius sulcatus, a diving beetle showing hind legs adapted for life in water The legs, which are multi-segmented, end in two to five small segments called tarsi. Like many other insect orders beetles bear claws, usually one pair, on the end of the last tarsal segment of each leg. While most beetles use their legs for walking, legs may be variously modified and adapted for other uses. Among aquatic families â Dytiscidae, Haliplidae, many species of Hydrophilidae and others â the legs, most notably the last pair, are modified for swimming and often bear rows of long hairs to aid this purpose. Other beetles have fossorial legs that are widened and often spined for digging. Species with such adaptations are found among the scarabs, ground beetles, and clown beetles (family Histeridae). The hind legs of some beetles, such as flea beetles (within Chrysomelidae) and flea weevils (within Curculionidae), are enlarged and designed for jumping. Oxygen is obtained via a tracheal system. Air enters a series of tubes along the body through openings called spiracles, and is then taken into increasingly finer fibres. Pumping movements of the body force the air through the system. Beetles have haemolymph instead of blood, and the open circulatory system of the beetle is powered by a tube-like heart attached to the top inside of the thorax. Scarabaeiform larva of the cockchafer, Melolontha melolontha Beetles are endopterygotes with complete metamorphosis. A single female may lay from several dozen to several thousand eggs during her lifetime. Eggs are usually laid according to the substrate the larva will feed on upon hatching. Among others, they can be laid loose in the substrate (e.g. flour beetle), laid in clumps on leaves (e.g. Colorado potato beetle), or individually attached (e.g. mungbean beetle and other seed borers) or buried in the medium (e.g. carrot weevil). The larva is usually the principal feeding stage of the beetle life cycle. Larvae tend to feed voraciously once they emerge from their eggs. Some feed externally on plants, such as those of certain leaf beetles, while others feed within their food sources. Examples of internal feeders are most Buprestidae and longhorn beetles. The larvae of many beetle families are predatory like the adults (ground beetles, ladybirds, rove beetles). The larval period varies between species but can be as long as several years. Beetle larvae can be differentiated from other insect larvae by their hardened, often darkened head, the presence of chewing mouthparts, and spiracles along the sides of the body. Like adult beetles, the larvae are varied in appearance, particularly between beetle families. Beetles whose larvae are somewhat flattened and are highly mobile are the ground beetles, some rove beetles, and others; their larvae are described as campodeiform. Some beetle larvae resemble hardened worms with dark head capsules and minute legs. These are elateriform larvae, and are found in the click beetle (Elateridae) and darkling beetle (Tenebrionidae) families. Some elateriform larvae of click beetles are known as wireworms. Beetles in the families of the Scarabaeoidea have short, thick larvae described as scarabaeiform, but more commonly known as grubs. All beetle larvae go through several instars, which are the developmental stages between each moult. In many species the larvae simply increase in size with each successive instar as more food is consumed. In some cases, however, more dramatic changes occur. Among certain beetle families or genera, particularly those that exhibit parasitic lifestyles, the first instar (the planidium) is highly mobile in order to search out a host, while the following instars are more sedentary and remain on or within their host. This is known as hypermetamorphosis; examples include the blister beetles (family Meloidae) and some rove beetles, particularly those of the genus Aleochara. As with all endopterygotes, beetle larvae pupate, and from this pupa emerges a fully formed, sexually mature adult beetle, or imago. Adults have an extremely variable lifespan, from weeks to years, depending on the species. Beetles mating in San Francisco Flamboyant flower beetle, Eudicella gralli, from the forests of Central Africa. The iridescent elytra are used in marriage ceremonies. Beetles may display extremely intricate behaviour when mating. Smell is thought to be important in the location of a mate. Conflict can play a part in the mating rituals of species such as burying beetles (genus Nicrophorus) where conflicts between males and females rage until only one of each is left, thus ensuring reproduction by the strongest and fittest. Many beetles are territorial and will fiercely defend their small patch of territory from intruding males. Pairing is generally short but in some cases will last for several hours. During pairing sperm cells are transferred to the female to fertilise the egg. Parental care varies between species, ranging from the simple laying of eggs under a leaf to certain scarab beetles, which construct underground structures complete with a supply of dung to house and feed their young. Other beetles are leaf rollers, biting sections of leaves to cause them to curl inwards, then laying their eggs, thus protected, inside. Brachinus sp., a bombardier beetle Beetles and their larvae have a variety of strategies to avoid being attacked by predators or parasitoids. These include camouflage, mimicry, toxicity, and active defence. Camouflage involves the use of colouration or shape to blend into the surrounding environment. Among those that exhibit this defensive strategy are some of the leaf beetles (family Chysomelidae), having green colouring very similar to their habitat on plant leaves. More complex camouflage also occurs, as with some weevils, where various coloured scales or hairs cause the beetle to resemble bird dung. Another defence that often uses colour or shape to deceive potential enemies is mimicry. A number of longhorn beetles (family Cerambycidae) bear a striking resemblance to wasps, which fools predators into keeping their distance even though the beetles are in fact harmless. This defence can be found to a lesser extent in other beetle families, such as the scarab beetles. Beetles may combine their colour mimicry with behavioural mimicry, acting like the wasps they already closely resemble. Many beetle species, including ladybirds and blister beetles, can secrete distasteful or toxic substances to make them unpalatable or even poisonous. These same species often exhibit aposematism, where bright or contrasting colour patterns warn away potential predators. Large ground beetles and longhorn beetles may go on the attack, using their strong mandibles to forcibly persuade a predator to seek out easier prey. Others, such as bombardier beetles (within Carabidae) spray acidic gas from their abdomen to repel predators. Besides being abundant and varied, the Coleoptera are able to exploit the wide diversity of food sources available in their many habitats. Some are generalists, eating both plants and animals. Other beetles are highly specialised in their diet. Many species of leaf beetles, longhorn beetles, and weevils are very host specific, feeding on only a single species of plant. Ground beetles and rove beetles (family Staphylinidae), among others, are primarily carnivorous and will catch and consume many other arthropods and small prey such as earthworms and snails. While most predatory beetles are generalists, a few species have more specific prey requirements or preferences. Decaying organic matter is a primary diet for many species. This can range from dung, which is consumed by coprophagous species such as certain scarab beetles (family Scarabaeidae), to dead animals, which are eaten by necrophagous species such as the carrion beetles (family Silphidae). Some of the beetles found within dung and carrion are in fact predatory, such as the clown beetles, preying on the larvae of coprophagous and necrophagous insects. Aquatic beetles use several techniques for retaining air beneath the water's surface. Beetles of the family Dytiscidae hold air between the abdomen and the elytra when diving. Hydrophilidae have hairs on their under surface that retain a layer of air against their bodies. Adult crawling water beetles use both their elytra and their hind coxae (the basal segment of the back legs) in air retention while whirligig beetles simply carry an air bubble down with them whenever they dive. Sphaerius acaroides, a member of the small suborder Myxophaga While some authorities believe modern beetles began about 140 million years ago, research announced in 2007 showed that beetles may have entered the fossil record during the Lower Permian, about 265 to 300 million years ago. Modern Beetles Predate Dinosaurs, Dave Mosher, LiveScience.com, 26 December 2007. The four extant suborders of beetle are these: * Polyphaga is the largest suborder, containing more than 300,000 described species in more than 170 families, including rove beetles (Staphylinidae), scarab beetles (Scarabaeidae), blister beetles (Meloidae), stag beetles (Lucanidae) and true weevils (Curculionidae). These beetles can be identified by the cervical sclerites (hardened parts of the head used as points of attachment for muscles) absent in the other suborders. * Adephaga contains about 10 families of largely predatory beetles, includes ground beetles (Carabidae), Dytiscidae and whirligig beetles (Gyrinidae). In these beetles the testes are tubular and the first abdominal sternum (a plate of the exoskeleton) is divided by the hind coxae (the basal joints of the beetle's legs). * Archostemata contains four families of mainly wood-eating beetles, including reticulated beetles (Cupedidae) and the telephone-pole beetle. * Myxophaga contains about 100 described species in four families, mostly very small, including Hydroscaphidae and the genus Sphaerius. These suborders diverged in the Permian and Triassic. Their phylogenetic relationship is uncertain, with the most popular hypothesis being that Polyphaga and Myxophaga are most closely related, with Adephaga as the sister group to those two, and Archostemata as sister to the other three collectively. There are about 350,000 species of beetles. Such a large number of species poses special problems for classification, with some families consisting of thousands of species and needing further division into subfamilies and tribes. Colorado potato beetle (Leptinotarsa decemlineata) larvae Many agricultural, forestry, and household insect pests are beetles. These include the following: * The Colorado potato beetle, Leptinotarsa decemlineata, is a notorious pest of potato plants. Crops are destroyed and the beetle can only be treated by employing expensive pesticides, many of which it has begun to develop resistance to. As well as potatoes, suitable hosts can be a number of plants from the potato family (Solanaceae), such as nightshade, tomato, aubergine and capsicum. * The boll weevil, Anthonomus grandis, has cost cotton producers in the United States billions of dollars since it first entered that country. * The bark beetles Hylurgopinus rufipes and Scolytus multistriatus, the elm leaf beetle, Pyrrhalta luteola, and other beetles attack elm trees. The bark beetles are important elm pests because they carry Dutch elm disease as they move from infected breeding sites to feed on healthy elm trees. The spread of the fungus by the beetle has led to the devastation of elm trees in many parts of the Northern Hemisphere, notably in Europe and North America. * The death watch beetle, Xestobium rufovillosum, (family Anobiidae) is of considerable importance as a pest of older wooden buildings in Great Britain. It attacks hardwoods such as oak and chestnut, always where some fungal decay has taken or is taking place. It is thought that the actual introduction of the pest into buildings takes place at the time of construction. * Asian long-horned beetle * Citrus long-horned beetle * Western corn rootworm * Coconut hispine beetle or Brontispa longissima gestro feeds on young leaves and damages seedlings and mature coconut palms. On September 27, 2007, Philippines' Metro Manila and 26 provinces were quarantined due to having been infested with this pest (to save the $800-million Philippine coconut industry). Inquirer.net, Beetles infest coconuts in Manila, 26 provinces Coccinella septempunctata, a beneficial beetle * Both the larvae and adults of some ladybirds (family Coccinellidae) are found in aphid colonies. Other lady beetles feed on scale insects and mealybugs. If normal food sources are scarce they may feed on other things, such as small caterpillars, young plant bugs, honeydew and nectar. * Ground beetles (family Carabidae) are common predators of many different insects and other arthropods, including fly eggs, caterpillars, wireworms and others. * Plant-feeding beetles are often important beneficial insects, controlling problem weeds. Some flea beetles of the genus Aphthona feed on leafy spurge, a considerable weed of rangeland in western North America. Some farmers develop beetle banks to foster and provide cover for beneficial beetles. Beetles of the Dermestidae family are often used in taxidermy to clean bones of remaining flesh. Ancient Egyptian scene depicting a scarab beetle Several species of dung beetle, most notably Scarabaeus sacer (often referred to as "scarab"), enjoyed a sacred status among the ancient Egyptians, as the creatures were likened to the major god Khepri. Some scholars suggest that the Egyptians' practice of making mummies was inspired by the brooding process of the beetle. Many thousands of amulets and stamp seals have been excavated that depict the scarab. In many artifacts, the scarab is depicted pushing the sun along its course in the sky, much as scarabs push or roll balls of dung to their brood sites. During and following the New Kingdom, scarab amulets were often placed over the heart of the mummified deceased. Some tribal groups, particularly in tropical parts of the world, use the colourful, iridescent elytra of certain beetles, especially certain Scarabaeidae, in ceremonies and as adornment. Beetle collection at the Melbourne Museum, Australia The study of beetles is called coleopterology, and its practitioners are coleopterists. Coleopterists have formed organisations to facilitate the study of beetles. Among these is The Coleopterists Society, an international organisation based in the United States. Such organisations may have both professionals and amateurs interested in beetles as members. Research in this field is often published in peer-reviewed journals specific to the field of coleopterology, though journals dealing with general entomology also publish many papers on various aspects of beetle biology. Some of the journals specific to beetle research are: The Coleopterist (United Kingdom beetle fauna) The Coleopterists Bulletin (published by The Coleopterists Society) There is a thriving industry in the collection of beetle specimens for amateur and professional collectors. Many coleopterists prefer to collect beetle specimens for themselves, recording detailed information about each specimen and its habitat. Such collections add to the body of knowledge about the Coleoptera. Some countries have established laws governing or prohibiting the collection of certain rare (and often much sought after) species. One such beetle whose collection is illegal or restricted is the American burying beetle, Nicrophorus americanus. * Poul Beckmann, Living Jewels: The Natural Design of Beetles ISBN 3-7913-2528-0 * Arthur V. Evans, Charles Bellamy, and Lisa Charles Watson, An Inordinate Fondness for Beetles ISBN 0-520-22323-3 * Entomological Society of America, Beetle Larvae of the World ISBN 0-643-05506-1 * David Grimaldi, Michael S. Engel, Evolution of the Insects ISBN 0-521-82149-5 * Ross H. Arnett, Jr. and Michael C. Thomas, American Beetles (CRC Press, 2001-2). ISBN 0-8493-1925-0 * K. W. Harde, A Field Guide in Colour to Beetles ISBN 0-7064-1937-5 Pages 7-24 * White, R.E. 1983. Beetles. Houghton Mifflin Company, New York, NY. ISBN 0-395-91089-7 Heteroptera - insect suborder that is superficially similar to beetles - Coleoptera All what do you need to know about coleoptera, collecting and preparation * The Beetle Ring - A group of websites about beetles (Coleoptera). * List of major Beetle collections - worldwide * Entomology - online insect museum, entomology, tips and tricks, how to spread and pin insects, etc. * - Gallery of Central European beetles * Coleoptera from the Tree of Life * Australian borers species * Beetles and coleopterologists Russian site with English version, with information about biology, systematics and paleontology of beetles * North American Beetles from BugGuide * Bibliography on fossil insects * Coleoptera Families of the World * A digital collection of Southeast Asian beetles Related Wikipedia Articles coleopter Hylobius abietis weevil Animal Arthropod Insect Pterygota Neoptera Endopterygota Carolus Linnaeus Systema Naturae Suborder (biology) Adephaga Archostemata Myxophaga Polyphaga subgroups of the order Coleoptera insect species species animal polar region ecosystem plant fungus invertebrate Colorado potato beetle boll weevil coccinellidae aphid scale insect thrips Aristotle cockchafer Trogodendron fasciculatum monophyletic holometabolous prothorax coxa anatomy appendage pronotum insect wing segmentation (biology) exoskeleton elytron sclerite insect flight insect wing ground beetle Curculionidae glowworm Phengodidae Larviform female mouthparts grasshopper mandible (insect) #Defence appendage compound eye whirligig beetle longhorn beetle ocellus vertex (anatomy) antenna (biology) antenna (biology) Acilius sulcatus arthropod leg Dytiscidae Haliplidae Hydrophilidae fossorial clown beetle flea beetle Oxygen invertebrate trachea spiracle hemolymph blood open circulatory system Melolontha melolontha Endopterygota metamorphosis (biology) larva Colorado potato beetle larva Biological life cycle Buprestidae spiracle click beetle darkling beetle click beetle Scarabaeoidea instar ecdysis planidium hypermetamorphosis blister beetle Aleochara pupa imago San Francisco Flamboyant flower beetle burying beetle Spermatozoon fertilisation Scarabaeidae leaf roller Brachinus bombardier beetle parasitoid camouflage mimicry leaf beetle weevil longhorn beetle wasp Coccinellidae blister beetle aposematism ground beetle Mandible (insect) bombardier beetle Ground beetle rove beetle arthropod dung coprophagous dung beetle necrophagous carrion beetle clown beetle coxa Ross H. Arnett, Jr. Michael C. Thomas American Beetles CRC Press Boca Raton, Florida whirligig beetle Sphaerius Myxophaga fossil Permian Polyphaga rove beetle scarabaeidae blister beetle stag beetle Curculionidae sclerite Adephaga ground beetle Dytiscidae whirligig beetle testes exoskeleton coxa Archostemata reticulated beetle telephone-pole beetle Myxophaga Hydroscaphidae Sphaerius Triassic phylogenetics sister group Linnaean taxonomy Colorado potato beetle Colorado potato beetle potato pesticide pesticide resistance Solanaceae nightshade tomato aubergine capsicum boll weevil United States bark beetle elm leaf beetle elm Dutch elm disease Northern Hemisphere Europe North America death watch beetle Anobiidae Great Britain hardwood oak chestnut Asian long-horned beetle Citrus long-horned beetle Western corn rootworm Coconut leaves seedlings coconut palms September 27 Philippines Metro Manila provinces quarantined pest coconut industry Coccinella septempunctata ladybirds Coccinellidae aphid scale insect mealybug honeydew nectar Ground beetle caterpillar Aphthona leafy spurge beetle bank Dermestidae taxidermy Dung beetle Scarabaeus sacer Ancient Egyptian Khepri Mummy New Kingdom Elytron Melbourne Museum coleopterology list of coleopterists The Coleopterists Society international organisation scientific journal The Coleopterist The Coleopterists Bulletin Nicrophorus americanus Entomological Society of America David Grimaldi Michael S. Engel Ross H. Arnett, Jr. Michael C. Thomas American Beetles Heteroptera
beetle	Do beetles antennae function primarily as organs of smell?	Yes	data/set1/a8	beetle Beetles are a group of insects which have the largest number of species. They are placed in the order Coleoptera,which means "sheathed wing" and contains more described species than in any other order in the animal kingdom, constituting about twenty-five percent of all known life-forms. James K. Liebherr and Joseph V. McHugh in Resh, V. H. & R. T. CardÃ© (Editors) 2003. Encyclopedia of Insects. Academic Press. Forty percent of all described insect species are beetles (about 350,000 species ), and new species are frequently discovered. Estimates put the total number of species, described and undescribed, at between 5 and 8 million. Beetles can be found in almost all habitats, but are not known to occur in the sea or in the polar regions. They interact with their ecosystems in several ways. They often feed on plants and fungi, break down animal and plant debris, and eat other invertebrates. Some species are prey of various animals including birds and mammals. Certain species are agricultural pests, such as the Colorado potato beetle Leptinotarsa decemlineata, the boll weevil Anthonomus grandis, the red flour beetle Tribolium castaneum, and the mungbean or cowpea beetle Callosobruchus maculatus, while other species of beetles are important controls of agricultural pests. For example, coccinellidae ("ladybirds" or "ladybugs") consume aphids, scale insects, thrips, and other plant-sucking insects that damage crops. The name "Coleoptera" was given by Aristotle for the hardened shield like forewings (coleo = shield + ptera = wing). A cockchafer with its elytra raised, exposing the membranous flight wings, where the veins are visible Trogodendron fasciculatum, a clerid beetle with bright yellow antennae Other characters of this group which are believed to be monophyletic include a holometabolous life cycle; having a prothorax that is distinct from and freely articulating with the mesothorax; the meso- and meta-thoracic segments fusing to form a pterothorax; a depressed body shape with the legs on the ventral surface; the coxae of legs recessed into cavities formed by heavily sclerotized thoracic sclerites; the abdominal sternites more sclerotized than the tergites; antennae with 11 or fewer segments; and terminal genitalic appendages retracted into the abdomen and invisible at rest. The general anatomy of beetles is quite uniform, although specific organs and appendages may vary greatly in appearance and function between the many families in the order. Like all insects, beetles' bodies are divided into three sections: the head, the thorax, and the abdomen. When viewed from below, the thorax is that part from which all three pairs of legs and both pairs of wings arise. The abdomen is everything posterior to the thorax. When viewed from above, most beetles appear to have three clear sections, but this is deceptive: on the beetle's upper surface, the middle "section" is a hard plate called the pronotum, which is only the front part of the thorax; the back part of the thorax is concealed by the beetle's wings. Like all arthropods, beetles are segmented organisms, and all three of the major sections of the body are themselves composed of several further segments, although these are not always readily discernible. This further segmentation is usually best seen on the abdomen. Beetles are generally characterised by a particularly hard exoskeleton and hard forewings (elytra). The beetle's exoskeleton is made up of numerous plates called sclerites, separated by thin sutures. This design creates the armoured defences of the beetle while maintaining flexibility. The elytra are not used for flight, but tend to cover the hind part of the body and protect the second pair of wings (alae). The elytra must be raised in order to move the hind flight wings. A beetle's flight wings are crossed with veins and are folded after landing, often along these veins, and are stored below the elytra. In some beetles, the ability to fly has been lost. These include the ground beetles (family Carabidae) and some "true weevils" (family Curculionidae), but also some desert and cave-dwelling species of other families. Many of these species have the two elytra fused together, forming a solid shield over the abdomen. In a few families, both the ability to fly and the elytra have been lost, with the best known example being the glow-worms of the family Phengodidae, in which the females are larviform throughout their lives. Beetles have mouthparts similar to those of grasshoppers. Of these parts, the most commonly known are probably the mandibles, which appear as large pincers on the front of some beetles. The mandibles are a pair of hard, often tooth-like structures that move horizontally to grasp, crush, or cut food or enemies (see defence, below). Two pairs of finger-like appendages are found around the mouth in most beetles, serving to move food into the mouth. These are the maxillary and labial palpi. The eyes are compound and may display remarkable adaptability, as in the case of whirligig beetles (family Gyrinidae), in which the eyes are split to allow a view both above and below the waterline. Other species also have divided eyes â some longhorn beetles (family Cerambycidae) and weevils â while many beetles have eyes that are notched to some degree. A few beetle genera also possess ocelli, which are small, simple eyes usually situated farther back on the head (on the vertex). Beetles' antennae are primarily organs of smell, but may also be used to feel out a beetle's environment physically. They may also be used in some families during mating, or among a few beetles for defence. Antennae vary greatly in form within the Coleoptera, but are often similar within any given family. In some cases, males and females of the same species will have different antennal forms. Antennae may be clavate (flabellate and lamellate are sub-forms of clavate, or clubbed antennae), filiform, geniculate, moniliform, pectinate, or serrate. For images of these antennal forms see antenna (biology). Acilius sulcatus, a diving beetle showing hind legs adapted for life in water The legs, which are multi-segmented, end in two to five small segments called tarsi. Like many other insect orders beetles bear claws, usually one pair, on the end of the last tarsal segment of each leg. While most beetles use their legs for walking, legs may be variously modified and adapted for other uses. Among aquatic families â Dytiscidae, Haliplidae, many species of Hydrophilidae and others â the legs, most notably the last pair, are modified for swimming and often bear rows of long hairs to aid this purpose. Other beetles have fossorial legs that are widened and often spined for digging. Species with such adaptations are found among the scarabs, ground beetles, and clown beetles (family Histeridae). The hind legs of some beetles, such as flea beetles (within Chrysomelidae) and flea weevils (within Curculionidae), are enlarged and designed for jumping. Oxygen is obtained via a tracheal system. Air enters a series of tubes along the body through openings called spiracles, and is then taken into increasingly finer fibres. Pumping movements of the body force the air through the system. Beetles have haemolymph instead of blood, and the open circulatory system of the beetle is powered by a tube-like heart attached to the top inside of the thorax. Scarabaeiform larva of the cockchafer, Melolontha melolontha Beetles are endopterygotes with complete metamorphosis. A single female may lay from several dozen to several thousand eggs during her lifetime. Eggs are usually laid according to the substrate the larva will feed on upon hatching. Among others, they can be laid loose in the substrate (e.g. flour beetle), laid in clumps on leaves (e.g. Colorado potato beetle), or individually attached (e.g. mungbean beetle and other seed borers) or buried in the medium (e.g. carrot weevil). The larva is usually the principal feeding stage of the beetle life cycle. Larvae tend to feed voraciously once they emerge from their eggs. Some feed externally on plants, such as those of certain leaf beetles, while others feed within their food sources. Examples of internal feeders are most Buprestidae and longhorn beetles. The larvae of many beetle families are predatory like the adults (ground beetles, ladybirds, rove beetles). The larval period varies between species but can be as long as several years. Beetle larvae can be differentiated from other insect larvae by their hardened, often darkened head, the presence of chewing mouthparts, and spiracles along the sides of the body. Like adult beetles, the larvae are varied in appearance, particularly between beetle families. Beetles whose larvae are somewhat flattened and are highly mobile are the ground beetles, some rove beetles, and others; their larvae are described as campodeiform. Some beetle larvae resemble hardened worms with dark head capsules and minute legs. These are elateriform larvae, and are found in the click beetle (Elateridae) and darkling beetle (Tenebrionidae) families. Some elateriform larvae of click beetles are known as wireworms. Beetles in the families of the Scarabaeoidea have short, thick larvae described as scarabaeiform, but more commonly known as grubs. All beetle larvae go through several instars, which are the developmental stages between each moult. In many species the larvae simply increase in size with each successive instar as more food is consumed. In some cases, however, more dramatic changes occur. Among certain beetle families or genera, particularly those that exhibit parasitic lifestyles, the first instar (the planidium) is highly mobile in order to search out a host, while the following instars are more sedentary and remain on or within their host. This is known as hypermetamorphosis; examples include the blister beetles (family Meloidae) and some rove beetles, particularly those of the genus Aleochara. As with all endopterygotes, beetle larvae pupate, and from this pupa emerges a fully formed, sexually mature adult beetle, or imago. Adults have an extremely variable lifespan, from weeks to years, depending on the species. Beetles mating in San Francisco Flamboyant flower beetle, Eudicella gralli, from the forests of Central Africa. The iridescent elytra are used in marriage ceremonies. Beetles may display extremely intricate behaviour when mating. Smell is thought to be important in the location of a mate. Conflict can play a part in the mating rituals of species such as burying beetles (genus Nicrophorus) where conflicts between males and females rage until only one of each is left, thus ensuring reproduction by the strongest and fittest. Many beetles are territorial and will fiercely defend their small patch of territory from intruding males. Pairing is generally short but in some cases will last for several hours. During pairing sperm cells are transferred to the female to fertilise the egg. Parental care varies between species, ranging from the simple laying of eggs under a leaf to certain scarab beetles, which construct underground structures complete with a supply of dung to house and feed their young. Other beetles are leaf rollers, biting sections of leaves to cause them to curl inwards, then laying their eggs, thus protected, inside. Brachinus sp., a bombardier beetle Beetles and their larvae have a variety of strategies to avoid being attacked by predators or parasitoids. These include camouflage, mimicry, toxicity, and active defence. Camouflage involves the use of colouration or shape to blend into the surrounding environment. Among those that exhibit this defensive strategy are some of the leaf beetles (family Chysomelidae), having green colouring very similar to their habitat on plant leaves. More complex camouflage also occurs, as with some weevils, where various coloured scales or hairs cause the beetle to resemble bird dung. Another defence that often uses colour or shape to deceive potential enemies is mimicry. A number of longhorn beetles (family Cerambycidae) bear a striking resemblance to wasps, which fools predators into keeping their distance even though the beetles are in fact harmless. This defence can be found to a lesser extent in other beetle families, such as the scarab beetles. Beetles may combine their colour mimicry with behavioural mimicry, acting like the wasps they already closely resemble. Many beetle species, including ladybirds and blister beetles, can secrete distasteful or toxic substances to make them unpalatable or even poisonous. These same species often exhibit aposematism, where bright or contrasting colour patterns warn away potential predators. Large ground beetles and longhorn beetles may go on the attack, using their strong mandibles to forcibly persuade a predator to seek out easier prey. Others, such as bombardier beetles (within Carabidae) spray acidic gas from their abdomen to repel predators. Besides being abundant and varied, the Coleoptera are able to exploit the wide diversity of food sources available in their many habitats. Some are generalists, eating both plants and animals. Other beetles are highly specialised in their diet. Many species of leaf beetles, longhorn beetles, and weevils are very host specific, feeding on only a single species of plant. Ground beetles and rove beetles (family Staphylinidae), among others, are primarily carnivorous and will catch and consume many other arthropods and small prey such as earthworms and snails. While most predatory beetles are generalists, a few species have more specific prey requirements or preferences. Decaying organic matter is a primary diet for many species. This can range from dung, which is consumed by coprophagous species such as certain scarab beetles (family Scarabaeidae), to dead animals, which are eaten by necrophagous species such as the carrion beetles (family Silphidae). Some of the beetles found within dung and carrion are in fact predatory, such as the clown beetles, preying on the larvae of coprophagous and necrophagous insects. Aquatic beetles use several techniques for retaining air beneath the water's surface. Beetles of the family Dytiscidae hold air between the abdomen and the elytra when diving. Hydrophilidae have hairs on their under surface that retain a layer of air against their bodies. Adult crawling water beetles use both their elytra and their hind coxae (the basal segment of the back legs) in air retention while whirligig beetles simply carry an air bubble down with them whenever they dive. Sphaerius acaroides, a member of the small suborder Myxophaga While some authorities believe modern beetles began about 140 million years ago, research announced in 2007 showed that beetles may have entered the fossil record during the Lower Permian, about 265 to 300 million years ago. Modern Beetles Predate Dinosaurs, Dave Mosher, LiveScience.com, 26 December 2007. The four extant suborders of beetle are these: * Polyphaga is the largest suborder, containing more than 300,000 described species in more than 170 families, including rove beetles (Staphylinidae), scarab beetles (Scarabaeidae), blister beetles (Meloidae), stag beetles (Lucanidae) and true weevils (Curculionidae). These beetles can be identified by the cervical sclerites (hardened parts of the head used as points of attachment for muscles) absent in the other suborders. * Adephaga contains about 10 families of largely predatory beetles, includes ground beetles (Carabidae), Dytiscidae and whirligig beetles (Gyrinidae). In these beetles the testes are tubular and the first abdominal sternum (a plate of the exoskeleton) is divided by the hind coxae (the basal joints of the beetle's legs). * Archostemata contains four families of mainly wood-eating beetles, including reticulated beetles (Cupedidae) and the telephone-pole beetle. * Myxophaga contains about 100 described species in four families, mostly very small, including Hydroscaphidae and the genus Sphaerius. These suborders diverged in the Permian and Triassic. Their phylogenetic relationship is uncertain, with the most popular hypothesis being that Polyphaga and Myxophaga are most closely related, with Adephaga as the sister group to those two, and Archostemata as sister to the other three collectively. There are about 350,000 species of beetles. Such a large number of species poses special problems for classification, with some families consisting of thousands of species and needing further division into subfamilies and tribes. Colorado potato beetle (Leptinotarsa decemlineata) larvae Many agricultural, forestry, and household insect pests are beetles. These include the following: * The Colorado potato beetle, Leptinotarsa decemlineata, is a notorious pest of potato plants. Crops are destroyed and the beetle can only be treated by employing expensive pesticides, many of which it has begun to develop resistance to. As well as potatoes, suitable hosts can be a number of plants from the potato family (Solanaceae), such as nightshade, tomato, aubergine and capsicum. * The boll weevil, Anthonomus grandis, has cost cotton producers in the United States billions of dollars since it first entered that country. * The bark beetles Hylurgopinus rufipes and Scolytus multistriatus, the elm leaf beetle, Pyrrhalta luteola, and other beetles attack elm trees. The bark beetles are important elm pests because they carry Dutch elm disease as they move from infected breeding sites to feed on healthy elm trees. The spread of the fungus by the beetle has led to the devastation of elm trees in many parts of the Northern Hemisphere, notably in Europe and North America. * The death watch beetle, Xestobium rufovillosum, (family Anobiidae) is of considerable importance as a pest of older wooden buildings in Great Britain. It attacks hardwoods such as oak and chestnut, always where some fungal decay has taken or is taking place. It is thought that the actual introduction of the pest into buildings takes place at the time of construction. * Asian long-horned beetle * Citrus long-horned beetle * Western corn rootworm * Coconut hispine beetle or Brontispa longissima gestro feeds on young leaves and damages seedlings and mature coconut palms. On September 27, 2007, Philippines' Metro Manila and 26 provinces were quarantined due to having been infested with this pest (to save the $800-million Philippine coconut industry). Inquirer.net, Beetles infest coconuts in Manila, 26 provinces Coccinella septempunctata, a beneficial beetle * Both the larvae and adults of some ladybirds (family Coccinellidae) are found in aphid colonies. Other lady beetles feed on scale insects and mealybugs. If normal food sources are scarce they may feed on other things, such as small caterpillars, young plant bugs, honeydew and nectar. * Ground beetles (family Carabidae) are common predators of many different insects and other arthropods, including fly eggs, caterpillars, wireworms and others. * Plant-feeding beetles are often important beneficial insects, controlling problem weeds. Some flea beetles of the genus Aphthona feed on leafy spurge, a considerable weed of rangeland in western North America. Some farmers develop beetle banks to foster and provide cover for beneficial beetles. Beetles of the Dermestidae family are often used in taxidermy to clean bones of remaining flesh. Ancient Egyptian scene depicting a scarab beetle Several species of dung beetle, most notably Scarabaeus sacer (often referred to as "scarab"), enjoyed a sacred status among the ancient Egyptians, as the creatures were likened to the major god Khepri. Some scholars suggest that the Egyptians' practice of making mummies was inspired by the brooding process of the beetle. Many thousands of amulets and stamp seals have been excavated that depict the scarab. In many artifacts, the scarab is depicted pushing the sun along its course in the sky, much as scarabs push or roll balls of dung to their brood sites. During and following the New Kingdom, scarab amulets were often placed over the heart of the mummified deceased. Some tribal groups, particularly in tropical parts of the world, use the colourful, iridescent elytra of certain beetles, especially certain Scarabaeidae, in ceremonies and as adornment. Beetle collection at the Melbourne Museum, Australia The study of beetles is called coleopterology, and its practitioners are coleopterists. Coleopterists have formed organisations to facilitate the study of beetles. Among these is The Coleopterists Society, an international organisation based in the United States. Such organisations may have both professionals and amateurs interested in beetles as members. Research in this field is often published in peer-reviewed journals specific to the field of coleopterology, though journals dealing with general entomology also publish many papers on various aspects of beetle biology. Some of the journals specific to beetle research are: The Coleopterist (United Kingdom beetle fauna) The Coleopterists Bulletin (published by The Coleopterists Society) There is a thriving industry in the collection of beetle specimens for amateur and professional collectors. Many coleopterists prefer to collect beetle specimens for themselves, recording detailed information about each specimen and its habitat. Such collections add to the body of knowledge about the Coleoptera. Some countries have established laws governing or prohibiting the collection of certain rare (and often much sought after) species. One such beetle whose collection is illegal or restricted is the American burying beetle, Nicrophorus americanus. * Poul Beckmann, Living Jewels: The Natural Design of Beetles ISBN 3-7913-2528-0 * Arthur V. Evans, Charles Bellamy, and Lisa Charles Watson, An Inordinate Fondness for Beetles ISBN 0-520-22323-3 * Entomological Society of America, Beetle Larvae of the World ISBN 0-643-05506-1 * David Grimaldi, Michael S. Engel, Evolution of the Insects ISBN 0-521-82149-5 * Ross H. Arnett, Jr. and Michael C. Thomas, American Beetles (CRC Press, 2001-2). ISBN 0-8493-1925-0 * K. W. Harde, A Field Guide in Colour to Beetles ISBN 0-7064-1937-5 Pages 7-24 * White, R.E. 1983. Beetles. Houghton Mifflin Company, New York, NY. ISBN 0-395-91089-7 Heteroptera - insect suborder that is superficially similar to beetles - Coleoptera All what do you need to know about coleoptera, collecting and preparation * The Beetle Ring - A group of websites about beetles (Coleoptera). * List of major Beetle collections - worldwide * Entomology - online insect museum, entomology, tips and tricks, how to spread and pin insects, etc. * - Gallery of Central European beetles * Coleoptera from the Tree of Life * Australian borers species * Beetles and coleopterologists Russian site with English version, with information about biology, systematics and paleontology of beetles * North American Beetles from BugGuide * Bibliography on fossil insects * Coleoptera Families of the World * A digital collection of Southeast Asian beetles Related Wikipedia Articles coleopter Hylobius abietis weevil Animal Arthropod Insect Pterygota Neoptera Endopterygota Carolus Linnaeus Systema Naturae Suborder (biology) Adephaga Archostemata Myxophaga Polyphaga subgroups of the order Coleoptera insect species species animal polar region ecosystem plant fungus invertebrate Colorado potato beetle boll weevil coccinellidae aphid scale insect thrips Aristotle cockchafer Trogodendron fasciculatum monophyletic holometabolous prothorax coxa anatomy appendage pronotum insect wing segmentation (biology) exoskeleton elytron sclerite insect flight insect wing ground beetle Curculionidae glowworm Phengodidae Larviform female mouthparts grasshopper mandible (insect) #Defence appendage compound eye whirligig beetle longhorn beetle ocellus vertex (anatomy) antenna (biology) antenna (biology) Acilius sulcatus arthropod leg Dytiscidae Haliplidae Hydrophilidae fossorial clown beetle flea beetle Oxygen invertebrate trachea spiracle hemolymph blood open circulatory system Melolontha melolontha Endopterygota metamorphosis (biology) larva Colorado potato beetle larva Biological life cycle Buprestidae spiracle click beetle darkling beetle click beetle Scarabaeoidea instar ecdysis planidium hypermetamorphosis blister beetle Aleochara pupa imago San Francisco Flamboyant flower beetle burying beetle Spermatozoon fertilisation Scarabaeidae leaf roller Brachinus bombardier beetle parasitoid camouflage mimicry leaf beetle weevil longhorn beetle wasp Coccinellidae blister beetle aposematism ground beetle Mandible (insect) bombardier beetle Ground beetle rove beetle arthropod dung coprophagous dung beetle necrophagous carrion beetle clown beetle coxa Ross H. Arnett, Jr. Michael C. Thomas American Beetles CRC Press Boca Raton, Florida whirligig beetle Sphaerius Myxophaga fossil Permian Polyphaga rove beetle scarabaeidae blister beetle stag beetle Curculionidae sclerite Adephaga ground beetle Dytiscidae whirligig beetle testes exoskeleton coxa Archostemata reticulated beetle telephone-pole beetle Myxophaga Hydroscaphidae Sphaerius Triassic phylogenetics sister group Linnaean taxonomy Colorado potato beetle Colorado potato beetle potato pesticide pesticide resistance Solanaceae nightshade tomato aubergine capsicum boll weevil United States bark beetle elm leaf beetle elm Dutch elm disease Northern Hemisphere Europe North America death watch beetle Anobiidae Great Britain hardwood oak chestnut Asian long-horned beetle Citrus long-horned beetle Western corn rootworm Coconut leaves seedlings coconut palms September 27 Philippines Metro Manila provinces quarantined pest coconut industry Coccinella septempunctata ladybirds Coccinellidae aphid scale insect mealybug honeydew nectar Ground beetle caterpillar Aphthona leafy spurge beetle bank Dermestidae taxidermy Dung beetle Scarabaeus sacer Ancient Egyptian Khepri Mummy New Kingdom Elytron Melbourne Museum coleopterology list of coleopterists The Coleopterists Society international organisation scientific journal The Coleopterist The Coleopterists Bulletin Nicrophorus americanus Entomological Society of America David Grimaldi Michael S. Engel Ross H. Arnett, Jr. Michael C. Thomas American Beetles Heteroptera
beetle	Do beetles antennae function primarily as organs of smell?	Yes	data/set1/a8	beetle Beetles are a group of insects which have the largest number of species. They are placed in the order Coleoptera,which means "sheathed wing" and contains more described species than in any other order in the animal kingdom, constituting about twenty-five percent of all known life-forms. James K. Liebherr and Joseph V. McHugh in Resh, V. H. & R. T. CardÃ© (Editors) 2003. Encyclopedia of Insects. Academic Press. Forty percent of all described insect species are beetles (about 350,000 species ), and new species are frequently discovered. Estimates put the total number of species, described and undescribed, at between 5 and 8 million. Beetles can be found in almost all habitats, but are not known to occur in the sea or in the polar regions. They interact with their ecosystems in several ways. They often feed on plants and fungi, break down animal and plant debris, and eat other invertebrates. Some species are prey of various animals including birds and mammals. Certain species are agricultural pests, such as the Colorado potato beetle Leptinotarsa decemlineata, the boll weevil Anthonomus grandis, the red flour beetle Tribolium castaneum, and the mungbean or cowpea beetle Callosobruchus maculatus, while other species of beetles are important controls of agricultural pests. For example, coccinellidae ("ladybirds" or "ladybugs") consume aphids, scale insects, thrips, and other plant-sucking insects that damage crops. The name "Coleoptera" was given by Aristotle for the hardened shield like forewings (coleo = shield + ptera = wing). A cockchafer with its elytra raised, exposing the membranous flight wings, where the veins are visible Trogodendron fasciculatum, a clerid beetle with bright yellow antennae Other characters of this group which are believed to be monophyletic include a holometabolous life cycle; having a prothorax that is distinct from and freely articulating with the mesothorax; the meso- and meta-thoracic segments fusing to form a pterothorax; a depressed body shape with the legs on the ventral surface; the coxae of legs recessed into cavities formed by heavily sclerotized thoracic sclerites; the abdominal sternites more sclerotized than the tergites; antennae with 11 or fewer segments; and terminal genitalic appendages retracted into the abdomen and invisible at rest. The general anatomy of beetles is quite uniform, although specific organs and appendages may vary greatly in appearance and function between the many families in the order. Like all insects, beetles' bodies are divided into three sections: the head, the thorax, and the abdomen. When viewed from below, the thorax is that part from which all three pairs of legs and both pairs of wings arise. The abdomen is everything posterior to the thorax. When viewed from above, most beetles appear to have three clear sections, but this is deceptive: on the beetle's upper surface, the middle "section" is a hard plate called the pronotum, which is only the front part of the thorax; the back part of the thorax is concealed by the beetle's wings. Like all arthropods, beetles are segmented organisms, and all three of the major sections of the body are themselves composed of several further segments, although these are not always readily discernible. This further segmentation is usually best seen on the abdomen. Beetles are generally characterised by a particularly hard exoskeleton and hard forewings (elytra). The beetle's exoskeleton is made up of numerous plates called sclerites, separated by thin sutures. This design creates the armoured defences of the beetle while maintaining flexibility. The elytra are not used for flight, but tend to cover the hind part of the body and protect the second pair of wings (alae). The elytra must be raised in order to move the hind flight wings. A beetle's flight wings are crossed with veins and are folded after landing, often along these veins, and are stored below the elytra. In some beetles, the ability to fly has been lost. These include the ground beetles (family Carabidae) and some "true weevils" (family Curculionidae), but also some desert and cave-dwelling species of other families. Many of these species have the two elytra fused together, forming a solid shield over the abdomen. In a few families, both the ability to fly and the elytra have been lost, with the best known example being the glow-worms of the family Phengodidae, in which the females are larviform throughout their lives. Beetles have mouthparts similar to those of grasshoppers. Of these parts, the most commonly known are probably the mandibles, which appear as large pincers on the front of some beetles. The mandibles are a pair of hard, often tooth-like structures that move horizontally to grasp, crush, or cut food or enemies (see defence, below). Two pairs of finger-like appendages are found around the mouth in most beetles, serving to move food into the mouth. These are the maxillary and labial palpi. The eyes are compound and may display remarkable adaptability, as in the case of whirligig beetles (family Gyrinidae), in which the eyes are split to allow a view both above and below the waterline. Other species also have divided eyes â some longhorn beetles (family Cerambycidae) and weevils â while many beetles have eyes that are notched to some degree. A few beetle genera also possess ocelli, which are small, simple eyes usually situated farther back on the head (on the vertex). Beetles' antennae are primarily organs of smell, but may also be used to feel out a beetle's environment physically. They may also be used in some families during mating, or among a few beetles for defence. Antennae vary greatly in form within the Coleoptera, but are often similar within any given family. In some cases, males and females of the same species will have different antennal forms. Antennae may be clavate (flabellate and lamellate are sub-forms of clavate, or clubbed antennae), filiform, geniculate, moniliform, pectinate, or serrate. For images of these antennal forms see antenna (biology). Acilius sulcatus, a diving beetle showing hind legs adapted for life in water The legs, which are multi-segmented, end in two to five small segments called tarsi. Like many other insect orders beetles bear claws, usually one pair, on the end of the last tarsal segment of each leg. While most beetles use their legs for walking, legs may be variously modified and adapted for other uses. Among aquatic families â Dytiscidae, Haliplidae, many species of Hydrophilidae and others â the legs, most notably the last pair, are modified for swimming and often bear rows of long hairs to aid this purpose. Other beetles have fossorial legs that are widened and often spined for digging. Species with such adaptations are found among the scarabs, ground beetles, and clown beetles (family Histeridae). The hind legs of some beetles, such as flea beetles (within Chrysomelidae) and flea weevils (within Curculionidae), are enlarged and designed for jumping. Oxygen is obtained via a tracheal system. Air enters a series of tubes along the body through openings called spiracles, and is then taken into increasingly finer fibres. Pumping movements of the body force the air through the system. Beetles have haemolymph instead of blood, and the open circulatory system of the beetle is powered by a tube-like heart attached to the top inside of the thorax. Scarabaeiform larva of the cockchafer, Melolontha melolontha Beetles are endopterygotes with complete metamorphosis. A single female may lay from several dozen to several thousand eggs during her lifetime. Eggs are usually laid according to the substrate the larva will feed on upon hatching. Among others, they can be laid loose in the substrate (e.g. flour beetle), laid in clumps on leaves (e.g. Colorado potato beetle), or individually attached (e.g. mungbean beetle and other seed borers) or buried in the medium (e.g. carrot weevil). The larva is usually the principal feeding stage of the beetle life cycle. Larvae tend to feed voraciously once they emerge from their eggs. Some feed externally on plants, such as those of certain leaf beetles, while others feed within their food sources. Examples of internal feeders are most Buprestidae and longhorn beetles. The larvae of many beetle families are predatory like the adults (ground beetles, ladybirds, rove beetles). The larval period varies between species but can be as long as several years. Beetle larvae can be differentiated from other insect larvae by their hardened, often darkened head, the presence of chewing mouthparts, and spiracles along the sides of the body. Like adult beetles, the larvae are varied in appearance, particularly between beetle families. Beetles whose larvae are somewhat flattened and are highly mobile are the ground beetles, some rove beetles, and others; their larvae are described as campodeiform. Some beetle larvae resemble hardened worms with dark head capsules and minute legs. These are elateriform larvae, and are found in the click beetle (Elateridae) and darkling beetle (Tenebrionidae) families. Some elateriform larvae of click beetles are known as wireworms. Beetles in the families of the Scarabaeoidea have short, thick larvae described as scarabaeiform, but more commonly known as grubs. All beetle larvae go through several instars, which are the developmental stages between each moult. In many species the larvae simply increase in size with each successive instar as more food is consumed. In some cases, however, more dramatic changes occur. Among certain beetle families or genera, particularly those that exhibit parasitic lifestyles, the first instar (the planidium) is highly mobile in order to search out a host, while the following instars are more sedentary and remain on or within their host. This is known as hypermetamorphosis; examples include the blister beetles (family Meloidae) and some rove beetles, particularly those of the genus Aleochara. As with all endopterygotes, beetle larvae pupate, and from this pupa emerges a fully formed, sexually mature adult beetle, or imago. Adults have an extremely variable lifespan, from weeks to years, depending on the species. Beetles mating in San Francisco Flamboyant flower beetle, Eudicella gralli, from the forests of Central Africa. The iridescent elytra are used in marriage ceremonies. Beetles may display extremely intricate behaviour when mating. Smell is thought to be important in the location of a mate. Conflict can play a part in the mating rituals of species such as burying beetles (genus Nicrophorus) where conflicts between males and females rage until only one of each is left, thus ensuring reproduction by the strongest and fittest. Many beetles are territorial and will fiercely defend their small patch of territory from intruding males. Pairing is generally short but in some cases will last for several hours. During pairing sperm cells are transferred to the female to fertilise the egg. Parental care varies between species, ranging from the simple laying of eggs under a leaf to certain scarab beetles, which construct underground structures complete with a supply of dung to house and feed their young. Other beetles are leaf rollers, biting sections of leaves to cause them to curl inwards, then laying their eggs, thus protected, inside. Brachinus sp., a bombardier beetle Beetles and their larvae have a variety of strategies to avoid being attacked by predators or parasitoids. These include camouflage, mimicry, toxicity, and active defence. Camouflage involves the use of colouration or shape to blend into the surrounding environment. Among those that exhibit this defensive strategy are some of the leaf beetles (family Chysomelidae), having green colouring very similar to their habitat on plant leaves. More complex camouflage also occurs, as with some weevils, where various coloured scales or hairs cause the beetle to resemble bird dung. Another defence that often uses colour or shape to deceive potential enemies is mimicry. A number of longhorn beetles (family Cerambycidae) bear a striking resemblance to wasps, which fools predators into keeping their distance even though the beetles are in fact harmless. This defence can be found to a lesser extent in other beetle families, such as the scarab beetles. Beetles may combine their colour mimicry with behavioural mimicry, acting like the wasps they already closely resemble. Many beetle species, including ladybirds and blister beetles, can secrete distasteful or toxic substances to make them unpalatable or even poisonous. These same species often exhibit aposematism, where bright or contrasting colour patterns warn away potential predators. Large ground beetles and longhorn beetles may go on the attack, using their strong mandibles to forcibly persuade a predator to seek out easier prey. Others, such as bombardier beetles (within Carabidae) spray acidic gas from their abdomen to repel predators. Besides being abundant and varied, the Coleoptera are able to exploit the wide diversity of food sources available in their many habitats. Some are generalists, eating both plants and animals. Other beetles are highly specialised in their diet. Many species of leaf beetles, longhorn beetles, and weevils are very host specific, feeding on only a single species of plant. Ground beetles and rove beetles (family Staphylinidae), among others, are primarily carnivorous and will catch and consume many other arthropods and small prey such as earthworms and snails. While most predatory beetles are generalists, a few species have more specific prey requirements or preferences. Decaying organic matter is a primary diet for many species. This can range from dung, which is consumed by coprophagous species such as certain scarab beetles (family Scarabaeidae), to dead animals, which are eaten by necrophagous species such as the carrion beetles (family Silphidae). Some of the beetles found within dung and carrion are in fact predatory, such as the clown beetles, preying on the larvae of coprophagous and necrophagous insects. Aquatic beetles use several techniques for retaining air beneath the water's surface. Beetles of the family Dytiscidae hold air between the abdomen and the elytra when diving. Hydrophilidae have hairs on their under surface that retain a layer of air against their bodies. Adult crawling water beetles use both their elytra and their hind coxae (the basal segment of the back legs) in air retention while whirligig beetles simply carry an air bubble down with them whenever they dive. Sphaerius acaroides, a member of the small suborder Myxophaga While some authorities believe modern beetles began about 140 million years ago, research announced in 2007 showed that beetles may have entered the fossil record during the Lower Permian, about 265 to 300 million years ago. Modern Beetles Predate Dinosaurs, Dave Mosher, LiveScience.com, 26 December 2007. The four extant suborders of beetle are these: * Polyphaga is the largest suborder, containing more than 300,000 described species in more than 170 families, including rove beetles (Staphylinidae), scarab beetles (Scarabaeidae), blister beetles (Meloidae), stag beetles (Lucanidae) and true weevils (Curculionidae). These beetles can be identified by the cervical sclerites (hardened parts of the head used as points of attachment for muscles) absent in the other suborders. * Adephaga contains about 10 families of largely predatory beetles, includes ground beetles (Carabidae), Dytiscidae and whirligig beetles (Gyrinidae). In these beetles the testes are tubular and the first abdominal sternum (a plate of the exoskeleton) is divided by the hind coxae (the basal joints of the beetle's legs). * Archostemata contains four families of mainly wood-eating beetles, including reticulated beetles (Cupedidae) and the telephone-pole beetle. * Myxophaga contains about 100 described species in four families, mostly very small, including Hydroscaphidae and the genus Sphaerius. These suborders diverged in the Permian and Triassic. Their phylogenetic relationship is uncertain, with the most popular hypothesis being that Polyphaga and Myxophaga are most closely related, with Adephaga as the sister group to those two, and Archostemata as sister to the other three collectively. There are about 350,000 species of beetles. Such a large number of species poses special problems for classification, with some families consisting of thousands of species and needing further division into subfamilies and tribes. Colorado potato beetle (Leptinotarsa decemlineata) larvae Many agricultural, forestry, and household insect pests are beetles. These include the following: * The Colorado potato beetle, Leptinotarsa decemlineata, is a notorious pest of potato plants. Crops are destroyed and the beetle can only be treated by employing expensive pesticides, many of which it has begun to develop resistance to. As well as potatoes, suitable hosts can be a number of plants from the potato family (Solanaceae), such as nightshade, tomato, aubergine and capsicum. * The boll weevil, Anthonomus grandis, has cost cotton producers in the United States billions of dollars since it first entered that country. * The bark beetles Hylurgopinus rufipes and Scolytus multistriatus, the elm leaf beetle, Pyrrhalta luteola, and other beetles attack elm trees. The bark beetles are important elm pests because they carry Dutch elm disease as they move from infected breeding sites to feed on healthy elm trees. The spread of the fungus by the beetle has led to the devastation of elm trees in many parts of the Northern Hemisphere, notably in Europe and North America. * The death watch beetle, Xestobium rufovillosum, (family Anobiidae) is of considerable importance as a pest of older wooden buildings in Great Britain. It attacks hardwoods such as oak and chestnut, always where some fungal decay has taken or is taking place. It is thought that the actual introduction of the pest into buildings takes place at the time of construction. * Asian long-horned beetle * Citrus long-horned beetle * Western corn rootworm * Coconut hispine beetle or Brontispa longissima gestro feeds on young leaves and damages seedlings and mature coconut palms. On September 27, 2007, Philippines' Metro Manila and 26 provinces were quarantined due to having been infested with this pest (to save the $800-million Philippine coconut industry). Inquirer.net, Beetles infest coconuts in Manila, 26 provinces Coccinella septempunctata, a beneficial beetle * Both the larvae and adults of some ladybirds (family Coccinellidae) are found in aphid colonies. Other lady beetles feed on scale insects and mealybugs. If normal food sources are scarce they may feed on other things, such as small caterpillars, young plant bugs, honeydew and nectar. * Ground beetles (family Carabidae) are common predators of many different insects and other arthropods, including fly eggs, caterpillars, wireworms and others. * Plant-feeding beetles are often important beneficial insects, controlling problem weeds. Some flea beetles of the genus Aphthona feed on leafy spurge, a considerable weed of rangeland in western North America. Some farmers develop beetle banks to foster and provide cover for beneficial beetles. Beetles of the Dermestidae family are often used in taxidermy to clean bones of remaining flesh. Ancient Egyptian scene depicting a scarab beetle Several species of dung beetle, most notably Scarabaeus sacer (often referred to as "scarab"), enjoyed a sacred status among the ancient Egyptians, as the creatures were likened to the major god Khepri. Some scholars suggest that the Egyptians' practice of making mummies was inspired by the brooding process of the beetle. Many thousands of amulets and stamp seals have been excavated that depict the scarab. In many artifacts, the scarab is depicted pushing the sun along its course in the sky, much as scarabs push or roll balls of dung to their brood sites. During and following the New Kingdom, scarab amulets were often placed over the heart of the mummified deceased. Some tribal groups, particularly in tropical parts of the world, use the colourful, iridescent elytra of certain beetles, especially certain Scarabaeidae, in ceremonies and as adornment. Beetle collection at the Melbourne Museum, Australia The study of beetles is called coleopterology, and its practitioners are coleopterists. Coleopterists have formed organisations to facilitate the study of beetles. Among these is The Coleopterists Society, an international organisation based in the United States. Such organisations may have both professionals and amateurs interested in beetles as members. Research in this field is often published in peer-reviewed journals specific to the field of coleopterology, though journals dealing with general entomology also publish many papers on various aspects of beetle biology. Some of the journals specific to beetle research are: The Coleopterist (United Kingdom beetle fauna) The Coleopterists Bulletin (published by The Coleopterists Society) There is a thriving industry in the collection of beetle specimens for amateur and professional collectors. Many coleopterists prefer to collect beetle specimens for themselves, recording detailed information about each specimen and its habitat. Such collections add to the body of knowledge about the Coleoptera. Some countries have established laws governing or prohibiting the collection of certain rare (and often much sought after) species. One such beetle whose collection is illegal or restricted is the American burying beetle, Nicrophorus americanus. * Poul Beckmann, Living Jewels: The Natural Design of Beetles ISBN 3-7913-2528-0 * Arthur V. Evans, Charles Bellamy, and Lisa Charles Watson, An Inordinate Fondness for Beetles ISBN 0-520-22323-3 * Entomological Society of America, Beetle Larvae of the World ISBN 0-643-05506-1 * David Grimaldi, Michael S. Engel, Evolution of the Insects ISBN 0-521-82149-5 * Ross H. Arnett, Jr. and Michael C. Thomas, American Beetles (CRC Press, 2001-2). ISBN 0-8493-1925-0 * K. W. Harde, A Field Guide in Colour to Beetles ISBN 0-7064-1937-5 Pages 7-24 * White, R.E. 1983. Beetles. Houghton Mifflin Company, New York, NY. ISBN 0-395-91089-7 Heteroptera - insect suborder that is superficially similar to beetles - Coleoptera All what do you need to know about coleoptera, collecting and preparation * The Beetle Ring - A group of websites about beetles (Coleoptera). * List of major Beetle collections - worldwide * Entomology - online insect museum, entomology, tips and tricks, how to spread and pin insects, etc. * - Gallery of Central European beetles * Coleoptera from the Tree of Life * Australian borers species * Beetles and coleopterologists Russian site with English version, with information about biology, systematics and paleontology of beetles * North American Beetles from BugGuide * Bibliography on fossil insects * Coleoptera Families of the World * A digital collection of Southeast Asian beetles Related Wikipedia Articles coleopter Hylobius abietis weevil Animal Arthropod Insect Pterygota Neoptera Endopterygota Carolus Linnaeus Systema Naturae Suborder (biology) Adephaga Archostemata Myxophaga Polyphaga subgroups of the order Coleoptera insect species species animal polar region ecosystem plant fungus invertebrate Colorado potato beetle boll weevil coccinellidae aphid scale insect thrips Aristotle cockchafer Trogodendron fasciculatum monophyletic holometabolous prothorax coxa anatomy appendage pronotum insect wing segmentation (biology) exoskeleton elytron sclerite insect flight insect wing ground beetle Curculionidae glowworm Phengodidae Larviform female mouthparts grasshopper mandible (insect) #Defence appendage compound eye whirligig beetle longhorn beetle ocellus vertex (anatomy) antenna (biology) antenna (biology) Acilius sulcatus arthropod leg Dytiscidae Haliplidae Hydrophilidae fossorial clown beetle flea beetle Oxygen invertebrate trachea spiracle hemolymph blood open circulatory system Melolontha melolontha Endopterygota metamorphosis (biology) larva Colorado potato beetle larva Biological life cycle Buprestidae spiracle click beetle darkling beetle click beetle Scarabaeoidea instar ecdysis planidium hypermetamorphosis blister beetle Aleochara pupa imago San Francisco Flamboyant flower beetle burying beetle Spermatozoon fertilisation Scarabaeidae leaf roller Brachinus bombardier beetle parasitoid camouflage mimicry leaf beetle weevil longhorn beetle wasp Coccinellidae blister beetle aposematism ground beetle Mandible (insect) bombardier beetle Ground beetle rove beetle arthropod dung coprophagous dung beetle necrophagous carrion beetle clown beetle coxa Ross H. Arnett, Jr. Michael C. Thomas American Beetles CRC Press Boca Raton, Florida whirligig beetle Sphaerius Myxophaga fossil Permian Polyphaga rove beetle scarabaeidae blister beetle stag beetle Curculionidae sclerite Adephaga ground beetle Dytiscidae whirligig beetle testes exoskeleton coxa Archostemata reticulated beetle telephone-pole beetle Myxophaga Hydroscaphidae Sphaerius Triassic phylogenetics sister group Linnaean taxonomy Colorado potato beetle Colorado potato beetle potato pesticide pesticide resistance Solanaceae nightshade tomato aubergine capsicum boll weevil United States bark beetle elm leaf beetle elm Dutch elm disease Northern Hemisphere Europe North America death watch beetle Anobiidae Great Britain hardwood oak chestnut Asian long-horned beetle Citrus long-horned beetle Western corn rootworm Coconut leaves seedlings coconut palms September 27 Philippines Metro Manila provinces quarantined pest coconut industry Coccinella septempunctata ladybirds Coccinellidae aphid scale insect mealybug honeydew nectar Ground beetle caterpillar Aphthona leafy spurge beetle bank Dermestidae taxidermy Dung beetle Scarabaeus sacer Ancient Egyptian Khepri Mummy New Kingdom Elytron Melbourne Museum coleopterology list of coleopterists The Coleopterists Society international organisation scientific journal The Coleopterist The Coleopterists Bulletin Nicrophorus americanus Entomological Society of America David Grimaldi Michael S. Engel Ross H. Arnett, Jr. Michael C. Thomas American Beetles Heteroptera
beetle	What are the three sections of a beetle?	the head, the thorax, and the abdomen	data/set1/a8	beetle Beetles are a group of insects which have the largest number of species. They are placed in the order Coleoptera,which means "sheathed wing" and contains more described species than in any other order in the animal kingdom, constituting about twenty-five percent of all known life-forms. James K. Liebherr and Joseph V. McHugh in Resh, V. H. & R. T. CardÃ© (Editors) 2003. Encyclopedia of Insects. Academic Press. Forty percent of all described insect species are beetles (about 350,000 species ), and new species are frequently discovered. Estimates put the total number of species, described and undescribed, at between 5 and 8 million. Beetles can be found in almost all habitats, but are not known to occur in the sea or in the polar regions. They interact with their ecosystems in several ways. They often feed on plants and fungi, break down animal and plant debris, and eat other invertebrates. Some species are prey of various animals including birds and mammals. Certain species are agricultural pests, such as the Colorado potato beetle Leptinotarsa decemlineata, the boll weevil Anthonomus grandis, the red flour beetle Tribolium castaneum, and the mungbean or cowpea beetle Callosobruchus maculatus, while other species of beetles are important controls of agricultural pests. For example, coccinellidae ("ladybirds" or "ladybugs") consume aphids, scale insects, thrips, and other plant-sucking insects that damage crops. The name "Coleoptera" was given by Aristotle for the hardened shield like forewings (coleo = shield + ptera = wing). A cockchafer with its elytra raised, exposing the membranous flight wings, where the veins are visible Trogodendron fasciculatum, a clerid beetle with bright yellow antennae Other characters of this group which are believed to be monophyletic include a holometabolous life cycle; having a prothorax that is distinct from and freely articulating with the mesothorax; the meso- and meta-thoracic segments fusing to form a pterothorax; a depressed body shape with the legs on the ventral surface; the coxae of legs recessed into cavities formed by heavily sclerotized thoracic sclerites; the abdominal sternites more sclerotized than the tergites; antennae with 11 or fewer segments; and terminal genitalic appendages retracted into the abdomen and invisible at rest. The general anatomy of beetles is quite uniform, although specific organs and appendages may vary greatly in appearance and function between the many families in the order. Like all insects, beetles' bodies are divided into three sections: the head, the thorax, and the abdomen. When viewed from below, the thorax is that part from which all three pairs of legs and both pairs of wings arise. The abdomen is everything posterior to the thorax. When viewed from above, most beetles appear to have three clear sections, but this is deceptive: on the beetle's upper surface, the middle "section" is a hard plate called the pronotum, which is only the front part of the thorax; the back part of the thorax is concealed by the beetle's wings. Like all arthropods, beetles are segmented organisms, and all three of the major sections of the body are themselves composed of several further segments, although these are not always readily discernible. This further segmentation is usually best seen on the abdomen. Beetles are generally characterised by a particularly hard exoskeleton and hard forewings (elytra). The beetle's exoskeleton is made up of numerous plates called sclerites, separated by thin sutures. This design creates the armoured defences of the beetle while maintaining flexibility. The elytra are not used for flight, but tend to cover the hind part of the body and protect the second pair of wings (alae). The elytra must be raised in order to move the hind flight wings. A beetle's flight wings are crossed with veins and are folded after landing, often along these veins, and are stored below the elytra. In some beetles, the ability to fly has been lost. These include the ground beetles (family Carabidae) and some "true weevils" (family Curculionidae), but also some desert and cave-dwelling species of other families. Many of these species have the two elytra fused together, forming a solid shield over the abdomen. In a few families, both the ability to fly and the elytra have been lost, with the best known example being the glow-worms of the family Phengodidae, in which the females are larviform throughout their lives. Beetles have mouthparts similar to those of grasshoppers. Of these parts, the most commonly known are probably the mandibles, which appear as large pincers on the front of some beetles. The mandibles are a pair of hard, often tooth-like structures that move horizontally to grasp, crush, or cut food or enemies (see defence, below). Two pairs of finger-like appendages are found around the mouth in most beetles, serving to move food into the mouth. These are the maxillary and labial palpi. The eyes are compound and may display remarkable adaptability, as in the case of whirligig beetles (family Gyrinidae), in which the eyes are split to allow a view both above and below the waterline. Other species also have divided eyes â some longhorn beetles (family Cerambycidae) and weevils â while many beetles have eyes that are notched to some degree. A few beetle genera also possess ocelli, which are small, simple eyes usually situated farther back on the head (on the vertex). Beetles' antennae are primarily organs of smell, but may also be used to feel out a beetle's environment physically. They may also be used in some families during mating, or among a few beetles for defence. Antennae vary greatly in form within the Coleoptera, but are often similar within any given family. In some cases, males and females of the same species will have different antennal forms. Antennae may be clavate (flabellate and lamellate are sub-forms of clavate, or clubbed antennae), filiform, geniculate, moniliform, pectinate, or serrate. For images of these antennal forms see antenna (biology). Acilius sulcatus, a diving beetle showing hind legs adapted for life in water The legs, which are multi-segmented, end in two to five small segments called tarsi. Like many other insect orders beetles bear claws, usually one pair, on the end of the last tarsal segment of each leg. While most beetles use their legs for walking, legs may be variously modified and adapted for other uses. Among aquatic families â Dytiscidae, Haliplidae, many species of Hydrophilidae and others â the legs, most notably the last pair, are modified for swimming and often bear rows of long hairs to aid this purpose. Other beetles have fossorial legs that are widened and often spined for digging. Species with such adaptations are found among the scarabs, ground beetles, and clown beetles (family Histeridae). The hind legs of some beetles, such as flea beetles (within Chrysomelidae) and flea weevils (within Curculionidae), are enlarged and designed for jumping. Oxygen is obtained via a tracheal system. Air enters a series of tubes along the body through openings called spiracles, and is then taken into increasingly finer fibres. Pumping movements of the body force the air through the system. Beetles have haemolymph instead of blood, and the open circulatory system of the beetle is powered by a tube-like heart attached to the top inside of the thorax. Scarabaeiform larva of the cockchafer, Melolontha melolontha Beetles are endopterygotes with complete metamorphosis. A single female may lay from several dozen to several thousand eggs during her lifetime. Eggs are usually laid according to the substrate the larva will feed on upon hatching. Among others, they can be laid loose in the substrate (e.g. flour beetle), laid in clumps on leaves (e.g. Colorado potato beetle), or individually attached (e.g. mungbean beetle and other seed borers) or buried in the medium (e.g. carrot weevil). The larva is usually the principal feeding stage of the beetle life cycle. Larvae tend to feed voraciously once they emerge from their eggs. Some feed externally on plants, such as those of certain leaf beetles, while others feed within their food sources. Examples of internal feeders are most Buprestidae and longhorn beetles. The larvae of many beetle families are predatory like the adults (ground beetles, ladybirds, rove beetles). The larval period varies between species but can be as long as several years. Beetle larvae can be differentiated from other insect larvae by their hardened, often darkened head, the presence of chewing mouthparts, and spiracles along the sides of the body. Like adult beetles, the larvae are varied in appearance, particularly between beetle families. Beetles whose larvae are somewhat flattened and are highly mobile are the ground beetles, some rove beetles, and others; their larvae are described as campodeiform. Some beetle larvae resemble hardened worms with dark head capsules and minute legs. These are elateriform larvae, and are found in the click beetle (Elateridae) and darkling beetle (Tenebrionidae) families. Some elateriform larvae of click beetles are known as wireworms. Beetles in the families of the Scarabaeoidea have short, thick larvae described as scarabaeiform, but more commonly known as grubs. All beetle larvae go through several instars, which are the developmental stages between each moult. In many species the larvae simply increase in size with each successive instar as more food is consumed. In some cases, however, more dramatic changes occur. Among certain beetle families or genera, particularly those that exhibit parasitic lifestyles, the first instar (the planidium) is highly mobile in order to search out a host, while the following instars are more sedentary and remain on or within their host. This is known as hypermetamorphosis; examples include the blister beetles (family Meloidae) and some rove beetles, particularly those of the genus Aleochara. As with all endopterygotes, beetle larvae pupate, and from this pupa emerges a fully formed, sexually mature adult beetle, or imago. Adults have an extremely variable lifespan, from weeks to years, depending on the species. Beetles mating in San Francisco Flamboyant flower beetle, Eudicella gralli, from the forests of Central Africa. The iridescent elytra are used in marriage ceremonies. Beetles may display extremely intricate behaviour when mating. Smell is thought to be important in the location of a mate. Conflict can play a part in the mating rituals of species such as burying beetles (genus Nicrophorus) where conflicts between males and females rage until only one of each is left, thus ensuring reproduction by the strongest and fittest. Many beetles are territorial and will fiercely defend their small patch of territory from intruding males. Pairing is generally short but in some cases will last for several hours. During pairing sperm cells are transferred to the female to fertilise the egg. Parental care varies between species, ranging from the simple laying of eggs under a leaf to certain scarab beetles, which construct underground structures complete with a supply of dung to house and feed their young. Other beetles are leaf rollers, biting sections of leaves to cause them to curl inwards, then laying their eggs, thus protected, inside. Brachinus sp., a bombardier beetle Beetles and their larvae have a variety of strategies to avoid being attacked by predators or parasitoids. These include camouflage, mimicry, toxicity, and active defence. Camouflage involves the use of colouration or shape to blend into the surrounding environment. Among those that exhibit this defensive strategy are some of the leaf beetles (family Chysomelidae), having green colouring very similar to their habitat on plant leaves. More complex camouflage also occurs, as with some weevils, where various coloured scales or hairs cause the beetle to resemble bird dung. Another defence that often uses colour or shape to deceive potential enemies is mimicry. A number of longhorn beetles (family Cerambycidae) bear a striking resemblance to wasps, which fools predators into keeping their distance even though the beetles are in fact harmless. This defence can be found to a lesser extent in other beetle families, such as the scarab beetles. Beetles may combine their colour mimicry with behavioural mimicry, acting like the wasps they already closely resemble. Many beetle species, including ladybirds and blister beetles, can secrete distasteful or toxic substances to make them unpalatable or even poisonous. These same species often exhibit aposematism, where bright or contrasting colour patterns warn away potential predators. Large ground beetles and longhorn beetles may go on the attack, using their strong mandibles to forcibly persuade a predator to seek out easier prey. Others, such as bombardier beetles (within Carabidae) spray acidic gas from their abdomen to repel predators. Besides being abundant and varied, the Coleoptera are able to exploit the wide diversity of food sources available in their many habitats. Some are generalists, eating both plants and animals. Other beetles are highly specialised in their diet. Many species of leaf beetles, longhorn beetles, and weevils are very host specific, feeding on only a single species of plant. Ground beetles and rove beetles (family Staphylinidae), among others, are primarily carnivorous and will catch and consume many other arthropods and small prey such as earthworms and snails. While most predatory beetles are generalists, a few species have more specific prey requirements or preferences. Decaying organic matter is a primary diet for many species. This can range from dung, which is consumed by coprophagous species such as certain scarab beetles (family Scarabaeidae), to dead animals, which are eaten by necrophagous species such as the carrion beetles (family Silphidae). Some of the beetles found within dung and carrion are in fact predatory, such as the clown beetles, preying on the larvae of coprophagous and necrophagous insects. Aquatic beetles use several techniques for retaining air beneath the water's surface. Beetles of the family Dytiscidae hold air between the abdomen and the elytra when diving. Hydrophilidae have hairs on their under surface that retain a layer of air against their bodies. Adult crawling water beetles use both their elytra and their hind coxae (the basal segment of the back legs) in air retention while whirligig beetles simply carry an air bubble down with them whenever they dive. Sphaerius acaroides, a member of the small suborder Myxophaga While some authorities believe modern beetles began about 140 million years ago, research announced in 2007 showed that beetles may have entered the fossil record during the Lower Permian, about 265 to 300 million years ago. Modern Beetles Predate Dinosaurs, Dave Mosher, LiveScience.com, 26 December 2007. The four extant suborders of beetle are these: * Polyphaga is the largest suborder, containing more than 300,000 described species in more than 170 families, including rove beetles (Staphylinidae), scarab beetles (Scarabaeidae), blister beetles (Meloidae), stag beetles (Lucanidae) and true weevils (Curculionidae). These beetles can be identified by the cervical sclerites (hardened parts of the head used as points of attachment for muscles) absent in the other suborders. * Adephaga contains about 10 families of largely predatory beetles, includes ground beetles (Carabidae), Dytiscidae and whirligig beetles (Gyrinidae). In these beetles the testes are tubular and the first abdominal sternum (a plate of the exoskeleton) is divided by the hind coxae (the basal joints of the beetle's legs). * Archostemata contains four families of mainly wood-eating beetles, including reticulated beetles (Cupedidae) and the telephone-pole beetle. * Myxophaga contains about 100 described species in four families, mostly very small, including Hydroscaphidae and the genus Sphaerius. These suborders diverged in the Permian and Triassic. Their phylogenetic relationship is uncertain, with the most popular hypothesis being that Polyphaga and Myxophaga are most closely related, with Adephaga as the sister group to those two, and Archostemata as sister to the other three collectively. There are about 350,000 species of beetles. Such a large number of species poses special problems for classification, with some families consisting of thousands of species and needing further division into subfamilies and tribes. Colorado potato beetle (Leptinotarsa decemlineata) larvae Many agricultural, forestry, and household insect pests are beetles. These include the following: * The Colorado potato beetle, Leptinotarsa decemlineata, is a notorious pest of potato plants. Crops are destroyed and the beetle can only be treated by employing expensive pesticides, many of which it has begun to develop resistance to. As well as potatoes, suitable hosts can be a number of plants from the potato family (Solanaceae), such as nightshade, tomato, aubergine and capsicum. * The boll weevil, Anthonomus grandis, has cost cotton producers in the United States billions of dollars since it first entered that country. * The bark beetles Hylurgopinus rufipes and Scolytus multistriatus, the elm leaf beetle, Pyrrhalta luteola, and other beetles attack elm trees. The bark beetles are important elm pests because they carry Dutch elm disease as they move from infected breeding sites to feed on healthy elm trees. The spread of the fungus by the beetle has led to the devastation of elm trees in many parts of the Northern Hemisphere, notably in Europe and North America. * The death watch beetle, Xestobium rufovillosum, (family Anobiidae) is of considerable importance as a pest of older wooden buildings in Great Britain. It attacks hardwoods such as oak and chestnut, always where some fungal decay has taken or is taking place. It is thought that the actual introduction of the pest into buildings takes place at the time of construction. * Asian long-horned beetle * Citrus long-horned beetle * Western corn rootworm * Coconut hispine beetle or Brontispa longissima gestro feeds on young leaves and damages seedlings and mature coconut palms. On September 27, 2007, Philippines' Metro Manila and 26 provinces were quarantined due to having been infested with this pest (to save the $800-million Philippine coconut industry). Inquirer.net, Beetles infest coconuts in Manila, 26 provinces Coccinella septempunctata, a beneficial beetle * Both the larvae and adults of some ladybirds (family Coccinellidae) are found in aphid colonies. Other lady beetles feed on scale insects and mealybugs. If normal food sources are scarce they may feed on other things, such as small caterpillars, young plant bugs, honeydew and nectar. * Ground beetles (family Carabidae) are common predators of many different insects and other arthropods, including fly eggs, caterpillars, wireworms and others. * Plant-feeding beetles are often important beneficial insects, controlling problem weeds. Some flea beetles of the genus Aphthona feed on leafy spurge, a considerable weed of rangeland in western North America. Some farmers develop beetle banks to foster and provide cover for beneficial beetles. Beetles of the Dermestidae family are often used in taxidermy to clean bones of remaining flesh. Ancient Egyptian scene depicting a scarab beetle Several species of dung beetle, most notably Scarabaeus sacer (often referred to as "scarab"), enjoyed a sacred status among the ancient Egyptians, as the creatures were likened to the major god Khepri. Some scholars suggest that the Egyptians' practice of making mummies was inspired by the brooding process of the beetle. Many thousands of amulets and stamp seals have been excavated that depict the scarab. In many artifacts, the scarab is depicted pushing the sun along its course in the sky, much as scarabs push or roll balls of dung to their brood sites. During and following the New Kingdom, scarab amulets were often placed over the heart of the mummified deceased. Some tribal groups, particularly in tropical parts of the world, use the colourful, iridescent elytra of certain beetles, especially certain Scarabaeidae, in ceremonies and as adornment. Beetle collection at the Melbourne Museum, Australia The study of beetles is called coleopterology, and its practitioners are coleopterists. Coleopterists have formed organisations to facilitate the study of beetles. Among these is The Coleopterists Society, an international organisation based in the United States. Such organisations may have both professionals and amateurs interested in beetles as members. Research in this field is often published in peer-reviewed journals specific to the field of coleopterology, though journals dealing with general entomology also publish many papers on various aspects of beetle biology. Some of the journals specific to beetle research are: The Coleopterist (United Kingdom beetle fauna) The Coleopterists Bulletin (published by The Coleopterists Society) There is a thriving industry in the collection of beetle specimens for amateur and professional collectors. Many coleopterists prefer to collect beetle specimens for themselves, recording detailed information about each specimen and its habitat. Such collections add to the body of knowledge about the Coleoptera. Some countries have established laws governing or prohibiting the collection of certain rare (and often much sought after) species. One such beetle whose collection is illegal or restricted is the American burying beetle, Nicrophorus americanus. * Poul Beckmann, Living Jewels: The Natural Design of Beetles ISBN 3-7913-2528-0 * Arthur V. Evans, Charles Bellamy, and Lisa Charles Watson, An Inordinate Fondness for Beetles ISBN 0-520-22323-3 * Entomological Society of America, Beetle Larvae of the World ISBN 0-643-05506-1 * David Grimaldi, Michael S. Engel, Evolution of the Insects ISBN 0-521-82149-5 * Ross H. Arnett, Jr. and Michael C. Thomas, American Beetles (CRC Press, 2001-2). ISBN 0-8493-1925-0 * K. W. Harde, A Field Guide in Colour to Beetles ISBN 0-7064-1937-5 Pages 7-24 * White, R.E. 1983. Beetles. Houghton Mifflin Company, New York, NY. ISBN 0-395-91089-7 Heteroptera - insect suborder that is superficially similar to beetles - Coleoptera All what do you need to know about coleoptera, collecting and preparation * The Beetle Ring - A group of websites about beetles (Coleoptera). * List of major Beetle collections - worldwide * Entomology - online insect museum, entomology, tips and tricks, how to spread and pin insects, etc. * - Gallery of Central European beetles * Coleoptera from the Tree of Life * Australian borers species * Beetles and coleopterologists Russian site with English version, with information about biology, systematics and paleontology of beetles * North American Beetles from BugGuide * Bibliography on fossil insects * Coleoptera Families of the World * A digital collection of Southeast Asian beetles Related Wikipedia Articles coleopter Hylobius abietis weevil Animal Arthropod Insect Pterygota Neoptera Endopterygota Carolus Linnaeus Systema Naturae Suborder (biology) Adephaga Archostemata Myxophaga Polyphaga subgroups of the order Coleoptera insect species species animal polar region ecosystem plant fungus invertebrate Colorado potato beetle boll weevil coccinellidae aphid scale insect thrips Aristotle cockchafer Trogodendron fasciculatum monophyletic holometabolous prothorax coxa anatomy appendage pronotum insect wing segmentation (biology) exoskeleton elytron sclerite insect flight insect wing ground beetle Curculionidae glowworm Phengodidae Larviform female mouthparts grasshopper mandible (insect) #Defence appendage compound eye whirligig beetle longhorn beetle ocellus vertex (anatomy) antenna (biology) antenna (biology) Acilius sulcatus arthropod leg Dytiscidae Haliplidae Hydrophilidae fossorial clown beetle flea beetle Oxygen invertebrate trachea spiracle hemolymph blood open circulatory system Melolontha melolontha Endopterygota metamorphosis (biology) larva Colorado potato beetle larva Biological life cycle Buprestidae spiracle click beetle darkling beetle click beetle Scarabaeoidea instar ecdysis planidium hypermetamorphosis blister beetle Aleochara pupa imago San Francisco Flamboyant flower beetle burying beetle Spermatozoon fertilisation Scarabaeidae leaf roller Brachinus bombardier beetle parasitoid camouflage mimicry leaf beetle weevil longhorn beetle wasp Coccinellidae blister beetle aposematism ground beetle Mandible (insect) bombardier beetle Ground beetle rove beetle arthropod dung coprophagous dung beetle necrophagous carrion beetle clown beetle coxa Ross H. Arnett, Jr. Michael C. Thomas American Beetles CRC Press Boca Raton, Florida whirligig beetle Sphaerius Myxophaga fossil Permian Polyphaga rove beetle scarabaeidae blister beetle stag beetle Curculionidae sclerite Adephaga ground beetle Dytiscidae whirligig beetle testes exoskeleton coxa Archostemata reticulated beetle telephone-pole beetle Myxophaga Hydroscaphidae Sphaerius Triassic phylogenetics sister group Linnaean taxonomy Colorado potato beetle Colorado potato beetle potato pesticide pesticide resistance Solanaceae nightshade tomato aubergine capsicum boll weevil United States bark beetle elm leaf beetle elm Dutch elm disease Northern Hemisphere Europe North America death watch beetle Anobiidae Great Britain hardwood oak chestnut Asian long-horned beetle Citrus long-horned beetle Western corn rootworm Coconut leaves seedlings coconut palms September 27 Philippines Metro Manila provinces quarantined pest coconut industry Coccinella septempunctata ladybirds Coccinellidae aphid scale insect mealybug honeydew nectar Ground beetle caterpillar Aphthona leafy spurge beetle bank Dermestidae taxidermy Dung beetle Scarabaeus sacer Ancient Egyptian Khepri Mummy New Kingdom Elytron Melbourne Museum coleopterology list of coleopterists The Coleopterists Society international organisation scientific journal The Coleopterist The Coleopterists Bulletin Nicrophorus americanus Entomological Society of America David Grimaldi Michael S. Engel Ross H. Arnett, Jr. Michael C. Thomas American Beetles Heteroptera
beetle	What are the three sections of a beetle?	The head, the thorax, and the abdomen	data/set1/a8	beetle Beetles are a group of insects which have the largest number of species. They are placed in the order Coleoptera,which means "sheathed wing" and contains more described species than in any other order in the animal kingdom, constituting about twenty-five percent of all known life-forms. James K. Liebherr and Joseph V. McHugh in Resh, V. H. & R. T. CardÃ© (Editors) 2003. Encyclopedia of Insects. Academic Press. Forty percent of all described insect species are beetles (about 350,000 species ), and new species are frequently discovered. Estimates put the total number of species, described and undescribed, at between 5 and 8 million. Beetles can be found in almost all habitats, but are not known to occur in the sea or in the polar regions. They interact with their ecosystems in several ways. They often feed on plants and fungi, break down animal and plant debris, and eat other invertebrates. Some species are prey of various animals including birds and mammals. Certain species are agricultural pests, such as the Colorado potato beetle Leptinotarsa decemlineata, the boll weevil Anthonomus grandis, the red flour beetle Tribolium castaneum, and the mungbean or cowpea beetle Callosobruchus maculatus, while other species of beetles are important controls of agricultural pests. For example, coccinellidae ("ladybirds" or "ladybugs") consume aphids, scale insects, thrips, and other plant-sucking insects that damage crops. The name "Coleoptera" was given by Aristotle for the hardened shield like forewings (coleo = shield + ptera = wing). A cockchafer with its elytra raised, exposing the membranous flight wings, where the veins are visible Trogodendron fasciculatum, a clerid beetle with bright yellow antennae Other characters of this group which are believed to be monophyletic include a holometabolous life cycle; having a prothorax that is distinct from and freely articulating with the mesothorax; the meso- and meta-thoracic segments fusing to form a pterothorax; a depressed body shape with the legs on the ventral surface; the coxae of legs recessed into cavities formed by heavily sclerotized thoracic sclerites; the abdominal sternites more sclerotized than the tergites; antennae with 11 or fewer segments; and terminal genitalic appendages retracted into the abdomen and invisible at rest. The general anatomy of beetles is quite uniform, although specific organs and appendages may vary greatly in appearance and function between the many families in the order. Like all insects, beetles' bodies are divided into three sections: the head, the thorax, and the abdomen. When viewed from below, the thorax is that part from which all three pairs of legs and both pairs of wings arise. The abdomen is everything posterior to the thorax. When viewed from above, most beetles appear to have three clear sections, but this is deceptive: on the beetle's upper surface, the middle "section" is a hard plate called the pronotum, which is only the front part of the thorax; the back part of the thorax is concealed by the beetle's wings. Like all arthropods, beetles are segmented organisms, and all three of the major sections of the body are themselves composed of several further segments, although these are not always readily discernible. This further segmentation is usually best seen on the abdomen. Beetles are generally characterised by a particularly hard exoskeleton and hard forewings (elytra). The beetle's exoskeleton is made up of numerous plates called sclerites, separated by thin sutures. This design creates the armoured defences of the beetle while maintaining flexibility. The elytra are not used for flight, but tend to cover the hind part of the body and protect the second pair of wings (alae). The elytra must be raised in order to move the hind flight wings. A beetle's flight wings are crossed with veins and are folded after landing, often along these veins, and are stored below the elytra. In some beetles, the ability to fly has been lost. These include the ground beetles (family Carabidae) and some "true weevils" (family Curculionidae), but also some desert and cave-dwelling species of other families. Many of these species have the two elytra fused together, forming a solid shield over the abdomen. In a few families, both the ability to fly and the elytra have been lost, with the best known example being the glow-worms of the family Phengodidae, in which the females are larviform throughout their lives. Beetles have mouthparts similar to those of grasshoppers. Of these parts, the most commonly known are probably the mandibles, which appear as large pincers on the front of some beetles. The mandibles are a pair of hard, often tooth-like structures that move horizontally to grasp, crush, or cut food or enemies (see defence, below). Two pairs of finger-like appendages are found around the mouth in most beetles, serving to move food into the mouth. These are the maxillary and labial palpi. The eyes are compound and may display remarkable adaptability, as in the case of whirligig beetles (family Gyrinidae), in which the eyes are split to allow a view both above and below the waterline. Other species also have divided eyes â some longhorn beetles (family Cerambycidae) and weevils â while many beetles have eyes that are notched to some degree. A few beetle genera also possess ocelli, which are small, simple eyes usually situated farther back on the head (on the vertex). Beetles' antennae are primarily organs of smell, but may also be used to feel out a beetle's environment physically. They may also be used in some families during mating, or among a few beetles for defence. Antennae vary greatly in form within the Coleoptera, but are often similar within any given family. In some cases, males and females of the same species will have different antennal forms. Antennae may be clavate (flabellate and lamellate are sub-forms of clavate, or clubbed antennae), filiform, geniculate, moniliform, pectinate, or serrate. For images of these antennal forms see antenna (biology). Acilius sulcatus, a diving beetle showing hind legs adapted for life in water The legs, which are multi-segmented, end in two to five small segments called tarsi. Like many other insect orders beetles bear claws, usually one pair, on the end of the last tarsal segment of each leg. While most beetles use their legs for walking, legs may be variously modified and adapted for other uses. Among aquatic families â Dytiscidae, Haliplidae, many species of Hydrophilidae and others â the legs, most notably the last pair, are modified for swimming and often bear rows of long hairs to aid this purpose. Other beetles have fossorial legs that are widened and often spined for digging. Species with such adaptations are found among the scarabs, ground beetles, and clown beetles (family Histeridae). The hind legs of some beetles, such as flea beetles (within Chrysomelidae) and flea weevils (within Curculionidae), are enlarged and designed for jumping. Oxygen is obtained via a tracheal system. Air enters a series of tubes along the body through openings called spiracles, and is then taken into increasingly finer fibres. Pumping movements of the body force the air through the system. Beetles have haemolymph instead of blood, and the open circulatory system of the beetle is powered by a tube-like heart attached to the top inside of the thorax. Scarabaeiform larva of the cockchafer, Melolontha melolontha Beetles are endopterygotes with complete metamorphosis. A single female may lay from several dozen to several thousand eggs during her lifetime. Eggs are usually laid according to the substrate the larva will feed on upon hatching. Among others, they can be laid loose in the substrate (e.g. flour beetle), laid in clumps on leaves (e.g. Colorado potato beetle), or individually attached (e.g. mungbean beetle and other seed borers) or buried in the medium (e.g. carrot weevil). The larva is usually the principal feeding stage of the beetle life cycle. Larvae tend to feed voraciously once they emerge from their eggs. Some feed externally on plants, such as those of certain leaf beetles, while others feed within their food sources. Examples of internal feeders are most Buprestidae and longhorn beetles. The larvae of many beetle families are predatory like the adults (ground beetles, ladybirds, rove beetles). The larval period varies between species but can be as long as several years. Beetle larvae can be differentiated from other insect larvae by their hardened, often darkened head, the presence of chewing mouthparts, and spiracles along the sides of the body. Like adult beetles, the larvae are varied in appearance, particularly between beetle families. Beetles whose larvae are somewhat flattened and are highly mobile are the ground beetles, some rove beetles, and others; their larvae are described as campodeiform. Some beetle larvae resemble hardened worms with dark head capsules and minute legs. These are elateriform larvae, and are found in the click beetle (Elateridae) and darkling beetle (Tenebrionidae) families. Some elateriform larvae of click beetles are known as wireworms. Beetles in the families of the Scarabaeoidea have short, thick larvae described as scarabaeiform, but more commonly known as grubs. All beetle larvae go through several instars, which are the developmental stages between each moult. In many species the larvae simply increase in size with each successive instar as more food is consumed. In some cases, however, more dramatic changes occur. Among certain beetle families or genera, particularly those that exhibit parasitic lifestyles, the first instar (the planidium) is highly mobile in order to search out a host, while the following instars are more sedentary and remain on or within their host. This is known as hypermetamorphosis; examples include the blister beetles (family Meloidae) and some rove beetles, particularly those of the genus Aleochara. As with all endopterygotes, beetle larvae pupate, and from this pupa emerges a fully formed, sexually mature adult beetle, or imago. Adults have an extremely variable lifespan, from weeks to years, depending on the species. Beetles mating in San Francisco Flamboyant flower beetle, Eudicella gralli, from the forests of Central Africa. The iridescent elytra are used in marriage ceremonies. Beetles may display extremely intricate behaviour when mating. Smell is thought to be important in the location of a mate. Conflict can play a part in the mating rituals of species such as burying beetles (genus Nicrophorus) where conflicts between males and females rage until only one of each is left, thus ensuring reproduction by the strongest and fittest. Many beetles are territorial and will fiercely defend their small patch of territory from intruding males. Pairing is generally short but in some cases will last for several hours. During pairing sperm cells are transferred to the female to fertilise the egg. Parental care varies between species, ranging from the simple laying of eggs under a leaf to certain scarab beetles, which construct underground structures complete with a supply of dung to house and feed their young. Other beetles are leaf rollers, biting sections of leaves to cause them to curl inwards, then laying their eggs, thus protected, inside. Brachinus sp., a bombardier beetle Beetles and their larvae have a variety of strategies to avoid being attacked by predators or parasitoids. These include camouflage, mimicry, toxicity, and active defence. Camouflage involves the use of colouration or shape to blend into the surrounding environment. Among those that exhibit this defensive strategy are some of the leaf beetles (family Chysomelidae), having green colouring very similar to their habitat on plant leaves. More complex camouflage also occurs, as with some weevils, where various coloured scales or hairs cause the beetle to resemble bird dung. Another defence that often uses colour or shape to deceive potential enemies is mimicry. A number of longhorn beetles (family Cerambycidae) bear a striking resemblance to wasps, which fools predators into keeping their distance even though the beetles are in fact harmless. This defence can be found to a lesser extent in other beetle families, such as the scarab beetles. Beetles may combine their colour mimicry with behavioural mimicry, acting like the wasps they already closely resemble. Many beetle species, including ladybirds and blister beetles, can secrete distasteful or toxic substances to make them unpalatable or even poisonous. These same species often exhibit aposematism, where bright or contrasting colour patterns warn away potential predators. Large ground beetles and longhorn beetles may go on the attack, using their strong mandibles to forcibly persuade a predator to seek out easier prey. Others, such as bombardier beetles (within Carabidae) spray acidic gas from their abdomen to repel predators. Besides being abundant and varied, the Coleoptera are able to exploit the wide diversity of food sources available in their many habitats. Some are generalists, eating both plants and animals. Other beetles are highly specialised in their diet. Many species of leaf beetles, longhorn beetles, and weevils are very host specific, feeding on only a single species of plant. Ground beetles and rove beetles (family Staphylinidae), among others, are primarily carnivorous and will catch and consume many other arthropods and small prey such as earthworms and snails. While most predatory beetles are generalists, a few species have more specific prey requirements or preferences. Decaying organic matter is a primary diet for many species. This can range from dung, which is consumed by coprophagous species such as certain scarab beetles (family Scarabaeidae), to dead animals, which are eaten by necrophagous species such as the carrion beetles (family Silphidae). Some of the beetles found within dung and carrion are in fact predatory, such as the clown beetles, preying on the larvae of coprophagous and necrophagous insects. Aquatic beetles use several techniques for retaining air beneath the water's surface. Beetles of the family Dytiscidae hold air between the abdomen and the elytra when diving. Hydrophilidae have hairs on their under surface that retain a layer of air against their bodies. Adult crawling water beetles use both their elytra and their hind coxae (the basal segment of the back legs) in air retention while whirligig beetles simply carry an air bubble down with them whenever they dive. Sphaerius acaroides, a member of the small suborder Myxophaga While some authorities believe modern beetles began about 140 million years ago, research announced in 2007 showed that beetles may have entered the fossil record during the Lower Permian, about 265 to 300 million years ago. Modern Beetles Predate Dinosaurs, Dave Mosher, LiveScience.com, 26 December 2007. The four extant suborders of beetle are these: * Polyphaga is the largest suborder, containing more than 300,000 described species in more than 170 families, including rove beetles (Staphylinidae), scarab beetles (Scarabaeidae), blister beetles (Meloidae), stag beetles (Lucanidae) and true weevils (Curculionidae). These beetles can be identified by the cervical sclerites (hardened parts of the head used as points of attachment for muscles) absent in the other suborders. * Adephaga contains about 10 families of largely predatory beetles, includes ground beetles (Carabidae), Dytiscidae and whirligig beetles (Gyrinidae). In these beetles the testes are tubular and the first abdominal sternum (a plate of the exoskeleton) is divided by the hind coxae (the basal joints of the beetle's legs). * Archostemata contains four families of mainly wood-eating beetles, including reticulated beetles (Cupedidae) and the telephone-pole beetle. * Myxophaga contains about 100 described species in four families, mostly very small, including Hydroscaphidae and the genus Sphaerius. These suborders diverged in the Permian and Triassic. Their phylogenetic relationship is uncertain, with the most popular hypothesis being that Polyphaga and Myxophaga are most closely related, with Adephaga as the sister group to those two, and Archostemata as sister to the other three collectively. There are about 350,000 species of beetles. Such a large number of species poses special problems for classification, with some families consisting of thousands of species and needing further division into subfamilies and tribes. Colorado potato beetle (Leptinotarsa decemlineata) larvae Many agricultural, forestry, and household insect pests are beetles. These include the following: * The Colorado potato beetle, Leptinotarsa decemlineata, is a notorious pest of potato plants. Crops are destroyed and the beetle can only be treated by employing expensive pesticides, many of which it has begun to develop resistance to. As well as potatoes, suitable hosts can be a number of plants from the potato family (Solanaceae), such as nightshade, tomato, aubergine and capsicum. * The boll weevil, Anthonomus grandis, has cost cotton producers in the United States billions of dollars since it first entered that country. * The bark beetles Hylurgopinus rufipes and Scolytus multistriatus, the elm leaf beetle, Pyrrhalta luteola, and other beetles attack elm trees. The bark beetles are important elm pests because they carry Dutch elm disease as they move from infected breeding sites to feed on healthy elm trees. The spread of the fungus by the beetle has led to the devastation of elm trees in many parts of the Northern Hemisphere, notably in Europe and North America. * The death watch beetle, Xestobium rufovillosum, (family Anobiidae) is of considerable importance as a pest of older wooden buildings in Great Britain. It attacks hardwoods such as oak and chestnut, always where some fungal decay has taken or is taking place. It is thought that the actual introduction of the pest into buildings takes place at the time of construction. * Asian long-horned beetle * Citrus long-horned beetle * Western corn rootworm * Coconut hispine beetle or Brontispa longissima gestro feeds on young leaves and damages seedlings and mature coconut palms. On September 27, 2007, Philippines' Metro Manila and 26 provinces were quarantined due to having been infested with this pest (to save the $800-million Philippine coconut industry). Inquirer.net, Beetles infest coconuts in Manila, 26 provinces Coccinella septempunctata, a beneficial beetle * Both the larvae and adults of some ladybirds (family Coccinellidae) are found in aphid colonies. Other lady beetles feed on scale insects and mealybugs. If normal food sources are scarce they may feed on other things, such as small caterpillars, young plant bugs, honeydew and nectar. * Ground beetles (family Carabidae) are common predators of many different insects and other arthropods, including fly eggs, caterpillars, wireworms and others. * Plant-feeding beetles are often important beneficial insects, controlling problem weeds. Some flea beetles of the genus Aphthona feed on leafy spurge, a considerable weed of rangeland in western North America. Some farmers develop beetle banks to foster and provide cover for beneficial beetles. Beetles of the Dermestidae family are often used in taxidermy to clean bones of remaining flesh. Ancient Egyptian scene depicting a scarab beetle Several species of dung beetle, most notably Scarabaeus sacer (often referred to as "scarab"), enjoyed a sacred status among the ancient Egyptians, as the creatures were likened to the major god Khepri. Some scholars suggest that the Egyptians' practice of making mummies was inspired by the brooding process of the beetle. Many thousands of amulets and stamp seals have been excavated that depict the scarab. In many artifacts, the scarab is depicted pushing the sun along its course in the sky, much as scarabs push or roll balls of dung to their brood sites. During and following the New Kingdom, scarab amulets were often placed over the heart of the mummified deceased. Some tribal groups, particularly in tropical parts of the world, use the colourful, iridescent elytra of certain beetles, especially certain Scarabaeidae, in ceremonies and as adornment. Beetle collection at the Melbourne Museum, Australia The study of beetles is called coleopterology, and its practitioners are coleopterists. Coleopterists have formed organisations to facilitate the study of beetles. Among these is The Coleopterists Society, an international organisation based in the United States. Such organisations may have both professionals and amateurs interested in beetles as members. Research in this field is often published in peer-reviewed journals specific to the field of coleopterology, though journals dealing with general entomology also publish many papers on various aspects of beetle biology. Some of the journals specific to beetle research are: The Coleopterist (United Kingdom beetle fauna) The Coleopterists Bulletin (published by The Coleopterists Society) There is a thriving industry in the collection of beetle specimens for amateur and professional collectors. Many coleopterists prefer to collect beetle specimens for themselves, recording detailed information about each specimen and its habitat. Such collections add to the body of knowledge about the Coleoptera. Some countries have established laws governing or prohibiting the collection of certain rare (and often much sought after) species. One such beetle whose collection is illegal or restricted is the American burying beetle, Nicrophorus americanus. * Poul Beckmann, Living Jewels: The Natural Design of Beetles ISBN 3-7913-2528-0 * Arthur V. Evans, Charles Bellamy, and Lisa Charles Watson, An Inordinate Fondness for Beetles ISBN 0-520-22323-3 * Entomological Society of America, Beetle Larvae of the World ISBN 0-643-05506-1 * David Grimaldi, Michael S. Engel, Evolution of the Insects ISBN 0-521-82149-5 * Ross H. Arnett, Jr. and Michael C. Thomas, American Beetles (CRC Press, 2001-2). ISBN 0-8493-1925-0 * K. W. Harde, A Field Guide in Colour to Beetles ISBN 0-7064-1937-5 Pages 7-24 * White, R.E. 1983. Beetles. Houghton Mifflin Company, New York, NY. ISBN 0-395-91089-7 Heteroptera - insect suborder that is superficially similar to beetles - Coleoptera All what do you need to know about coleoptera, collecting and preparation * The Beetle Ring - A group of websites about beetles (Coleoptera). * List of major Beetle collections - worldwide * Entomology - online insect museum, entomology, tips and tricks, how to spread and pin insects, etc. * - Gallery of Central European beetles * Coleoptera from the Tree of Life * Australian borers species * Beetles and coleopterologists Russian site with English version, with information about biology, systematics and paleontology of beetles * North American Beetles from BugGuide * Bibliography on fossil insects * Coleoptera Families of the World * A digital collection of Southeast Asian beetles Related Wikipedia Articles coleopter Hylobius abietis weevil Animal Arthropod Insect Pterygota Neoptera Endopterygota Carolus Linnaeus Systema Naturae Suborder (biology) Adephaga Archostemata Myxophaga Polyphaga subgroups of the order Coleoptera insect species species animal polar region ecosystem plant fungus invertebrate Colorado potato beetle boll weevil coccinellidae aphid scale insect thrips Aristotle cockchafer Trogodendron fasciculatum monophyletic holometabolous prothorax coxa anatomy appendage pronotum insect wing segmentation (biology) exoskeleton elytron sclerite insect flight insect wing ground beetle Curculionidae glowworm Phengodidae Larviform female mouthparts grasshopper mandible (insect) #Defence appendage compound eye whirligig beetle longhorn beetle ocellus vertex (anatomy) antenna (biology) antenna (biology) Acilius sulcatus arthropod leg Dytiscidae Haliplidae Hydrophilidae fossorial clown beetle flea beetle Oxygen invertebrate trachea spiracle hemolymph blood open circulatory system Melolontha melolontha Endopterygota metamorphosis (biology) larva Colorado potato beetle larva Biological life cycle Buprestidae spiracle click beetle darkling beetle click beetle Scarabaeoidea instar ecdysis planidium hypermetamorphosis blister beetle Aleochara pupa imago San Francisco Flamboyant flower beetle burying beetle Spermatozoon fertilisation Scarabaeidae leaf roller Brachinus bombardier beetle parasitoid camouflage mimicry leaf beetle weevil longhorn beetle wasp Coccinellidae blister beetle aposematism ground beetle Mandible (insect) bombardier beetle Ground beetle rove beetle arthropod dung coprophagous dung beetle necrophagous carrion beetle clown beetle coxa Ross H. Arnett, Jr. Michael C. Thomas American Beetles CRC Press Boca Raton, Florida whirligig beetle Sphaerius Myxophaga fossil Permian Polyphaga rove beetle scarabaeidae blister beetle stag beetle Curculionidae sclerite Adephaga ground beetle Dytiscidae whirligig beetle testes exoskeleton coxa Archostemata reticulated beetle telephone-pole beetle Myxophaga Hydroscaphidae Sphaerius Triassic phylogenetics sister group Linnaean taxonomy Colorado potato beetle Colorado potato beetle potato pesticide pesticide resistance Solanaceae nightshade tomato aubergine capsicum boll weevil United States bark beetle elm leaf beetle elm Dutch elm disease Northern Hemisphere Europe North America death watch beetle Anobiidae Great Britain hardwood oak chestnut Asian long-horned beetle Citrus long-horned beetle Western corn rootworm Coconut leaves seedlings coconut palms September 27 Philippines Metro Manila provinces quarantined pest coconut industry Coccinella septempunctata ladybirds Coccinellidae aphid scale insect mealybug honeydew nectar Ground beetle caterpillar Aphthona leafy spurge beetle bank Dermestidae taxidermy Dung beetle Scarabaeus sacer Ancient Egyptian Khepri Mummy New Kingdom Elytron Melbourne Museum coleopterology list of coleopterists The Coleopterists Society international organisation scientific journal The Coleopterist The Coleopterists Bulletin Nicrophorus americanus Entomological Society of America David Grimaldi Michael S. Engel Ross H. Arnett, Jr. Michael C. Thomas American Beetles Heteroptera
beetle	Which defense mechanism uses colour or shape to deceive potential enemies?	mimicry	data/set1/a8	beetle Beetles are a group of insects which have the largest number of species. They are placed in the order Coleoptera,which means "sheathed wing" and contains more described species than in any other order in the animal kingdom, constituting about twenty-five percent of all known life-forms. James K. Liebherr and Joseph V. McHugh in Resh, V. H. & R. T. CardÃ© (Editors) 2003. Encyclopedia of Insects. Academic Press. Forty percent of all described insect species are beetles (about 350,000 species ), and new species are frequently discovered. Estimates put the total number of species, described and undescribed, at between 5 and 8 million. Beetles can be found in almost all habitats, but are not known to occur in the sea or in the polar regions. They interact with their ecosystems in several ways. They often feed on plants and fungi, break down animal and plant debris, and eat other invertebrates. Some species are prey of various animals including birds and mammals. Certain species are agricultural pests, such as the Colorado potato beetle Leptinotarsa decemlineata, the boll weevil Anthonomus grandis, the red flour beetle Tribolium castaneum, and the mungbean or cowpea beetle Callosobruchus maculatus, while other species of beetles are important controls of agricultural pests. For example, coccinellidae ("ladybirds" or "ladybugs") consume aphids, scale insects, thrips, and other plant-sucking insects that damage crops. The name "Coleoptera" was given by Aristotle for the hardened shield like forewings (coleo = shield + ptera = wing). A cockchafer with its elytra raised, exposing the membranous flight wings, where the veins are visible Trogodendron fasciculatum, a clerid beetle with bright yellow antennae Other characters of this group which are believed to be monophyletic include a holometabolous life cycle; having a prothorax that is distinct from and freely articulating with the mesothorax; the meso- and meta-thoracic segments fusing to form a pterothorax; a depressed body shape with the legs on the ventral surface; the coxae of legs recessed into cavities formed by heavily sclerotized thoracic sclerites; the abdominal sternites more sclerotized than the tergites; antennae with 11 or fewer segments; and terminal genitalic appendages retracted into the abdomen and invisible at rest. The general anatomy of beetles is quite uniform, although specific organs and appendages may vary greatly in appearance and function between the many families in the order. Like all insects, beetles' bodies are divided into three sections: the head, the thorax, and the abdomen. When viewed from below, the thorax is that part from which all three pairs of legs and both pairs of wings arise. The abdomen is everything posterior to the thorax. When viewed from above, most beetles appear to have three clear sections, but this is deceptive: on the beetle's upper surface, the middle "section" is a hard plate called the pronotum, which is only the front part of the thorax; the back part of the thorax is concealed by the beetle's wings. Like all arthropods, beetles are segmented organisms, and all three of the major sections of the body are themselves composed of several further segments, although these are not always readily discernible. This further segmentation is usually best seen on the abdomen. Beetles are generally characterised by a particularly hard exoskeleton and hard forewings (elytra). The beetle's exoskeleton is made up of numerous plates called sclerites, separated by thin sutures. This design creates the armoured defences of the beetle while maintaining flexibility. The elytra are not used for flight, but tend to cover the hind part of the body and protect the second pair of wings (alae). The elytra must be raised in order to move the hind flight wings. A beetle's flight wings are crossed with veins and are folded after landing, often along these veins, and are stored below the elytra. In some beetles, the ability to fly has been lost. These include the ground beetles (family Carabidae) and some "true weevils" (family Curculionidae), but also some desert and cave-dwelling species of other families. Many of these species have the two elytra fused together, forming a solid shield over the abdomen. In a few families, both the ability to fly and the elytra have been lost, with the best known example being the glow-worms of the family Phengodidae, in which the females are larviform throughout their lives. Beetles have mouthparts similar to those of grasshoppers. Of these parts, the most commonly known are probably the mandibles, which appear as large pincers on the front of some beetles. The mandibles are a pair of hard, often tooth-like structures that move horizontally to grasp, crush, or cut food or enemies (see defence, below). Two pairs of finger-like appendages are found around the mouth in most beetles, serving to move food into the mouth. These are the maxillary and labial palpi. The eyes are compound and may display remarkable adaptability, as in the case of whirligig beetles (family Gyrinidae), in which the eyes are split to allow a view both above and below the waterline. Other species also have divided eyes â some longhorn beetles (family Cerambycidae) and weevils â while many beetles have eyes that are notched to some degree. A few beetle genera also possess ocelli, which are small, simple eyes usually situated farther back on the head (on the vertex). Beetles' antennae are primarily organs of smell, but may also be used to feel out a beetle's environment physically. They may also be used in some families during mating, or among a few beetles for defence. Antennae vary greatly in form within the Coleoptera, but are often similar within any given family. In some cases, males and females of the same species will have different antennal forms. Antennae may be clavate (flabellate and lamellate are sub-forms of clavate, or clubbed antennae), filiform, geniculate, moniliform, pectinate, or serrate. For images of these antennal forms see antenna (biology). Acilius sulcatus, a diving beetle showing hind legs adapted for life in water The legs, which are multi-segmented, end in two to five small segments called tarsi. Like many other insect orders beetles bear claws, usually one pair, on the end of the last tarsal segment of each leg. While most beetles use their legs for walking, legs may be variously modified and adapted for other uses. Among aquatic families â Dytiscidae, Haliplidae, many species of Hydrophilidae and others â the legs, most notably the last pair, are modified for swimming and often bear rows of long hairs to aid this purpose. Other beetles have fossorial legs that are widened and often spined for digging. Species with such adaptations are found among the scarabs, ground beetles, and clown beetles (family Histeridae). The hind legs of some beetles, such as flea beetles (within Chrysomelidae) and flea weevils (within Curculionidae), are enlarged and designed for jumping. Oxygen is obtained via a tracheal system. Air enters a series of tubes along the body through openings called spiracles, and is then taken into increasingly finer fibres. Pumping movements of the body force the air through the system. Beetles have haemolymph instead of blood, and the open circulatory system of the beetle is powered by a tube-like heart attached to the top inside of the thorax. Scarabaeiform larva of the cockchafer, Melolontha melolontha Beetles are endopterygotes with complete metamorphosis. A single female may lay from several dozen to several thousand eggs during her lifetime. Eggs are usually laid according to the substrate the larva will feed on upon hatching. Among others, they can be laid loose in the substrate (e.g. flour beetle), laid in clumps on leaves (e.g. Colorado potato beetle), or individually attached (e.g. mungbean beetle and other seed borers) or buried in the medium (e.g. carrot weevil). The larva is usually the principal feeding stage of the beetle life cycle. Larvae tend to feed voraciously once they emerge from their eggs. Some feed externally on plants, such as those of certain leaf beetles, while others feed within their food sources. Examples of internal feeders are most Buprestidae and longhorn beetles. The larvae of many beetle families are predatory like the adults (ground beetles, ladybirds, rove beetles). The larval period varies between species but can be as long as several years. Beetle larvae can be differentiated from other insect larvae by their hardened, often darkened head, the presence of chewing mouthparts, and spiracles along the sides of the body. Like adult beetles, the larvae are varied in appearance, particularly between beetle families. Beetles whose larvae are somewhat flattened and are highly mobile are the ground beetles, some rove beetles, and others; their larvae are described as campodeiform. Some beetle larvae resemble hardened worms with dark head capsules and minute legs. These are elateriform larvae, and are found in the click beetle (Elateridae) and darkling beetle (Tenebrionidae) families. Some elateriform larvae of click beetles are known as wireworms. Beetles in the families of the Scarabaeoidea have short, thick larvae described as scarabaeiform, but more commonly known as grubs. All beetle larvae go through several instars, which are the developmental stages between each moult. In many species the larvae simply increase in size with each successive instar as more food is consumed. In some cases, however, more dramatic changes occur. Among certain beetle families or genera, particularly those that exhibit parasitic lifestyles, the first instar (the planidium) is highly mobile in order to search out a host, while the following instars are more sedentary and remain on or within their host. This is known as hypermetamorphosis; examples include the blister beetles (family Meloidae) and some rove beetles, particularly those of the genus Aleochara. As with all endopterygotes, beetle larvae pupate, and from this pupa emerges a fully formed, sexually mature adult beetle, or imago. Adults have an extremely variable lifespan, from weeks to years, depending on the species. Beetles mating in San Francisco Flamboyant flower beetle, Eudicella gralli, from the forests of Central Africa. The iridescent elytra are used in marriage ceremonies. Beetles may display extremely intricate behaviour when mating. Smell is thought to be important in the location of a mate. Conflict can play a part in the mating rituals of species such as burying beetles (genus Nicrophorus) where conflicts between males and females rage until only one of each is left, thus ensuring reproduction by the strongest and fittest. Many beetles are territorial and will fiercely defend their small patch of territory from intruding males. Pairing is generally short but in some cases will last for several hours. During pairing sperm cells are transferred to the female to fertilise the egg. Parental care varies between species, ranging from the simple laying of eggs under a leaf to certain scarab beetles, which construct underground structures complete with a supply of dung to house and feed their young. Other beetles are leaf rollers, biting sections of leaves to cause them to curl inwards, then laying their eggs, thus protected, inside. Brachinus sp., a bombardier beetle Beetles and their larvae have a variety of strategies to avoid being attacked by predators or parasitoids. These include camouflage, mimicry, toxicity, and active defence. Camouflage involves the use of colouration or shape to blend into the surrounding environment. Among those that exhibit this defensive strategy are some of the leaf beetles (family Chysomelidae), having green colouring very similar to their habitat on plant leaves. More complex camouflage also occurs, as with some weevils, where various coloured scales or hairs cause the beetle to resemble bird dung. Another defence that often uses colour or shape to deceive potential enemies is mimicry. A number of longhorn beetles (family Cerambycidae) bear a striking resemblance to wasps, which fools predators into keeping their distance even though the beetles are in fact harmless. This defence can be found to a lesser extent in other beetle families, such as the scarab beetles. Beetles may combine their colour mimicry with behavioural mimicry, acting like the wasps they already closely resemble. Many beetle species, including ladybirds and blister beetles, can secrete distasteful or toxic substances to make them unpalatable or even poisonous. These same species often exhibit aposematism, where bright or contrasting colour patterns warn away potential predators. Large ground beetles and longhorn beetles may go on the attack, using their strong mandibles to forcibly persuade a predator to seek out easier prey. Others, such as bombardier beetles (within Carabidae) spray acidic gas from their abdomen to repel predators. Besides being abundant and varied, the Coleoptera are able to exploit the wide diversity of food sources available in their many habitats. Some are generalists, eating both plants and animals. Other beetles are highly specialised in their diet. Many species of leaf beetles, longhorn beetles, and weevils are very host specific, feeding on only a single species of plant. Ground beetles and rove beetles (family Staphylinidae), among others, are primarily carnivorous and will catch and consume many other arthropods and small prey such as earthworms and snails. While most predatory beetles are generalists, a few species have more specific prey requirements or preferences. Decaying organic matter is a primary diet for many species. This can range from dung, which is consumed by coprophagous species such as certain scarab beetles (family Scarabaeidae), to dead animals, which are eaten by necrophagous species such as the carrion beetles (family Silphidae). Some of the beetles found within dung and carrion are in fact predatory, such as the clown beetles, preying on the larvae of coprophagous and necrophagous insects. Aquatic beetles use several techniques for retaining air beneath the water's surface. Beetles of the family Dytiscidae hold air between the abdomen and the elytra when diving. Hydrophilidae have hairs on their under surface that retain a layer of air against their bodies. Adult crawling water beetles use both their elytra and their hind coxae (the basal segment of the back legs) in air retention while whirligig beetles simply carry an air bubble down with them whenever they dive. Sphaerius acaroides, a member of the small suborder Myxophaga While some authorities believe modern beetles began about 140 million years ago, research announced in 2007 showed that beetles may have entered the fossil record during the Lower Permian, about 265 to 300 million years ago. Modern Beetles Predate Dinosaurs, Dave Mosher, LiveScience.com, 26 December 2007. The four extant suborders of beetle are these: * Polyphaga is the largest suborder, containing more than 300,000 described species in more than 170 families, including rove beetles (Staphylinidae), scarab beetles (Scarabaeidae), blister beetles (Meloidae), stag beetles (Lucanidae) and true weevils (Curculionidae). These beetles can be identified by the cervical sclerites (hardened parts of the head used as points of attachment for muscles) absent in the other suborders. * Adephaga contains about 10 families of largely predatory beetles, includes ground beetles (Carabidae), Dytiscidae and whirligig beetles (Gyrinidae). In these beetles the testes are tubular and the first abdominal sternum (a plate of the exoskeleton) is divided by the hind coxae (the basal joints of the beetle's legs). * Archostemata contains four families of mainly wood-eating beetles, including reticulated beetles (Cupedidae) and the telephone-pole beetle. * Myxophaga contains about 100 described species in four families, mostly very small, including Hydroscaphidae and the genus Sphaerius. These suborders diverged in the Permian and Triassic. Their phylogenetic relationship is uncertain, with the most popular hypothesis being that Polyphaga and Myxophaga are most closely related, with Adephaga as the sister group to those two, and Archostemata as sister to the other three collectively. There are about 350,000 species of beetles. Such a large number of species poses special problems for classification, with some families consisting of thousands of species and needing further division into subfamilies and tribes. Colorado potato beetle (Leptinotarsa decemlineata) larvae Many agricultural, forestry, and household insect pests are beetles. These include the following: * The Colorado potato beetle, Leptinotarsa decemlineata, is a notorious pest of potato plants. Crops are destroyed and the beetle can only be treated by employing expensive pesticides, many of which it has begun to develop resistance to. As well as potatoes, suitable hosts can be a number of plants from the potato family (Solanaceae), such as nightshade, tomato, aubergine and capsicum. * The boll weevil, Anthonomus grandis, has cost cotton producers in the United States billions of dollars since it first entered that country. * The bark beetles Hylurgopinus rufipes and Scolytus multistriatus, the elm leaf beetle, Pyrrhalta luteola, and other beetles attack elm trees. The bark beetles are important elm pests because they carry Dutch elm disease as they move from infected breeding sites to feed on healthy elm trees. The spread of the fungus by the beetle has led to the devastation of elm trees in many parts of the Northern Hemisphere, notably in Europe and North America. * The death watch beetle, Xestobium rufovillosum, (family Anobiidae) is of considerable importance as a pest of older wooden buildings in Great Britain. It attacks hardwoods such as oak and chestnut, always where some fungal decay has taken or is taking place. It is thought that the actual introduction of the pest into buildings takes place at the time of construction. * Asian long-horned beetle * Citrus long-horned beetle * Western corn rootworm * Coconut hispine beetle or Brontispa longissima gestro feeds on young leaves and damages seedlings and mature coconut palms. On September 27, 2007, Philippines' Metro Manila and 26 provinces were quarantined due to having been infested with this pest (to save the $800-million Philippine coconut industry). Inquirer.net, Beetles infest coconuts in Manila, 26 provinces Coccinella septempunctata, a beneficial beetle * Both the larvae and adults of some ladybirds (family Coccinellidae) are found in aphid colonies. Other lady beetles feed on scale insects and mealybugs. If normal food sources are scarce they may feed on other things, such as small caterpillars, young plant bugs, honeydew and nectar. * Ground beetles (family Carabidae) are common predators of many different insects and other arthropods, including fly eggs, caterpillars, wireworms and others. * Plant-feeding beetles are often important beneficial insects, controlling problem weeds. Some flea beetles of the genus Aphthona feed on leafy spurge, a considerable weed of rangeland in western North America. Some farmers develop beetle banks to foster and provide cover for beneficial beetles. Beetles of the Dermestidae family are often used in taxidermy to clean bones of remaining flesh. Ancient Egyptian scene depicting a scarab beetle Several species of dung beetle, most notably Scarabaeus sacer (often referred to as "scarab"), enjoyed a sacred status among the ancient Egyptians, as the creatures were likened to the major god Khepri. Some scholars suggest that the Egyptians' practice of making mummies was inspired by the brooding process of the beetle. Many thousands of amulets and stamp seals have been excavated that depict the scarab. In many artifacts, the scarab is depicted pushing the sun along its course in the sky, much as scarabs push or roll balls of dung to their brood sites. During and following the New Kingdom, scarab amulets were often placed over the heart of the mummified deceased. Some tribal groups, particularly in tropical parts of the world, use the colourful, iridescent elytra of certain beetles, especially certain Scarabaeidae, in ceremonies and as adornment. Beetle collection at the Melbourne Museum, Australia The study of beetles is called coleopterology, and its practitioners are coleopterists. Coleopterists have formed organisations to facilitate the study of beetles. Among these is The Coleopterists Society, an international organisation based in the United States. Such organisations may have both professionals and amateurs interested in beetles as members. Research in this field is often published in peer-reviewed journals specific to the field of coleopterology, though journals dealing with general entomology also publish many papers on various aspects of beetle biology. Some of the journals specific to beetle research are: The Coleopterist (United Kingdom beetle fauna) The Coleopterists Bulletin (published by The Coleopterists Society) There is a thriving industry in the collection of beetle specimens for amateur and professional collectors. Many coleopterists prefer to collect beetle specimens for themselves, recording detailed information about each specimen and its habitat. Such collections add to the body of knowledge about the Coleoptera. Some countries have established laws governing or prohibiting the collection of certain rare (and often much sought after) species. One such beetle whose collection is illegal or restricted is the American burying beetle, Nicrophorus americanus. * Poul Beckmann, Living Jewels: The Natural Design of Beetles ISBN 3-7913-2528-0 * Arthur V. Evans, Charles Bellamy, and Lisa Charles Watson, An Inordinate Fondness for Beetles ISBN 0-520-22323-3 * Entomological Society of America, Beetle Larvae of the World ISBN 0-643-05506-1 * David Grimaldi, Michael S. Engel, Evolution of the Insects ISBN 0-521-82149-5 * Ross H. Arnett, Jr. and Michael C. Thomas, American Beetles (CRC Press, 2001-2). ISBN 0-8493-1925-0 * K. W. Harde, A Field Guide in Colour to Beetles ISBN 0-7064-1937-5 Pages 7-24 * White, R.E. 1983. Beetles. Houghton Mifflin Company, New York, NY. ISBN 0-395-91089-7 Heteroptera - insect suborder that is superficially similar to beetles - Coleoptera All what do you need to know about coleoptera, collecting and preparation * The Beetle Ring - A group of websites about beetles (Coleoptera). * List of major Beetle collections - worldwide * Entomology - online insect museum, entomology, tips and tricks, how to spread and pin insects, etc. * - Gallery of Central European beetles * Coleoptera from the Tree of Life * Australian borers species * Beetles and coleopterologists Russian site with English version, with information about biology, systematics and paleontology of beetles * North American Beetles from BugGuide * Bibliography on fossil insects * Coleoptera Families of the World * A digital collection of Southeast Asian beetles Related Wikipedia Articles coleopter Hylobius abietis weevil Animal Arthropod Insect Pterygota Neoptera Endopterygota Carolus Linnaeus Systema Naturae Suborder (biology) Adephaga Archostemata Myxophaga Polyphaga subgroups of the order Coleoptera insect species species animal polar region ecosystem plant fungus invertebrate Colorado potato beetle boll weevil coccinellidae aphid scale insect thrips Aristotle cockchafer Trogodendron fasciculatum monophyletic holometabolous prothorax coxa anatomy appendage pronotum insect wing segmentation (biology) exoskeleton elytron sclerite insect flight insect wing ground beetle Curculionidae glowworm Phengodidae Larviform female mouthparts grasshopper mandible (insect) #Defence appendage compound eye whirligig beetle longhorn beetle ocellus vertex (anatomy) antenna (biology) antenna (biology) Acilius sulcatus arthropod leg Dytiscidae Haliplidae Hydrophilidae fossorial clown beetle flea beetle Oxygen invertebrate trachea spiracle hemolymph blood open circulatory system Melolontha melolontha Endopterygota metamorphosis (biology) larva Colorado potato beetle larva Biological life cycle Buprestidae spiracle click beetle darkling beetle click beetle Scarabaeoidea instar ecdysis planidium hypermetamorphosis blister beetle Aleochara pupa imago San Francisco Flamboyant flower beetle burying beetle Spermatozoon fertilisation Scarabaeidae leaf roller Brachinus bombardier beetle parasitoid camouflage mimicry leaf beetle weevil longhorn beetle wasp Coccinellidae blister beetle aposematism ground beetle Mandible (insect) bombardier beetle Ground beetle rove beetle arthropod dung coprophagous dung beetle necrophagous carrion beetle clown beetle coxa Ross H. Arnett, Jr. Michael C. Thomas American Beetles CRC Press Boca Raton, Florida whirligig beetle Sphaerius Myxophaga fossil Permian Polyphaga rove beetle scarabaeidae blister beetle stag beetle Curculionidae sclerite Adephaga ground beetle Dytiscidae whirligig beetle testes exoskeleton coxa Archostemata reticulated beetle telephone-pole beetle Myxophaga Hydroscaphidae Sphaerius Triassic phylogenetics sister group Linnaean taxonomy Colorado potato beetle Colorado potato beetle potato pesticide pesticide resistance Solanaceae nightshade tomato aubergine capsicum boll weevil United States bark beetle elm leaf beetle elm Dutch elm disease Northern Hemisphere Europe North America death watch beetle Anobiidae Great Britain hardwood oak chestnut Asian long-horned beetle Citrus long-horned beetle Western corn rootworm Coconut leaves seedlings coconut palms September 27 Philippines Metro Manila provinces quarantined pest coconut industry Coccinella septempunctata ladybirds Coccinellidae aphid scale insect mealybug honeydew nectar Ground beetle caterpillar Aphthona leafy spurge beetle bank Dermestidae taxidermy Dung beetle Scarabaeus sacer Ancient Egyptian Khepri Mummy New Kingdom Elytron Melbourne Museum coleopterology list of coleopterists The Coleopterists Society international organisation scientific journal The Coleopterist The Coleopterists Bulletin Nicrophorus americanus Entomological Society of America David Grimaldi Michael S. Engel Ross H. Arnett, Jr. Michael C. Thomas American Beetles Heteroptera
beetle	Which defense mechanism uses colour or shape to deceive potential enemies?	Mimicry	data/set1/a8	beetle Beetles are a group of insects which have the largest number of species. They are placed in the order Coleoptera,which means "sheathed wing" and contains more described species than in any other order in the animal kingdom, constituting about twenty-five percent of all known life-forms. James K. Liebherr and Joseph V. McHugh in Resh, V. H. & R. T. CardÃ© (Editors) 2003. Encyclopedia of Insects. Academic Press. Forty percent of all described insect species are beetles (about 350,000 species ), and new species are frequently discovered. Estimates put the total number of species, described and undescribed, at between 5 and 8 million. Beetles can be found in almost all habitats, but are not known to occur in the sea or in the polar regions. They interact with their ecosystems in several ways. They often feed on plants and fungi, break down animal and plant debris, and eat other invertebrates. Some species are prey of various animals including birds and mammals. Certain species are agricultural pests, such as the Colorado potato beetle Leptinotarsa decemlineata, the boll weevil Anthonomus grandis, the red flour beetle Tribolium castaneum, and the mungbean or cowpea beetle Callosobruchus maculatus, while other species of beetles are important controls of agricultural pests. For example, coccinellidae ("ladybirds" or "ladybugs") consume aphids, scale insects, thrips, and other plant-sucking insects that damage crops. The name "Coleoptera" was given by Aristotle for the hardened shield like forewings (coleo = shield + ptera = wing). A cockchafer with its elytra raised, exposing the membranous flight wings, where the veins are visible Trogodendron fasciculatum, a clerid beetle with bright yellow antennae Other characters of this group which are believed to be monophyletic include a holometabolous life cycle; having a prothorax that is distinct from and freely articulating with the mesothorax; the meso- and meta-thoracic segments fusing to form a pterothorax; a depressed body shape with the legs on the ventral surface; the coxae of legs recessed into cavities formed by heavily sclerotized thoracic sclerites; the abdominal sternites more sclerotized than the tergites; antennae with 11 or fewer segments; and terminal genitalic appendages retracted into the abdomen and invisible at rest. The general anatomy of beetles is quite uniform, although specific organs and appendages may vary greatly in appearance and function between the many families in the order. Like all insects, beetles' bodies are divided into three sections: the head, the thorax, and the abdomen. When viewed from below, the thorax is that part from which all three pairs of legs and both pairs of wings arise. The abdomen is everything posterior to the thorax. When viewed from above, most beetles appear to have three clear sections, but this is deceptive: on the beetle's upper surface, the middle "section" is a hard plate called the pronotum, which is only the front part of the thorax; the back part of the thorax is concealed by the beetle's wings. Like all arthropods, beetles are segmented organisms, and all three of the major sections of the body are themselves composed of several further segments, although these are not always readily discernible. This further segmentation is usually best seen on the abdomen. Beetles are generally characterised by a particularly hard exoskeleton and hard forewings (elytra). The beetle's exoskeleton is made up of numerous plates called sclerites, separated by thin sutures. This design creates the armoured defences of the beetle while maintaining flexibility. The elytra are not used for flight, but tend to cover the hind part of the body and protect the second pair of wings (alae). The elytra must be raised in order to move the hind flight wings. A beetle's flight wings are crossed with veins and are folded after landing, often along these veins, and are stored below the elytra. In some beetles, the ability to fly has been lost. These include the ground beetles (family Carabidae) and some "true weevils" (family Curculionidae), but also some desert and cave-dwelling species of other families. Many of these species have the two elytra fused together, forming a solid shield over the abdomen. In a few families, both the ability to fly and the elytra have been lost, with the best known example being the glow-worms of the family Phengodidae, in which the females are larviform throughout their lives. Beetles have mouthparts similar to those of grasshoppers. Of these parts, the most commonly known are probably the mandibles, which appear as large pincers on the front of some beetles. The mandibles are a pair of hard, often tooth-like structures that move horizontally to grasp, crush, or cut food or enemies (see defence, below). Two pairs of finger-like appendages are found around the mouth in most beetles, serving to move food into the mouth. These are the maxillary and labial palpi. The eyes are compound and may display remarkable adaptability, as in the case of whirligig beetles (family Gyrinidae), in which the eyes are split to allow a view both above and below the waterline. Other species also have divided eyes â some longhorn beetles (family Cerambycidae) and weevils â while many beetles have eyes that are notched to some degree. A few beetle genera also possess ocelli, which are small, simple eyes usually situated farther back on the head (on the vertex). Beetles' antennae are primarily organs of smell, but may also be used to feel out a beetle's environment physically. They may also be used in some families during mating, or among a few beetles for defence. Antennae vary greatly in form within the Coleoptera, but are often similar within any given family. In some cases, males and females of the same species will have different antennal forms. Antennae may be clavate (flabellate and lamellate are sub-forms of clavate, or clubbed antennae), filiform, geniculate, moniliform, pectinate, or serrate. For images of these antennal forms see antenna (biology). Acilius sulcatus, a diving beetle showing hind legs adapted for life in water The legs, which are multi-segmented, end in two to five small segments called tarsi. Like many other insect orders beetles bear claws, usually one pair, on the end of the last tarsal segment of each leg. While most beetles use their legs for walking, legs may be variously modified and adapted for other uses. Among aquatic families â Dytiscidae, Haliplidae, many species of Hydrophilidae and others â the legs, most notably the last pair, are modified for swimming and often bear rows of long hairs to aid this purpose. Other beetles have fossorial legs that are widened and often spined for digging. Species with such adaptations are found among the scarabs, ground beetles, and clown beetles (family Histeridae). The hind legs of some beetles, such as flea beetles (within Chrysomelidae) and flea weevils (within Curculionidae), are enlarged and designed for jumping. Oxygen is obtained via a tracheal system. Air enters a series of tubes along the body through openings called spiracles, and is then taken into increasingly finer fibres. Pumping movements of the body force the air through the system. Beetles have haemolymph instead of blood, and the open circulatory system of the beetle is powered by a tube-like heart attached to the top inside of the thorax. Scarabaeiform larva of the cockchafer, Melolontha melolontha Beetles are endopterygotes with complete metamorphosis. A single female may lay from several dozen to several thousand eggs during her lifetime. Eggs are usually laid according to the substrate the larva will feed on upon hatching. Among others, they can be laid loose in the substrate (e.g. flour beetle), laid in clumps on leaves (e.g. Colorado potato beetle), or individually attached (e.g. mungbean beetle and other seed borers) or buried in the medium (e.g. carrot weevil). The larva is usually the principal feeding stage of the beetle life cycle. Larvae tend to feed voraciously once they emerge from their eggs. Some feed externally on plants, such as those of certain leaf beetles, while others feed within their food sources. Examples of internal feeders are most Buprestidae and longhorn beetles. The larvae of many beetle families are predatory like the adults (ground beetles, ladybirds, rove beetles). The larval period varies between species but can be as long as several years. Beetle larvae can be differentiated from other insect larvae by their hardened, often darkened head, the presence of chewing mouthparts, and spiracles along the sides of the body. Like adult beetles, the larvae are varied in appearance, particularly between beetle families. Beetles whose larvae are somewhat flattened and are highly mobile are the ground beetles, some rove beetles, and others; their larvae are described as campodeiform. Some beetle larvae resemble hardened worms with dark head capsules and minute legs. These are elateriform larvae, and are found in the click beetle (Elateridae) and darkling beetle (Tenebrionidae) families. Some elateriform larvae of click beetles are known as wireworms. Beetles in the families of the Scarabaeoidea have short, thick larvae described as scarabaeiform, but more commonly known as grubs. All beetle larvae go through several instars, which are the developmental stages between each moult. In many species the larvae simply increase in size with each successive instar as more food is consumed. In some cases, however, more dramatic changes occur. Among certain beetle families or genera, particularly those that exhibit parasitic lifestyles, the first instar (the planidium) is highly mobile in order to search out a host, while the following instars are more sedentary and remain on or within their host. This is known as hypermetamorphosis; examples include the blister beetles (family Meloidae) and some rove beetles, particularly those of the genus Aleochara. As with all endopterygotes, beetle larvae pupate, and from this pupa emerges a fully formed, sexually mature adult beetle, or imago. Adults have an extremely variable lifespan, from weeks to years, depending on the species. Beetles mating in San Francisco Flamboyant flower beetle, Eudicella gralli, from the forests of Central Africa. The iridescent elytra are used in marriage ceremonies. Beetles may display extremely intricate behaviour when mating. Smell is thought to be important in the location of a mate. Conflict can play a part in the mating rituals of species such as burying beetles (genus Nicrophorus) where conflicts between males and females rage until only one of each is left, thus ensuring reproduction by the strongest and fittest. Many beetles are territorial and will fiercely defend their small patch of territory from intruding males. Pairing is generally short but in some cases will last for several hours. During pairing sperm cells are transferred to the female to fertilise the egg. Parental care varies between species, ranging from the simple laying of eggs under a leaf to certain scarab beetles, which construct underground structures complete with a supply of dung to house and feed their young. Other beetles are leaf rollers, biting sections of leaves to cause them to curl inwards, then laying their eggs, thus protected, inside. Brachinus sp., a bombardier beetle Beetles and their larvae have a variety of strategies to avoid being attacked by predators or parasitoids. These include camouflage, mimicry, toxicity, and active defence. Camouflage involves the use of colouration or shape to blend into the surrounding environment. Among those that exhibit this defensive strategy are some of the leaf beetles (family Chysomelidae), having green colouring very similar to their habitat on plant leaves. More complex camouflage also occurs, as with some weevils, where various coloured scales or hairs cause the beetle to resemble bird dung. Another defence that often uses colour or shape to deceive potential enemies is mimicry. A number of longhorn beetles (family Cerambycidae) bear a striking resemblance to wasps, which fools predators into keeping their distance even though the beetles are in fact harmless. This defence can be found to a lesser extent in other beetle families, such as the scarab beetles. Beetles may combine their colour mimicry with behavioural mimicry, acting like the wasps they already closely resemble. Many beetle species, including ladybirds and blister beetles, can secrete distasteful or toxic substances to make them unpalatable or even poisonous. These same species often exhibit aposematism, where bright or contrasting colour patterns warn away potential predators. Large ground beetles and longhorn beetles may go on the attack, using their strong mandibles to forcibly persuade a predator to seek out easier prey. Others, such as bombardier beetles (within Carabidae) spray acidic gas from their abdomen to repel predators. Besides being abundant and varied, the Coleoptera are able to exploit the wide diversity of food sources available in their many habitats. Some are generalists, eating both plants and animals. Other beetles are highly specialised in their diet. Many species of leaf beetles, longhorn beetles, and weevils are very host specific, feeding on only a single species of plant. Ground beetles and rove beetles (family Staphylinidae), among others, are primarily carnivorous and will catch and consume many other arthropods and small prey such as earthworms and snails. While most predatory beetles are generalists, a few species have more specific prey requirements or preferences. Decaying organic matter is a primary diet for many species. This can range from dung, which is consumed by coprophagous species such as certain scarab beetles (family Scarabaeidae), to dead animals, which are eaten by necrophagous species such as the carrion beetles (family Silphidae). Some of the beetles found within dung and carrion are in fact predatory, such as the clown beetles, preying on the larvae of coprophagous and necrophagous insects. Aquatic beetles use several techniques for retaining air beneath the water's surface. Beetles of the family Dytiscidae hold air between the abdomen and the elytra when diving. Hydrophilidae have hairs on their under surface that retain a layer of air against their bodies. Adult crawling water beetles use both their elytra and their hind coxae (the basal segment of the back legs) in air retention while whirligig beetles simply carry an air bubble down with them whenever they dive. Sphaerius acaroides, a member of the small suborder Myxophaga While some authorities believe modern beetles began about 140 million years ago, research announced in 2007 showed that beetles may have entered the fossil record during the Lower Permian, about 265 to 300 million years ago. Modern Beetles Predate Dinosaurs, Dave Mosher, LiveScience.com, 26 December 2007. The four extant suborders of beetle are these: * Polyphaga is the largest suborder, containing more than 300,000 described species in more than 170 families, including rove beetles (Staphylinidae), scarab beetles (Scarabaeidae), blister beetles (Meloidae), stag beetles (Lucanidae) and true weevils (Curculionidae). These beetles can be identified by the cervical sclerites (hardened parts of the head used as points of attachment for muscles) absent in the other suborders. * Adephaga contains about 10 families of largely predatory beetles, includes ground beetles (Carabidae), Dytiscidae and whirligig beetles (Gyrinidae). In these beetles the testes are tubular and the first abdominal sternum (a plate of the exoskeleton) is divided by the hind coxae (the basal joints of the beetle's legs). * Archostemata contains four families of mainly wood-eating beetles, including reticulated beetles (Cupedidae) and the telephone-pole beetle. * Myxophaga contains about 100 described species in four families, mostly very small, including Hydroscaphidae and the genus Sphaerius. These suborders diverged in the Permian and Triassic. Their phylogenetic relationship is uncertain, with the most popular hypothesis being that Polyphaga and Myxophaga are most closely related, with Adephaga as the sister group to those two, and Archostemata as sister to the other three collectively. There are about 350,000 species of beetles. Such a large number of species poses special problems for classification, with some families consisting of thousands of species and needing further division into subfamilies and tribes. Colorado potato beetle (Leptinotarsa decemlineata) larvae Many agricultural, forestry, and household insect pests are beetles. These include the following: * The Colorado potato beetle, Leptinotarsa decemlineata, is a notorious pest of potato plants. Crops are destroyed and the beetle can only be treated by employing expensive pesticides, many of which it has begun to develop resistance to. As well as potatoes, suitable hosts can be a number of plants from the potato family (Solanaceae), such as nightshade, tomato, aubergine and capsicum. * The boll weevil, Anthonomus grandis, has cost cotton producers in the United States billions of dollars since it first entered that country. * The bark beetles Hylurgopinus rufipes and Scolytus multistriatus, the elm leaf beetle, Pyrrhalta luteola, and other beetles attack elm trees. The bark beetles are important elm pests because they carry Dutch elm disease as they move from infected breeding sites to feed on healthy elm trees. The spread of the fungus by the beetle has led to the devastation of elm trees in many parts of the Northern Hemisphere, notably in Europe and North America. * The death watch beetle, Xestobium rufovillosum, (family Anobiidae) is of considerable importance as a pest of older wooden buildings in Great Britain. It attacks hardwoods such as oak and chestnut, always where some fungal decay has taken or is taking place. It is thought that the actual introduction of the pest into buildings takes place at the time of construction. * Asian long-horned beetle * Citrus long-horned beetle * Western corn rootworm * Coconut hispine beetle or Brontispa longissima gestro feeds on young leaves and damages seedlings and mature coconut palms. On September 27, 2007, Philippines' Metro Manila and 26 provinces were quarantined due to having been infested with this pest (to save the $800-million Philippine coconut industry). Inquirer.net, Beetles infest coconuts in Manila, 26 provinces Coccinella septempunctata, a beneficial beetle * Both the larvae and adults of some ladybirds (family Coccinellidae) are found in aphid colonies. Other lady beetles feed on scale insects and mealybugs. If normal food sources are scarce they may feed on other things, such as small caterpillars, young plant bugs, honeydew and nectar. * Ground beetles (family Carabidae) are common predators of many different insects and other arthropods, including fly eggs, caterpillars, wireworms and others. * Plant-feeding beetles are often important beneficial insects, controlling problem weeds. Some flea beetles of the genus Aphthona feed on leafy spurge, a considerable weed of rangeland in western North America. Some farmers develop beetle banks to foster and provide cover for beneficial beetles. Beetles of the Dermestidae family are often used in taxidermy to clean bones of remaining flesh. Ancient Egyptian scene depicting a scarab beetle Several species of dung beetle, most notably Scarabaeus sacer (often referred to as "scarab"), enjoyed a sacred status among the ancient Egyptians, as the creatures were likened to the major god Khepri. Some scholars suggest that the Egyptians' practice of making mummies was inspired by the brooding process of the beetle. Many thousands of amulets and stamp seals have been excavated that depict the scarab. In many artifacts, the scarab is depicted pushing the sun along its course in the sky, much as scarabs push or roll balls of dung to their brood sites. During and following the New Kingdom, scarab amulets were often placed over the heart of the mummified deceased. Some tribal groups, particularly in tropical parts of the world, use the colourful, iridescent elytra of certain beetles, especially certain Scarabaeidae, in ceremonies and as adornment. Beetle collection at the Melbourne Museum, Australia The study of beetles is called coleopterology, and its practitioners are coleopterists. Coleopterists have formed organisations to facilitate the study of beetles. Among these is The Coleopterists Society, an international organisation based in the United States. Such organisations may have both professionals and amateurs interested in beetles as members. Research in this field is often published in peer-reviewed journals specific to the field of coleopterology, though journals dealing with general entomology also publish many papers on various aspects of beetle biology. Some of the journals specific to beetle research are: The Coleopterist (United Kingdom beetle fauna) The Coleopterists Bulletin (published by The Coleopterists Society) There is a thriving industry in the collection of beetle specimens for amateur and professional collectors. Many coleopterists prefer to collect beetle specimens for themselves, recording detailed information about each specimen and its habitat. Such collections add to the body of knowledge about the Coleoptera. Some countries have established laws governing or prohibiting the collection of certain rare (and often much sought after) species. One such beetle whose collection is illegal or restricted is the American burying beetle, Nicrophorus americanus. * Poul Beckmann, Living Jewels: The Natural Design of Beetles ISBN 3-7913-2528-0 * Arthur V. Evans, Charles Bellamy, and Lisa Charles Watson, An Inordinate Fondness for Beetles ISBN 0-520-22323-3 * Entomological Society of America, Beetle Larvae of the World ISBN 0-643-05506-1 * David Grimaldi, Michael S. Engel, Evolution of the Insects ISBN 0-521-82149-5 * Ross H. Arnett, Jr. and Michael C. Thomas, American Beetles (CRC Press, 2001-2). ISBN 0-8493-1925-0 * K. W. Harde, A Field Guide in Colour to Beetles ISBN 0-7064-1937-5 Pages 7-24 * White, R.E. 1983. Beetles. Houghton Mifflin Company, New York, NY. ISBN 0-395-91089-7 Heteroptera - insect suborder that is superficially similar to beetles - Coleoptera All what do you need to know about coleoptera, collecting and preparation * The Beetle Ring - A group of websites about beetles (Coleoptera). * List of major Beetle collections - worldwide * Entomology - online insect museum, entomology, tips and tricks, how to spread and pin insects, etc. * - Gallery of Central European beetles * Coleoptera from the Tree of Life * Australian borers species * Beetles and coleopterologists Russian site with English version, with information about biology, systematics and paleontology of beetles * North American Beetles from BugGuide * Bibliography on fossil insects * Coleoptera Families of the World * A digital collection of Southeast Asian beetles Related Wikipedia Articles coleopter Hylobius abietis weevil Animal Arthropod Insect Pterygota Neoptera Endopterygota Carolus Linnaeus Systema Naturae Suborder (biology) Adephaga Archostemata Myxophaga Polyphaga subgroups of the order Coleoptera insect species species animal polar region ecosystem plant fungus invertebrate Colorado potato beetle boll weevil coccinellidae aphid scale insect thrips Aristotle cockchafer Trogodendron fasciculatum monophyletic holometabolous prothorax coxa anatomy appendage pronotum insect wing segmentation (biology) exoskeleton elytron sclerite insect flight insect wing ground beetle Curculionidae glowworm Phengodidae Larviform female mouthparts grasshopper mandible (insect) #Defence appendage compound eye whirligig beetle longhorn beetle ocellus vertex (anatomy) antenna (biology) antenna (biology) Acilius sulcatus arthropod leg Dytiscidae Haliplidae Hydrophilidae fossorial clown beetle flea beetle Oxygen invertebrate trachea spiracle hemolymph blood open circulatory system Melolontha melolontha Endopterygota metamorphosis (biology) larva Colorado potato beetle larva Biological life cycle Buprestidae spiracle click beetle darkling beetle click beetle Scarabaeoidea instar ecdysis planidium hypermetamorphosis blister beetle Aleochara pupa imago San Francisco Flamboyant flower beetle burying beetle Spermatozoon fertilisation Scarabaeidae leaf roller Brachinus bombardier beetle parasitoid camouflage mimicry leaf beetle weevil longhorn beetle wasp Coccinellidae blister beetle aposematism ground beetle Mandible (insect) bombardier beetle Ground beetle rove beetle arthropod dung coprophagous dung beetle necrophagous carrion beetle clown beetle coxa Ross H. Arnett, Jr. Michael C. Thomas American Beetles CRC Press Boca Raton, Florida whirligig beetle Sphaerius Myxophaga fossil Permian Polyphaga rove beetle scarabaeidae blister beetle stag beetle Curculionidae sclerite Adephaga ground beetle Dytiscidae whirligig beetle testes exoskeleton coxa Archostemata reticulated beetle telephone-pole beetle Myxophaga Hydroscaphidae Sphaerius Triassic phylogenetics sister group Linnaean taxonomy Colorado potato beetle Colorado potato beetle potato pesticide pesticide resistance Solanaceae nightshade tomato aubergine capsicum boll weevil United States bark beetle elm leaf beetle elm Dutch elm disease Northern Hemisphere Europe North America death watch beetle Anobiidae Great Britain hardwood oak chestnut Asian long-horned beetle Citrus long-horned beetle Western corn rootworm Coconut leaves seedlings coconut palms September 27 Philippines Metro Manila provinces quarantined pest coconut industry Coccinella septempunctata ladybirds Coccinellidae aphid scale insect mealybug honeydew nectar Ground beetle caterpillar Aphthona leafy spurge beetle bank Dermestidae taxidermy Dung beetle Scarabaeus sacer Ancient Egyptian Khepri Mummy New Kingdom Elytron Melbourne Museum coleopterology list of coleopterists The Coleopterists Society international organisation scientific journal The Coleopterist The Coleopterists Bulletin Nicrophorus americanus Entomological Society of America David Grimaldi Michael S. Engel Ross H. Arnett, Jr. Michael C. Thomas American Beetles Heteroptera
beetle	Which type of beetle is a pest of potato plants?	Colorado potato beetle	data/set1/a8	beetle Beetles are a group of insects which have the largest number of species. They are placed in the order Coleoptera,which means "sheathed wing" and contains more described species than in any other order in the animal kingdom, constituting about twenty-five percent of all known life-forms. James K. Liebherr and Joseph V. McHugh in Resh, V. H. & R. T. CardÃ© (Editors) 2003. Encyclopedia of Insects. Academic Press. Forty percent of all described insect species are beetles (about 350,000 species ), and new species are frequently discovered. Estimates put the total number of species, described and undescribed, at between 5 and 8 million. Beetles can be found in almost all habitats, but are not known to occur in the sea or in the polar regions. They interact with their ecosystems in several ways. They often feed on plants and fungi, break down animal and plant debris, and eat other invertebrates. Some species are prey of various animals including birds and mammals. Certain species are agricultural pests, such as the Colorado potato beetle Leptinotarsa decemlineata, the boll weevil Anthonomus grandis, the red flour beetle Tribolium castaneum, and the mungbean or cowpea beetle Callosobruchus maculatus, while other species of beetles are important controls of agricultural pests. For example, coccinellidae ("ladybirds" or "ladybugs") consume aphids, scale insects, thrips, and other plant-sucking insects that damage crops. The name "Coleoptera" was given by Aristotle for the hardened shield like forewings (coleo = shield + ptera = wing). A cockchafer with its elytra raised, exposing the membranous flight wings, where the veins are visible Trogodendron fasciculatum, a clerid beetle with bright yellow antennae Other characters of this group which are believed to be monophyletic include a holometabolous life cycle; having a prothorax that is distinct from and freely articulating with the mesothorax; the meso- and meta-thoracic segments fusing to form a pterothorax; a depressed body shape with the legs on the ventral surface; the coxae of legs recessed into cavities formed by heavily sclerotized thoracic sclerites; the abdominal sternites more sclerotized than the tergites; antennae with 11 or fewer segments; and terminal genitalic appendages retracted into the abdomen and invisible at rest. The general anatomy of beetles is quite uniform, although specific organs and appendages may vary greatly in appearance and function between the many families in the order. Like all insects, beetles' bodies are divided into three sections: the head, the thorax, and the abdomen. When viewed from below, the thorax is that part from which all three pairs of legs and both pairs of wings arise. The abdomen is everything posterior to the thorax. When viewed from above, most beetles appear to have three clear sections, but this is deceptive: on the beetle's upper surface, the middle "section" is a hard plate called the pronotum, which is only the front part of the thorax; the back part of the thorax is concealed by the beetle's wings. Like all arthropods, beetles are segmented organisms, and all three of the major sections of the body are themselves composed of several further segments, although these are not always readily discernible. This further segmentation is usually best seen on the abdomen. Beetles are generally characterised by a particularly hard exoskeleton and hard forewings (elytra). The beetle's exoskeleton is made up of numerous plates called sclerites, separated by thin sutures. This design creates the armoured defences of the beetle while maintaining flexibility. The elytra are not used for flight, but tend to cover the hind part of the body and protect the second pair of wings (alae). The elytra must be raised in order to move the hind flight wings. A beetle's flight wings are crossed with veins and are folded after landing, often along these veins, and are stored below the elytra. In some beetles, the ability to fly has been lost. These include the ground beetles (family Carabidae) and some "true weevils" (family Curculionidae), but also some desert and cave-dwelling species of other families. Many of these species have the two elytra fused together, forming a solid shield over the abdomen. In a few families, both the ability to fly and the elytra have been lost, with the best known example being the glow-worms of the family Phengodidae, in which the females are larviform throughout their lives. Beetles have mouthparts similar to those of grasshoppers. Of these parts, the most commonly known are probably the mandibles, which appear as large pincers on the front of some beetles. The mandibles are a pair of hard, often tooth-like structures that move horizontally to grasp, crush, or cut food or enemies (see defence, below). Two pairs of finger-like appendages are found around the mouth in most beetles, serving to move food into the mouth. These are the maxillary and labial palpi. The eyes are compound and may display remarkable adaptability, as in the case of whirligig beetles (family Gyrinidae), in which the eyes are split to allow a view both above and below the waterline. Other species also have divided eyes â some longhorn beetles (family Cerambycidae) and weevils â while many beetles have eyes that are notched to some degree. A few beetle genera also possess ocelli, which are small, simple eyes usually situated farther back on the head (on the vertex). Beetles' antennae are primarily organs of smell, but may also be used to feel out a beetle's environment physically. They may also be used in some families during mating, or among a few beetles for defence. Antennae vary greatly in form within the Coleoptera, but are often similar within any given family. In some cases, males and females of the same species will have different antennal forms. Antennae may be clavate (flabellate and lamellate are sub-forms of clavate, or clubbed antennae), filiform, geniculate, moniliform, pectinate, or serrate. For images of these antennal forms see antenna (biology). Acilius sulcatus, a diving beetle showing hind legs adapted for life in water The legs, which are multi-segmented, end in two to five small segments called tarsi. Like many other insect orders beetles bear claws, usually one pair, on the end of the last tarsal segment of each leg. While most beetles use their legs for walking, legs may be variously modified and adapted for other uses. Among aquatic families â Dytiscidae, Haliplidae, many species of Hydrophilidae and others â the legs, most notably the last pair, are modified for swimming and often bear rows of long hairs to aid this purpose. Other beetles have fossorial legs that are widened and often spined for digging. Species with such adaptations are found among the scarabs, ground beetles, and clown beetles (family Histeridae). The hind legs of some beetles, such as flea beetles (within Chrysomelidae) and flea weevils (within Curculionidae), are enlarged and designed for jumping. Oxygen is obtained via a tracheal system. Air enters a series of tubes along the body through openings called spiracles, and is then taken into increasingly finer fibres. Pumping movements of the body force the air through the system. Beetles have haemolymph instead of blood, and the open circulatory system of the beetle is powered by a tube-like heart attached to the top inside of the thorax. Scarabaeiform larva of the cockchafer, Melolontha melolontha Beetles are endopterygotes with complete metamorphosis. A single female may lay from several dozen to several thousand eggs during her lifetime. Eggs are usually laid according to the substrate the larva will feed on upon hatching. Among others, they can be laid loose in the substrate (e.g. flour beetle), laid in clumps on leaves (e.g. Colorado potato beetle), or individually attached (e.g. mungbean beetle and other seed borers) or buried in the medium (e.g. carrot weevil). The larva is usually the principal feeding stage of the beetle life cycle. Larvae tend to feed voraciously once they emerge from their eggs. Some feed externally on plants, such as those of certain leaf beetles, while others feed within their food sources. Examples of internal feeders are most Buprestidae and longhorn beetles. The larvae of many beetle families are predatory like the adults (ground beetles, ladybirds, rove beetles). The larval period varies between species but can be as long as several years. Beetle larvae can be differentiated from other insect larvae by their hardened, often darkened head, the presence of chewing mouthparts, and spiracles along the sides of the body. Like adult beetles, the larvae are varied in appearance, particularly between beetle families. Beetles whose larvae are somewhat flattened and are highly mobile are the ground beetles, some rove beetles, and others; their larvae are described as campodeiform. Some beetle larvae resemble hardened worms with dark head capsules and minute legs. These are elateriform larvae, and are found in the click beetle (Elateridae) and darkling beetle (Tenebrionidae) families. Some elateriform larvae of click beetles are known as wireworms. Beetles in the families of the Scarabaeoidea have short, thick larvae described as scarabaeiform, but more commonly known as grubs. All beetle larvae go through several instars, which are the developmental stages between each moult. In many species the larvae simply increase in size with each successive instar as more food is consumed. In some cases, however, more dramatic changes occur. Among certain beetle families or genera, particularly those that exhibit parasitic lifestyles, the first instar (the planidium) is highly mobile in order to search out a host, while the following instars are more sedentary and remain on or within their host. This is known as hypermetamorphosis; examples include the blister beetles (family Meloidae) and some rove beetles, particularly those of the genus Aleochara. As with all endopterygotes, beetle larvae pupate, and from this pupa emerges a fully formed, sexually mature adult beetle, or imago. Adults have an extremely variable lifespan, from weeks to years, depending on the species. Beetles mating in San Francisco Flamboyant flower beetle, Eudicella gralli, from the forests of Central Africa. The iridescent elytra are used in marriage ceremonies. Beetles may display extremely intricate behaviour when mating. Smell is thought to be important in the location of a mate. Conflict can play a part in the mating rituals of species such as burying beetles (genus Nicrophorus) where conflicts between males and females rage until only one of each is left, thus ensuring reproduction by the strongest and fittest. Many beetles are territorial and will fiercely defend their small patch of territory from intruding males. Pairing is generally short but in some cases will last for several hours. During pairing sperm cells are transferred to the female to fertilise the egg. Parental care varies between species, ranging from the simple laying of eggs under a leaf to certain scarab beetles, which construct underground structures complete with a supply of dung to house and feed their young. Other beetles are leaf rollers, biting sections of leaves to cause them to curl inwards, then laying their eggs, thus protected, inside. Brachinus sp., a bombardier beetle Beetles and their larvae have a variety of strategies to avoid being attacked by predators or parasitoids. These include camouflage, mimicry, toxicity, and active defence. Camouflage involves the use of colouration or shape to blend into the surrounding environment. Among those that exhibit this defensive strategy are some of the leaf beetles (family Chysomelidae), having green colouring very similar to their habitat on plant leaves. More complex camouflage also occurs, as with some weevils, where various coloured scales or hairs cause the beetle to resemble bird dung. Another defence that often uses colour or shape to deceive potential enemies is mimicry. A number of longhorn beetles (family Cerambycidae) bear a striking resemblance to wasps, which fools predators into keeping their distance even though the beetles are in fact harmless. This defence can be found to a lesser extent in other beetle families, such as the scarab beetles. Beetles may combine their colour mimicry with behavioural mimicry, acting like the wasps they already closely resemble. Many beetle species, including ladybirds and blister beetles, can secrete distasteful or toxic substances to make them unpalatable or even poisonous. These same species often exhibit aposematism, where bright or contrasting colour patterns warn away potential predators. Large ground beetles and longhorn beetles may go on the attack, using their strong mandibles to forcibly persuade a predator to seek out easier prey. Others, such as bombardier beetles (within Carabidae) spray acidic gas from their abdomen to repel predators. Besides being abundant and varied, the Coleoptera are able to exploit the wide diversity of food sources available in their many habitats. Some are generalists, eating both plants and animals. Other beetles are highly specialised in their diet. Many species of leaf beetles, longhorn beetles, and weevils are very host specific, feeding on only a single species of plant. Ground beetles and rove beetles (family Staphylinidae), among others, are primarily carnivorous and will catch and consume many other arthropods and small prey such as earthworms and snails. While most predatory beetles are generalists, a few species have more specific prey requirements or preferences. Decaying organic matter is a primary diet for many species. This can range from dung, which is consumed by coprophagous species such as certain scarab beetles (family Scarabaeidae), to dead animals, which are eaten by necrophagous species such as the carrion beetles (family Silphidae). Some of the beetles found within dung and carrion are in fact predatory, such as the clown beetles, preying on the larvae of coprophagous and necrophagous insects. Aquatic beetles use several techniques for retaining air beneath the water's surface. Beetles of the family Dytiscidae hold air between the abdomen and the elytra when diving. Hydrophilidae have hairs on their under surface that retain a layer of air against their bodies. Adult crawling water beetles use both their elytra and their hind coxae (the basal segment of the back legs) in air retention while whirligig beetles simply carry an air bubble down with them whenever they dive. Sphaerius acaroides, a member of the small suborder Myxophaga While some authorities believe modern beetles began about 140 million years ago, research announced in 2007 showed that beetles may have entered the fossil record during the Lower Permian, about 265 to 300 million years ago. Modern Beetles Predate Dinosaurs, Dave Mosher, LiveScience.com, 26 December 2007. The four extant suborders of beetle are these: * Polyphaga is the largest suborder, containing more than 300,000 described species in more than 170 families, including rove beetles (Staphylinidae), scarab beetles (Scarabaeidae), blister beetles (Meloidae), stag beetles (Lucanidae) and true weevils (Curculionidae). These beetles can be identified by the cervical sclerites (hardened parts of the head used as points of attachment for muscles) absent in the other suborders. * Adephaga contains about 10 families of largely predatory beetles, includes ground beetles (Carabidae), Dytiscidae and whirligig beetles (Gyrinidae). In these beetles the testes are tubular and the first abdominal sternum (a plate of the exoskeleton) is divided by the hind coxae (the basal joints of the beetle's legs). * Archostemata contains four families of mainly wood-eating beetles, including reticulated beetles (Cupedidae) and the telephone-pole beetle. * Myxophaga contains about 100 described species in four families, mostly very small, including Hydroscaphidae and the genus Sphaerius. These suborders diverged in the Permian and Triassic. Their phylogenetic relationship is uncertain, with the most popular hypothesis being that Polyphaga and Myxophaga are most closely related, with Adephaga as the sister group to those two, and Archostemata as sister to the other three collectively. There are about 350,000 species of beetles. Such a large number of species poses special problems for classification, with some families consisting of thousands of species and needing further division into subfamilies and tribes. Colorado potato beetle (Leptinotarsa decemlineata) larvae Many agricultural, forestry, and household insect pests are beetles. These include the following: * The Colorado potato beetle, Leptinotarsa decemlineata, is a notorious pest of potato plants. Crops are destroyed and the beetle can only be treated by employing expensive pesticides, many of which it has begun to develop resistance to. As well as potatoes, suitable hosts can be a number of plants from the potato family (Solanaceae), such as nightshade, tomato, aubergine and capsicum. * The boll weevil, Anthonomus grandis, has cost cotton producers in the United States billions of dollars since it first entered that country. * The bark beetles Hylurgopinus rufipes and Scolytus multistriatus, the elm leaf beetle, Pyrrhalta luteola, and other beetles attack elm trees. The bark beetles are important elm pests because they carry Dutch elm disease as they move from infected breeding sites to feed on healthy elm trees. The spread of the fungus by the beetle has led to the devastation of elm trees in many parts of the Northern Hemisphere, notably in Europe and North America. * The death watch beetle, Xestobium rufovillosum, (family Anobiidae) is of considerable importance as a pest of older wooden buildings in Great Britain. It attacks hardwoods such as oak and chestnut, always where some fungal decay has taken or is taking place. It is thought that the actual introduction of the pest into buildings takes place at the time of construction. * Asian long-horned beetle * Citrus long-horned beetle * Western corn rootworm * Coconut hispine beetle or Brontispa longissima gestro feeds on young leaves and damages seedlings and mature coconut palms. On September 27, 2007, Philippines' Metro Manila and 26 provinces were quarantined due to having been infested with this pest (to save the $800-million Philippine coconut industry). Inquirer.net, Beetles infest coconuts in Manila, 26 provinces Coccinella septempunctata, a beneficial beetle * Both the larvae and adults of some ladybirds (family Coccinellidae) are found in aphid colonies. Other lady beetles feed on scale insects and mealybugs. If normal food sources are scarce they may feed on other things, such as small caterpillars, young plant bugs, honeydew and nectar. * Ground beetles (family Carabidae) are common predators of many different insects and other arthropods, including fly eggs, caterpillars, wireworms and others. * Plant-feeding beetles are often important beneficial insects, controlling problem weeds. Some flea beetles of the genus Aphthona feed on leafy spurge, a considerable weed of rangeland in western North America. Some farmers develop beetle banks to foster and provide cover for beneficial beetles. Beetles of the Dermestidae family are often used in taxidermy to clean bones of remaining flesh. Ancient Egyptian scene depicting a scarab beetle Several species of dung beetle, most notably Scarabaeus sacer (often referred to as "scarab"), enjoyed a sacred status among the ancient Egyptians, as the creatures were likened to the major god Khepri. Some scholars suggest that the Egyptians' practice of making mummies was inspired by the brooding process of the beetle. Many thousands of amulets and stamp seals have been excavated that depict the scarab. In many artifacts, the scarab is depicted pushing the sun along its course in the sky, much as scarabs push or roll balls of dung to their brood sites. During and following the New Kingdom, scarab amulets were often placed over the heart of the mummified deceased. Some tribal groups, particularly in tropical parts of the world, use the colourful, iridescent elytra of certain beetles, especially certain Scarabaeidae, in ceremonies and as adornment. Beetle collection at the Melbourne Museum, Australia The study of beetles is called coleopterology, and its practitioners are coleopterists. Coleopterists have formed organisations to facilitate the study of beetles. Among these is The Coleopterists Society, an international organisation based in the United States. Such organisations may have both professionals and amateurs interested in beetles as members. Research in this field is often published in peer-reviewed journals specific to the field of coleopterology, though journals dealing with general entomology also publish many papers on various aspects of beetle biology. Some of the journals specific to beetle research are: The Coleopterist (United Kingdom beetle fauna) The Coleopterists Bulletin (published by The Coleopterists Society) There is a thriving industry in the collection of beetle specimens for amateur and professional collectors. Many coleopterists prefer to collect beetle specimens for themselves, recording detailed information about each specimen and its habitat. Such collections add to the body of knowledge about the Coleoptera. Some countries have established laws governing or prohibiting the collection of certain rare (and often much sought after) species. One such beetle whose collection is illegal or restricted is the American burying beetle, Nicrophorus americanus. * Poul Beckmann, Living Jewels: The Natural Design of Beetles ISBN 3-7913-2528-0 * Arthur V. Evans, Charles Bellamy, and Lisa Charles Watson, An Inordinate Fondness for Beetles ISBN 0-520-22323-3 * Entomological Society of America, Beetle Larvae of the World ISBN 0-643-05506-1 * David Grimaldi, Michael S. Engel, Evolution of the Insects ISBN 0-521-82149-5 * Ross H. Arnett, Jr. and Michael C. Thomas, American Beetles (CRC Press, 2001-2). ISBN 0-8493-1925-0 * K. W. Harde, A Field Guide in Colour to Beetles ISBN 0-7064-1937-5 Pages 7-24 * White, R.E. 1983. Beetles. Houghton Mifflin Company, New York, NY. ISBN 0-395-91089-7 Heteroptera - insect suborder that is superficially similar to beetles - Coleoptera All what do you need to know about coleoptera, collecting and preparation * The Beetle Ring - A group of websites about beetles (Coleoptera). * List of major Beetle collections - worldwide * Entomology - online insect museum, entomology, tips and tricks, how to spread and pin insects, etc. * - Gallery of Central European beetles * Coleoptera from the Tree of Life * Australian borers species * Beetles and coleopterologists Russian site with English version, with information about biology, systematics and paleontology of beetles * North American Beetles from BugGuide * Bibliography on fossil insects * Coleoptera Families of the World * A digital collection of Southeast Asian beetles Related Wikipedia Articles coleopter Hylobius abietis weevil Animal Arthropod Insect Pterygota Neoptera Endopterygota Carolus Linnaeus Systema Naturae Suborder (biology) Adephaga Archostemata Myxophaga Polyphaga subgroups of the order Coleoptera insect species species animal polar region ecosystem plant fungus invertebrate Colorado potato beetle boll weevil coccinellidae aphid scale insect thrips Aristotle cockchafer Trogodendron fasciculatum monophyletic holometabolous prothorax coxa anatomy appendage pronotum insect wing segmentation (biology) exoskeleton elytron sclerite insect flight insect wing ground beetle Curculionidae glowworm Phengodidae Larviform female mouthparts grasshopper mandible (insect) #Defence appendage compound eye whirligig beetle longhorn beetle ocellus vertex (anatomy) antenna (biology) antenna (biology) Acilius sulcatus arthropod leg Dytiscidae Haliplidae Hydrophilidae fossorial clown beetle flea beetle Oxygen invertebrate trachea spiracle hemolymph blood open circulatory system Melolontha melolontha Endopterygota metamorphosis (biology) larva Colorado potato beetle larva Biological life cycle Buprestidae spiracle click beetle darkling beetle click beetle Scarabaeoidea instar ecdysis planidium hypermetamorphosis blister beetle Aleochara pupa imago San Francisco Flamboyant flower beetle burying beetle Spermatozoon fertilisation Scarabaeidae leaf roller Brachinus bombardier beetle parasitoid camouflage mimicry leaf beetle weevil longhorn beetle wasp Coccinellidae blister beetle aposematism ground beetle Mandible (insect) bombardier beetle Ground beetle rove beetle arthropod dung coprophagous dung beetle necrophagous carrion beetle clown beetle coxa Ross H. Arnett, Jr. Michael C. Thomas American Beetles CRC Press Boca Raton, Florida whirligig beetle Sphaerius Myxophaga fossil Permian Polyphaga rove beetle scarabaeidae blister beetle stag beetle Curculionidae sclerite Adephaga ground beetle Dytiscidae whirligig beetle testes exoskeleton coxa Archostemata reticulated beetle telephone-pole beetle Myxophaga Hydroscaphidae Sphaerius Triassic phylogenetics sister group Linnaean taxonomy Colorado potato beetle Colorado potato beetle potato pesticide pesticide resistance Solanaceae nightshade tomato aubergine capsicum boll weevil United States bark beetle elm leaf beetle elm Dutch elm disease Northern Hemisphere Europe North America death watch beetle Anobiidae Great Britain hardwood oak chestnut Asian long-horned beetle Citrus long-horned beetle Western corn rootworm Coconut leaves seedlings coconut palms September 27 Philippines Metro Manila provinces quarantined pest coconut industry Coccinella septempunctata ladybirds Coccinellidae aphid scale insect mealybug honeydew nectar Ground beetle caterpillar Aphthona leafy spurge beetle bank Dermestidae taxidermy Dung beetle Scarabaeus sacer Ancient Egyptian Khepri Mummy New Kingdom Elytron Melbourne Museum coleopterology list of coleopterists The Coleopterists Society international organisation scientific journal The Coleopterist The Coleopterists Bulletin Nicrophorus americanus Entomological Society of America David Grimaldi Michael S. Engel Ross H. Arnett, Jr. Michael C. Thomas American Beetles Heteroptera
beetle	Which type of beetle is a pest of potato plants?	Colorado potato beetle	data/set1/a8	beetle Beetles are a group of insects which have the largest number of species. They are placed in the order Coleoptera,which means "sheathed wing" and contains more described species than in any other order in the animal kingdom, constituting about twenty-five percent of all known life-forms. James K. Liebherr and Joseph V. McHugh in Resh, V. H. & R. T. CardÃ© (Editors) 2003. Encyclopedia of Insects. Academic Press. Forty percent of all described insect species are beetles (about 350,000 species ), and new species are frequently discovered. Estimates put the total number of species, described and undescribed, at between 5 and 8 million. Beetles can be found in almost all habitats, but are not known to occur in the sea or in the polar regions. They interact with their ecosystems in several ways. They often feed on plants and fungi, break down animal and plant debris, and eat other invertebrates. Some species are prey of various animals including birds and mammals. Certain species are agricultural pests, such as the Colorado potato beetle Leptinotarsa decemlineata, the boll weevil Anthonomus grandis, the red flour beetle Tribolium castaneum, and the mungbean or cowpea beetle Callosobruchus maculatus, while other species of beetles are important controls of agricultural pests. For example, coccinellidae ("ladybirds" or "ladybugs") consume aphids, scale insects, thrips, and other plant-sucking insects that damage crops. The name "Coleoptera" was given by Aristotle for the hardened shield like forewings (coleo = shield + ptera = wing). A cockchafer with its elytra raised, exposing the membranous flight wings, where the veins are visible Trogodendron fasciculatum, a clerid beetle with bright yellow antennae Other characters of this group which are believed to be monophyletic include a holometabolous life cycle; having a prothorax that is distinct from and freely articulating with the mesothorax; the meso- and meta-thoracic segments fusing to form a pterothorax; a depressed body shape with the legs on the ventral surface; the coxae of legs recessed into cavities formed by heavily sclerotized thoracic sclerites; the abdominal sternites more sclerotized than the tergites; antennae with 11 or fewer segments; and terminal genitalic appendages retracted into the abdomen and invisible at rest. The general anatomy of beetles is quite uniform, although specific organs and appendages may vary greatly in appearance and function between the many families in the order. Like all insects, beetles' bodies are divided into three sections: the head, the thorax, and the abdomen. When viewed from below, the thorax is that part from which all three pairs of legs and both pairs of wings arise. The abdomen is everything posterior to the thorax. When viewed from above, most beetles appear to have three clear sections, but this is deceptive: on the beetle's upper surface, the middle "section" is a hard plate called the pronotum, which is only the front part of the thorax; the back part of the thorax is concealed by the beetle's wings. Like all arthropods, beetles are segmented organisms, and all three of the major sections of the body are themselves composed of several further segments, although these are not always readily discernible. This further segmentation is usually best seen on the abdomen. Beetles are generally characterised by a particularly hard exoskeleton and hard forewings (elytra). The beetle's exoskeleton is made up of numerous plates called sclerites, separated by thin sutures. This design creates the armoured defences of the beetle while maintaining flexibility. The elytra are not used for flight, but tend to cover the hind part of the body and protect the second pair of wings (alae). The elytra must be raised in order to move the hind flight wings. A beetle's flight wings are crossed with veins and are folded after landing, often along these veins, and are stored below the elytra. In some beetles, the ability to fly has been lost. These include the ground beetles (family Carabidae) and some "true weevils" (family Curculionidae), but also some desert and cave-dwelling species of other families. Many of these species have the two elytra fused together, forming a solid shield over the abdomen. In a few families, both the ability to fly and the elytra have been lost, with the best known example being the glow-worms of the family Phengodidae, in which the females are larviform throughout their lives. Beetles have mouthparts similar to those of grasshoppers. Of these parts, the most commonly known are probably the mandibles, which appear as large pincers on the front of some beetles. The mandibles are a pair of hard, often tooth-like structures that move horizontally to grasp, crush, or cut food or enemies (see defence, below). Two pairs of finger-like appendages are found around the mouth in most beetles, serving to move food into the mouth. These are the maxillary and labial palpi. The eyes are compound and may display remarkable adaptability, as in the case of whirligig beetles (family Gyrinidae), in which the eyes are split to allow a view both above and below the waterline. Other species also have divided eyes â some longhorn beetles (family Cerambycidae) and weevils â while many beetles have eyes that are notched to some degree. A few beetle genera also possess ocelli, which are small, simple eyes usually situated farther back on the head (on the vertex). Beetles' antennae are primarily organs of smell, but may also be used to feel out a beetle's environment physically. They may also be used in some families during mating, or among a few beetles for defence. Antennae vary greatly in form within the Coleoptera, but are often similar within any given family. In some cases, males and females of the same species will have different antennal forms. Antennae may be clavate (flabellate and lamellate are sub-forms of clavate, or clubbed antennae), filiform, geniculate, moniliform, pectinate, or serrate. For images of these antennal forms see antenna (biology). Acilius sulcatus, a diving beetle showing hind legs adapted for life in water The legs, which are multi-segmented, end in two to five small segments called tarsi. Like many other insect orders beetles bear claws, usually one pair, on the end of the last tarsal segment of each leg. While most beetles use their legs for walking, legs may be variously modified and adapted for other uses. Among aquatic families â Dytiscidae, Haliplidae, many species of Hydrophilidae and others â the legs, most notably the last pair, are modified for swimming and often bear rows of long hairs to aid this purpose. Other beetles have fossorial legs that are widened and often spined for digging. Species with such adaptations are found among the scarabs, ground beetles, and clown beetles (family Histeridae). The hind legs of some beetles, such as flea beetles (within Chrysomelidae) and flea weevils (within Curculionidae), are enlarged and designed for jumping. Oxygen is obtained via a tracheal system. Air enters a series of tubes along the body through openings called spiracles, and is then taken into increasingly finer fibres. Pumping movements of the body force the air through the system. Beetles have haemolymph instead of blood, and the open circulatory system of the beetle is powered by a tube-like heart attached to the top inside of the thorax. Scarabaeiform larva of the cockchafer, Melolontha melolontha Beetles are endopterygotes with complete metamorphosis. A single female may lay from several dozen to several thousand eggs during her lifetime. Eggs are usually laid according to the substrate the larva will feed on upon hatching. Among others, they can be laid loose in the substrate (e.g. flour beetle), laid in clumps on leaves (e.g. Colorado potato beetle), or individually attached (e.g. mungbean beetle and other seed borers) or buried in the medium (e.g. carrot weevil). The larva is usually the principal feeding stage of the beetle life cycle. Larvae tend to feed voraciously once they emerge from their eggs. Some feed externally on plants, such as those of certain leaf beetles, while others feed within their food sources. Examples of internal feeders are most Buprestidae and longhorn beetles. The larvae of many beetle families are predatory like the adults (ground beetles, ladybirds, rove beetles). The larval period varies between species but can be as long as several years. Beetle larvae can be differentiated from other insect larvae by their hardened, often darkened head, the presence of chewing mouthparts, and spiracles along the sides of the body. Like adult beetles, the larvae are varied in appearance, particularly between beetle families. Beetles whose larvae are somewhat flattened and are highly mobile are the ground beetles, some rove beetles, and others; their larvae are described as campodeiform. Some beetle larvae resemble hardened worms with dark head capsules and minute legs. These are elateriform larvae, and are found in the click beetle (Elateridae) and darkling beetle (Tenebrionidae) families. Some elateriform larvae of click beetles are known as wireworms. Beetles in the families of the Scarabaeoidea have short, thick larvae described as scarabaeiform, but more commonly known as grubs. All beetle larvae go through several instars, which are the developmental stages between each moult. In many species the larvae simply increase in size with each successive instar as more food is consumed. In some cases, however, more dramatic changes occur. Among certain beetle families or genera, particularly those that exhibit parasitic lifestyles, the first instar (the planidium) is highly mobile in order to search out a host, while the following instars are more sedentary and remain on or within their host. This is known as hypermetamorphosis; examples include the blister beetles (family Meloidae) and some rove beetles, particularly those of the genus Aleochara. As with all endopterygotes, beetle larvae pupate, and from this pupa emerges a fully formed, sexually mature adult beetle, or imago. Adults have an extremely variable lifespan, from weeks to years, depending on the species. Beetles mating in San Francisco Flamboyant flower beetle, Eudicella gralli, from the forests of Central Africa. The iridescent elytra are used in marriage ceremonies. Beetles may display extremely intricate behaviour when mating. Smell is thought to be important in the location of a mate. Conflict can play a part in the mating rituals of species such as burying beetles (genus Nicrophorus) where conflicts between males and females rage until only one of each is left, thus ensuring reproduction by the strongest and fittest. Many beetles are territorial and will fiercely defend their small patch of territory from intruding males. Pairing is generally short but in some cases will last for several hours. During pairing sperm cells are transferred to the female to fertilise the egg. Parental care varies between species, ranging from the simple laying of eggs under a leaf to certain scarab beetles, which construct underground structures complete with a supply of dung to house and feed their young. Other beetles are leaf rollers, biting sections of leaves to cause them to curl inwards, then laying their eggs, thus protected, inside. Brachinus sp., a bombardier beetle Beetles and their larvae have a variety of strategies to avoid being attacked by predators or parasitoids. These include camouflage, mimicry, toxicity, and active defence. Camouflage involves the use of colouration or shape to blend into the surrounding environment. Among those that exhibit this defensive strategy are some of the leaf beetles (family Chysomelidae), having green colouring very similar to their habitat on plant leaves. More complex camouflage also occurs, as with some weevils, where various coloured scales or hairs cause the beetle to resemble bird dung. Another defence that often uses colour or shape to deceive potential enemies is mimicry. A number of longhorn beetles (family Cerambycidae) bear a striking resemblance to wasps, which fools predators into keeping their distance even though the beetles are in fact harmless. This defence can be found to a lesser extent in other beetle families, such as the scarab beetles. Beetles may combine their colour mimicry with behavioural mimicry, acting like the wasps they already closely resemble. Many beetle species, including ladybirds and blister beetles, can secrete distasteful or toxic substances to make them unpalatable or even poisonous. These same species often exhibit aposematism, where bright or contrasting colour patterns warn away potential predators. Large ground beetles and longhorn beetles may go on the attack, using their strong mandibles to forcibly persuade a predator to seek out easier prey. Others, such as bombardier beetles (within Carabidae) spray acidic gas from their abdomen to repel predators. Besides being abundant and varied, the Coleoptera are able to exploit the wide diversity of food sources available in their many habitats. Some are generalists, eating both plants and animals. Other beetles are highly specialised in their diet. Many species of leaf beetles, longhorn beetles, and weevils are very host specific, feeding on only a single species of plant. Ground beetles and rove beetles (family Staphylinidae), among others, are primarily carnivorous and will catch and consume many other arthropods and small prey such as earthworms and snails. While most predatory beetles are generalists, a few species have more specific prey requirements or preferences. Decaying organic matter is a primary diet for many species. This can range from dung, which is consumed by coprophagous species such as certain scarab beetles (family Scarabaeidae), to dead animals, which are eaten by necrophagous species such as the carrion beetles (family Silphidae). Some of the beetles found within dung and carrion are in fact predatory, such as the clown beetles, preying on the larvae of coprophagous and necrophagous insects. Aquatic beetles use several techniques for retaining air beneath the water's surface. Beetles of the family Dytiscidae hold air between the abdomen and the elytra when diving. Hydrophilidae have hairs on their under surface that retain a layer of air against their bodies. Adult crawling water beetles use both their elytra and their hind coxae (the basal segment of the back legs) in air retention while whirligig beetles simply carry an air bubble down with them whenever they dive. Sphaerius acaroides, a member of the small suborder Myxophaga While some authorities believe modern beetles began about 140 million years ago, research announced in 2007 showed that beetles may have entered the fossil record during the Lower Permian, about 265 to 300 million years ago. Modern Beetles Predate Dinosaurs, Dave Mosher, LiveScience.com, 26 December 2007. The four extant suborders of beetle are these: * Polyphaga is the largest suborder, containing more than 300,000 described species in more than 170 families, including rove beetles (Staphylinidae), scarab beetles (Scarabaeidae), blister beetles (Meloidae), stag beetles (Lucanidae) and true weevils (Curculionidae). These beetles can be identified by the cervical sclerites (hardened parts of the head used as points of attachment for muscles) absent in the other suborders. * Adephaga contains about 10 families of largely predatory beetles, includes ground beetles (Carabidae), Dytiscidae and whirligig beetles (Gyrinidae). In these beetles the testes are tubular and the first abdominal sternum (a plate of the exoskeleton) is divided by the hind coxae (the basal joints of the beetle's legs). * Archostemata contains four families of mainly wood-eating beetles, including reticulated beetles (Cupedidae) and the telephone-pole beetle. * Myxophaga contains about 100 described species in four families, mostly very small, including Hydroscaphidae and the genus Sphaerius. These suborders diverged in the Permian and Triassic. Their phylogenetic relationship is uncertain, with the most popular hypothesis being that Polyphaga and Myxophaga are most closely related, with Adephaga as the sister group to those two, and Archostemata as sister to the other three collectively. There are about 350,000 species of beetles. Such a large number of species poses special problems for classification, with some families consisting of thousands of species and needing further division into subfamilies and tribes. Colorado potato beetle (Leptinotarsa decemlineata) larvae Many agricultural, forestry, and household insect pests are beetles. These include the following: * The Colorado potato beetle, Leptinotarsa decemlineata, is a notorious pest of potato plants. Crops are destroyed and the beetle can only be treated by employing expensive pesticides, many of which it has begun to develop resistance to. As well as potatoes, suitable hosts can be a number of plants from the potato family (Solanaceae), such as nightshade, tomato, aubergine and capsicum. * The boll weevil, Anthonomus grandis, has cost cotton producers in the United States billions of dollars since it first entered that country. * The bark beetles Hylurgopinus rufipes and Scolytus multistriatus, the elm leaf beetle, Pyrrhalta luteola, and other beetles attack elm trees. The bark beetles are important elm pests because they carry Dutch elm disease as they move from infected breeding sites to feed on healthy elm trees. The spread of the fungus by the beetle has led to the devastation of elm trees in many parts of the Northern Hemisphere, notably in Europe and North America. * The death watch beetle, Xestobium rufovillosum, (family Anobiidae) is of considerable importance as a pest of older wooden buildings in Great Britain. It attacks hardwoods such as oak and chestnut, always where some fungal decay has taken or is taking place. It is thought that the actual introduction of the pest into buildings takes place at the time of construction. * Asian long-horned beetle * Citrus long-horned beetle * Western corn rootworm * Coconut hispine beetle or Brontispa longissima gestro feeds on young leaves and damages seedlings and mature coconut palms. On September 27, 2007, Philippines' Metro Manila and 26 provinces were quarantined due to having been infested with this pest (to save the $800-million Philippine coconut industry). Inquirer.net, Beetles infest coconuts in Manila, 26 provinces Coccinella septempunctata, a beneficial beetle * Both the larvae and adults of some ladybirds (family Coccinellidae) are found in aphid colonies. Other lady beetles feed on scale insects and mealybugs. If normal food sources are scarce they may feed on other things, such as small caterpillars, young plant bugs, honeydew and nectar. * Ground beetles (family Carabidae) are common predators of many different insects and other arthropods, including fly eggs, caterpillars, wireworms and others. * Plant-feeding beetles are often important beneficial insects, controlling problem weeds. Some flea beetles of the genus Aphthona feed on leafy spurge, a considerable weed of rangeland in western North America. Some farmers develop beetle banks to foster and provide cover for beneficial beetles. Beetles of the Dermestidae family are often used in taxidermy to clean bones of remaining flesh. Ancient Egyptian scene depicting a scarab beetle Several species of dung beetle, most notably Scarabaeus sacer (often referred to as "scarab"), enjoyed a sacred status among the ancient Egyptians, as the creatures were likened to the major god Khepri. Some scholars suggest that the Egyptians' practice of making mummies was inspired by the brooding process of the beetle. Many thousands of amulets and stamp seals have been excavated that depict the scarab. In many artifacts, the scarab is depicted pushing the sun along its course in the sky, much as scarabs push or roll balls of dung to their brood sites. During and following the New Kingdom, scarab amulets were often placed over the heart of the mummified deceased. Some tribal groups, particularly in tropical parts of the world, use the colourful, iridescent elytra of certain beetles, especially certain Scarabaeidae, in ceremonies and as adornment. Beetle collection at the Melbourne Museum, Australia The study of beetles is called coleopterology, and its practitioners are coleopterists. Coleopterists have formed organisations to facilitate the study of beetles. Among these is The Coleopterists Society, an international organisation based in the United States. Such organisations may have both professionals and amateurs interested in beetles as members. Research in this field is often published in peer-reviewed journals specific to the field of coleopterology, though journals dealing with general entomology also publish many papers on various aspects of beetle biology. Some of the journals specific to beetle research are: The Coleopterist (United Kingdom beetle fauna) The Coleopterists Bulletin (published by The Coleopterists Society) There is a thriving industry in the collection of beetle specimens for amateur and professional collectors. Many coleopterists prefer to collect beetle specimens for themselves, recording detailed information about each specimen and its habitat. Such collections add to the body of knowledge about the Coleoptera. Some countries have established laws governing or prohibiting the collection of certain rare (and often much sought after) species. One such beetle whose collection is illegal or restricted is the American burying beetle, Nicrophorus americanus. * Poul Beckmann, Living Jewels: The Natural Design of Beetles ISBN 3-7913-2528-0 * Arthur V. Evans, Charles Bellamy, and Lisa Charles Watson, An Inordinate Fondness for Beetles ISBN 0-520-22323-3 * Entomological Society of America, Beetle Larvae of the World ISBN 0-643-05506-1 * David Grimaldi, Michael S. Engel, Evolution of the Insects ISBN 0-521-82149-5 * Ross H. Arnett, Jr. and Michael C. Thomas, American Beetles (CRC Press, 2001-2). ISBN 0-8493-1925-0 * K. W. Harde, A Field Guide in Colour to Beetles ISBN 0-7064-1937-5 Pages 7-24 * White, R.E. 1983. Beetles. Houghton Mifflin Company, New York, NY. ISBN 0-395-91089-7 Heteroptera - insect suborder that is superficially similar to beetles - Coleoptera All what do you need to know about coleoptera, collecting and preparation * The Beetle Ring - A group of websites about beetles (Coleoptera). * List of major Beetle collections - worldwide * Entomology - online insect museum, entomology, tips and tricks, how to spread and pin insects, etc. * - Gallery of Central European beetles * Coleoptera from the Tree of Life * Australian borers species * Beetles and coleopterologists Russian site with English version, with information about biology, systematics and paleontology of beetles * North American Beetles from BugGuide * Bibliography on fossil insects * Coleoptera Families of the World * A digital collection of Southeast Asian beetles Related Wikipedia Articles coleopter Hylobius abietis weevil Animal Arthropod Insect Pterygota Neoptera Endopterygota Carolus Linnaeus Systema Naturae Suborder (biology) Adephaga Archostemata Myxophaga Polyphaga subgroups of the order Coleoptera insect species species animal polar region ecosystem plant fungus invertebrate Colorado potato beetle boll weevil coccinellidae aphid scale insect thrips Aristotle cockchafer Trogodendron fasciculatum monophyletic holometabolous prothorax coxa anatomy appendage pronotum insect wing segmentation (biology) exoskeleton elytron sclerite insect flight insect wing ground beetle Curculionidae glowworm Phengodidae Larviform female mouthparts grasshopper mandible (insect) #Defence appendage compound eye whirligig beetle longhorn beetle ocellus vertex (anatomy) antenna (biology) antenna (biology) Acilius sulcatus arthropod leg Dytiscidae Haliplidae Hydrophilidae fossorial clown beetle flea beetle Oxygen invertebrate trachea spiracle hemolymph blood open circulatory system Melolontha melolontha Endopterygota metamorphosis (biology) larva Colorado potato beetle larva Biological life cycle Buprestidae spiracle click beetle darkling beetle click beetle Scarabaeoidea instar ecdysis planidium hypermetamorphosis blister beetle Aleochara pupa imago San Francisco Flamboyant flower beetle burying beetle Spermatozoon fertilisation Scarabaeidae leaf roller Brachinus bombardier beetle parasitoid camouflage mimicry leaf beetle weevil longhorn beetle wasp Coccinellidae blister beetle aposematism ground beetle Mandible (insect) bombardier beetle Ground beetle rove beetle arthropod dung coprophagous dung beetle necrophagous carrion beetle clown beetle coxa Ross H. Arnett, Jr. Michael C. Thomas American Beetles CRC Press Boca Raton, Florida whirligig beetle Sphaerius Myxophaga fossil Permian Polyphaga rove beetle scarabaeidae blister beetle stag beetle Curculionidae sclerite Adephaga ground beetle Dytiscidae whirligig beetle testes exoskeleton coxa Archostemata reticulated beetle telephone-pole beetle Myxophaga Hydroscaphidae Sphaerius Triassic phylogenetics sister group Linnaean taxonomy Colorado potato beetle Colorado potato beetle potato pesticide pesticide resistance Solanaceae nightshade tomato aubergine capsicum boll weevil United States bark beetle elm leaf beetle elm Dutch elm disease Northern Hemisphere Europe North America death watch beetle Anobiidae Great Britain hardwood oak chestnut Asian long-horned beetle Citrus long-horned beetle Western corn rootworm Coconut leaves seedlings coconut palms September 27 Philippines Metro Manila provinces quarantined pest coconut industry Coccinella septempunctata ladybirds Coccinellidae aphid scale insect mealybug honeydew nectar Ground beetle caterpillar Aphthona leafy spurge beetle bank Dermestidae taxidermy Dung beetle Scarabaeus sacer Ancient Egyptian Khepri Mummy New Kingdom Elytron Melbourne Museum coleopterology list of coleopterists The Coleopterists Society international organisation scientific journal The Coleopterist The Coleopterists Bulletin Nicrophorus americanus Entomological Society of America David Grimaldi Michael S. Engel Ross H. Arnett, Jr. Michael C. Thomas American Beetles Heteroptera
beetle	How can beetle larvae be differentiated from other insect larvae?	their hardened, often darkened head, the presence of chewing mouthparts, and spiracles along the sides of the body	data/set1/a8	beetle Beetles are a group of insects which have the largest number of species. They are placed in the order Coleoptera,which means "sheathed wing" and contains more described species than in any other order in the animal kingdom, constituting about twenty-five percent of all known life-forms. James K. Liebherr and Joseph V. McHugh in Resh, V. H. & R. T. CardÃ© (Editors) 2003. Encyclopedia of Insects. Academic Press. Forty percent of all described insect species are beetles (about 350,000 species ), and new species are frequently discovered. Estimates put the total number of species, described and undescribed, at between 5 and 8 million. Beetles can be found in almost all habitats, but are not known to occur in the sea or in the polar regions. They interact with their ecosystems in several ways. They often feed on plants and fungi, break down animal and plant debris, and eat other invertebrates. Some species are prey of various animals including birds and mammals. Certain species are agricultural pests, such as the Colorado potato beetle Leptinotarsa decemlineata, the boll weevil Anthonomus grandis, the red flour beetle Tribolium castaneum, and the mungbean or cowpea beetle Callosobruchus maculatus, while other species of beetles are important controls of agricultural pests. For example, coccinellidae ("ladybirds" or "ladybugs") consume aphids, scale insects, thrips, and other plant-sucking insects that damage crops. The name "Coleoptera" was given by Aristotle for the hardened shield like forewings (coleo = shield + ptera = wing). A cockchafer with its elytra raised, exposing the membranous flight wings, where the veins are visible Trogodendron fasciculatum, a clerid beetle with bright yellow antennae Other characters of this group which are believed to be monophyletic include a holometabolous life cycle; having a prothorax that is distinct from and freely articulating with the mesothorax; the meso- and meta-thoracic segments fusing to form a pterothorax; a depressed body shape with the legs on the ventral surface; the coxae of legs recessed into cavities formed by heavily sclerotized thoracic sclerites; the abdominal sternites more sclerotized than the tergites; antennae with 11 or fewer segments; and terminal genitalic appendages retracted into the abdomen and invisible at rest. The general anatomy of beetles is quite uniform, although specific organs and appendages may vary greatly in appearance and function between the many families in the order. Like all insects, beetles' bodies are divided into three sections: the head, the thorax, and the abdomen. When viewed from below, the thorax is that part from which all three pairs of legs and both pairs of wings arise. The abdomen is everything posterior to the thorax. When viewed from above, most beetles appear to have three clear sections, but this is deceptive: on the beetle's upper surface, the middle "section" is a hard plate called the pronotum, which is only the front part of the thorax; the back part of the thorax is concealed by the beetle's wings. Like all arthropods, beetles are segmented organisms, and all three of the major sections of the body are themselves composed of several further segments, although these are not always readily discernible. This further segmentation is usually best seen on the abdomen. Beetles are generally characterised by a particularly hard exoskeleton and hard forewings (elytra). The beetle's exoskeleton is made up of numerous plates called sclerites, separated by thin sutures. This design creates the armoured defences of the beetle while maintaining flexibility. The elytra are not used for flight, but tend to cover the hind part of the body and protect the second pair of wings (alae). The elytra must be raised in order to move the hind flight wings. A beetle's flight wings are crossed with veins and are folded after landing, often along these veins, and are stored below the elytra. In some beetles, the ability to fly has been lost. These include the ground beetles (family Carabidae) and some "true weevils" (family Curculionidae), but also some desert and cave-dwelling species of other families. Many of these species have the two elytra fused together, forming a solid shield over the abdomen. In a few families, both the ability to fly and the elytra have been lost, with the best known example being the glow-worms of the family Phengodidae, in which the females are larviform throughout their lives. Beetles have mouthparts similar to those of grasshoppers. Of these parts, the most commonly known are probably the mandibles, which appear as large pincers on the front of some beetles. The mandibles are a pair of hard, often tooth-like structures that move horizontally to grasp, crush, or cut food or enemies (see defence, below). Two pairs of finger-like appendages are found around the mouth in most beetles, serving to move food into the mouth. These are the maxillary and labial palpi. The eyes are compound and may display remarkable adaptability, as in the case of whirligig beetles (family Gyrinidae), in which the eyes are split to allow a view both above and below the waterline. Other species also have divided eyes â some longhorn beetles (family Cerambycidae) and weevils â while many beetles have eyes that are notched to some degree. A few beetle genera also possess ocelli, which are small, simple eyes usually situated farther back on the head (on the vertex). Beetles' antennae are primarily organs of smell, but may also be used to feel out a beetle's environment physically. They may also be used in some families during mating, or among a few beetles for defence. Antennae vary greatly in form within the Coleoptera, but are often similar within any given family. In some cases, males and females of the same species will have different antennal forms. Antennae may be clavate (flabellate and lamellate are sub-forms of clavate, or clubbed antennae), filiform, geniculate, moniliform, pectinate, or serrate. For images of these antennal forms see antenna (biology). Acilius sulcatus, a diving beetle showing hind legs adapted for life in water The legs, which are multi-segmented, end in two to five small segments called tarsi. Like many other insect orders beetles bear claws, usually one pair, on the end of the last tarsal segment of each leg. While most beetles use their legs for walking, legs may be variously modified and adapted for other uses. Among aquatic families â Dytiscidae, Haliplidae, many species of Hydrophilidae and others â the legs, most notably the last pair, are modified for swimming and often bear rows of long hairs to aid this purpose. Other beetles have fossorial legs that are widened and often spined for digging. Species with such adaptations are found among the scarabs, ground beetles, and clown beetles (family Histeridae). The hind legs of some beetles, such as flea beetles (within Chrysomelidae) and flea weevils (within Curculionidae), are enlarged and designed for jumping. Oxygen is obtained via a tracheal system. Air enters a series of tubes along the body through openings called spiracles, and is then taken into increasingly finer fibres. Pumping movements of the body force the air through the system. Beetles have haemolymph instead of blood, and the open circulatory system of the beetle is powered by a tube-like heart attached to the top inside of the thorax. Scarabaeiform larva of the cockchafer, Melolontha melolontha Beetles are endopterygotes with complete metamorphosis. A single female may lay from several dozen to several thousand eggs during her lifetime. Eggs are usually laid according to the substrate the larva will feed on upon hatching. Among others, they can be laid loose in the substrate (e.g. flour beetle), laid in clumps on leaves (e.g. Colorado potato beetle), or individually attached (e.g. mungbean beetle and other seed borers) or buried in the medium (e.g. carrot weevil). The larva is usually the principal feeding stage of the beetle life cycle. Larvae tend to feed voraciously once they emerge from their eggs. Some feed externally on plants, such as those of certain leaf beetles, while others feed within their food sources. Examples of internal feeders are most Buprestidae and longhorn beetles. The larvae of many beetle families are predatory like the adults (ground beetles, ladybirds, rove beetles). The larval period varies between species but can be as long as several years. Beetle larvae can be differentiated from other insect larvae by their hardened, often darkened head, the presence of chewing mouthparts, and spiracles along the sides of the body. Like adult beetles, the larvae are varied in appearance, particularly between beetle families. Beetles whose larvae are somewhat flattened and are highly mobile are the ground beetles, some rove beetles, and others; their larvae are described as campodeiform. Some beetle larvae resemble hardened worms with dark head capsules and minute legs. These are elateriform larvae, and are found in the click beetle (Elateridae) and darkling beetle (Tenebrionidae) families. Some elateriform larvae of click beetles are known as wireworms. Beetles in the families of the Scarabaeoidea have short, thick larvae described as scarabaeiform, but more commonly known as grubs. All beetle larvae go through several instars, which are the developmental stages between each moult. In many species the larvae simply increase in size with each successive instar as more food is consumed. In some cases, however, more dramatic changes occur. Among certain beetle families or genera, particularly those that exhibit parasitic lifestyles, the first instar (the planidium) is highly mobile in order to search out a host, while the following instars are more sedentary and remain on or within their host. This is known as hypermetamorphosis; examples include the blister beetles (family Meloidae) and some rove beetles, particularly those of the genus Aleochara. As with all endopterygotes, beetle larvae pupate, and from this pupa emerges a fully formed, sexually mature adult beetle, or imago. Adults have an extremely variable lifespan, from weeks to years, depending on the species. Beetles mating in San Francisco Flamboyant flower beetle, Eudicella gralli, from the forests of Central Africa. The iridescent elytra are used in marriage ceremonies. Beetles may display extremely intricate behaviour when mating. Smell is thought to be important in the location of a mate. Conflict can play a part in the mating rituals of species such as burying beetles (genus Nicrophorus) where conflicts between males and females rage until only one of each is left, thus ensuring reproduction by the strongest and fittest. Many beetles are territorial and will fiercely defend their small patch of territory from intruding males. Pairing is generally short but in some cases will last for several hours. During pairing sperm cells are transferred to the female to fertilise the egg. Parental care varies between species, ranging from the simple laying of eggs under a leaf to certain scarab beetles, which construct underground structures complete with a supply of dung to house and feed their young. Other beetles are leaf rollers, biting sections of leaves to cause them to curl inwards, then laying their eggs, thus protected, inside. Brachinus sp., a bombardier beetle Beetles and their larvae have a variety of strategies to avoid being attacked by predators or parasitoids. These include camouflage, mimicry, toxicity, and active defence. Camouflage involves the use of colouration or shape to blend into the surrounding environment. Among those that exhibit this defensive strategy are some of the leaf beetles (family Chysomelidae), having green colouring very similar to their habitat on plant leaves. More complex camouflage also occurs, as with some weevils, where various coloured scales or hairs cause the beetle to resemble bird dung. Another defence that often uses colour or shape to deceive potential enemies is mimicry. A number of longhorn beetles (family Cerambycidae) bear a striking resemblance to wasps, which fools predators into keeping their distance even though the beetles are in fact harmless. This defence can be found to a lesser extent in other beetle families, such as the scarab beetles. Beetles may combine their colour mimicry with behavioural mimicry, acting like the wasps they already closely resemble. Many beetle species, including ladybirds and blister beetles, can secrete distasteful or toxic substances to make them unpalatable or even poisonous. These same species often exhibit aposematism, where bright or contrasting colour patterns warn away potential predators. Large ground beetles and longhorn beetles may go on the attack, using their strong mandibles to forcibly persuade a predator to seek out easier prey. Others, such as bombardier beetles (within Carabidae) spray acidic gas from their abdomen to repel predators. Besides being abundant and varied, the Coleoptera are able to exploit the wide diversity of food sources available in their many habitats. Some are generalists, eating both plants and animals. Other beetles are highly specialised in their diet. Many species of leaf beetles, longhorn beetles, and weevils are very host specific, feeding on only a single species of plant. Ground beetles and rove beetles (family Staphylinidae), among others, are primarily carnivorous and will catch and consume many other arthropods and small prey such as earthworms and snails. While most predatory beetles are generalists, a few species have more specific prey requirements or preferences. Decaying organic matter is a primary diet for many species. This can range from dung, which is consumed by coprophagous species such as certain scarab beetles (family Scarabaeidae), to dead animals, which are eaten by necrophagous species such as the carrion beetles (family Silphidae). Some of the beetles found within dung and carrion are in fact predatory, such as the clown beetles, preying on the larvae of coprophagous and necrophagous insects. Aquatic beetles use several techniques for retaining air beneath the water's surface. Beetles of the family Dytiscidae hold air between the abdomen and the elytra when diving. Hydrophilidae have hairs on their under surface that retain a layer of air against their bodies. Adult crawling water beetles use both their elytra and their hind coxae (the basal segment of the back legs) in air retention while whirligig beetles simply carry an air bubble down with them whenever they dive. Sphaerius acaroides, a member of the small suborder Myxophaga While some authorities believe modern beetles began about 140 million years ago, research announced in 2007 showed that beetles may have entered the fossil record during the Lower Permian, about 265 to 300 million years ago. Modern Beetles Predate Dinosaurs, Dave Mosher, LiveScience.com, 26 December 2007. The four extant suborders of beetle are these: * Polyphaga is the largest suborder, containing more than 300,000 described species in more than 170 families, including rove beetles (Staphylinidae), scarab beetles (Scarabaeidae), blister beetles (Meloidae), stag beetles (Lucanidae) and true weevils (Curculionidae). These beetles can be identified by the cervical sclerites (hardened parts of the head used as points of attachment for muscles) absent in the other suborders. * Adephaga contains about 10 families of largely predatory beetles, includes ground beetles (Carabidae), Dytiscidae and whirligig beetles (Gyrinidae). In these beetles the testes are tubular and the first abdominal sternum (a plate of the exoskeleton) is divided by the hind coxae (the basal joints of the beetle's legs). * Archostemata contains four families of mainly wood-eating beetles, including reticulated beetles (Cupedidae) and the telephone-pole beetle. * Myxophaga contains about 100 described species in four families, mostly very small, including Hydroscaphidae and the genus Sphaerius. These suborders diverged in the Permian and Triassic. Their phylogenetic relationship is uncertain, with the most popular hypothesis being that Polyphaga and Myxophaga are most closely related, with Adephaga as the sister group to those two, and Archostemata as sister to the other three collectively. There are about 350,000 species of beetles. Such a large number of species poses special problems for classification, with some families consisting of thousands of species and needing further division into subfamilies and tribes. Colorado potato beetle (Leptinotarsa decemlineata) larvae Many agricultural, forestry, and household insect pests are beetles. These include the following: * The Colorado potato beetle, Leptinotarsa decemlineata, is a notorious pest of potato plants. Crops are destroyed and the beetle can only be treated by employing expensive pesticides, many of which it has begun to develop resistance to. As well as potatoes, suitable hosts can be a number of plants from the potato family (Solanaceae), such as nightshade, tomato, aubergine and capsicum. * The boll weevil, Anthonomus grandis, has cost cotton producers in the United States billions of dollars since it first entered that country. * The bark beetles Hylurgopinus rufipes and Scolytus multistriatus, the elm leaf beetle, Pyrrhalta luteola, and other beetles attack elm trees. The bark beetles are important elm pests because they carry Dutch elm disease as they move from infected breeding sites to feed on healthy elm trees. The spread of the fungus by the beetle has led to the devastation of elm trees in many parts of the Northern Hemisphere, notably in Europe and North America. * The death watch beetle, Xestobium rufovillosum, (family Anobiidae) is of considerable importance as a pest of older wooden buildings in Great Britain. It attacks hardwoods such as oak and chestnut, always where some fungal decay has taken or is taking place. It is thought that the actual introduction of the pest into buildings takes place at the time of construction. * Asian long-horned beetle * Citrus long-horned beetle * Western corn rootworm * Coconut hispine beetle or Brontispa longissima gestro feeds on young leaves and damages seedlings and mature coconut palms. On September 27, 2007, Philippines' Metro Manila and 26 provinces were quarantined due to having been infested with this pest (to save the $800-million Philippine coconut industry). Inquirer.net, Beetles infest coconuts in Manila, 26 provinces Coccinella septempunctata, a beneficial beetle * Both the larvae and adults of some ladybirds (family Coccinellidae) are found in aphid colonies. Other lady beetles feed on scale insects and mealybugs. If normal food sources are scarce they may feed on other things, such as small caterpillars, young plant bugs, honeydew and nectar. * Ground beetles (family Carabidae) are common predators of many different insects and other arthropods, including fly eggs, caterpillars, wireworms and others. * Plant-feeding beetles are often important beneficial insects, controlling problem weeds. Some flea beetles of the genus Aphthona feed on leafy spurge, a considerable weed of rangeland in western North America. Some farmers develop beetle banks to foster and provide cover for beneficial beetles. Beetles of the Dermestidae family are often used in taxidermy to clean bones of remaining flesh. Ancient Egyptian scene depicting a scarab beetle Several species of dung beetle, most notably Scarabaeus sacer (often referred to as "scarab"), enjoyed a sacred status among the ancient Egyptians, as the creatures were likened to the major god Khepri. Some scholars suggest that the Egyptians' practice of making mummies was inspired by the brooding process of the beetle. Many thousands of amulets and stamp seals have been excavated that depict the scarab. In many artifacts, the scarab is depicted pushing the sun along its course in the sky, much as scarabs push or roll balls of dung to their brood sites. During and following the New Kingdom, scarab amulets were often placed over the heart of the mummified deceased. Some tribal groups, particularly in tropical parts of the world, use the colourful, iridescent elytra of certain beetles, especially certain Scarabaeidae, in ceremonies and as adornment. Beetle collection at the Melbourne Museum, Australia The study of beetles is called coleopterology, and its practitioners are coleopterists. Coleopterists have formed organisations to facilitate the study of beetles. Among these is The Coleopterists Society, an international organisation based in the United States. Such organisations may have both professionals and amateurs interested in beetles as members. Research in this field is often published in peer-reviewed journals specific to the field of coleopterology, though journals dealing with general entomology also publish many papers on various aspects of beetle biology. Some of the journals specific to beetle research are: The Coleopterist (United Kingdom beetle fauna) The Coleopterists Bulletin (published by The Coleopterists Society) There is a thriving industry in the collection of beetle specimens for amateur and professional collectors. Many coleopterists prefer to collect beetle specimens for themselves, recording detailed information about each specimen and its habitat. Such collections add to the body of knowledge about the Coleoptera. Some countries have established laws governing or prohibiting the collection of certain rare (and often much sought after) species. One such beetle whose collection is illegal or restricted is the American burying beetle, Nicrophorus americanus. * Poul Beckmann, Living Jewels: The Natural Design of Beetles ISBN 3-7913-2528-0 * Arthur V. Evans, Charles Bellamy, and Lisa Charles Watson, An Inordinate Fondness for Beetles ISBN 0-520-22323-3 * Entomological Society of America, Beetle Larvae of the World ISBN 0-643-05506-1 * David Grimaldi, Michael S. Engel, Evolution of the Insects ISBN 0-521-82149-5 * Ross H. Arnett, Jr. and Michael C. Thomas, American Beetles (CRC Press, 2001-2). ISBN 0-8493-1925-0 * K. W. Harde, A Field Guide in Colour to Beetles ISBN 0-7064-1937-5 Pages 7-24 * White, R.E. 1983. Beetles. Houghton Mifflin Company, New York, NY. ISBN 0-395-91089-7 Heteroptera - insect suborder that is superficially similar to beetles - Coleoptera All what do you need to know about coleoptera, collecting and preparation * The Beetle Ring - A group of websites about beetles (Coleoptera). * List of major Beetle collections - worldwide * Entomology - online insect museum, entomology, tips and tricks, how to spread and pin insects, etc. * - Gallery of Central European beetles * Coleoptera from the Tree of Life * Australian borers species * Beetles and coleopterologists Russian site with English version, with information about biology, systematics and paleontology of beetles * North American Beetles from BugGuide * Bibliography on fossil insects * Coleoptera Families of the World * A digital collection of Southeast Asian beetles Related Wikipedia Articles coleopter Hylobius abietis weevil Animal Arthropod Insect Pterygota Neoptera Endopterygota Carolus Linnaeus Systema Naturae Suborder (biology) Adephaga Archostemata Myxophaga Polyphaga subgroups of the order Coleoptera insect species species animal polar region ecosystem plant fungus invertebrate Colorado potato beetle boll weevil coccinellidae aphid scale insect thrips Aristotle cockchafer Trogodendron fasciculatum monophyletic holometabolous prothorax coxa anatomy appendage pronotum insect wing segmentation (biology) exoskeleton elytron sclerite insect flight insect wing ground beetle Curculionidae glowworm Phengodidae Larviform female mouthparts grasshopper mandible (insect) #Defence appendage compound eye whirligig beetle longhorn beetle ocellus vertex (anatomy) antenna (biology) antenna (biology) Acilius sulcatus arthropod leg Dytiscidae Haliplidae Hydrophilidae fossorial clown beetle flea beetle Oxygen invertebrate trachea spiracle hemolymph blood open circulatory system Melolontha melolontha Endopterygota metamorphosis (biology) larva Colorado potato beetle larva Biological life cycle Buprestidae spiracle click beetle darkling beetle click beetle Scarabaeoidea instar ecdysis planidium hypermetamorphosis blister beetle Aleochara pupa imago San Francisco Flamboyant flower beetle burying beetle Spermatozoon fertilisation Scarabaeidae leaf roller Brachinus bombardier beetle parasitoid camouflage mimicry leaf beetle weevil longhorn beetle wasp Coccinellidae blister beetle aposematism ground beetle Mandible (insect) bombardier beetle Ground beetle rove beetle arthropod dung coprophagous dung beetle necrophagous carrion beetle clown beetle coxa Ross H. Arnett, Jr. Michael C. Thomas American Beetles CRC Press Boca Raton, Florida whirligig beetle Sphaerius Myxophaga fossil Permian Polyphaga rove beetle scarabaeidae blister beetle stag beetle Curculionidae sclerite Adephaga ground beetle Dytiscidae whirligig beetle testes exoskeleton coxa Archostemata reticulated beetle telephone-pole beetle Myxophaga Hydroscaphidae Sphaerius Triassic phylogenetics sister group Linnaean taxonomy Colorado potato beetle Colorado potato beetle potato pesticide pesticide resistance Solanaceae nightshade tomato aubergine capsicum boll weevil United States bark beetle elm leaf beetle elm Dutch elm disease Northern Hemisphere Europe North America death watch beetle Anobiidae Great Britain hardwood oak chestnut Asian long-horned beetle Citrus long-horned beetle Western corn rootworm Coconut leaves seedlings coconut palms September 27 Philippines Metro Manila provinces quarantined pest coconut industry Coccinella septempunctata ladybirds Coccinellidae aphid scale insect mealybug honeydew nectar Ground beetle caterpillar Aphthona leafy spurge beetle bank Dermestidae taxidermy Dung beetle Scarabaeus sacer Ancient Egyptian Khepri Mummy New Kingdom Elytron Melbourne Museum coleopterology list of coleopterists The Coleopterists Society international organisation scientific journal The Coleopterist The Coleopterists Bulletin Nicrophorus americanus Entomological Society of America David Grimaldi Michael S. Engel Ross H. Arnett, Jr. Michael C. Thomas American Beetles Heteroptera
beetle	How can beetle larvae be differentiated from other insect larvae?	By their hardened, often darkened head, the presence of chewing mouthparts, and spiracles along the sides of the body	data/set1/a8	beetle Beetles are a group of insects which have the largest number of species. They are placed in the order Coleoptera,which means "sheathed wing" and contains more described species than in any other order in the animal kingdom, constituting about twenty-five percent of all known life-forms. James K. Liebherr and Joseph V. McHugh in Resh, V. H. & R. T. CardÃ© (Editors) 2003. Encyclopedia of Insects. Academic Press. Forty percent of all described insect species are beetles (about 350,000 species ), and new species are frequently discovered. Estimates put the total number of species, described and undescribed, at between 5 and 8 million. Beetles can be found in almost all habitats, but are not known to occur in the sea or in the polar regions. They interact with their ecosystems in several ways. They often feed on plants and fungi, break down animal and plant debris, and eat other invertebrates. Some species are prey of various animals including birds and mammals. Certain species are agricultural pests, such as the Colorado potato beetle Leptinotarsa decemlineata, the boll weevil Anthonomus grandis, the red flour beetle Tribolium castaneum, and the mungbean or cowpea beetle Callosobruchus maculatus, while other species of beetles are important controls of agricultural pests. For example, coccinellidae ("ladybirds" or "ladybugs") consume aphids, scale insects, thrips, and other plant-sucking insects that damage crops. The name "Coleoptera" was given by Aristotle for the hardened shield like forewings (coleo = shield + ptera = wing). A cockchafer with its elytra raised, exposing the membranous flight wings, where the veins are visible Trogodendron fasciculatum, a clerid beetle with bright yellow antennae Other characters of this group which are believed to be monophyletic include a holometabolous life cycle; having a prothorax that is distinct from and freely articulating with the mesothorax; the meso- and meta-thoracic segments fusing to form a pterothorax; a depressed body shape with the legs on the ventral surface; the coxae of legs recessed into cavities formed by heavily sclerotized thoracic sclerites; the abdominal sternites more sclerotized than the tergites; antennae with 11 or fewer segments; and terminal genitalic appendages retracted into the abdomen and invisible at rest. The general anatomy of beetles is quite uniform, although specific organs and appendages may vary greatly in appearance and function between the many families in the order. Like all insects, beetles' bodies are divided into three sections: the head, the thorax, and the abdomen. When viewed from below, the thorax is that part from which all three pairs of legs and both pairs of wings arise. The abdomen is everything posterior to the thorax. When viewed from above, most beetles appear to have three clear sections, but this is deceptive: on the beetle's upper surface, the middle "section" is a hard plate called the pronotum, which is only the front part of the thorax; the back part of the thorax is concealed by the beetle's wings. Like all arthropods, beetles are segmented organisms, and all three of the major sections of the body are themselves composed of several further segments, although these are not always readily discernible. This further segmentation is usually best seen on the abdomen. Beetles are generally characterised by a particularly hard exoskeleton and hard forewings (elytra). The beetle's exoskeleton is made up of numerous plates called sclerites, separated by thin sutures. This design creates the armoured defences of the beetle while maintaining flexibility. The elytra are not used for flight, but tend to cover the hind part of the body and protect the second pair of wings (alae). The elytra must be raised in order to move the hind flight wings. A beetle's flight wings are crossed with veins and are folded after landing, often along these veins, and are stored below the elytra. In some beetles, the ability to fly has been lost. These include the ground beetles (family Carabidae) and some "true weevils" (family Curculionidae), but also some desert and cave-dwelling species of other families. Many of these species have the two elytra fused together, forming a solid shield over the abdomen. In a few families, both the ability to fly and the elytra have been lost, with the best known example being the glow-worms of the family Phengodidae, in which the females are larviform throughout their lives. Beetles have mouthparts similar to those of grasshoppers. Of these parts, the most commonly known are probably the mandibles, which appear as large pincers on the front of some beetles. The mandibles are a pair of hard, often tooth-like structures that move horizontally to grasp, crush, or cut food or enemies (see defence, below). Two pairs of finger-like appendages are found around the mouth in most beetles, serving to move food into the mouth. These are the maxillary and labial palpi. The eyes are compound and may display remarkable adaptability, as in the case of whirligig beetles (family Gyrinidae), in which the eyes are split to allow a view both above and below the waterline. Other species also have divided eyes â some longhorn beetles (family Cerambycidae) and weevils â while many beetles have eyes that are notched to some degree. A few beetle genera also possess ocelli, which are small, simple eyes usually situated farther back on the head (on the vertex). Beetles' antennae are primarily organs of smell, but may also be used to feel out a beetle's environment physically. They may also be used in some families during mating, or among a few beetles for defence. Antennae vary greatly in form within the Coleoptera, but are often similar within any given family. In some cases, males and females of the same species will have different antennal forms. Antennae may be clavate (flabellate and lamellate are sub-forms of clavate, or clubbed antennae), filiform, geniculate, moniliform, pectinate, or serrate. For images of these antennal forms see antenna (biology). Acilius sulcatus, a diving beetle showing hind legs adapted for life in water The legs, which are multi-segmented, end in two to five small segments called tarsi. Like many other insect orders beetles bear claws, usually one pair, on the end of the last tarsal segment of each leg. While most beetles use their legs for walking, legs may be variously modified and adapted for other uses. Among aquatic families â Dytiscidae, Haliplidae, many species of Hydrophilidae and others â the legs, most notably the last pair, are modified for swimming and often bear rows of long hairs to aid this purpose. Other beetles have fossorial legs that are widened and often spined for digging. Species with such adaptations are found among the scarabs, ground beetles, and clown beetles (family Histeridae). The hind legs of some beetles, such as flea beetles (within Chrysomelidae) and flea weevils (within Curculionidae), are enlarged and designed for jumping. Oxygen is obtained via a tracheal system. Air enters a series of tubes along the body through openings called spiracles, and is then taken into increasingly finer fibres. Pumping movements of the body force the air through the system. Beetles have haemolymph instead of blood, and the open circulatory system of the beetle is powered by a tube-like heart attached to the top inside of the thorax. Scarabaeiform larva of the cockchafer, Melolontha melolontha Beetles are endopterygotes with complete metamorphosis. A single female may lay from several dozen to several thousand eggs during her lifetime. Eggs are usually laid according to the substrate the larva will feed on upon hatching. Among others, they can be laid loose in the substrate (e.g. flour beetle), laid in clumps on leaves (e.g. Colorado potato beetle), or individually attached (e.g. mungbean beetle and other seed borers) or buried in the medium (e.g. carrot weevil). The larva is usually the principal feeding stage of the beetle life cycle. Larvae tend to feed voraciously once they emerge from their eggs. Some feed externally on plants, such as those of certain leaf beetles, while others feed within their food sources. Examples of internal feeders are most Buprestidae and longhorn beetles. The larvae of many beetle families are predatory like the adults (ground beetles, ladybirds, rove beetles). The larval period varies between species but can be as long as several years. Beetle larvae can be differentiated from other insect larvae by their hardened, often darkened head, the presence of chewing mouthparts, and spiracles along the sides of the body. Like adult beetles, the larvae are varied in appearance, particularly between beetle families. Beetles whose larvae are somewhat flattened and are highly mobile are the ground beetles, some rove beetles, and others; their larvae are described as campodeiform. Some beetle larvae resemble hardened worms with dark head capsules and minute legs. These are elateriform larvae, and are found in the click beetle (Elateridae) and darkling beetle (Tenebrionidae) families. Some elateriform larvae of click beetles are known as wireworms. Beetles in the families of the Scarabaeoidea have short, thick larvae described as scarabaeiform, but more commonly known as grubs. All beetle larvae go through several instars, which are the developmental stages between each moult. In many species the larvae simply increase in size with each successive instar as more food is consumed. In some cases, however, more dramatic changes occur. Among certain beetle families or genera, particularly those that exhibit parasitic lifestyles, the first instar (the planidium) is highly mobile in order to search out a host, while the following instars are more sedentary and remain on or within their host. This is known as hypermetamorphosis; examples include the blister beetles (family Meloidae) and some rove beetles, particularly those of the genus Aleochara. As with all endopterygotes, beetle larvae pupate, and from this pupa emerges a fully formed, sexually mature adult beetle, or imago. Adults have an extremely variable lifespan, from weeks to years, depending on the species. Beetles mating in San Francisco Flamboyant flower beetle, Eudicella gralli, from the forests of Central Africa. The iridescent elytra are used in marriage ceremonies. Beetles may display extremely intricate behaviour when mating. Smell is thought to be important in the location of a mate. Conflict can play a part in the mating rituals of species such as burying beetles (genus Nicrophorus) where conflicts between males and females rage until only one of each is left, thus ensuring reproduction by the strongest and fittest. Many beetles are territorial and will fiercely defend their small patch of territory from intruding males. Pairing is generally short but in some cases will last for several hours. During pairing sperm cells are transferred to the female to fertilise the egg. Parental care varies between species, ranging from the simple laying of eggs under a leaf to certain scarab beetles, which construct underground structures complete with a supply of dung to house and feed their young. Other beetles are leaf rollers, biting sections of leaves to cause them to curl inwards, then laying their eggs, thus protected, inside. Brachinus sp., a bombardier beetle Beetles and their larvae have a variety of strategies to avoid being attacked by predators or parasitoids. These include camouflage, mimicry, toxicity, and active defence. Camouflage involves the use of colouration or shape to blend into the surrounding environment. Among those that exhibit this defensive strategy are some of the leaf beetles (family Chysomelidae), having green colouring very similar to their habitat on plant leaves. More complex camouflage also occurs, as with some weevils, where various coloured scales or hairs cause the beetle to resemble bird dung. Another defence that often uses colour or shape to deceive potential enemies is mimicry. A number of longhorn beetles (family Cerambycidae) bear a striking resemblance to wasps, which fools predators into keeping their distance even though the beetles are in fact harmless. This defence can be found to a lesser extent in other beetle families, such as the scarab beetles. Beetles may combine their colour mimicry with behavioural mimicry, acting like the wasps they already closely resemble. Many beetle species, including ladybirds and blister beetles, can secrete distasteful or toxic substances to make them unpalatable or even poisonous. These same species often exhibit aposematism, where bright or contrasting colour patterns warn away potential predators. Large ground beetles and longhorn beetles may go on the attack, using their strong mandibles to forcibly persuade a predator to seek out easier prey. Others, such as bombardier beetles (within Carabidae) spray acidic gas from their abdomen to repel predators. Besides being abundant and varied, the Coleoptera are able to exploit the wide diversity of food sources available in their many habitats. Some are generalists, eating both plants and animals. Other beetles are highly specialised in their diet. Many species of leaf beetles, longhorn beetles, and weevils are very host specific, feeding on only a single species of plant. Ground beetles and rove beetles (family Staphylinidae), among others, are primarily carnivorous and will catch and consume many other arthropods and small prey such as earthworms and snails. While most predatory beetles are generalists, a few species have more specific prey requirements or preferences. Decaying organic matter is a primary diet for many species. This can range from dung, which is consumed by coprophagous species such as certain scarab beetles (family Scarabaeidae), to dead animals, which are eaten by necrophagous species such as the carrion beetles (family Silphidae). Some of the beetles found within dung and carrion are in fact predatory, such as the clown beetles, preying on the larvae of coprophagous and necrophagous insects. Aquatic beetles use several techniques for retaining air beneath the water's surface. Beetles of the family Dytiscidae hold air between the abdomen and the elytra when diving. Hydrophilidae have hairs on their under surface that retain a layer of air against their bodies. Adult crawling water beetles use both their elytra and their hind coxae (the basal segment of the back legs) in air retention while whirligig beetles simply carry an air bubble down with them whenever they dive. Sphaerius acaroides, a member of the small suborder Myxophaga While some authorities believe modern beetles began about 140 million years ago, research announced in 2007 showed that beetles may have entered the fossil record during the Lower Permian, about 265 to 300 million years ago. Modern Beetles Predate Dinosaurs, Dave Mosher, LiveScience.com, 26 December 2007. The four extant suborders of beetle are these: * Polyphaga is the largest suborder, containing more than 300,000 described species in more than 170 families, including rove beetles (Staphylinidae), scarab beetles (Scarabaeidae), blister beetles (Meloidae), stag beetles (Lucanidae) and true weevils (Curculionidae). These beetles can be identified by the cervical sclerites (hardened parts of the head used as points of attachment for muscles) absent in the other suborders. * Adephaga contains about 10 families of largely predatory beetles, includes ground beetles (Carabidae), Dytiscidae and whirligig beetles (Gyrinidae). In these beetles the testes are tubular and the first abdominal sternum (a plate of the exoskeleton) is divided by the hind coxae (the basal joints of the beetle's legs). * Archostemata contains four families of mainly wood-eating beetles, including reticulated beetles (Cupedidae) and the telephone-pole beetle. * Myxophaga contains about 100 described species in four families, mostly very small, including Hydroscaphidae and the genus Sphaerius. These suborders diverged in the Permian and Triassic. Their phylogenetic relationship is uncertain, with the most popular hypothesis being that Polyphaga and Myxophaga are most closely related, with Adephaga as the sister group to those two, and Archostemata as sister to the other three collectively. There are about 350,000 species of beetles. Such a large number of species poses special problems for classification, with some families consisting of thousands of species and needing further division into subfamilies and tribes. Colorado potato beetle (Leptinotarsa decemlineata) larvae Many agricultural, forestry, and household insect pests are beetles. These include the following: * The Colorado potato beetle, Leptinotarsa decemlineata, is a notorious pest of potato plants. Crops are destroyed and the beetle can only be treated by employing expensive pesticides, many of which it has begun to develop resistance to. As well as potatoes, suitable hosts can be a number of plants from the potato family (Solanaceae), such as nightshade, tomato, aubergine and capsicum. * The boll weevil, Anthonomus grandis, has cost cotton producers in the United States billions of dollars since it first entered that country. * The bark beetles Hylurgopinus rufipes and Scolytus multistriatus, the elm leaf beetle, Pyrrhalta luteola, and other beetles attack elm trees. The bark beetles are important elm pests because they carry Dutch elm disease as they move from infected breeding sites to feed on healthy elm trees. The spread of the fungus by the beetle has led to the devastation of elm trees in many parts of the Northern Hemisphere, notably in Europe and North America. * The death watch beetle, Xestobium rufovillosum, (family Anobiidae) is of considerable importance as a pest of older wooden buildings in Great Britain. It attacks hardwoods such as oak and chestnut, always where some fungal decay has taken or is taking place. It is thought that the actual introduction of the pest into buildings takes place at the time of construction. * Asian long-horned beetle * Citrus long-horned beetle * Western corn rootworm * Coconut hispine beetle or Brontispa longissima gestro feeds on young leaves and damages seedlings and mature coconut palms. On September 27, 2007, Philippines' Metro Manila and 26 provinces were quarantined due to having been infested with this pest (to save the $800-million Philippine coconut industry). Inquirer.net, Beetles infest coconuts in Manila, 26 provinces Coccinella septempunctata, a beneficial beetle * Both the larvae and adults of some ladybirds (family Coccinellidae) are found in aphid colonies. Other lady beetles feed on scale insects and mealybugs. If normal food sources are scarce they may feed on other things, such as small caterpillars, young plant bugs, honeydew and nectar. * Ground beetles (family Carabidae) are common predators of many different insects and other arthropods, including fly eggs, caterpillars, wireworms and others. * Plant-feeding beetles are often important beneficial insects, controlling problem weeds. Some flea beetles of the genus Aphthona feed on leafy spurge, a considerable weed of rangeland in western North America. Some farmers develop beetle banks to foster and provide cover for beneficial beetles. Beetles of the Dermestidae family are often used in taxidermy to clean bones of remaining flesh. Ancient Egyptian scene depicting a scarab beetle Several species of dung beetle, most notably Scarabaeus sacer (often referred to as "scarab"), enjoyed a sacred status among the ancient Egyptians, as the creatures were likened to the major god Khepri. Some scholars suggest that the Egyptians' practice of making mummies was inspired by the brooding process of the beetle. Many thousands of amulets and stamp seals have been excavated that depict the scarab. In many artifacts, the scarab is depicted pushing the sun along its course in the sky, much as scarabs push or roll balls of dung to their brood sites. During and following the New Kingdom, scarab amulets were often placed over the heart of the mummified deceased. Some tribal groups, particularly in tropical parts of the world, use the colourful, iridescent elytra of certain beetles, especially certain Scarabaeidae, in ceremonies and as adornment. Beetle collection at the Melbourne Museum, Australia The study of beetles is called coleopterology, and its practitioners are coleopterists. Coleopterists have formed organisations to facilitate the study of beetles. Among these is The Coleopterists Society, an international organisation based in the United States. Such organisations may have both professionals and amateurs interested in beetles as members. Research in this field is often published in peer-reviewed journals specific to the field of coleopterology, though journals dealing with general entomology also publish many papers on various aspects of beetle biology. Some of the journals specific to beetle research are: The Coleopterist (United Kingdom beetle fauna) The Coleopterists Bulletin (published by The Coleopterists Society) There is a thriving industry in the collection of beetle specimens for amateur and professional collectors. Many coleopterists prefer to collect beetle specimens for themselves, recording detailed information about each specimen and its habitat. Such collections add to the body of knowledge about the Coleoptera. Some countries have established laws governing or prohibiting the collection of certain rare (and often much sought after) species. One such beetle whose collection is illegal or restricted is the American burying beetle, Nicrophorus americanus. * Poul Beckmann, Living Jewels: The Natural Design of Beetles ISBN 3-7913-2528-0 * Arthur V. Evans, Charles Bellamy, and Lisa Charles Watson, An Inordinate Fondness for Beetles ISBN 0-520-22323-3 * Entomological Society of America, Beetle Larvae of the World ISBN 0-643-05506-1 * David Grimaldi, Michael S. Engel, Evolution of the Insects ISBN 0-521-82149-5 * Ross H. Arnett, Jr. and Michael C. Thomas, American Beetles (CRC Press, 2001-2). ISBN 0-8493-1925-0 * K. W. Harde, A Field Guide in Colour to Beetles ISBN 0-7064-1937-5 Pages 7-24 * White, R.E. 1983. Beetles. Houghton Mifflin Company, New York, NY. ISBN 0-395-91089-7 Heteroptera - insect suborder that is superficially similar to beetles - Coleoptera All what do you need to know about coleoptera, collecting and preparation * The Beetle Ring - A group of websites about beetles (Coleoptera). * List of major Beetle collections - worldwide * Entomology - online insect museum, entomology, tips and tricks, how to spread and pin insects, etc. * - Gallery of Central European beetles * Coleoptera from the Tree of Life * Australian borers species * Beetles and coleopterologists Russian site with English version, with information about biology, systematics and paleontology of beetles * North American Beetles from BugGuide * Bibliography on fossil insects * Coleoptera Families of the World * A digital collection of Southeast Asian beetles Related Wikipedia Articles coleopter Hylobius abietis weevil Animal Arthropod Insect Pterygota Neoptera Endopterygota Carolus Linnaeus Systema Naturae Suborder (biology) Adephaga Archostemata Myxophaga Polyphaga subgroups of the order Coleoptera insect species species animal polar region ecosystem plant fungus invertebrate Colorado potato beetle boll weevil coccinellidae aphid scale insect thrips Aristotle cockchafer Trogodendron fasciculatum monophyletic holometabolous prothorax coxa anatomy appendage pronotum insect wing segmentation (biology) exoskeleton elytron sclerite insect flight insect wing ground beetle Curculionidae glowworm Phengodidae Larviform female mouthparts grasshopper mandible (insect) #Defence appendage compound eye whirligig beetle longhorn beetle ocellus vertex (anatomy) antenna (biology) antenna (biology) Acilius sulcatus arthropod leg Dytiscidae Haliplidae Hydrophilidae fossorial clown beetle flea beetle Oxygen invertebrate trachea spiracle hemolymph blood open circulatory system Melolontha melolontha Endopterygota metamorphosis (biology) larva Colorado potato beetle larva Biological life cycle Buprestidae spiracle click beetle darkling beetle click beetle Scarabaeoidea instar ecdysis planidium hypermetamorphosis blister beetle Aleochara pupa imago San Francisco Flamboyant flower beetle burying beetle Spermatozoon fertilisation Scarabaeidae leaf roller Brachinus bombardier beetle parasitoid camouflage mimicry leaf beetle weevil longhorn beetle wasp Coccinellidae blister beetle aposematism ground beetle Mandible (insect) bombardier beetle Ground beetle rove beetle arthropod dung coprophagous dung beetle necrophagous carrion beetle clown beetle coxa Ross H. Arnett, Jr. Michael C. Thomas American Beetles CRC Press Boca Raton, Florida whirligig beetle Sphaerius Myxophaga fossil Permian Polyphaga rove beetle scarabaeidae blister beetle stag beetle Curculionidae sclerite Adephaga ground beetle Dytiscidae whirligig beetle testes exoskeleton coxa Archostemata reticulated beetle telephone-pole beetle Myxophaga Hydroscaphidae Sphaerius Triassic phylogenetics sister group Linnaean taxonomy Colorado potato beetle Colorado potato beetle potato pesticide pesticide resistance Solanaceae nightshade tomato aubergine capsicum boll weevil United States bark beetle elm leaf beetle elm Dutch elm disease Northern Hemisphere Europe North America death watch beetle Anobiidae Great Britain hardwood oak chestnut Asian long-horned beetle Citrus long-horned beetle Western corn rootworm Coconut leaves seedlings coconut palms September 27 Philippines Metro Manila provinces quarantined pest coconut industry Coccinella septempunctata ladybirds Coccinellidae aphid scale insect mealybug honeydew nectar Ground beetle caterpillar Aphthona leafy spurge beetle bank Dermestidae taxidermy Dung beetle Scarabaeus sacer Ancient Egyptian Khepri Mummy New Kingdom Elytron Melbourne Museum coleopterology list of coleopterists The Coleopterists Society international organisation scientific journal The Coleopterist The Coleopterists Bulletin Nicrophorus americanus Entomological Society of America David Grimaldi Michael S. Engel Ross H. Arnett, Jr. Michael C. Thomas American Beetles Heteroptera
beetle	What do beetles eat?	Some are generalists, eating both plants and animals. Other beetles are highly specialised in their diet.	data/set1/a8	beetle Beetles are a group of insects which have the largest number of species. They are placed in the order Coleoptera,which means "sheathed wing" and contains more described species than in any other order in the animal kingdom, constituting about twenty-five percent of all known life-forms. James K. Liebherr and Joseph V. McHugh in Resh, V. H. & R. T. CardÃ© (Editors) 2003. Encyclopedia of Insects. Academic Press. Forty percent of all described insect species are beetles (about 350,000 species ), and new species are frequently discovered. Estimates put the total number of species, described and undescribed, at between 5 and 8 million. Beetles can be found in almost all habitats, but are not known to occur in the sea or in the polar regions. They interact with their ecosystems in several ways. They often feed on plants and fungi, break down animal and plant debris, and eat other invertebrates. Some species are prey of various animals including birds and mammals. Certain species are agricultural pests, such as the Colorado potato beetle Leptinotarsa decemlineata, the boll weevil Anthonomus grandis, the red flour beetle Tribolium castaneum, and the mungbean or cowpea beetle Callosobruchus maculatus, while other species of beetles are important controls of agricultural pests. For example, coccinellidae ("ladybirds" or "ladybugs") consume aphids, scale insects, thrips, and other plant-sucking insects that damage crops. The name "Coleoptera" was given by Aristotle for the hardened shield like forewings (coleo = shield + ptera = wing). A cockchafer with its elytra raised, exposing the membranous flight wings, where the veins are visible Trogodendron fasciculatum, a clerid beetle with bright yellow antennae Other characters of this group which are believed to be monophyletic include a holometabolous life cycle; having a prothorax that is distinct from and freely articulating with the mesothorax; the meso- and meta-thoracic segments fusing to form a pterothorax; a depressed body shape with the legs on the ventral surface; the coxae of legs recessed into cavities formed by heavily sclerotized thoracic sclerites; the abdominal sternites more sclerotized than the tergites; antennae with 11 or fewer segments; and terminal genitalic appendages retracted into the abdomen and invisible at rest. The general anatomy of beetles is quite uniform, although specific organs and appendages may vary greatly in appearance and function between the many families in the order. Like all insects, beetles' bodies are divided into three sections: the head, the thorax, and the abdomen. When viewed from below, the thorax is that part from which all three pairs of legs and both pairs of wings arise. The abdomen is everything posterior to the thorax. When viewed from above, most beetles appear to have three clear sections, but this is deceptive: on the beetle's upper surface, the middle "section" is a hard plate called the pronotum, which is only the front part of the thorax; the back part of the thorax is concealed by the beetle's wings. Like all arthropods, beetles are segmented organisms, and all three of the major sections of the body are themselves composed of several further segments, although these are not always readily discernible. This further segmentation is usually best seen on the abdomen. Beetles are generally characterised by a particularly hard exoskeleton and hard forewings (elytra). The beetle's exoskeleton is made up of numerous plates called sclerites, separated by thin sutures. This design creates the armoured defences of the beetle while maintaining flexibility. The elytra are not used for flight, but tend to cover the hind part of the body and protect the second pair of wings (alae). The elytra must be raised in order to move the hind flight wings. A beetle's flight wings are crossed with veins and are folded after landing, often along these veins, and are stored below the elytra. In some beetles, the ability to fly has been lost. These include the ground beetles (family Carabidae) and some "true weevils" (family Curculionidae), but also some desert and cave-dwelling species of other families. Many of these species have the two elytra fused together, forming a solid shield over the abdomen. In a few families, both the ability to fly and the elytra have been lost, with the best known example being the glow-worms of the family Phengodidae, in which the females are larviform throughout their lives. Beetles have mouthparts similar to those of grasshoppers. Of these parts, the most commonly known are probably the mandibles, which appear as large pincers on the front of some beetles. The mandibles are a pair of hard, often tooth-like structures that move horizontally to grasp, crush, or cut food or enemies (see defence, below). Two pairs of finger-like appendages are found around the mouth in most beetles, serving to move food into the mouth. These are the maxillary and labial palpi. The eyes are compound and may display remarkable adaptability, as in the case of whirligig beetles (family Gyrinidae), in which the eyes are split to allow a view both above and below the waterline. Other species also have divided eyes â some longhorn beetles (family Cerambycidae) and weevils â while many beetles have eyes that are notched to some degree. A few beetle genera also possess ocelli, which are small, simple eyes usually situated farther back on the head (on the vertex). Beetles' antennae are primarily organs of smell, but may also be used to feel out a beetle's environment physically. They may also be used in some families during mating, or among a few beetles for defence. Antennae vary greatly in form within the Coleoptera, but are often similar within any given family. In some cases, males and females of the same species will have different antennal forms. Antennae may be clavate (flabellate and lamellate are sub-forms of clavate, or clubbed antennae), filiform, geniculate, moniliform, pectinate, or serrate. For images of these antennal forms see antenna (biology). Acilius sulcatus, a diving beetle showing hind legs adapted for life in water The legs, which are multi-segmented, end in two to five small segments called tarsi. Like many other insect orders beetles bear claws, usually one pair, on the end of the last tarsal segment of each leg. While most beetles use their legs for walking, legs may be variously modified and adapted for other uses. Among aquatic families â Dytiscidae, Haliplidae, many species of Hydrophilidae and others â the legs, most notably the last pair, are modified for swimming and often bear rows of long hairs to aid this purpose. Other beetles have fossorial legs that are widened and often spined for digging. Species with such adaptations are found among the scarabs, ground beetles, and clown beetles (family Histeridae). The hind legs of some beetles, such as flea beetles (within Chrysomelidae) and flea weevils (within Curculionidae), are enlarged and designed for jumping. Oxygen is obtained via a tracheal system. Air enters a series of tubes along the body through openings called spiracles, and is then taken into increasingly finer fibres. Pumping movements of the body force the air through the system. Beetles have haemolymph instead of blood, and the open circulatory system of the beetle is powered by a tube-like heart attached to the top inside of the thorax. Scarabaeiform larva of the cockchafer, Melolontha melolontha Beetles are endopterygotes with complete metamorphosis. A single female may lay from several dozen to several thousand eggs during her lifetime. Eggs are usually laid according to the substrate the larva will feed on upon hatching. Among others, they can be laid loose in the substrate (e.g. flour beetle), laid in clumps on leaves (e.g. Colorado potato beetle), or individually attached (e.g. mungbean beetle and other seed borers) or buried in the medium (e.g. carrot weevil). The larva is usually the principal feeding stage of the beetle life cycle. Larvae tend to feed voraciously once they emerge from their eggs. Some feed externally on plants, such as those of certain leaf beetles, while others feed within their food sources. Examples of internal feeders are most Buprestidae and longhorn beetles. The larvae of many beetle families are predatory like the adults (ground beetles, ladybirds, rove beetles). The larval period varies between species but can be as long as several years. Beetle larvae can be differentiated from other insect larvae by their hardened, often darkened head, the presence of chewing mouthparts, and spiracles along the sides of the body. Like adult beetles, the larvae are varied in appearance, particularly between beetle families. Beetles whose larvae are somewhat flattened and are highly mobile are the ground beetles, some rove beetles, and others; their larvae are described as campodeiform. Some beetle larvae resemble hardened worms with dark head capsules and minute legs. These are elateriform larvae, and are found in the click beetle (Elateridae) and darkling beetle (Tenebrionidae) families. Some elateriform larvae of click beetles are known as wireworms. Beetles in the families of the Scarabaeoidea have short, thick larvae described as scarabaeiform, but more commonly known as grubs. All beetle larvae go through several instars, which are the developmental stages between each moult. In many species the larvae simply increase in size with each successive instar as more food is consumed. In some cases, however, more dramatic changes occur. Among certain beetle families or genera, particularly those that exhibit parasitic lifestyles, the first instar (the planidium) is highly mobile in order to search out a host, while the following instars are more sedentary and remain on or within their host. This is known as hypermetamorphosis; examples include the blister beetles (family Meloidae) and some rove beetles, particularly those of the genus Aleochara. As with all endopterygotes, beetle larvae pupate, and from this pupa emerges a fully formed, sexually mature adult beetle, or imago. Adults have an extremely variable lifespan, from weeks to years, depending on the species. Beetles mating in San Francisco Flamboyant flower beetle, Eudicella gralli, from the forests of Central Africa. The iridescent elytra are used in marriage ceremonies. Beetles may display extremely intricate behaviour when mating. Smell is thought to be important in the location of a mate. Conflict can play a part in the mating rituals of species such as burying beetles (genus Nicrophorus) where conflicts between males and females rage until only one of each is left, thus ensuring reproduction by the strongest and fittest. Many beetles are territorial and will fiercely defend their small patch of territory from intruding males. Pairing is generally short but in some cases will last for several hours. During pairing sperm cells are transferred to the female to fertilise the egg. Parental care varies between species, ranging from the simple laying of eggs under a leaf to certain scarab beetles, which construct underground structures complete with a supply of dung to house and feed their young. Other beetles are leaf rollers, biting sections of leaves to cause them to curl inwards, then laying their eggs, thus protected, inside. Brachinus sp., a bombardier beetle Beetles and their larvae have a variety of strategies to avoid being attacked by predators or parasitoids. These include camouflage, mimicry, toxicity, and active defence. Camouflage involves the use of colouration or shape to blend into the surrounding environment. Among those that exhibit this defensive strategy are some of the leaf beetles (family Chysomelidae), having green colouring very similar to their habitat on plant leaves. More complex camouflage also occurs, as with some weevils, where various coloured scales or hairs cause the beetle to resemble bird dung. Another defence that often uses colour or shape to deceive potential enemies is mimicry. A number of longhorn beetles (family Cerambycidae) bear a striking resemblance to wasps, which fools predators into keeping their distance even though the beetles are in fact harmless. This defence can be found to a lesser extent in other beetle families, such as the scarab beetles. Beetles may combine their colour mimicry with behavioural mimicry, acting like the wasps they already closely resemble. Many beetle species, including ladybirds and blister beetles, can secrete distasteful or toxic substances to make them unpalatable or even poisonous. These same species often exhibit aposematism, where bright or contrasting colour patterns warn away potential predators. Large ground beetles and longhorn beetles may go on the attack, using their strong mandibles to forcibly persuade a predator to seek out easier prey. Others, such as bombardier beetles (within Carabidae) spray acidic gas from their abdomen to repel predators. Besides being abundant and varied, the Coleoptera are able to exploit the wide diversity of food sources available in their many habitats. Some are generalists, eating both plants and animals. Other beetles are highly specialised in their diet. Many species of leaf beetles, longhorn beetles, and weevils are very host specific, feeding on only a single species of plant. Ground beetles and rove beetles (family Staphylinidae), among others, are primarily carnivorous and will catch and consume many other arthropods and small prey such as earthworms and snails. While most predatory beetles are generalists, a few species have more specific prey requirements or preferences. Decaying organic matter is a primary diet for many species. This can range from dung, which is consumed by coprophagous species such as certain scarab beetles (family Scarabaeidae), to dead animals, which are eaten by necrophagous species such as the carrion beetles (family Silphidae). Some of the beetles found within dung and carrion are in fact predatory, such as the clown beetles, preying on the larvae of coprophagous and necrophagous insects. Aquatic beetles use several techniques for retaining air beneath the water's surface. Beetles of the family Dytiscidae hold air between the abdomen and the elytra when diving. Hydrophilidae have hairs on their under surface that retain a layer of air against their bodies. Adult crawling water beetles use both their elytra and their hind coxae (the basal segment of the back legs) in air retention while whirligig beetles simply carry an air bubble down with them whenever they dive. Sphaerius acaroides, a member of the small suborder Myxophaga While some authorities believe modern beetles began about 140 million years ago, research announced in 2007 showed that beetles may have entered the fossil record during the Lower Permian, about 265 to 300 million years ago. Modern Beetles Predate Dinosaurs, Dave Mosher, LiveScience.com, 26 December 2007. The four extant suborders of beetle are these: * Polyphaga is the largest suborder, containing more than 300,000 described species in more than 170 families, including rove beetles (Staphylinidae), scarab beetles (Scarabaeidae), blister beetles (Meloidae), stag beetles (Lucanidae) and true weevils (Curculionidae). These beetles can be identified by the cervical sclerites (hardened parts of the head used as points of attachment for muscles) absent in the other suborders. * Adephaga contains about 10 families of largely predatory beetles, includes ground beetles (Carabidae), Dytiscidae and whirligig beetles (Gyrinidae). In these beetles the testes are tubular and the first abdominal sternum (a plate of the exoskeleton) is divided by the hind coxae (the basal joints of the beetle's legs). * Archostemata contains four families of mainly wood-eating beetles, including reticulated beetles (Cupedidae) and the telephone-pole beetle. * Myxophaga contains about 100 described species in four families, mostly very small, including Hydroscaphidae and the genus Sphaerius. These suborders diverged in the Permian and Triassic. Their phylogenetic relationship is uncertain, with the most popular hypothesis being that Polyphaga and Myxophaga are most closely related, with Adephaga as the sister group to those two, and Archostemata as sister to the other three collectively. There are about 350,000 species of beetles. Such a large number of species poses special problems for classification, with some families consisting of thousands of species and needing further division into subfamilies and tribes. Colorado potato beetle (Leptinotarsa decemlineata) larvae Many agricultural, forestry, and household insect pests are beetles. These include the following: * The Colorado potato beetle, Leptinotarsa decemlineata, is a notorious pest of potato plants. Crops are destroyed and the beetle can only be treated by employing expensive pesticides, many of which it has begun to develop resistance to. As well as potatoes, suitable hosts can be a number of plants from the potato family (Solanaceae), such as nightshade, tomato, aubergine and capsicum. * The boll weevil, Anthonomus grandis, has cost cotton producers in the United States billions of dollars since it first entered that country. * The bark beetles Hylurgopinus rufipes and Scolytus multistriatus, the elm leaf beetle, Pyrrhalta luteola, and other beetles attack elm trees. The bark beetles are important elm pests because they carry Dutch elm disease as they move from infected breeding sites to feed on healthy elm trees. The spread of the fungus by the beetle has led to the devastation of elm trees in many parts of the Northern Hemisphere, notably in Europe and North America. * The death watch beetle, Xestobium rufovillosum, (family Anobiidae) is of considerable importance as a pest of older wooden buildings in Great Britain. It attacks hardwoods such as oak and chestnut, always where some fungal decay has taken or is taking place. It is thought that the actual introduction of the pest into buildings takes place at the time of construction. * Asian long-horned beetle * Citrus long-horned beetle * Western corn rootworm * Coconut hispine beetle or Brontispa longissima gestro feeds on young leaves and damages seedlings and mature coconut palms. On September 27, 2007, Philippines' Metro Manila and 26 provinces were quarantined due to having been infested with this pest (to save the $800-million Philippine coconut industry). Inquirer.net, Beetles infest coconuts in Manila, 26 provinces Coccinella septempunctata, a beneficial beetle * Both the larvae and adults of some ladybirds (family Coccinellidae) are found in aphid colonies. Other lady beetles feed on scale insects and mealybugs. If normal food sources are scarce they may feed on other things, such as small caterpillars, young plant bugs, honeydew and nectar. * Ground beetles (family Carabidae) are common predators of many different insects and other arthropods, including fly eggs, caterpillars, wireworms and others. * Plant-feeding beetles are often important beneficial insects, controlling problem weeds. Some flea beetles of the genus Aphthona feed on leafy spurge, a considerable weed of rangeland in western North America. Some farmers develop beetle banks to foster and provide cover for beneficial beetles. Beetles of the Dermestidae family are often used in taxidermy to clean bones of remaining flesh. Ancient Egyptian scene depicting a scarab beetle Several species of dung beetle, most notably Scarabaeus sacer (often referred to as "scarab"), enjoyed a sacred status among the ancient Egyptians, as the creatures were likened to the major god Khepri. Some scholars suggest that the Egyptians' practice of making mummies was inspired by the brooding process of the beetle. Many thousands of amulets and stamp seals have been excavated that depict the scarab. In many artifacts, the scarab is depicted pushing the sun along its course in the sky, much as scarabs push or roll balls of dung to their brood sites. During and following the New Kingdom, scarab amulets were often placed over the heart of the mummified deceased. Some tribal groups, particularly in tropical parts of the world, use the colourful, iridescent elytra of certain beetles, especially certain Scarabaeidae, in ceremonies and as adornment. Beetle collection at the Melbourne Museum, Australia The study of beetles is called coleopterology, and its practitioners are coleopterists. Coleopterists have formed organisations to facilitate the study of beetles. Among these is The Coleopterists Society, an international organisation based in the United States. Such organisations may have both professionals and amateurs interested in beetles as members. Research in this field is often published in peer-reviewed journals specific to the field of coleopterology, though journals dealing with general entomology also publish many papers on various aspects of beetle biology. Some of the journals specific to beetle research are: The Coleopterist (United Kingdom beetle fauna) The Coleopterists Bulletin (published by The Coleopterists Society) There is a thriving industry in the collection of beetle specimens for amateur and professional collectors. Many coleopterists prefer to collect beetle specimens for themselves, recording detailed information about each specimen and its habitat. Such collections add to the body of knowledge about the Coleoptera. Some countries have established laws governing or prohibiting the collection of certain rare (and often much sought after) species. One such beetle whose collection is illegal or restricted is the American burying beetle, Nicrophorus americanus. * Poul Beckmann, Living Jewels: The Natural Design of Beetles ISBN 3-7913-2528-0 * Arthur V. Evans, Charles Bellamy, and Lisa Charles Watson, An Inordinate Fondness for Beetles ISBN 0-520-22323-3 * Entomological Society of America, Beetle Larvae of the World ISBN 0-643-05506-1 * David Grimaldi, Michael S. Engel, Evolution of the Insects ISBN 0-521-82149-5 * Ross H. Arnett, Jr. and Michael C. Thomas, American Beetles (CRC Press, 2001-2). ISBN 0-8493-1925-0 * K. W. Harde, A Field Guide in Colour to Beetles ISBN 0-7064-1937-5 Pages 7-24 * White, R.E. 1983. Beetles. Houghton Mifflin Company, New York, NY. ISBN 0-395-91089-7 Heteroptera - insect suborder that is superficially similar to beetles - Coleoptera All what do you need to know about coleoptera, collecting and preparation * The Beetle Ring - A group of websites about beetles (Coleoptera). * List of major Beetle collections - worldwide * Entomology - online insect museum, entomology, tips and tricks, how to spread and pin insects, etc. * - Gallery of Central European beetles * Coleoptera from the Tree of Life * Australian borers species * Beetles and coleopterologists Russian site with English version, with information about biology, systematics and paleontology of beetles * North American Beetles from BugGuide * Bibliography on fossil insects * Coleoptera Families of the World * A digital collection of Southeast Asian beetles Related Wikipedia Articles coleopter Hylobius abietis weevil Animal Arthropod Insect Pterygota Neoptera Endopterygota Carolus Linnaeus Systema Naturae Suborder (biology) Adephaga Archostemata Myxophaga Polyphaga subgroups of the order Coleoptera insect species species animal polar region ecosystem plant fungus invertebrate Colorado potato beetle boll weevil coccinellidae aphid scale insect thrips Aristotle cockchafer Trogodendron fasciculatum monophyletic holometabolous prothorax coxa anatomy appendage pronotum insect wing segmentation (biology) exoskeleton elytron sclerite insect flight insect wing ground beetle Curculionidae glowworm Phengodidae Larviform female mouthparts grasshopper mandible (insect) #Defence appendage compound eye whirligig beetle longhorn beetle ocellus vertex (anatomy) antenna (biology) antenna (biology) Acilius sulcatus arthropod leg Dytiscidae Haliplidae Hydrophilidae fossorial clown beetle flea beetle Oxygen invertebrate trachea spiracle hemolymph blood open circulatory system Melolontha melolontha Endopterygota metamorphosis (biology) larva Colorado potato beetle larva Biological life cycle Buprestidae spiracle click beetle darkling beetle click beetle Scarabaeoidea instar ecdysis planidium hypermetamorphosis blister beetle Aleochara pupa imago San Francisco Flamboyant flower beetle burying beetle Spermatozoon fertilisation Scarabaeidae leaf roller Brachinus bombardier beetle parasitoid camouflage mimicry leaf beetle weevil longhorn beetle wasp Coccinellidae blister beetle aposematism ground beetle Mandible (insect) bombardier beetle Ground beetle rove beetle arthropod dung coprophagous dung beetle necrophagous carrion beetle clown beetle coxa Ross H. Arnett, Jr. Michael C. Thomas American Beetles CRC Press Boca Raton, Florida whirligig beetle Sphaerius Myxophaga fossil Permian Polyphaga rove beetle scarabaeidae blister beetle stag beetle Curculionidae sclerite Adephaga ground beetle Dytiscidae whirligig beetle testes exoskeleton coxa Archostemata reticulated beetle telephone-pole beetle Myxophaga Hydroscaphidae Sphaerius Triassic phylogenetics sister group Linnaean taxonomy Colorado potato beetle Colorado potato beetle potato pesticide pesticide resistance Solanaceae nightshade tomato aubergine capsicum boll weevil United States bark beetle elm leaf beetle elm Dutch elm disease Northern Hemisphere Europe North America death watch beetle Anobiidae Great Britain hardwood oak chestnut Asian long-horned beetle Citrus long-horned beetle Western corn rootworm Coconut leaves seedlings coconut palms September 27 Philippines Metro Manila provinces quarantined pest coconut industry Coccinella septempunctata ladybirds Coccinellidae aphid scale insect mealybug honeydew nectar Ground beetle caterpillar Aphthona leafy spurge beetle bank Dermestidae taxidermy Dung beetle Scarabaeus sacer Ancient Egyptian Khepri Mummy New Kingdom Elytron Melbourne Museum coleopterology list of coleopterists The Coleopterists Society international organisation scientific journal The Coleopterist The Coleopterists Bulletin Nicrophorus americanus Entomological Society of America David Grimaldi Michael S. Engel Ross H. Arnett, Jr. Michael C. Thomas American Beetles Heteroptera
beetle	What do beetles eat?	They often feed on plants and fungi, break down animal and plant debris, and eat other invertebrates	data/set1/a8	beetle Beetles are a group of insects which have the largest number of species. They are placed in the order Coleoptera,which means "sheathed wing" and contains more described species than in any other order in the animal kingdom, constituting about twenty-five percent of all known life-forms. James K. Liebherr and Joseph V. McHugh in Resh, V. H. & R. T. CardÃ© (Editors) 2003. Encyclopedia of Insects. Academic Press. Forty percent of all described insect species are beetles (about 350,000 species ), and new species are frequently discovered. Estimates put the total number of species, described and undescribed, at between 5 and 8 million. Beetles can be found in almost all habitats, but are not known to occur in the sea or in the polar regions. They interact with their ecosystems in several ways. They often feed on plants and fungi, break down animal and plant debris, and eat other invertebrates. Some species are prey of various animals including birds and mammals. Certain species are agricultural pests, such as the Colorado potato beetle Leptinotarsa decemlineata, the boll weevil Anthonomus grandis, the red flour beetle Tribolium castaneum, and the mungbean or cowpea beetle Callosobruchus maculatus, while other species of beetles are important controls of agricultural pests. For example, coccinellidae ("ladybirds" or "ladybugs") consume aphids, scale insects, thrips, and other plant-sucking insects that damage crops. The name "Coleoptera" was given by Aristotle for the hardened shield like forewings (coleo = shield + ptera = wing). A cockchafer with its elytra raised, exposing the membranous flight wings, where the veins are visible Trogodendron fasciculatum, a clerid beetle with bright yellow antennae Other characters of this group which are believed to be monophyletic include a holometabolous life cycle; having a prothorax that is distinct from and freely articulating with the mesothorax; the meso- and meta-thoracic segments fusing to form a pterothorax; a depressed body shape with the legs on the ventral surface; the coxae of legs recessed into cavities formed by heavily sclerotized thoracic sclerites; the abdominal sternites more sclerotized than the tergites; antennae with 11 or fewer segments; and terminal genitalic appendages retracted into the abdomen and invisible at rest. The general anatomy of beetles is quite uniform, although specific organs and appendages may vary greatly in appearance and function between the many families in the order. Like all insects, beetles' bodies are divided into three sections: the head, the thorax, and the abdomen. When viewed from below, the thorax is that part from which all three pairs of legs and both pairs of wings arise. The abdomen is everything posterior to the thorax. When viewed from above, most beetles appear to have three clear sections, but this is deceptive: on the beetle's upper surface, the middle "section" is a hard plate called the pronotum, which is only the front part of the thorax; the back part of the thorax is concealed by the beetle's wings. Like all arthropods, beetles are segmented organisms, and all three of the major sections of the body are themselves composed of several further segments, although these are not always readily discernible. This further segmentation is usually best seen on the abdomen. Beetles are generally characterised by a particularly hard exoskeleton and hard forewings (elytra). The beetle's exoskeleton is made up of numerous plates called sclerites, separated by thin sutures. This design creates the armoured defences of the beetle while maintaining flexibility. The elytra are not used for flight, but tend to cover the hind part of the body and protect the second pair of wings (alae). The elytra must be raised in order to move the hind flight wings. A beetle's flight wings are crossed with veins and are folded after landing, often along these veins, and are stored below the elytra. In some beetles, the ability to fly has been lost. These include the ground beetles (family Carabidae) and some "true weevils" (family Curculionidae), but also some desert and cave-dwelling species of other families. Many of these species have the two elytra fused together, forming a solid shield over the abdomen. In a few families, both the ability to fly and the elytra have been lost, with the best known example being the glow-worms of the family Phengodidae, in which the females are larviform throughout their lives. Beetles have mouthparts similar to those of grasshoppers. Of these parts, the most commonly known are probably the mandibles, which appear as large pincers on the front of some beetles. The mandibles are a pair of hard, often tooth-like structures that move horizontally to grasp, crush, or cut food or enemies (see defence, below). Two pairs of finger-like appendages are found around the mouth in most beetles, serving to move food into the mouth. These are the maxillary and labial palpi. The eyes are compound and may display remarkable adaptability, as in the case of whirligig beetles (family Gyrinidae), in which the eyes are split to allow a view both above and below the waterline. Other species also have divided eyes â some longhorn beetles (family Cerambycidae) and weevils â while many beetles have eyes that are notched to some degree. A few beetle genera also possess ocelli, which are small, simple eyes usually situated farther back on the head (on the vertex). Beetles' antennae are primarily organs of smell, but may also be used to feel out a beetle's environment physically. They may also be used in some families during mating, or among a few beetles for defence. Antennae vary greatly in form within the Coleoptera, but are often similar within any given family. In some cases, males and females of the same species will have different antennal forms. Antennae may be clavate (flabellate and lamellate are sub-forms of clavate, or clubbed antennae), filiform, geniculate, moniliform, pectinate, or serrate. For images of these antennal forms see antenna (biology). Acilius sulcatus, a diving beetle showing hind legs adapted for life in water The legs, which are multi-segmented, end in two to five small segments called tarsi. Like many other insect orders beetles bear claws, usually one pair, on the end of the last tarsal segment of each leg. While most beetles use their legs for walking, legs may be variously modified and adapted for other uses. Among aquatic families â Dytiscidae, Haliplidae, many species of Hydrophilidae and others â the legs, most notably the last pair, are modified for swimming and often bear rows of long hairs to aid this purpose. Other beetles have fossorial legs that are widened and often spined for digging. Species with such adaptations are found among the scarabs, ground beetles, and clown beetles (family Histeridae). The hind legs of some beetles, such as flea beetles (within Chrysomelidae) and flea weevils (within Curculionidae), are enlarged and designed for jumping. Oxygen is obtained via a tracheal system. Air enters a series of tubes along the body through openings called spiracles, and is then taken into increasingly finer fibres. Pumping movements of the body force the air through the system. Beetles have haemolymph instead of blood, and the open circulatory system of the beetle is powered by a tube-like heart attached to the top inside of the thorax. Scarabaeiform larva of the cockchafer, Melolontha melolontha Beetles are endopterygotes with complete metamorphosis. A single female may lay from several dozen to several thousand eggs during her lifetime. Eggs are usually laid according to the substrate the larva will feed on upon hatching. Among others, they can be laid loose in the substrate (e.g. flour beetle), laid in clumps on leaves (e.g. Colorado potato beetle), or individually attached (e.g. mungbean beetle and other seed borers) or buried in the medium (e.g. carrot weevil). The larva is usually the principal feeding stage of the beetle life cycle. Larvae tend to feed voraciously once they emerge from their eggs. Some feed externally on plants, such as those of certain leaf beetles, while others feed within their food sources. Examples of internal feeders are most Buprestidae and longhorn beetles. The larvae of many beetle families are predatory like the adults (ground beetles, ladybirds, rove beetles). The larval period varies between species but can be as long as several years. Beetle larvae can be differentiated from other insect larvae by their hardened, often darkened head, the presence of chewing mouthparts, and spiracles along the sides of the body. Like adult beetles, the larvae are varied in appearance, particularly between beetle families. Beetles whose larvae are somewhat flattened and are highly mobile are the ground beetles, some rove beetles, and others; their larvae are described as campodeiform. Some beetle larvae resemble hardened worms with dark head capsules and minute legs. These are elateriform larvae, and are found in the click beetle (Elateridae) and darkling beetle (Tenebrionidae) families. Some elateriform larvae of click beetles are known as wireworms. Beetles in the families of the Scarabaeoidea have short, thick larvae described as scarabaeiform, but more commonly known as grubs. All beetle larvae go through several instars, which are the developmental stages between each moult. In many species the larvae simply increase in size with each successive instar as more food is consumed. In some cases, however, more dramatic changes occur. Among certain beetle families or genera, particularly those that exhibit parasitic lifestyles, the first instar (the planidium) is highly mobile in order to search out a host, while the following instars are more sedentary and remain on or within their host. This is known as hypermetamorphosis; examples include the blister beetles (family Meloidae) and some rove beetles, particularly those of the genus Aleochara. As with all endopterygotes, beetle larvae pupate, and from this pupa emerges a fully formed, sexually mature adult beetle, or imago. Adults have an extremely variable lifespan, from weeks to years, depending on the species. Beetles mating in San Francisco Flamboyant flower beetle, Eudicella gralli, from the forests of Central Africa. The iridescent elytra are used in marriage ceremonies. Beetles may display extremely intricate behaviour when mating. Smell is thought to be important in the location of a mate. Conflict can play a part in the mating rituals of species such as burying beetles (genus Nicrophorus) where conflicts between males and females rage until only one of each is left, thus ensuring reproduction by the strongest and fittest. Many beetles are territorial and will fiercely defend their small patch of territory from intruding males. Pairing is generally short but in some cases will last for several hours. During pairing sperm cells are transferred to the female to fertilise the egg. Parental care varies between species, ranging from the simple laying of eggs under a leaf to certain scarab beetles, which construct underground structures complete with a supply of dung to house and feed their young. Other beetles are leaf rollers, biting sections of leaves to cause them to curl inwards, then laying their eggs, thus protected, inside. Brachinus sp., a bombardier beetle Beetles and their larvae have a variety of strategies to avoid being attacked by predators or parasitoids. These include camouflage, mimicry, toxicity, and active defence. Camouflage involves the use of colouration or shape to blend into the surrounding environment. Among those that exhibit this defensive strategy are some of the leaf beetles (family Chysomelidae), having green colouring very similar to their habitat on plant leaves. More complex camouflage also occurs, as with some weevils, where various coloured scales or hairs cause the beetle to resemble bird dung. Another defence that often uses colour or shape to deceive potential enemies is mimicry. A number of longhorn beetles (family Cerambycidae) bear a striking resemblance to wasps, which fools predators into keeping their distance even though the beetles are in fact harmless. This defence can be found to a lesser extent in other beetle families, such as the scarab beetles. Beetles may combine their colour mimicry with behavioural mimicry, acting like the wasps they already closely resemble. Many beetle species, including ladybirds and blister beetles, can secrete distasteful or toxic substances to make them unpalatable or even poisonous. These same species often exhibit aposematism, where bright or contrasting colour patterns warn away potential predators. Large ground beetles and longhorn beetles may go on the attack, using their strong mandibles to forcibly persuade a predator to seek out easier prey. Others, such as bombardier beetles (within Carabidae) spray acidic gas from their abdomen to repel predators. Besides being abundant and varied, the Coleoptera are able to exploit the wide diversity of food sources available in their many habitats. Some are generalists, eating both plants and animals. Other beetles are highly specialised in their diet. Many species of leaf beetles, longhorn beetles, and weevils are very host specific, feeding on only a single species of plant. Ground beetles and rove beetles (family Staphylinidae), among others, are primarily carnivorous and will catch and consume many other arthropods and small prey such as earthworms and snails. While most predatory beetles are generalists, a few species have more specific prey requirements or preferences. Decaying organic matter is a primary diet for many species. This can range from dung, which is consumed by coprophagous species such as certain scarab beetles (family Scarabaeidae), to dead animals, which are eaten by necrophagous species such as the carrion beetles (family Silphidae). Some of the beetles found within dung and carrion are in fact predatory, such as the clown beetles, preying on the larvae of coprophagous and necrophagous insects. Aquatic beetles use several techniques for retaining air beneath the water's surface. Beetles of the family Dytiscidae hold air between the abdomen and the elytra when diving. Hydrophilidae have hairs on their under surface that retain a layer of air against their bodies. Adult crawling water beetles use both their elytra and their hind coxae (the basal segment of the back legs) in air retention while whirligig beetles simply carry an air bubble down with them whenever they dive. Sphaerius acaroides, a member of the small suborder Myxophaga While some authorities believe modern beetles began about 140 million years ago, research announced in 2007 showed that beetles may have entered the fossil record during the Lower Permian, about 265 to 300 million years ago. Modern Beetles Predate Dinosaurs, Dave Mosher, LiveScience.com, 26 December 2007. The four extant suborders of beetle are these: * Polyphaga is the largest suborder, containing more than 300,000 described species in more than 170 families, including rove beetles (Staphylinidae), scarab beetles (Scarabaeidae), blister beetles (Meloidae), stag beetles (Lucanidae) and true weevils (Curculionidae). These beetles can be identified by the cervical sclerites (hardened parts of the head used as points of attachment for muscles) absent in the other suborders. * Adephaga contains about 10 families of largely predatory beetles, includes ground beetles (Carabidae), Dytiscidae and whirligig beetles (Gyrinidae). In these beetles the testes are tubular and the first abdominal sternum (a plate of the exoskeleton) is divided by the hind coxae (the basal joints of the beetle's legs). * Archostemata contains four families of mainly wood-eating beetles, including reticulated beetles (Cupedidae) and the telephone-pole beetle. * Myxophaga contains about 100 described species in four families, mostly very small, including Hydroscaphidae and the genus Sphaerius. These suborders diverged in the Permian and Triassic. Their phylogenetic relationship is uncertain, with the most popular hypothesis being that Polyphaga and Myxophaga are most closely related, with Adephaga as the sister group to those two, and Archostemata as sister to the other three collectively. There are about 350,000 species of beetles. Such a large number of species poses special problems for classification, with some families consisting of thousands of species and needing further division into subfamilies and tribes. Colorado potato beetle (Leptinotarsa decemlineata) larvae Many agricultural, forestry, and household insect pests are beetles. These include the following: * The Colorado potato beetle, Leptinotarsa decemlineata, is a notorious pest of potato plants. Crops are destroyed and the beetle can only be treated by employing expensive pesticides, many of which it has begun to develop resistance to. As well as potatoes, suitable hosts can be a number of plants from the potato family (Solanaceae), such as nightshade, tomato, aubergine and capsicum. * The boll weevil, Anthonomus grandis, has cost cotton producers in the United States billions of dollars since it first entered that country. * The bark beetles Hylurgopinus rufipes and Scolytus multistriatus, the elm leaf beetle, Pyrrhalta luteola, and other beetles attack elm trees. The bark beetles are important elm pests because they carry Dutch elm disease as they move from infected breeding sites to feed on healthy elm trees. The spread of the fungus by the beetle has led to the devastation of elm trees in many parts of the Northern Hemisphere, notably in Europe and North America. * The death watch beetle, Xestobium rufovillosum, (family Anobiidae) is of considerable importance as a pest of older wooden buildings in Great Britain. It attacks hardwoods such as oak and chestnut, always where some fungal decay has taken or is taking place. It is thought that the actual introduction of the pest into buildings takes place at the time of construction. * Asian long-horned beetle * Citrus long-horned beetle * Western corn rootworm * Coconut hispine beetle or Brontispa longissima gestro feeds on young leaves and damages seedlings and mature coconut palms. On September 27, 2007, Philippines' Metro Manila and 26 provinces were quarantined due to having been infested with this pest (to save the $800-million Philippine coconut industry). Inquirer.net, Beetles infest coconuts in Manila, 26 provinces Coccinella septempunctata, a beneficial beetle * Both the larvae and adults of some ladybirds (family Coccinellidae) are found in aphid colonies. Other lady beetles feed on scale insects and mealybugs. If normal food sources are scarce they may feed on other things, such as small caterpillars, young plant bugs, honeydew and nectar. * Ground beetles (family Carabidae) are common predators of many different insects and other arthropods, including fly eggs, caterpillars, wireworms and others. * Plant-feeding beetles are often important beneficial insects, controlling problem weeds. Some flea beetles of the genus Aphthona feed on leafy spurge, a considerable weed of rangeland in western North America. Some farmers develop beetle banks to foster and provide cover for beneficial beetles. Beetles of the Dermestidae family are often used in taxidermy to clean bones of remaining flesh. Ancient Egyptian scene depicting a scarab beetle Several species of dung beetle, most notably Scarabaeus sacer (often referred to as "scarab"), enjoyed a sacred status among the ancient Egyptians, as the creatures were likened to the major god Khepri. Some scholars suggest that the Egyptians' practice of making mummies was inspired by the brooding process of the beetle. Many thousands of amulets and stamp seals have been excavated that depict the scarab. In many artifacts, the scarab is depicted pushing the sun along its course in the sky, much as scarabs push or roll balls of dung to their brood sites. During and following the New Kingdom, scarab amulets were often placed over the heart of the mummified deceased. Some tribal groups, particularly in tropical parts of the world, use the colourful, iridescent elytra of certain beetles, especially certain Scarabaeidae, in ceremonies and as adornment. Beetle collection at the Melbourne Museum, Australia The study of beetles is called coleopterology, and its practitioners are coleopterists. Coleopterists have formed organisations to facilitate the study of beetles. Among these is The Coleopterists Society, an international organisation based in the United States. Such organisations may have both professionals and amateurs interested in beetles as members. Research in this field is often published in peer-reviewed journals specific to the field of coleopterology, though journals dealing with general entomology also publish many papers on various aspects of beetle biology. Some of the journals specific to beetle research are: The Coleopterist (United Kingdom beetle fauna) The Coleopterists Bulletin (published by The Coleopterists Society) There is a thriving industry in the collection of beetle specimens for amateur and professional collectors. Many coleopterists prefer to collect beetle specimens for themselves, recording detailed information about each specimen and its habitat. Such collections add to the body of knowledge about the Coleoptera. Some countries have established laws governing or prohibiting the collection of certain rare (and often much sought after) species. One such beetle whose collection is illegal or restricted is the American burying beetle, Nicrophorus americanus. * Poul Beckmann, Living Jewels: The Natural Design of Beetles ISBN 3-7913-2528-0 * Arthur V. Evans, Charles Bellamy, and Lisa Charles Watson, An Inordinate Fondness for Beetles ISBN 0-520-22323-3 * Entomological Society of America, Beetle Larvae of the World ISBN 0-643-05506-1 * David Grimaldi, Michael S. Engel, Evolution of the Insects ISBN 0-521-82149-5 * Ross H. Arnett, Jr. and Michael C. Thomas, American Beetles (CRC Press, 2001-2). ISBN 0-8493-1925-0 * K. W. Harde, A Field Guide in Colour to Beetles ISBN 0-7064-1937-5 Pages 7-24 * White, R.E. 1983. Beetles. Houghton Mifflin Company, New York, NY. ISBN 0-395-91089-7 Heteroptera - insect suborder that is superficially similar to beetles - Coleoptera All what do you need to know about coleoptera, collecting and preparation * The Beetle Ring - A group of websites about beetles (Coleoptera). * List of major Beetle collections - worldwide * Entomology - online insect museum, entomology, tips and tricks, how to spread and pin insects, etc. * - Gallery of Central European beetles * Coleoptera from the Tree of Life * Australian borers species * Beetles and coleopterologists Russian site with English version, with information about biology, systematics and paleontology of beetles * North American Beetles from BugGuide * Bibliography on fossil insects * Coleoptera Families of the World * A digital collection of Southeast Asian beetles Related Wikipedia Articles coleopter Hylobius abietis weevil Animal Arthropod Insect Pterygota Neoptera Endopterygota Carolus Linnaeus Systema Naturae Suborder (biology) Adephaga Archostemata Myxophaga Polyphaga subgroups of the order Coleoptera insect species species animal polar region ecosystem plant fungus invertebrate Colorado potato beetle boll weevil coccinellidae aphid scale insect thrips Aristotle cockchafer Trogodendron fasciculatum monophyletic holometabolous prothorax coxa anatomy appendage pronotum insect wing segmentation (biology) exoskeleton elytron sclerite insect flight insect wing ground beetle Curculionidae glowworm Phengodidae Larviform female mouthparts grasshopper mandible (insect) #Defence appendage compound eye whirligig beetle longhorn beetle ocellus vertex (anatomy) antenna (biology) antenna (biology) Acilius sulcatus arthropod leg Dytiscidae Haliplidae Hydrophilidae fossorial clown beetle flea beetle Oxygen invertebrate trachea spiracle hemolymph blood open circulatory system Melolontha melolontha Endopterygota metamorphosis (biology) larva Colorado potato beetle larva Biological life cycle Buprestidae spiracle click beetle darkling beetle click beetle Scarabaeoidea instar ecdysis planidium hypermetamorphosis blister beetle Aleochara pupa imago San Francisco Flamboyant flower beetle burying beetle Spermatozoon fertilisation Scarabaeidae leaf roller Brachinus bombardier beetle parasitoid camouflage mimicry leaf beetle weevil longhorn beetle wasp Coccinellidae blister beetle aposematism ground beetle Mandible (insect) bombardier beetle Ground beetle rove beetle arthropod dung coprophagous dung beetle necrophagous carrion beetle clown beetle coxa Ross H. Arnett, Jr. Michael C. Thomas American Beetles CRC Press Boca Raton, Florida whirligig beetle Sphaerius Myxophaga fossil Permian Polyphaga rove beetle scarabaeidae blister beetle stag beetle Curculionidae sclerite Adephaga ground beetle Dytiscidae whirligig beetle testes exoskeleton coxa Archostemata reticulated beetle telephone-pole beetle Myxophaga Hydroscaphidae Sphaerius Triassic phylogenetics sister group Linnaean taxonomy Colorado potato beetle Colorado potato beetle potato pesticide pesticide resistance Solanaceae nightshade tomato aubergine capsicum boll weevil United States bark beetle elm leaf beetle elm Dutch elm disease Northern Hemisphere Europe North America death watch beetle Anobiidae Great Britain hardwood oak chestnut Asian long-horned beetle Citrus long-horned beetle Western corn rootworm Coconut leaves seedlings coconut palms September 27 Philippines Metro Manila provinces quarantined pest coconut industry Coccinella septempunctata ladybirds Coccinellidae aphid scale insect mealybug honeydew nectar Ground beetle caterpillar Aphthona leafy spurge beetle bank Dermestidae taxidermy Dung beetle Scarabaeus sacer Ancient Egyptian Khepri Mummy New Kingdom Elytron Melbourne Museum coleopterology list of coleopterists The Coleopterists Society international organisation scientific journal The Coleopterist The Coleopterists Bulletin Nicrophorus americanus Entomological Society of America David Grimaldi Michael S. Engel Ross H. Arnett, Jr. Michael C. Thomas American Beetles Heteroptera
beetle	What are the similarities between beetles and grasshoppers?	mouthparts	data/set1/a8	beetle Beetles are a group of insects which have the largest number of species. They are placed in the order Coleoptera,which means "sheathed wing" and contains more described species than in any other order in the animal kingdom, constituting about twenty-five percent of all known life-forms. James K. Liebherr and Joseph V. McHugh in Resh, V. H. & R. T. CardÃ© (Editors) 2003. Encyclopedia of Insects. Academic Press. Forty percent of all described insect species are beetles (about 350,000 species ), and new species are frequently discovered. Estimates put the total number of species, described and undescribed, at between 5 and 8 million. Beetles can be found in almost all habitats, but are not known to occur in the sea or in the polar regions. They interact with their ecosystems in several ways. They often feed on plants and fungi, break down animal and plant debris, and eat other invertebrates. Some species are prey of various animals including birds and mammals. Certain species are agricultural pests, such as the Colorado potato beetle Leptinotarsa decemlineata, the boll weevil Anthonomus grandis, the red flour beetle Tribolium castaneum, and the mungbean or cowpea beetle Callosobruchus maculatus, while other species of beetles are important controls of agricultural pests. For example, coccinellidae ("ladybirds" or "ladybugs") consume aphids, scale insects, thrips, and other plant-sucking insects that damage crops. The name "Coleoptera" was given by Aristotle for the hardened shield like forewings (coleo = shield + ptera = wing). A cockchafer with its elytra raised, exposing the membranous flight wings, where the veins are visible Trogodendron fasciculatum, a clerid beetle with bright yellow antennae Other characters of this group which are believed to be monophyletic include a holometabolous life cycle; having a prothorax that is distinct from and freely articulating with the mesothorax; the meso- and meta-thoracic segments fusing to form a pterothorax; a depressed body shape with the legs on the ventral surface; the coxae of legs recessed into cavities formed by heavily sclerotized thoracic sclerites; the abdominal sternites more sclerotized than the tergites; antennae with 11 or fewer segments; and terminal genitalic appendages retracted into the abdomen and invisible at rest. The general anatomy of beetles is quite uniform, although specific organs and appendages may vary greatly in appearance and function between the many families in the order. Like all insects, beetles' bodies are divided into three sections: the head, the thorax, and the abdomen. When viewed from below, the thorax is that part from which all three pairs of legs and both pairs of wings arise. The abdomen is everything posterior to the thorax. When viewed from above, most beetles appear to have three clear sections, but this is deceptive: on the beetle's upper surface, the middle "section" is a hard plate called the pronotum, which is only the front part of the thorax; the back part of the thorax is concealed by the beetle's wings. Like all arthropods, beetles are segmented organisms, and all three of the major sections of the body are themselves composed of several further segments, although these are not always readily discernible. This further segmentation is usually best seen on the abdomen. Beetles are generally characterised by a particularly hard exoskeleton and hard forewings (elytra). The beetle's exoskeleton is made up of numerous plates called sclerites, separated by thin sutures. This design creates the armoured defences of the beetle while maintaining flexibility. The elytra are not used for flight, but tend to cover the hind part of the body and protect the second pair of wings (alae). The elytra must be raised in order to move the hind flight wings. A beetle's flight wings are crossed with veins and are folded after landing, often along these veins, and are stored below the elytra. In some beetles, the ability to fly has been lost. These include the ground beetles (family Carabidae) and some "true weevils" (family Curculionidae), but also some desert and cave-dwelling species of other families. Many of these species have the two elytra fused together, forming a solid shield over the abdomen. In a few families, both the ability to fly and the elytra have been lost, with the best known example being the glow-worms of the family Phengodidae, in which the females are larviform throughout their lives. Beetles have mouthparts similar to those of grasshoppers. Of these parts, the most commonly known are probably the mandibles, which appear as large pincers on the front of some beetles. The mandibles are a pair of hard, often tooth-like structures that move horizontally to grasp, crush, or cut food or enemies (see defence, below). Two pairs of finger-like appendages are found around the mouth in most beetles, serving to move food into the mouth. These are the maxillary and labial palpi. The eyes are compound and may display remarkable adaptability, as in the case of whirligig beetles (family Gyrinidae), in which the eyes are split to allow a view both above and below the waterline. Other species also have divided eyes â some longhorn beetles (family Cerambycidae) and weevils â while many beetles have eyes that are notched to some degree. A few beetle genera also possess ocelli, which are small, simple eyes usually situated farther back on the head (on the vertex). Beetles' antennae are primarily organs of smell, but may also be used to feel out a beetle's environment physically. They may also be used in some families during mating, or among a few beetles for defence. Antennae vary greatly in form within the Coleoptera, but are often similar within any given family. In some cases, males and females of the same species will have different antennal forms. Antennae may be clavate (flabellate and lamellate are sub-forms of clavate, or clubbed antennae), filiform, geniculate, moniliform, pectinate, or serrate. For images of these antennal forms see antenna (biology). Acilius sulcatus, a diving beetle showing hind legs adapted for life in water The legs, which are multi-segmented, end in two to five small segments called tarsi. Like many other insect orders beetles bear claws, usually one pair, on the end of the last tarsal segment of each leg. While most beetles use their legs for walking, legs may be variously modified and adapted for other uses. Among aquatic families â Dytiscidae, Haliplidae, many species of Hydrophilidae and others â the legs, most notably the last pair, are modified for swimming and often bear rows of long hairs to aid this purpose. Other beetles have fossorial legs that are widened and often spined for digging. Species with such adaptations are found among the scarabs, ground beetles, and clown beetles (family Histeridae). The hind legs of some beetles, such as flea beetles (within Chrysomelidae) and flea weevils (within Curculionidae), are enlarged and designed for jumping. Oxygen is obtained via a tracheal system. Air enters a series of tubes along the body through openings called spiracles, and is then taken into increasingly finer fibres. Pumping movements of the body force the air through the system. Beetles have haemolymph instead of blood, and the open circulatory system of the beetle is powered by a tube-like heart attached to the top inside of the thorax. Scarabaeiform larva of the cockchafer, Melolontha melolontha Beetles are endopterygotes with complete metamorphosis. A single female may lay from several dozen to several thousand eggs during her lifetime. Eggs are usually laid according to the substrate the larva will feed on upon hatching. Among others, they can be laid loose in the substrate (e.g. flour beetle), laid in clumps on leaves (e.g. Colorado potato beetle), or individually attached (e.g. mungbean beetle and other seed borers) or buried in the medium (e.g. carrot weevil). The larva is usually the principal feeding stage of the beetle life cycle. Larvae tend to feed voraciously once they emerge from their eggs. Some feed externally on plants, such as those of certain leaf beetles, while others feed within their food sources. Examples of internal feeders are most Buprestidae and longhorn beetles. The larvae of many beetle families are predatory like the adults (ground beetles, ladybirds, rove beetles). The larval period varies between species but can be as long as several years. Beetle larvae can be differentiated from other insect larvae by their hardened, often darkened head, the presence of chewing mouthparts, and spiracles along the sides of the body. Like adult beetles, the larvae are varied in appearance, particularly between beetle families. Beetles whose larvae are somewhat flattened and are highly mobile are the ground beetles, some rove beetles, and others; their larvae are described as campodeiform. Some beetle larvae resemble hardened worms with dark head capsules and minute legs. These are elateriform larvae, and are found in the click beetle (Elateridae) and darkling beetle (Tenebrionidae) families. Some elateriform larvae of click beetles are known as wireworms. Beetles in the families of the Scarabaeoidea have short, thick larvae described as scarabaeiform, but more commonly known as grubs. All beetle larvae go through several instars, which are the developmental stages between each moult. In many species the larvae simply increase in size with each successive instar as more food is consumed. In some cases, however, more dramatic changes occur. Among certain beetle families or genera, particularly those that exhibit parasitic lifestyles, the first instar (the planidium) is highly mobile in order to search out a host, while the following instars are more sedentary and remain on or within their host. This is known as hypermetamorphosis; examples include the blister beetles (family Meloidae) and some rove beetles, particularly those of the genus Aleochara. As with all endopterygotes, beetle larvae pupate, and from this pupa emerges a fully formed, sexually mature adult beetle, or imago. Adults have an extremely variable lifespan, from weeks to years, depending on the species. Beetles mating in San Francisco Flamboyant flower beetle, Eudicella gralli, from the forests of Central Africa. The iridescent elytra are used in marriage ceremonies. Beetles may display extremely intricate behaviour when mating. Smell is thought to be important in the location of a mate. Conflict can play a part in the mating rituals of species such as burying beetles (genus Nicrophorus) where conflicts between males and females rage until only one of each is left, thus ensuring reproduction by the strongest and fittest. Many beetles are territorial and will fiercely defend their small patch of territory from intruding males. Pairing is generally short but in some cases will last for several hours. During pairing sperm cells are transferred to the female to fertilise the egg. Parental care varies between species, ranging from the simple laying of eggs under a leaf to certain scarab beetles, which construct underground structures complete with a supply of dung to house and feed their young. Other beetles are leaf rollers, biting sections of leaves to cause them to curl inwards, then laying their eggs, thus protected, inside. Brachinus sp., a bombardier beetle Beetles and their larvae have a variety of strategies to avoid being attacked by predators or parasitoids. These include camouflage, mimicry, toxicity, and active defence. Camouflage involves the use of colouration or shape to blend into the surrounding environment. Among those that exhibit this defensive strategy are some of the leaf beetles (family Chysomelidae), having green colouring very similar to their habitat on plant leaves. More complex camouflage also occurs, as with some weevils, where various coloured scales or hairs cause the beetle to resemble bird dung. Another defence that often uses colour or shape to deceive potential enemies is mimicry. A number of longhorn beetles (family Cerambycidae) bear a striking resemblance to wasps, which fools predators into keeping their distance even though the beetles are in fact harmless. This defence can be found to a lesser extent in other beetle families, such as the scarab beetles. Beetles may combine their colour mimicry with behavioural mimicry, acting like the wasps they already closely resemble. Many beetle species, including ladybirds and blister beetles, can secrete distasteful or toxic substances to make them unpalatable or even poisonous. These same species often exhibit aposematism, where bright or contrasting colour patterns warn away potential predators. Large ground beetles and longhorn beetles may go on the attack, using their strong mandibles to forcibly persuade a predator to seek out easier prey. Others, such as bombardier beetles (within Carabidae) spray acidic gas from their abdomen to repel predators. Besides being abundant and varied, the Coleoptera are able to exploit the wide diversity of food sources available in their many habitats. Some are generalists, eating both plants and animals. Other beetles are highly specialised in their diet. Many species of leaf beetles, longhorn beetles, and weevils are very host specific, feeding on only a single species of plant. Ground beetles and rove beetles (family Staphylinidae), among others, are primarily carnivorous and will catch and consume many other arthropods and small prey such as earthworms and snails. While most predatory beetles are generalists, a few species have more specific prey requirements or preferences. Decaying organic matter is a primary diet for many species. This can range from dung, which is consumed by coprophagous species such as certain scarab beetles (family Scarabaeidae), to dead animals, which are eaten by necrophagous species such as the carrion beetles (family Silphidae). Some of the beetles found within dung and carrion are in fact predatory, such as the clown beetles, preying on the larvae of coprophagous and necrophagous insects. Aquatic beetles use several techniques for retaining air beneath the water's surface. Beetles of the family Dytiscidae hold air between the abdomen and the elytra when diving. Hydrophilidae have hairs on their under surface that retain a layer of air against their bodies. Adult crawling water beetles use both their elytra and their hind coxae (the basal segment of the back legs) in air retention while whirligig beetles simply carry an air bubble down with them whenever they dive. Sphaerius acaroides, a member of the small suborder Myxophaga While some authorities believe modern beetles began about 140 million years ago, research announced in 2007 showed that beetles may have entered the fossil record during the Lower Permian, about 265 to 300 million years ago. Modern Beetles Predate Dinosaurs, Dave Mosher, LiveScience.com, 26 December 2007. The four extant suborders of beetle are these: * Polyphaga is the largest suborder, containing more than 300,000 described species in more than 170 families, including rove beetles (Staphylinidae), scarab beetles (Scarabaeidae), blister beetles (Meloidae), stag beetles (Lucanidae) and true weevils (Curculionidae). These beetles can be identified by the cervical sclerites (hardened parts of the head used as points of attachment for muscles) absent in the other suborders. * Adephaga contains about 10 families of largely predatory beetles, includes ground beetles (Carabidae), Dytiscidae and whirligig beetles (Gyrinidae). In these beetles the testes are tubular and the first abdominal sternum (a plate of the exoskeleton) is divided by the hind coxae (the basal joints of the beetle's legs). * Archostemata contains four families of mainly wood-eating beetles, including reticulated beetles (Cupedidae) and the telephone-pole beetle. * Myxophaga contains about 100 described species in four families, mostly very small, including Hydroscaphidae and the genus Sphaerius. These suborders diverged in the Permian and Triassic. Their phylogenetic relationship is uncertain, with the most popular hypothesis being that Polyphaga and Myxophaga are most closely related, with Adephaga as the sister group to those two, and Archostemata as sister to the other three collectively. There are about 350,000 species of beetles. Such a large number of species poses special problems for classification, with some families consisting of thousands of species and needing further division into subfamilies and tribes. Colorado potato beetle (Leptinotarsa decemlineata) larvae Many agricultural, forestry, and household insect pests are beetles. These include the following: * The Colorado potato beetle, Leptinotarsa decemlineata, is a notorious pest of potato plants. Crops are destroyed and the beetle can only be treated by employing expensive pesticides, many of which it has begun to develop resistance to. As well as potatoes, suitable hosts can be a number of plants from the potato family (Solanaceae), such as nightshade, tomato, aubergine and capsicum. * The boll weevil, Anthonomus grandis, has cost cotton producers in the United States billions of dollars since it first entered that country. * The bark beetles Hylurgopinus rufipes and Scolytus multistriatus, the elm leaf beetle, Pyrrhalta luteola, and other beetles attack elm trees. The bark beetles are important elm pests because they carry Dutch elm disease as they move from infected breeding sites to feed on healthy elm trees. The spread of the fungus by the beetle has led to the devastation of elm trees in many parts of the Northern Hemisphere, notably in Europe and North America. * The death watch beetle, Xestobium rufovillosum, (family Anobiidae) is of considerable importance as a pest of older wooden buildings in Great Britain. It attacks hardwoods such as oak and chestnut, always where some fungal decay has taken or is taking place. It is thought that the actual introduction of the pest into buildings takes place at the time of construction. * Asian long-horned beetle * Citrus long-horned beetle * Western corn rootworm * Coconut hispine beetle or Brontispa longissima gestro feeds on young leaves and damages seedlings and mature coconut palms. On September 27, 2007, Philippines' Metro Manila and 26 provinces were quarantined due to having been infested with this pest (to save the $800-million Philippine coconut industry). Inquirer.net, Beetles infest coconuts in Manila, 26 provinces Coccinella septempunctata, a beneficial beetle * Both the larvae and adults of some ladybirds (family Coccinellidae) are found in aphid colonies. Other lady beetles feed on scale insects and mealybugs. If normal food sources are scarce they may feed on other things, such as small caterpillars, young plant bugs, honeydew and nectar. * Ground beetles (family Carabidae) are common predators of many different insects and other arthropods, including fly eggs, caterpillars, wireworms and others. * Plant-feeding beetles are often important beneficial insects, controlling problem weeds. Some flea beetles of the genus Aphthona feed on leafy spurge, a considerable weed of rangeland in western North America. Some farmers develop beetle banks to foster and provide cover for beneficial beetles. Beetles of the Dermestidae family are often used in taxidermy to clean bones of remaining flesh. Ancient Egyptian scene depicting a scarab beetle Several species of dung beetle, most notably Scarabaeus sacer (often referred to as "scarab"), enjoyed a sacred status among the ancient Egyptians, as the creatures were likened to the major god Khepri. Some scholars suggest that the Egyptians' practice of making mummies was inspired by the brooding process of the beetle. Many thousands of amulets and stamp seals have been excavated that depict the scarab. In many artifacts, the scarab is depicted pushing the sun along its course in the sky, much as scarabs push or roll balls of dung to their brood sites. During and following the New Kingdom, scarab amulets were often placed over the heart of the mummified deceased. Some tribal groups, particularly in tropical parts of the world, use the colourful, iridescent elytra of certain beetles, especially certain Scarabaeidae, in ceremonies and as adornment. Beetle collection at the Melbourne Museum, Australia The study of beetles is called coleopterology, and its practitioners are coleopterists. Coleopterists have formed organisations to facilitate the study of beetles. Among these is The Coleopterists Society, an international organisation based in the United States. Such organisations may have both professionals and amateurs interested in beetles as members. Research in this field is often published in peer-reviewed journals specific to the field of coleopterology, though journals dealing with general entomology also publish many papers on various aspects of beetle biology. Some of the journals specific to beetle research are: The Coleopterist (United Kingdom beetle fauna) The Coleopterists Bulletin (published by The Coleopterists Society) There is a thriving industry in the collection of beetle specimens for amateur and professional collectors. Many coleopterists prefer to collect beetle specimens for themselves, recording detailed information about each specimen and its habitat. Such collections add to the body of knowledge about the Coleoptera. Some countries have established laws governing or prohibiting the collection of certain rare (and often much sought after) species. One such beetle whose collection is illegal or restricted is the American burying beetle, Nicrophorus americanus. * Poul Beckmann, Living Jewels: The Natural Design of Beetles ISBN 3-7913-2528-0 * Arthur V. Evans, Charles Bellamy, and Lisa Charles Watson, An Inordinate Fondness for Beetles ISBN 0-520-22323-3 * Entomological Society of America, Beetle Larvae of the World ISBN 0-643-05506-1 * David Grimaldi, Michael S. Engel, Evolution of the Insects ISBN 0-521-82149-5 * Ross H. Arnett, Jr. and Michael C. Thomas, American Beetles (CRC Press, 2001-2). ISBN 0-8493-1925-0 * K. W. Harde, A Field Guide in Colour to Beetles ISBN 0-7064-1937-5 Pages 7-24 * White, R.E. 1983. Beetles. Houghton Mifflin Company, New York, NY. ISBN 0-395-91089-7 Heteroptera - insect suborder that is superficially similar to beetles - Coleoptera All what do you need to know about coleoptera, collecting and preparation * The Beetle Ring - A group of websites about beetles (Coleoptera). * List of major Beetle collections - worldwide * Entomology - online insect museum, entomology, tips and tricks, how to spread and pin insects, etc. * - Gallery of Central European beetles * Coleoptera from the Tree of Life * Australian borers species * Beetles and coleopterologists Russian site with English version, with information about biology, systematics and paleontology of beetles * North American Beetles from BugGuide * Bibliography on fossil insects * Coleoptera Families of the World * A digital collection of Southeast Asian beetles Related Wikipedia Articles coleopter Hylobius abietis weevil Animal Arthropod Insect Pterygota Neoptera Endopterygota Carolus Linnaeus Systema Naturae Suborder (biology) Adephaga Archostemata Myxophaga Polyphaga subgroups of the order Coleoptera insect species species animal polar region ecosystem plant fungus invertebrate Colorado potato beetle boll weevil coccinellidae aphid scale insect thrips Aristotle cockchafer Trogodendron fasciculatum monophyletic holometabolous prothorax coxa anatomy appendage pronotum insect wing segmentation (biology) exoskeleton elytron sclerite insect flight insect wing ground beetle Curculionidae glowworm Phengodidae Larviform female mouthparts grasshopper mandible (insect) #Defence appendage compound eye whirligig beetle longhorn beetle ocellus vertex (anatomy) antenna (biology) antenna (biology) Acilius sulcatus arthropod leg Dytiscidae Haliplidae Hydrophilidae fossorial clown beetle flea beetle Oxygen invertebrate trachea spiracle hemolymph blood open circulatory system Melolontha melolontha Endopterygota metamorphosis (biology) larva Colorado potato beetle larva Biological life cycle Buprestidae spiracle click beetle darkling beetle click beetle Scarabaeoidea instar ecdysis planidium hypermetamorphosis blister beetle Aleochara pupa imago San Francisco Flamboyant flower beetle burying beetle Spermatozoon fertilisation Scarabaeidae leaf roller Brachinus bombardier beetle parasitoid camouflage mimicry leaf beetle weevil longhorn beetle wasp Coccinellidae blister beetle aposematism ground beetle Mandible (insect) bombardier beetle Ground beetle rove beetle arthropod dung coprophagous dung beetle necrophagous carrion beetle clown beetle coxa Ross H. Arnett, Jr. Michael C. Thomas American Beetles CRC Press Boca Raton, Florida whirligig beetle Sphaerius Myxophaga fossil Permian Polyphaga rove beetle scarabaeidae blister beetle stag beetle Curculionidae sclerite Adephaga ground beetle Dytiscidae whirligig beetle testes exoskeleton coxa Archostemata reticulated beetle telephone-pole beetle Myxophaga Hydroscaphidae Sphaerius Triassic phylogenetics sister group Linnaean taxonomy Colorado potato beetle Colorado potato beetle potato pesticide pesticide resistance Solanaceae nightshade tomato aubergine capsicum boll weevil United States bark beetle elm leaf beetle elm Dutch elm disease Northern Hemisphere Europe North America death watch beetle Anobiidae Great Britain hardwood oak chestnut Asian long-horned beetle Citrus long-horned beetle Western corn rootworm Coconut leaves seedlings coconut palms September 27 Philippines Metro Manila provinces quarantined pest coconut industry Coccinella septempunctata ladybirds Coccinellidae aphid scale insect mealybug honeydew nectar Ground beetle caterpillar Aphthona leafy spurge beetle bank Dermestidae taxidermy Dung beetle Scarabaeus sacer Ancient Egyptian Khepri Mummy New Kingdom Elytron Melbourne Museum coleopterology list of coleopterists The Coleopterists Society international organisation scientific journal The Coleopterist The Coleopterists Bulletin Nicrophorus americanus Entomological Society of America David Grimaldi Michael S. Engel Ross H. Arnett, Jr. Michael C. Thomas American Beetles Heteroptera
beetle	What are the similarities between beetles and grasshoppers?	Beetles have mouthparts similar to those of grasshoppers	data/set1/a8	beetle Beetles are a group of insects which have the largest number of species. They are placed in the order Coleoptera,which means "sheathed wing" and contains more described species than in any other order in the animal kingdom, constituting about twenty-five percent of all known life-forms. James K. Liebherr and Joseph V. McHugh in Resh, V. H. & R. T. CardÃ© (Editors) 2003. Encyclopedia of Insects. Academic Press. Forty percent of all described insect species are beetles (about 350,000 species ), and new species are frequently discovered. Estimates put the total number of species, described and undescribed, at between 5 and 8 million. Beetles can be found in almost all habitats, but are not known to occur in the sea or in the polar regions. They interact with their ecosystems in several ways. They often feed on plants and fungi, break down animal and plant debris, and eat other invertebrates. Some species are prey of various animals including birds and mammals. Certain species are agricultural pests, such as the Colorado potato beetle Leptinotarsa decemlineata, the boll weevil Anthonomus grandis, the red flour beetle Tribolium castaneum, and the mungbean or cowpea beetle Callosobruchus maculatus, while other species of beetles are important controls of agricultural pests. For example, coccinellidae ("ladybirds" or "ladybugs") consume aphids, scale insects, thrips, and other plant-sucking insects that damage crops. The name "Coleoptera" was given by Aristotle for the hardened shield like forewings (coleo = shield + ptera = wing). A cockchafer with its elytra raised, exposing the membranous flight wings, where the veins are visible Trogodendron fasciculatum, a clerid beetle with bright yellow antennae Other characters of this group which are believed to be monophyletic include a holometabolous life cycle; having a prothorax that is distinct from and freely articulating with the mesothorax; the meso- and meta-thoracic segments fusing to form a pterothorax; a depressed body shape with the legs on the ventral surface; the coxae of legs recessed into cavities formed by heavily sclerotized thoracic sclerites; the abdominal sternites more sclerotized than the tergites; antennae with 11 or fewer segments; and terminal genitalic appendages retracted into the abdomen and invisible at rest. The general anatomy of beetles is quite uniform, although specific organs and appendages may vary greatly in appearance and function between the many families in the order. Like all insects, beetles' bodies are divided into three sections: the head, the thorax, and the abdomen. When viewed from below, the thorax is that part from which all three pairs of legs and both pairs of wings arise. The abdomen is everything posterior to the thorax. When viewed from above, most beetles appear to have three clear sections, but this is deceptive: on the beetle's upper surface, the middle "section" is a hard plate called the pronotum, which is only the front part of the thorax; the back part of the thorax is concealed by the beetle's wings. Like all arthropods, beetles are segmented organisms, and all three of the major sections of the body are themselves composed of several further segments, although these are not always readily discernible. This further segmentation is usually best seen on the abdomen. Beetles are generally characterised by a particularly hard exoskeleton and hard forewings (elytra). The beetle's exoskeleton is made up of numerous plates called sclerites, separated by thin sutures. This design creates the armoured defences of the beetle while maintaining flexibility. The elytra are not used for flight, but tend to cover the hind part of the body and protect the second pair of wings (alae). The elytra must be raised in order to move the hind flight wings. A beetle's flight wings are crossed with veins and are folded after landing, often along these veins, and are stored below the elytra. In some beetles, the ability to fly has been lost. These include the ground beetles (family Carabidae) and some "true weevils" (family Curculionidae), but also some desert and cave-dwelling species of other families. Many of these species have the two elytra fused together, forming a solid shield over the abdomen. In a few families, both the ability to fly and the elytra have been lost, with the best known example being the glow-worms of the family Phengodidae, in which the females are larviform throughout their lives. Beetles have mouthparts similar to those of grasshoppers. Of these parts, the most commonly known are probably the mandibles, which appear as large pincers on the front of some beetles. The mandibles are a pair of hard, often tooth-like structures that move horizontally to grasp, crush, or cut food or enemies (see defence, below). Two pairs of finger-like appendages are found around the mouth in most beetles, serving to move food into the mouth. These are the maxillary and labial palpi. The eyes are compound and may display remarkable adaptability, as in the case of whirligig beetles (family Gyrinidae), in which the eyes are split to allow a view both above and below the waterline. Other species also have divided eyes â some longhorn beetles (family Cerambycidae) and weevils â while many beetles have eyes that are notched to some degree. A few beetle genera also possess ocelli, which are small, simple eyes usually situated farther back on the head (on the vertex). Beetles' antennae are primarily organs of smell, but may also be used to feel out a beetle's environment physically. They may also be used in some families during mating, or among a few beetles for defence. Antennae vary greatly in form within the Coleoptera, but are often similar within any given family. In some cases, males and females of the same species will have different antennal forms. Antennae may be clavate (flabellate and lamellate are sub-forms of clavate, or clubbed antennae), filiform, geniculate, moniliform, pectinate, or serrate. For images of these antennal forms see antenna (biology). Acilius sulcatus, a diving beetle showing hind legs adapted for life in water The legs, which are multi-segmented, end in two to five small segments called tarsi. Like many other insect orders beetles bear claws, usually one pair, on the end of the last tarsal segment of each leg. While most beetles use their legs for walking, legs may be variously modified and adapted for other uses. Among aquatic families â Dytiscidae, Haliplidae, many species of Hydrophilidae and others â the legs, most notably the last pair, are modified for swimming and often bear rows of long hairs to aid this purpose. Other beetles have fossorial legs that are widened and often spined for digging. Species with such adaptations are found among the scarabs, ground beetles, and clown beetles (family Histeridae). The hind legs of some beetles, such as flea beetles (within Chrysomelidae) and flea weevils (within Curculionidae), are enlarged and designed for jumping. Oxygen is obtained via a tracheal system. Air enters a series of tubes along the body through openings called spiracles, and is then taken into increasingly finer fibres. Pumping movements of the body force the air through the system. Beetles have haemolymph instead of blood, and the open circulatory system of the beetle is powered by a tube-like heart attached to the top inside of the thorax. Scarabaeiform larva of the cockchafer, Melolontha melolontha Beetles are endopterygotes with complete metamorphosis. A single female may lay from several dozen to several thousand eggs during her lifetime. Eggs are usually laid according to the substrate the larva will feed on upon hatching. Among others, they can be laid loose in the substrate (e.g. flour beetle), laid in clumps on leaves (e.g. Colorado potato beetle), or individually attached (e.g. mungbean beetle and other seed borers) or buried in the medium (e.g. carrot weevil). The larva is usually the principal feeding stage of the beetle life cycle. Larvae tend to feed voraciously once they emerge from their eggs. Some feed externally on plants, such as those of certain leaf beetles, while others feed within their food sources. Examples of internal feeders are most Buprestidae and longhorn beetles. The larvae of many beetle families are predatory like the adults (ground beetles, ladybirds, rove beetles). The larval period varies between species but can be as long as several years. Beetle larvae can be differentiated from other insect larvae by their hardened, often darkened head, the presence of chewing mouthparts, and spiracles along the sides of the body. Like adult beetles, the larvae are varied in appearance, particularly between beetle families. Beetles whose larvae are somewhat flattened and are highly mobile are the ground beetles, some rove beetles, and others; their larvae are described as campodeiform. Some beetle larvae resemble hardened worms with dark head capsules and minute legs. These are elateriform larvae, and are found in the click beetle (Elateridae) and darkling beetle (Tenebrionidae) families. Some elateriform larvae of click beetles are known as wireworms. Beetles in the families of the Scarabaeoidea have short, thick larvae described as scarabaeiform, but more commonly known as grubs. All beetle larvae go through several instars, which are the developmental stages between each moult. In many species the larvae simply increase in size with each successive instar as more food is consumed. In some cases, however, more dramatic changes occur. Among certain beetle families or genera, particularly those that exhibit parasitic lifestyles, the first instar (the planidium) is highly mobile in order to search out a host, while the following instars are more sedentary and remain on or within their host. This is known as hypermetamorphosis; examples include the blister beetles (family Meloidae) and some rove beetles, particularly those of the genus Aleochara. As with all endopterygotes, beetle larvae pupate, and from this pupa emerges a fully formed, sexually mature adult beetle, or imago. Adults have an extremely variable lifespan, from weeks to years, depending on the species. Beetles mating in San Francisco Flamboyant flower beetle, Eudicella gralli, from the forests of Central Africa. The iridescent elytra are used in marriage ceremonies. Beetles may display extremely intricate behaviour when mating. Smell is thought to be important in the location of a mate. Conflict can play a part in the mating rituals of species such as burying beetles (genus Nicrophorus) where conflicts between males and females rage until only one of each is left, thus ensuring reproduction by the strongest and fittest. Many beetles are territorial and will fiercely defend their small patch of territory from intruding males. Pairing is generally short but in some cases will last for several hours. During pairing sperm cells are transferred to the female to fertilise the egg. Parental care varies between species, ranging from the simple laying of eggs under a leaf to certain scarab beetles, which construct underground structures complete with a supply of dung to house and feed their young. Other beetles are leaf rollers, biting sections of leaves to cause them to curl inwards, then laying their eggs, thus protected, inside. Brachinus sp., a bombardier beetle Beetles and their larvae have a variety of strategies to avoid being attacked by predators or parasitoids. These include camouflage, mimicry, toxicity, and active defence. Camouflage involves the use of colouration or shape to blend into the surrounding environment. Among those that exhibit this defensive strategy are some of the leaf beetles (family Chysomelidae), having green colouring very similar to their habitat on plant leaves. More complex camouflage also occurs, as with some weevils, where various coloured scales or hairs cause the beetle to resemble bird dung. Another defence that often uses colour or shape to deceive potential enemies is mimicry. A number of longhorn beetles (family Cerambycidae) bear a striking resemblance to wasps, which fools predators into keeping their distance even though the beetles are in fact harmless. This defence can be found to a lesser extent in other beetle families, such as the scarab beetles. Beetles may combine their colour mimicry with behavioural mimicry, acting like the wasps they already closely resemble. Many beetle species, including ladybirds and blister beetles, can secrete distasteful or toxic substances to make them unpalatable or even poisonous. These same species often exhibit aposematism, where bright or contrasting colour patterns warn away potential predators. Large ground beetles and longhorn beetles may go on the attack, using their strong mandibles to forcibly persuade a predator to seek out easier prey. Others, such as bombardier beetles (within Carabidae) spray acidic gas from their abdomen to repel predators. Besides being abundant and varied, the Coleoptera are able to exploit the wide diversity of food sources available in their many habitats. Some are generalists, eating both plants and animals. Other beetles are highly specialised in their diet. Many species of leaf beetles, longhorn beetles, and weevils are very host specific, feeding on only a single species of plant. Ground beetles and rove beetles (family Staphylinidae), among others, are primarily carnivorous and will catch and consume many other arthropods and small prey such as earthworms and snails. While most predatory beetles are generalists, a few species have more specific prey requirements or preferences. Decaying organic matter is a primary diet for many species. This can range from dung, which is consumed by coprophagous species such as certain scarab beetles (family Scarabaeidae), to dead animals, which are eaten by necrophagous species such as the carrion beetles (family Silphidae). Some of the beetles found within dung and carrion are in fact predatory, such as the clown beetles, preying on the larvae of coprophagous and necrophagous insects. Aquatic beetles use several techniques for retaining air beneath the water's surface. Beetles of the family Dytiscidae hold air between the abdomen and the elytra when diving. Hydrophilidae have hairs on their under surface that retain a layer of air against their bodies. Adult crawling water beetles use both their elytra and their hind coxae (the basal segment of the back legs) in air retention while whirligig beetles simply carry an air bubble down with them whenever they dive. Sphaerius acaroides, a member of the small suborder Myxophaga While some authorities believe modern beetles began about 140 million years ago, research announced in 2007 showed that beetles may have entered the fossil record during the Lower Permian, about 265 to 300 million years ago. Modern Beetles Predate Dinosaurs, Dave Mosher, LiveScience.com, 26 December 2007. The four extant suborders of beetle are these: * Polyphaga is the largest suborder, containing more than 300,000 described species in more than 170 families, including rove beetles (Staphylinidae), scarab beetles (Scarabaeidae), blister beetles (Meloidae), stag beetles (Lucanidae) and true weevils (Curculionidae). These beetles can be identified by the cervical sclerites (hardened parts of the head used as points of attachment for muscles) absent in the other suborders. * Adephaga contains about 10 families of largely predatory beetles, includes ground beetles (Carabidae), Dytiscidae and whirligig beetles (Gyrinidae). In these beetles the testes are tubular and the first abdominal sternum (a plate of the exoskeleton) is divided by the hind coxae (the basal joints of the beetle's legs). * Archostemata contains four families of mainly wood-eating beetles, including reticulated beetles (Cupedidae) and the telephone-pole beetle. * Myxophaga contains about 100 described species in four families, mostly very small, including Hydroscaphidae and the genus Sphaerius. These suborders diverged in the Permian and Triassic. Their phylogenetic relationship is uncertain, with the most popular hypothesis being that Polyphaga and Myxophaga are most closely related, with Adephaga as the sister group to those two, and Archostemata as sister to the other three collectively. There are about 350,000 species of beetles. Such a large number of species poses special problems for classification, with some families consisting of thousands of species and needing further division into subfamilies and tribes. Colorado potato beetle (Leptinotarsa decemlineata) larvae Many agricultural, forestry, and household insect pests are beetles. These include the following: * The Colorado potato beetle, Leptinotarsa decemlineata, is a notorious pest of potato plants. Crops are destroyed and the beetle can only be treated by employing expensive pesticides, many of which it has begun to develop resistance to. As well as potatoes, suitable hosts can be a number of plants from the potato family (Solanaceae), such as nightshade, tomato, aubergine and capsicum. * The boll weevil, Anthonomus grandis, has cost cotton producers in the United States billions of dollars since it first entered that country. * The bark beetles Hylurgopinus rufipes and Scolytus multistriatus, the elm leaf beetle, Pyrrhalta luteola, and other beetles attack elm trees. The bark beetles are important elm pests because they carry Dutch elm disease as they move from infected breeding sites to feed on healthy elm trees. The spread of the fungus by the beetle has led to the devastation of elm trees in many parts of the Northern Hemisphere, notably in Europe and North America. * The death watch beetle, Xestobium rufovillosum, (family Anobiidae) is of considerable importance as a pest of older wooden buildings in Great Britain. It attacks hardwoods such as oak and chestnut, always where some fungal decay has taken or is taking place. It is thought that the actual introduction of the pest into buildings takes place at the time of construction. * Asian long-horned beetle * Citrus long-horned beetle * Western corn rootworm * Coconut hispine beetle or Brontispa longissima gestro feeds on young leaves and damages seedlings and mature coconut palms. On September 27, 2007, Philippines' Metro Manila and 26 provinces were quarantined due to having been infested with this pest (to save the $800-million Philippine coconut industry). Inquirer.net, Beetles infest coconuts in Manila, 26 provinces Coccinella septempunctata, a beneficial beetle * Both the larvae and adults of some ladybirds (family Coccinellidae) are found in aphid colonies. Other lady beetles feed on scale insects and mealybugs. If normal food sources are scarce they may feed on other things, such as small caterpillars, young plant bugs, honeydew and nectar. * Ground beetles (family Carabidae) are common predators of many different insects and other arthropods, including fly eggs, caterpillars, wireworms and others. * Plant-feeding beetles are often important beneficial insects, controlling problem weeds. Some flea beetles of the genus Aphthona feed on leafy spurge, a considerable weed of rangeland in western North America. Some farmers develop beetle banks to foster and provide cover for beneficial beetles. Beetles of the Dermestidae family are often used in taxidermy to clean bones of remaining flesh. Ancient Egyptian scene depicting a scarab beetle Several species of dung beetle, most notably Scarabaeus sacer (often referred to as "scarab"), enjoyed a sacred status among the ancient Egyptians, as the creatures were likened to the major god Khepri. Some scholars suggest that the Egyptians' practice of making mummies was inspired by the brooding process of the beetle. Many thousands of amulets and stamp seals have been excavated that depict the scarab. In many artifacts, the scarab is depicted pushing the sun along its course in the sky, much as scarabs push or roll balls of dung to their brood sites. During and following the New Kingdom, scarab amulets were often placed over the heart of the mummified deceased. Some tribal groups, particularly in tropical parts of the world, use the colourful, iridescent elytra of certain beetles, especially certain Scarabaeidae, in ceremonies and as adornment. Beetle collection at the Melbourne Museum, Australia The study of beetles is called coleopterology, and its practitioners are coleopterists. Coleopterists have formed organisations to facilitate the study of beetles. Among these is The Coleopterists Society, an international organisation based in the United States. Such organisations may have both professionals and amateurs interested in beetles as members. Research in this field is often published in peer-reviewed journals specific to the field of coleopterology, though journals dealing with general entomology also publish many papers on various aspects of beetle biology. Some of the journals specific to beetle research are: The Coleopterist (United Kingdom beetle fauna) The Coleopterists Bulletin (published by The Coleopterists Society) There is a thriving industry in the collection of beetle specimens for amateur and professional collectors. Many coleopterists prefer to collect beetle specimens for themselves, recording detailed information about each specimen and its habitat. Such collections add to the body of knowledge about the Coleoptera. Some countries have established laws governing or prohibiting the collection of certain rare (and often much sought after) species. One such beetle whose collection is illegal or restricted is the American burying beetle, Nicrophorus americanus. * Poul Beckmann, Living Jewels: The Natural Design of Beetles ISBN 3-7913-2528-0 * Arthur V. Evans, Charles Bellamy, and Lisa Charles Watson, An Inordinate Fondness for Beetles ISBN 0-520-22323-3 * Entomological Society of America, Beetle Larvae of the World ISBN 0-643-05506-1 * David Grimaldi, Michael S. Engel, Evolution of the Insects ISBN 0-521-82149-5 * Ross H. Arnett, Jr. and Michael C. Thomas, American Beetles (CRC Press, 2001-2). ISBN 0-8493-1925-0 * K. W. Harde, A Field Guide in Colour to Beetles ISBN 0-7064-1937-5 Pages 7-24 * White, R.E. 1983. Beetles. Houghton Mifflin Company, New York, NY. ISBN 0-395-91089-7 Heteroptera - insect suborder that is superficially similar to beetles - Coleoptera All what do you need to know about coleoptera, collecting and preparation * The Beetle Ring - A group of websites about beetles (Coleoptera). * List of major Beetle collections - worldwide * Entomology - online insect museum, entomology, tips and tricks, how to spread and pin insects, etc. * - Gallery of Central European beetles * Coleoptera from the Tree of Life * Australian borers species * Beetles and coleopterologists Russian site with English version, with information about biology, systematics and paleontology of beetles * North American Beetles from BugGuide * Bibliography on fossil insects * Coleoptera Families of the World * A digital collection of Southeast Asian beetles Related Wikipedia Articles coleopter Hylobius abietis weevil Animal Arthropod Insect Pterygota Neoptera Endopterygota Carolus Linnaeus Systema Naturae Suborder (biology) Adephaga Archostemata Myxophaga Polyphaga subgroups of the order Coleoptera insect species species animal polar region ecosystem plant fungus invertebrate Colorado potato beetle boll weevil coccinellidae aphid scale insect thrips Aristotle cockchafer Trogodendron fasciculatum monophyletic holometabolous prothorax coxa anatomy appendage pronotum insect wing segmentation (biology) exoskeleton elytron sclerite insect flight insect wing ground beetle Curculionidae glowworm Phengodidae Larviform female mouthparts grasshopper mandible (insect) #Defence appendage compound eye whirligig beetle longhorn beetle ocellus vertex (anatomy) antenna (biology) antenna (biology) Acilius sulcatus arthropod leg Dytiscidae Haliplidae Hydrophilidae fossorial clown beetle flea beetle Oxygen invertebrate trachea spiracle hemolymph blood open circulatory system Melolontha melolontha Endopterygota metamorphosis (biology) larva Colorado potato beetle larva Biological life cycle Buprestidae spiracle click beetle darkling beetle click beetle Scarabaeoidea instar ecdysis planidium hypermetamorphosis blister beetle Aleochara pupa imago San Francisco Flamboyant flower beetle burying beetle Spermatozoon fertilisation Scarabaeidae leaf roller Brachinus bombardier beetle parasitoid camouflage mimicry leaf beetle weevil longhorn beetle wasp Coccinellidae blister beetle aposematism ground beetle Mandible (insect) bombardier beetle Ground beetle rove beetle arthropod dung coprophagous dung beetle necrophagous carrion beetle clown beetle coxa Ross H. Arnett, Jr. Michael C. Thomas American Beetles CRC Press Boca Raton, Florida whirligig beetle Sphaerius Myxophaga fossil Permian Polyphaga rove beetle scarabaeidae blister beetle stag beetle Curculionidae sclerite Adephaga ground beetle Dytiscidae whirligig beetle testes exoskeleton coxa Archostemata reticulated beetle telephone-pole beetle Myxophaga Hydroscaphidae Sphaerius Triassic phylogenetics sister group Linnaean taxonomy Colorado potato beetle Colorado potato beetle potato pesticide pesticide resistance Solanaceae nightshade tomato aubergine capsicum boll weevil United States bark beetle elm leaf beetle elm Dutch elm disease Northern Hemisphere Europe North America death watch beetle Anobiidae Great Britain hardwood oak chestnut Asian long-horned beetle Citrus long-horned beetle Western corn rootworm Coconut leaves seedlings coconut palms September 27 Philippines Metro Manila provinces quarantined pest coconut industry Coccinella septempunctata ladybirds Coccinellidae aphid scale insect mealybug honeydew nectar Ground beetle caterpillar Aphthona leafy spurge beetle bank Dermestidae taxidermy Dung beetle Scarabaeus sacer Ancient Egyptian Khepri Mummy New Kingdom Elytron Melbourne Museum coleopterology list of coleopterists The Coleopterists Society international organisation scientific journal The Coleopterist The Coleopterists Bulletin Nicrophorus americanus Entomological Society of America David Grimaldi Michael S. Engel Ross H. Arnett, Jr. Michael C. Thomas American Beetles Heteroptera
beetle	Are certain species of beetles considered pests?	Yes	data/set1/a8	beetle Beetles are a group of insects which have the largest number of species. They are placed in the order Coleoptera,which means "sheathed wing" and contains more described species than in any other order in the animal kingdom, constituting about twenty-five percent of all known life-forms. James K. Liebherr and Joseph V. McHugh in Resh, V. H. & R. T. CardÃ© (Editors) 2003. Encyclopedia of Insects. Academic Press. Forty percent of all described insect species are beetles (about 350,000 species ), and new species are frequently discovered. Estimates put the total number of species, described and undescribed, at between 5 and 8 million. Beetles can be found in almost all habitats, but are not known to occur in the sea or in the polar regions. They interact with their ecosystems in several ways. They often feed on plants and fungi, break down animal and plant debris, and eat other invertebrates. Some species are prey of various animals including birds and mammals. Certain species are agricultural pests, such as the Colorado potato beetle Leptinotarsa decemlineata, the boll weevil Anthonomus grandis, the red flour beetle Tribolium castaneum, and the mungbean or cowpea beetle Callosobruchus maculatus, while other species of beetles are important controls of agricultural pests. For example, coccinellidae ("ladybirds" or "ladybugs") consume aphids, scale insects, thrips, and other plant-sucking insects that damage crops. The name "Coleoptera" was given by Aristotle for the hardened shield like forewings (coleo = shield + ptera = wing). A cockchafer with its elytra raised, exposing the membranous flight wings, where the veins are visible Trogodendron fasciculatum, a clerid beetle with bright yellow antennae Other characters of this group which are believed to be monophyletic include a holometabolous life cycle; having a prothorax that is distinct from and freely articulating with the mesothorax; the meso- and meta-thoracic segments fusing to form a pterothorax; a depressed body shape with the legs on the ventral surface; the coxae of legs recessed into cavities formed by heavily sclerotized thoracic sclerites; the abdominal sternites more sclerotized than the tergites; antennae with 11 or fewer segments; and terminal genitalic appendages retracted into the abdomen and invisible at rest. The general anatomy of beetles is quite uniform, although specific organs and appendages may vary greatly in appearance and function between the many families in the order. Like all insects, beetles' bodies are divided into three sections: the head, the thorax, and the abdomen. When viewed from below, the thorax is that part from which all three pairs of legs and both pairs of wings arise. The abdomen is everything posterior to the thorax. When viewed from above, most beetles appear to have three clear sections, but this is deceptive: on the beetle's upper surface, the middle "section" is a hard plate called the pronotum, which is only the front part of the thorax; the back part of the thorax is concealed by the beetle's wings. Like all arthropods, beetles are segmented organisms, and all three of the major sections of the body are themselves composed of several further segments, although these are not always readily discernible. This further segmentation is usually best seen on the abdomen. Beetles are generally characterised by a particularly hard exoskeleton and hard forewings (elytra). The beetle's exoskeleton is made up of numerous plates called sclerites, separated by thin sutures. This design creates the armoured defences of the beetle while maintaining flexibility. The elytra are not used for flight, but tend to cover the hind part of the body and protect the second pair of wings (alae). The elytra must be raised in order to move the hind flight wings. A beetle's flight wings are crossed with veins and are folded after landing, often along these veins, and are stored below the elytra. In some beetles, the ability to fly has been lost. These include the ground beetles (family Carabidae) and some "true weevils" (family Curculionidae), but also some desert and cave-dwelling species of other families. Many of these species have the two elytra fused together, forming a solid shield over the abdomen. In a few families, both the ability to fly and the elytra have been lost, with the best known example being the glow-worms of the family Phengodidae, in which the females are larviform throughout their lives. Beetles have mouthparts similar to those of grasshoppers. Of these parts, the most commonly known are probably the mandibles, which appear as large pincers on the front of some beetles. The mandibles are a pair of hard, often tooth-like structures that move horizontally to grasp, crush, or cut food or enemies (see defence, below). Two pairs of finger-like appendages are found around the mouth in most beetles, serving to move food into the mouth. These are the maxillary and labial palpi. The eyes are compound and may display remarkable adaptability, as in the case of whirligig beetles (family Gyrinidae), in which the eyes are split to allow a view both above and below the waterline. Other species also have divided eyes â some longhorn beetles (family Cerambycidae) and weevils â while many beetles have eyes that are notched to some degree. A few beetle genera also possess ocelli, which are small, simple eyes usually situated farther back on the head (on the vertex). Beetles' antennae are primarily organs of smell, but may also be used to feel out a beetle's environment physically. They may also be used in some families during mating, or among a few beetles for defence. Antennae vary greatly in form within the Coleoptera, but are often similar within any given family. In some cases, males and females of the same species will have different antennal forms. Antennae may be clavate (flabellate and lamellate are sub-forms of clavate, or clubbed antennae), filiform, geniculate, moniliform, pectinate, or serrate. For images of these antennal forms see antenna (biology). Acilius sulcatus, a diving beetle showing hind legs adapted for life in water The legs, which are multi-segmented, end in two to five small segments called tarsi. Like many other insect orders beetles bear claws, usually one pair, on the end of the last tarsal segment of each leg. While most beetles use their legs for walking, legs may be variously modified and adapted for other uses. Among aquatic families â Dytiscidae, Haliplidae, many species of Hydrophilidae and others â the legs, most notably the last pair, are modified for swimming and often bear rows of long hairs to aid this purpose. Other beetles have fossorial legs that are widened and often spined for digging. Species with such adaptations are found among the scarabs, ground beetles, and clown beetles (family Histeridae). The hind legs of some beetles, such as flea beetles (within Chrysomelidae) and flea weevils (within Curculionidae), are enlarged and designed for jumping. Oxygen is obtained via a tracheal system. Air enters a series of tubes along the body through openings called spiracles, and is then taken into increasingly finer fibres. Pumping movements of the body force the air through the system. Beetles have haemolymph instead of blood, and the open circulatory system of the beetle is powered by a tube-like heart attached to the top inside of the thorax. Scarabaeiform larva of the cockchafer, Melolontha melolontha Beetles are endopterygotes with complete metamorphosis. A single female may lay from several dozen to several thousand eggs during her lifetime. Eggs are usually laid according to the substrate the larva will feed on upon hatching. Among others, they can be laid loose in the substrate (e.g. flour beetle), laid in clumps on leaves (e.g. Colorado potato beetle), or individually attached (e.g. mungbean beetle and other seed borers) or buried in the medium (e.g. carrot weevil). The larva is usually the principal feeding stage of the beetle life cycle. Larvae tend to feed voraciously once they emerge from their eggs. Some feed externally on plants, such as those of certain leaf beetles, while others feed within their food sources. Examples of internal feeders are most Buprestidae and longhorn beetles. The larvae of many beetle families are predatory like the adults (ground beetles, ladybirds, rove beetles). The larval period varies between species but can be as long as several years. Beetle larvae can be differentiated from other insect larvae by their hardened, often darkened head, the presence of chewing mouthparts, and spiracles along the sides of the body. Like adult beetles, the larvae are varied in appearance, particularly between beetle families. Beetles whose larvae are somewhat flattened and are highly mobile are the ground beetles, some rove beetles, and others; their larvae are described as campodeiform. Some beetle larvae resemble hardened worms with dark head capsules and minute legs. These are elateriform larvae, and are found in the click beetle (Elateridae) and darkling beetle (Tenebrionidae) families. Some elateriform larvae of click beetles are known as wireworms. Beetles in the families of the Scarabaeoidea have short, thick larvae described as scarabaeiform, but more commonly known as grubs. All beetle larvae go through several instars, which are the developmental stages between each moult. In many species the larvae simply increase in size with each successive instar as more food is consumed. In some cases, however, more dramatic changes occur. Among certain beetle families or genera, particularly those that exhibit parasitic lifestyles, the first instar (the planidium) is highly mobile in order to search out a host, while the following instars are more sedentary and remain on or within their host. This is known as hypermetamorphosis; examples include the blister beetles (family Meloidae) and some rove beetles, particularly those of the genus Aleochara. As with all endopterygotes, beetle larvae pupate, and from this pupa emerges a fully formed, sexually mature adult beetle, or imago. Adults have an extremely variable lifespan, from weeks to years, depending on the species. Beetles mating in San Francisco Flamboyant flower beetle, Eudicella gralli, from the forests of Central Africa. The iridescent elytra are used in marriage ceremonies. Beetles may display extremely intricate behaviour when mating. Smell is thought to be important in the location of a mate. Conflict can play a part in the mating rituals of species such as burying beetles (genus Nicrophorus) where conflicts between males and females rage until only one of each is left, thus ensuring reproduction by the strongest and fittest. Many beetles are territorial and will fiercely defend their small patch of territory from intruding males. Pairing is generally short but in some cases will last for several hours. During pairing sperm cells are transferred to the female to fertilise the egg. Parental care varies between species, ranging from the simple laying of eggs under a leaf to certain scarab beetles, which construct underground structures complete with a supply of dung to house and feed their young. Other beetles are leaf rollers, biting sections of leaves to cause them to curl inwards, then laying their eggs, thus protected, inside. Brachinus sp., a bombardier beetle Beetles and their larvae have a variety of strategies to avoid being attacked by predators or parasitoids. These include camouflage, mimicry, toxicity, and active defence. Camouflage involves the use of colouration or shape to blend into the surrounding environment. Among those that exhibit this defensive strategy are some of the leaf beetles (family Chysomelidae), having green colouring very similar to their habitat on plant leaves. More complex camouflage also occurs, as with some weevils, where various coloured scales or hairs cause the beetle to resemble bird dung. Another defence that often uses colour or shape to deceive potential enemies is mimicry. A number of longhorn beetles (family Cerambycidae) bear a striking resemblance to wasps, which fools predators into keeping their distance even though the beetles are in fact harmless. This defence can be found to a lesser extent in other beetle families, such as the scarab beetles. Beetles may combine their colour mimicry with behavioural mimicry, acting like the wasps they already closely resemble. Many beetle species, including ladybirds and blister beetles, can secrete distasteful or toxic substances to make them unpalatable or even poisonous. These same species often exhibit aposematism, where bright or contrasting colour patterns warn away potential predators. Large ground beetles and longhorn beetles may go on the attack, using their strong mandibles to forcibly persuade a predator to seek out easier prey. Others, such as bombardier beetles (within Carabidae) spray acidic gas from their abdomen to repel predators. Besides being abundant and varied, the Coleoptera are able to exploit the wide diversity of food sources available in their many habitats. Some are generalists, eating both plants and animals. Other beetles are highly specialised in their diet. Many species of leaf beetles, longhorn beetles, and weevils are very host specific, feeding on only a single species of plant. Ground beetles and rove beetles (family Staphylinidae), among others, are primarily carnivorous and will catch and consume many other arthropods and small prey such as earthworms and snails. While most predatory beetles are generalists, a few species have more specific prey requirements or preferences. Decaying organic matter is a primary diet for many species. This can range from dung, which is consumed by coprophagous species such as certain scarab beetles (family Scarabaeidae), to dead animals, which are eaten by necrophagous species such as the carrion beetles (family Silphidae). Some of the beetles found within dung and carrion are in fact predatory, such as the clown beetles, preying on the larvae of coprophagous and necrophagous insects. Aquatic beetles use several techniques for retaining air beneath the water's surface. Beetles of the family Dytiscidae hold air between the abdomen and the elytra when diving. Hydrophilidae have hairs on their under surface that retain a layer of air against their bodies. Adult crawling water beetles use both their elytra and their hind coxae (the basal segment of the back legs) in air retention while whirligig beetles simply carry an air bubble down with them whenever they dive. Sphaerius acaroides, a member of the small suborder Myxophaga While some authorities believe modern beetles began about 140 million years ago, research announced in 2007 showed that beetles may have entered the fossil record during the Lower Permian, about 265 to 300 million years ago. Modern Beetles Predate Dinosaurs, Dave Mosher, LiveScience.com, 26 December 2007. The four extant suborders of beetle are these: * Polyphaga is the largest suborder, containing more than 300,000 described species in more than 170 families, including rove beetles (Staphylinidae), scarab beetles (Scarabaeidae), blister beetles (Meloidae), stag beetles (Lucanidae) and true weevils (Curculionidae). These beetles can be identified by the cervical sclerites (hardened parts of the head used as points of attachment for muscles) absent in the other suborders. * Adephaga contains about 10 families of largely predatory beetles, includes ground beetles (Carabidae), Dytiscidae and whirligig beetles (Gyrinidae). In these beetles the testes are tubular and the first abdominal sternum (a plate of the exoskeleton) is divided by the hind coxae (the basal joints of the beetle's legs). * Archostemata contains four families of mainly wood-eating beetles, including reticulated beetles (Cupedidae) and the telephone-pole beetle. * Myxophaga contains about 100 described species in four families, mostly very small, including Hydroscaphidae and the genus Sphaerius. These suborders diverged in the Permian and Triassic. Their phylogenetic relationship is uncertain, with the most popular hypothesis being that Polyphaga and Myxophaga are most closely related, with Adephaga as the sister group to those two, and Archostemata as sister to the other three collectively. There are about 350,000 species of beetles. Such a large number of species poses special problems for classification, with some families consisting of thousands of species and needing further division into subfamilies and tribes. Colorado potato beetle (Leptinotarsa decemlineata) larvae Many agricultural, forestry, and household insect pests are beetles. These include the following: * The Colorado potato beetle, Leptinotarsa decemlineata, is a notorious pest of potato plants. Crops are destroyed and the beetle can only be treated by employing expensive pesticides, many of which it has begun to develop resistance to. As well as potatoes, suitable hosts can be a number of plants from the potato family (Solanaceae), such as nightshade, tomato, aubergine and capsicum. * The boll weevil, Anthonomus grandis, has cost cotton producers in the United States billions of dollars since it first entered that country. * The bark beetles Hylurgopinus rufipes and Scolytus multistriatus, the elm leaf beetle, Pyrrhalta luteola, and other beetles attack elm trees. The bark beetles are important elm pests because they carry Dutch elm disease as they move from infected breeding sites to feed on healthy elm trees. The spread of the fungus by the beetle has led to the devastation of elm trees in many parts of the Northern Hemisphere, notably in Europe and North America. * The death watch beetle, Xestobium rufovillosum, (family Anobiidae) is of considerable importance as a pest of older wooden buildings in Great Britain. It attacks hardwoods such as oak and chestnut, always where some fungal decay has taken or is taking place. It is thought that the actual introduction of the pest into buildings takes place at the time of construction. * Asian long-horned beetle * Citrus long-horned beetle * Western corn rootworm * Coconut hispine beetle or Brontispa longissima gestro feeds on young leaves and damages seedlings and mature coconut palms. On September 27, 2007, Philippines' Metro Manila and 26 provinces were quarantined due to having been infested with this pest (to save the $800-million Philippine coconut industry). Inquirer.net, Beetles infest coconuts in Manila, 26 provinces Coccinella septempunctata, a beneficial beetle * Both the larvae and adults of some ladybirds (family Coccinellidae) are found in aphid colonies. Other lady beetles feed on scale insects and mealybugs. If normal food sources are scarce they may feed on other things, such as small caterpillars, young plant bugs, honeydew and nectar. * Ground beetles (family Carabidae) are common predators of many different insects and other arthropods, including fly eggs, caterpillars, wireworms and others. * Plant-feeding beetles are often important beneficial insects, controlling problem weeds. Some flea beetles of the genus Aphthona feed on leafy spurge, a considerable weed of rangeland in western North America. Some farmers develop beetle banks to foster and provide cover for beneficial beetles. Beetles of the Dermestidae family are often used in taxidermy to clean bones of remaining flesh. Ancient Egyptian scene depicting a scarab beetle Several species of dung beetle, most notably Scarabaeus sacer (often referred to as "scarab"), enjoyed a sacred status among the ancient Egyptians, as the creatures were likened to the major god Khepri. Some scholars suggest that the Egyptians' practice of making mummies was inspired by the brooding process of the beetle. Many thousands of amulets and stamp seals have been excavated that depict the scarab. In many artifacts, the scarab is depicted pushing the sun along its course in the sky, much as scarabs push or roll balls of dung to their brood sites. During and following the New Kingdom, scarab amulets were often placed over the heart of the mummified deceased. Some tribal groups, particularly in tropical parts of the world, use the colourful, iridescent elytra of certain beetles, especially certain Scarabaeidae, in ceremonies and as adornment. Beetle collection at the Melbourne Museum, Australia The study of beetles is called coleopterology, and its practitioners are coleopterists. Coleopterists have formed organisations to facilitate the study of beetles. Among these is The Coleopterists Society, an international organisation based in the United States. Such organisations may have both professionals and amateurs interested in beetles as members. Research in this field is often published in peer-reviewed journals specific to the field of coleopterology, though journals dealing with general entomology also publish many papers on various aspects of beetle biology. Some of the journals specific to beetle research are: The Coleopterist (United Kingdom beetle fauna) The Coleopterists Bulletin (published by The Coleopterists Society) There is a thriving industry in the collection of beetle specimens for amateur and professional collectors. Many coleopterists prefer to collect beetle specimens for themselves, recording detailed information about each specimen and its habitat. Such collections add to the body of knowledge about the Coleoptera. Some countries have established laws governing or prohibiting the collection of certain rare (and often much sought after) species. One such beetle whose collection is illegal or restricted is the American burying beetle, Nicrophorus americanus. * Poul Beckmann, Living Jewels: The Natural Design of Beetles ISBN 3-7913-2528-0 * Arthur V. Evans, Charles Bellamy, and Lisa Charles Watson, An Inordinate Fondness for Beetles ISBN 0-520-22323-3 * Entomological Society of America, Beetle Larvae of the World ISBN 0-643-05506-1 * David Grimaldi, Michael S. Engel, Evolution of the Insects ISBN 0-521-82149-5 * Ross H. Arnett, Jr. and Michael C. Thomas, American Beetles (CRC Press, 2001-2). ISBN 0-8493-1925-0 * K. W. Harde, A Field Guide in Colour to Beetles ISBN 0-7064-1937-5 Pages 7-24 * White, R.E. 1983. Beetles. Houghton Mifflin Company, New York, NY. ISBN 0-395-91089-7 Heteroptera - insect suborder that is superficially similar to beetles - Coleoptera All what do you need to know about coleoptera, collecting and preparation * The Beetle Ring - A group of websites about beetles (Coleoptera). * List of major Beetle collections - worldwide * Entomology - online insect museum, entomology, tips and tricks, how to spread and pin insects, etc. * - Gallery of Central European beetles * Coleoptera from the Tree of Life * Australian borers species * Beetles and coleopterologists Russian site with English version, with information about biology, systematics and paleontology of beetles * North American Beetles from BugGuide * Bibliography on fossil insects * Coleoptera Families of the World * A digital collection of Southeast Asian beetles Related Wikipedia Articles coleopter Hylobius abietis weevil Animal Arthropod Insect Pterygota Neoptera Endopterygota Carolus Linnaeus Systema Naturae Suborder (biology) Adephaga Archostemata Myxophaga Polyphaga subgroups of the order Coleoptera insect species species animal polar region ecosystem plant fungus invertebrate Colorado potato beetle boll weevil coccinellidae aphid scale insect thrips Aristotle cockchafer Trogodendron fasciculatum monophyletic holometabolous prothorax coxa anatomy appendage pronotum insect wing segmentation (biology) exoskeleton elytron sclerite insect flight insect wing ground beetle Curculionidae glowworm Phengodidae Larviform female mouthparts grasshopper mandible (insect) #Defence appendage compound eye whirligig beetle longhorn beetle ocellus vertex (anatomy) antenna (biology) antenna (biology) Acilius sulcatus arthropod leg Dytiscidae Haliplidae Hydrophilidae fossorial clown beetle flea beetle Oxygen invertebrate trachea spiracle hemolymph blood open circulatory system Melolontha melolontha Endopterygota metamorphosis (biology) larva Colorado potato beetle larva Biological life cycle Buprestidae spiracle click beetle darkling beetle click beetle Scarabaeoidea instar ecdysis planidium hypermetamorphosis blister beetle Aleochara pupa imago San Francisco Flamboyant flower beetle burying beetle Spermatozoon fertilisation Scarabaeidae leaf roller Brachinus bombardier beetle parasitoid camouflage mimicry leaf beetle weevil longhorn beetle wasp Coccinellidae blister beetle aposematism ground beetle Mandible (insect) bombardier beetle Ground beetle rove beetle arthropod dung coprophagous dung beetle necrophagous carrion beetle clown beetle coxa Ross H. Arnett, Jr. Michael C. Thomas American Beetles CRC Press Boca Raton, Florida whirligig beetle Sphaerius Myxophaga fossil Permian Polyphaga rove beetle scarabaeidae blister beetle stag beetle Curculionidae sclerite Adephaga ground beetle Dytiscidae whirligig beetle testes exoskeleton coxa Archostemata reticulated beetle telephone-pole beetle Myxophaga Hydroscaphidae Sphaerius Triassic phylogenetics sister group Linnaean taxonomy Colorado potato beetle Colorado potato beetle potato pesticide pesticide resistance Solanaceae nightshade tomato aubergine capsicum boll weevil United States bark beetle elm leaf beetle elm Dutch elm disease Northern Hemisphere Europe North America death watch beetle Anobiidae Great Britain hardwood oak chestnut Asian long-horned beetle Citrus long-horned beetle Western corn rootworm Coconut leaves seedlings coconut palms September 27 Philippines Metro Manila provinces quarantined pest coconut industry Coccinella septempunctata ladybirds Coccinellidae aphid scale insect mealybug honeydew nectar Ground beetle caterpillar Aphthona leafy spurge beetle bank Dermestidae taxidermy Dung beetle Scarabaeus sacer Ancient Egyptian Khepri Mummy New Kingdom Elytron Melbourne Museum coleopterology list of coleopterists The Coleopterists Society international organisation scientific journal The Coleopterist The Coleopterists Bulletin Nicrophorus americanus Entomological Society of America David Grimaldi Michael S. Engel Ross H. Arnett, Jr. Michael C. Thomas American Beetles Heteroptera
beetle	Are certain species of beetles considered pests?	yes	data/set1/a8	beetle Beetles are a group of insects which have the largest number of species. They are placed in the order Coleoptera,which means "sheathed wing" and contains more described species than in any other order in the animal kingdom, constituting about twenty-five percent of all known life-forms. James K. Liebherr and Joseph V. McHugh in Resh, V. H. & R. T. CardÃ© (Editors) 2003. Encyclopedia of Insects. Academic Press. Forty percent of all described insect species are beetles (about 350,000 species ), and new species are frequently discovered. Estimates put the total number of species, described and undescribed, at between 5 and 8 million. Beetles can be found in almost all habitats, but are not known to occur in the sea or in the polar regions. They interact with their ecosystems in several ways. They often feed on plants and fungi, break down animal and plant debris, and eat other invertebrates. Some species are prey of various animals including birds and mammals. Certain species are agricultural pests, such as the Colorado potato beetle Leptinotarsa decemlineata, the boll weevil Anthonomus grandis, the red flour beetle Tribolium castaneum, and the mungbean or cowpea beetle Callosobruchus maculatus, while other species of beetles are important controls of agricultural pests. For example, coccinellidae ("ladybirds" or "ladybugs") consume aphids, scale insects, thrips, and other plant-sucking insects that damage crops. The name "Coleoptera" was given by Aristotle for the hardened shield like forewings (coleo = shield + ptera = wing). A cockchafer with its elytra raised, exposing the membranous flight wings, where the veins are visible Trogodendron fasciculatum, a clerid beetle with bright yellow antennae Other characters of this group which are believed to be monophyletic include a holometabolous life cycle; having a prothorax that is distinct from and freely articulating with the mesothorax; the meso- and meta-thoracic segments fusing to form a pterothorax; a depressed body shape with the legs on the ventral surface; the coxae of legs recessed into cavities formed by heavily sclerotized thoracic sclerites; the abdominal sternites more sclerotized than the tergites; antennae with 11 or fewer segments; and terminal genitalic appendages retracted into the abdomen and invisible at rest. The general anatomy of beetles is quite uniform, although specific organs and appendages may vary greatly in appearance and function between the many families in the order. Like all insects, beetles' bodies are divided into three sections: the head, the thorax, and the abdomen. When viewed from below, the thorax is that part from which all three pairs of legs and both pairs of wings arise. The abdomen is everything posterior to the thorax. When viewed from above, most beetles appear to have three clear sections, but this is deceptive: on the beetle's upper surface, the middle "section" is a hard plate called the pronotum, which is only the front part of the thorax; the back part of the thorax is concealed by the beetle's wings. Like all arthropods, beetles are segmented organisms, and all three of the major sections of the body are themselves composed of several further segments, although these are not always readily discernible. This further segmentation is usually best seen on the abdomen. Beetles are generally characterised by a particularly hard exoskeleton and hard forewings (elytra). The beetle's exoskeleton is made up of numerous plates called sclerites, separated by thin sutures. This design creates the armoured defences of the beetle while maintaining flexibility. The elytra are not used for flight, but tend to cover the hind part of the body and protect the second pair of wings (alae). The elytra must be raised in order to move the hind flight wings. A beetle's flight wings are crossed with veins and are folded after landing, often along these veins, and are stored below the elytra. In some beetles, the ability to fly has been lost. These include the ground beetles (family Carabidae) and some "true weevils" (family Curculionidae), but also some desert and cave-dwelling species of other families. Many of these species have the two elytra fused together, forming a solid shield over the abdomen. In a few families, both the ability to fly and the elytra have been lost, with the best known example being the glow-worms of the family Phengodidae, in which the females are larviform throughout their lives. Beetles have mouthparts similar to those of grasshoppers. Of these parts, the most commonly known are probably the mandibles, which appear as large pincers on the front of some beetles. The mandibles are a pair of hard, often tooth-like structures that move horizontally to grasp, crush, or cut food or enemies (see defence, below). Two pairs of finger-like appendages are found around the mouth in most beetles, serving to move food into the mouth. These are the maxillary and labial palpi. The eyes are compound and may display remarkable adaptability, as in the case of whirligig beetles (family Gyrinidae), in which the eyes are split to allow a view both above and below the waterline. Other species also have divided eyes â some longhorn beetles (family Cerambycidae) and weevils â while many beetles have eyes that are notched to some degree. A few beetle genera also possess ocelli, which are small, simple eyes usually situated farther back on the head (on the vertex). Beetles' antennae are primarily organs of smell, but may also be used to feel out a beetle's environment physically. They may also be used in some families during mating, or among a few beetles for defence. Antennae vary greatly in form within the Coleoptera, but are often similar within any given family. In some cases, males and females of the same species will have different antennal forms. Antennae may be clavate (flabellate and lamellate are sub-forms of clavate, or clubbed antennae), filiform, geniculate, moniliform, pectinate, or serrate. For images of these antennal forms see antenna (biology). Acilius sulcatus, a diving beetle showing hind legs adapted for life in water The legs, which are multi-segmented, end in two to five small segments called tarsi. Like many other insect orders beetles bear claws, usually one pair, on the end of the last tarsal segment of each leg. While most beetles use their legs for walking, legs may be variously modified and adapted for other uses. Among aquatic families â Dytiscidae, Haliplidae, many species of Hydrophilidae and others â the legs, most notably the last pair, are modified for swimming and often bear rows of long hairs to aid this purpose. Other beetles have fossorial legs that are widened and often spined for digging. Species with such adaptations are found among the scarabs, ground beetles, and clown beetles (family Histeridae). The hind legs of some beetles, such as flea beetles (within Chrysomelidae) and flea weevils (within Curculionidae), are enlarged and designed for jumping. Oxygen is obtained via a tracheal system. Air enters a series of tubes along the body through openings called spiracles, and is then taken into increasingly finer fibres. Pumping movements of the body force the air through the system. Beetles have haemolymph instead of blood, and the open circulatory system of the beetle is powered by a tube-like heart attached to the top inside of the thorax. Scarabaeiform larva of the cockchafer, Melolontha melolontha Beetles are endopterygotes with complete metamorphosis. A single female may lay from several dozen to several thousand eggs during her lifetime. Eggs are usually laid according to the substrate the larva will feed on upon hatching. Among others, they can be laid loose in the substrate (e.g. flour beetle), laid in clumps on leaves (e.g. Colorado potato beetle), or individually attached (e.g. mungbean beetle and other seed borers) or buried in the medium (e.g. carrot weevil). The larva is usually the principal feeding stage of the beetle life cycle. Larvae tend to feed voraciously once they emerge from their eggs. Some feed externally on plants, such as those of certain leaf beetles, while others feed within their food sources. Examples of internal feeders are most Buprestidae and longhorn beetles. The larvae of many beetle families are predatory like the adults (ground beetles, ladybirds, rove beetles). The larval period varies between species but can be as long as several years. Beetle larvae can be differentiated from other insect larvae by their hardened, often darkened head, the presence of chewing mouthparts, and spiracles along the sides of the body. Like adult beetles, the larvae are varied in appearance, particularly between beetle families. Beetles whose larvae are somewhat flattened and are highly mobile are the ground beetles, some rove beetles, and others; their larvae are described as campodeiform. Some beetle larvae resemble hardened worms with dark head capsules and minute legs. These are elateriform larvae, and are found in the click beetle (Elateridae) and darkling beetle (Tenebrionidae) families. Some elateriform larvae of click beetles are known as wireworms. Beetles in the families of the Scarabaeoidea have short, thick larvae described as scarabaeiform, but more commonly known as grubs. All beetle larvae go through several instars, which are the developmental stages between each moult. In many species the larvae simply increase in size with each successive instar as more food is consumed. In some cases, however, more dramatic changes occur. Among certain beetle families or genera, particularly those that exhibit parasitic lifestyles, the first instar (the planidium) is highly mobile in order to search out a host, while the following instars are more sedentary and remain on or within their host. This is known as hypermetamorphosis; examples include the blister beetles (family Meloidae) and some rove beetles, particularly those of the genus Aleochara. As with all endopterygotes, beetle larvae pupate, and from this pupa emerges a fully formed, sexually mature adult beetle, or imago. Adults have an extremely variable lifespan, from weeks to years, depending on the species. Beetles mating in San Francisco Flamboyant flower beetle, Eudicella gralli, from the forests of Central Africa. The iridescent elytra are used in marriage ceremonies. Beetles may display extremely intricate behaviour when mating. Smell is thought to be important in the location of a mate. Conflict can play a part in the mating rituals of species such as burying beetles (genus Nicrophorus) where conflicts between males and females rage until only one of each is left, thus ensuring reproduction by the strongest and fittest. Many beetles are territorial and will fiercely defend their small patch of territory from intruding males. Pairing is generally short but in some cases will last for several hours. During pairing sperm cells are transferred to the female to fertilise the egg. Parental care varies between species, ranging from the simple laying of eggs under a leaf to certain scarab beetles, which construct underground structures complete with a supply of dung to house and feed their young. Other beetles are leaf rollers, biting sections of leaves to cause them to curl inwards, then laying their eggs, thus protected, inside. Brachinus sp., a bombardier beetle Beetles and their larvae have a variety of strategies to avoid being attacked by predators or parasitoids. These include camouflage, mimicry, toxicity, and active defence. Camouflage involves the use of colouration or shape to blend into the surrounding environment. Among those that exhibit this defensive strategy are some of the leaf beetles (family Chysomelidae), having green colouring very similar to their habitat on plant leaves. More complex camouflage also occurs, as with some weevils, where various coloured scales or hairs cause the beetle to resemble bird dung. Another defence that often uses colour or shape to deceive potential enemies is mimicry. A number of longhorn beetles (family Cerambycidae) bear a striking resemblance to wasps, which fools predators into keeping their distance even though the beetles are in fact harmless. This defence can be found to a lesser extent in other beetle families, such as the scarab beetles. Beetles may combine their colour mimicry with behavioural mimicry, acting like the wasps they already closely resemble. Many beetle species, including ladybirds and blister beetles, can secrete distasteful or toxic substances to make them unpalatable or even poisonous. These same species often exhibit aposematism, where bright or contrasting colour patterns warn away potential predators. Large ground beetles and longhorn beetles may go on the attack, using their strong mandibles to forcibly persuade a predator to seek out easier prey. Others, such as bombardier beetles (within Carabidae) spray acidic gas from their abdomen to repel predators. Besides being abundant and varied, the Coleoptera are able to exploit the wide diversity of food sources available in their many habitats. Some are generalists, eating both plants and animals. Other beetles are highly specialised in their diet. Many species of leaf beetles, longhorn beetles, and weevils are very host specific, feeding on only a single species of plant. Ground beetles and rove beetles (family Staphylinidae), among others, are primarily carnivorous and will catch and consume many other arthropods and small prey such as earthworms and snails. While most predatory beetles are generalists, a few species have more specific prey requirements or preferences. Decaying organic matter is a primary diet for many species. This can range from dung, which is consumed by coprophagous species such as certain scarab beetles (family Scarabaeidae), to dead animals, which are eaten by necrophagous species such as the carrion beetles (family Silphidae). Some of the beetles found within dung and carrion are in fact predatory, such as the clown beetles, preying on the larvae of coprophagous and necrophagous insects. Aquatic beetles use several techniques for retaining air beneath the water's surface. Beetles of the family Dytiscidae hold air between the abdomen and the elytra when diving. Hydrophilidae have hairs on their under surface that retain a layer of air against their bodies. Adult crawling water beetles use both their elytra and their hind coxae (the basal segment of the back legs) in air retention while whirligig beetles simply carry an air bubble down with them whenever they dive. Sphaerius acaroides, a member of the small suborder Myxophaga While some authorities believe modern beetles began about 140 million years ago, research announced in 2007 showed that beetles may have entered the fossil record during the Lower Permian, about 265 to 300 million years ago. Modern Beetles Predate Dinosaurs, Dave Mosher, LiveScience.com, 26 December 2007. The four extant suborders of beetle are these: * Polyphaga is the largest suborder, containing more than 300,000 described species in more than 170 families, including rove beetles (Staphylinidae), scarab beetles (Scarabaeidae), blister beetles (Meloidae), stag beetles (Lucanidae) and true weevils (Curculionidae). These beetles can be identified by the cervical sclerites (hardened parts of the head used as points of attachment for muscles) absent in the other suborders. * Adephaga contains about 10 families of largely predatory beetles, includes ground beetles (Carabidae), Dytiscidae and whirligig beetles (Gyrinidae). In these beetles the testes are tubular and the first abdominal sternum (a plate of the exoskeleton) is divided by the hind coxae (the basal joints of the beetle's legs). * Archostemata contains four families of mainly wood-eating beetles, including reticulated beetles (Cupedidae) and the telephone-pole beetle. * Myxophaga contains about 100 described species in four families, mostly very small, including Hydroscaphidae and the genus Sphaerius. These suborders diverged in the Permian and Triassic. Their phylogenetic relationship is uncertain, with the most popular hypothesis being that Polyphaga and Myxophaga are most closely related, with Adephaga as the sister group to those two, and Archostemata as sister to the other three collectively. There are about 350,000 species of beetles. Such a large number of species poses special problems for classification, with some families consisting of thousands of species and needing further division into subfamilies and tribes. Colorado potato beetle (Leptinotarsa decemlineata) larvae Many agricultural, forestry, and household insect pests are beetles. These include the following: * The Colorado potato beetle, Leptinotarsa decemlineata, is a notorious pest of potato plants. Crops are destroyed and the beetle can only be treated by employing expensive pesticides, many of which it has begun to develop resistance to. As well as potatoes, suitable hosts can be a number of plants from the potato family (Solanaceae), such as nightshade, tomato, aubergine and capsicum. * The boll weevil, Anthonomus grandis, has cost cotton producers in the United States billions of dollars since it first entered that country. * The bark beetles Hylurgopinus rufipes and Scolytus multistriatus, the elm leaf beetle, Pyrrhalta luteola, and other beetles attack elm trees. The bark beetles are important elm pests because they carry Dutch elm disease as they move from infected breeding sites to feed on healthy elm trees. The spread of the fungus by the beetle has led to the devastation of elm trees in many parts of the Northern Hemisphere, notably in Europe and North America. * The death watch beetle, Xestobium rufovillosum, (family Anobiidae) is of considerable importance as a pest of older wooden buildings in Great Britain. It attacks hardwoods such as oak and chestnut, always where some fungal decay has taken or is taking place. It is thought that the actual introduction of the pest into buildings takes place at the time of construction. * Asian long-horned beetle * Citrus long-horned beetle * Western corn rootworm * Coconut hispine beetle or Brontispa longissima gestro feeds on young leaves and damages seedlings and mature coconut palms. On September 27, 2007, Philippines' Metro Manila and 26 provinces were quarantined due to having been infested with this pest (to save the $800-million Philippine coconut industry). Inquirer.net, Beetles infest coconuts in Manila, 26 provinces Coccinella septempunctata, a beneficial beetle * Both the larvae and adults of some ladybirds (family Coccinellidae) are found in aphid colonies. Other lady beetles feed on scale insects and mealybugs. If normal food sources are scarce they may feed on other things, such as small caterpillars, young plant bugs, honeydew and nectar. * Ground beetles (family Carabidae) are common predators of many different insects and other arthropods, including fly eggs, caterpillars, wireworms and others. * Plant-feeding beetles are often important beneficial insects, controlling problem weeds. Some flea beetles of the genus Aphthona feed on leafy spurge, a considerable weed of rangeland in western North America. Some farmers develop beetle banks to foster and provide cover for beneficial beetles. Beetles of the Dermestidae family are often used in taxidermy to clean bones of remaining flesh. Ancient Egyptian scene depicting a scarab beetle Several species of dung beetle, most notably Scarabaeus sacer (often referred to as "scarab"), enjoyed a sacred status among the ancient Egyptians, as the creatures were likened to the major god Khepri. Some scholars suggest that the Egyptians' practice of making mummies was inspired by the brooding process of the beetle. Many thousands of amulets and stamp seals have been excavated that depict the scarab. In many artifacts, the scarab is depicted pushing the sun along its course in the sky, much as scarabs push or roll balls of dung to their brood sites. During and following the New Kingdom, scarab amulets were often placed over the heart of the mummified deceased. Some tribal groups, particularly in tropical parts of the world, use the colourful, iridescent elytra of certain beetles, especially certain Scarabaeidae, in ceremonies and as adornment. Beetle collection at the Melbourne Museum, Australia The study of beetles is called coleopterology, and its practitioners are coleopterists. Coleopterists have formed organisations to facilitate the study of beetles. Among these is The Coleopterists Society, an international organisation based in the United States. Such organisations may have both professionals and amateurs interested in beetles as members. Research in this field is often published in peer-reviewed journals specific to the field of coleopterology, though journals dealing with general entomology also publish many papers on various aspects of beetle biology. Some of the journals specific to beetle research are: The Coleopterist (United Kingdom beetle fauna) The Coleopterists Bulletin (published by The Coleopterists Society) There is a thriving industry in the collection of beetle specimens for amateur and professional collectors. Many coleopterists prefer to collect beetle specimens for themselves, recording detailed information about each specimen and its habitat. Such collections add to the body of knowledge about the Coleoptera. Some countries have established laws governing or prohibiting the collection of certain rare (and often much sought after) species. One such beetle whose collection is illegal or restricted is the American burying beetle, Nicrophorus americanus. * Poul Beckmann, Living Jewels: The Natural Design of Beetles ISBN 3-7913-2528-0 * Arthur V. Evans, Charles Bellamy, and Lisa Charles Watson, An Inordinate Fondness for Beetles ISBN 0-520-22323-3 * Entomological Society of America, Beetle Larvae of the World ISBN 0-643-05506-1 * David Grimaldi, Michael S. Engel, Evolution of the Insects ISBN 0-521-82149-5 * Ross H. Arnett, Jr. and Michael C. Thomas, American Beetles (CRC Press, 2001-2). ISBN 0-8493-1925-0 * K. W. Harde, A Field Guide in Colour to Beetles ISBN 0-7064-1937-5 Pages 7-24 * White, R.E. 1983. Beetles. Houghton Mifflin Company, New York, NY. ISBN 0-395-91089-7 Heteroptera - insect suborder that is superficially similar to beetles - Coleoptera All what do you need to know about coleoptera, collecting and preparation * The Beetle Ring - A group of websites about beetles (Coleoptera). * List of major Beetle collections - worldwide * Entomology - online insect museum, entomology, tips and tricks, how to spread and pin insects, etc. * - Gallery of Central European beetles * Coleoptera from the Tree of Life * Australian borers species * Beetles and coleopterologists Russian site with English version, with information about biology, systematics and paleontology of beetles * North American Beetles from BugGuide * Bibliography on fossil insects * Coleoptera Families of the World * A digital collection of Southeast Asian beetles Related Wikipedia Articles coleopter Hylobius abietis weevil Animal Arthropod Insect Pterygota Neoptera Endopterygota Carolus Linnaeus Systema Naturae Suborder (biology) Adephaga Archostemata Myxophaga Polyphaga subgroups of the order Coleoptera insect species species animal polar region ecosystem plant fungus invertebrate Colorado potato beetle boll weevil coccinellidae aphid scale insect thrips Aristotle cockchafer Trogodendron fasciculatum monophyletic holometabolous prothorax coxa anatomy appendage pronotum insect wing segmentation (biology) exoskeleton elytron sclerite insect flight insect wing ground beetle Curculionidae glowworm Phengodidae Larviform female mouthparts grasshopper mandible (insect) #Defence appendage compound eye whirligig beetle longhorn beetle ocellus vertex (anatomy) antenna (biology) antenna (biology) Acilius sulcatus arthropod leg Dytiscidae Haliplidae Hydrophilidae fossorial clown beetle flea beetle Oxygen invertebrate trachea spiracle hemolymph blood open circulatory system Melolontha melolontha Endopterygota metamorphosis (biology) larva Colorado potato beetle larva Biological life cycle Buprestidae spiracle click beetle darkling beetle click beetle Scarabaeoidea instar ecdysis planidium hypermetamorphosis blister beetle Aleochara pupa imago San Francisco Flamboyant flower beetle burying beetle Spermatozoon fertilisation Scarabaeidae leaf roller Brachinus bombardier beetle parasitoid camouflage mimicry leaf beetle weevil longhorn beetle wasp Coccinellidae blister beetle aposematism ground beetle Mandible (insect) bombardier beetle Ground beetle rove beetle arthropod dung coprophagous dung beetle necrophagous carrion beetle clown beetle coxa Ross H. Arnett, Jr. Michael C. Thomas American Beetles CRC Press Boca Raton, Florida whirligig beetle Sphaerius Myxophaga fossil Permian Polyphaga rove beetle scarabaeidae blister beetle stag beetle Curculionidae sclerite Adephaga ground beetle Dytiscidae whirligig beetle testes exoskeleton coxa Archostemata reticulated beetle telephone-pole beetle Myxophaga Hydroscaphidae Sphaerius Triassic phylogenetics sister group Linnaean taxonomy Colorado potato beetle Colorado potato beetle potato pesticide pesticide resistance Solanaceae nightshade tomato aubergine capsicum boll weevil United States bark beetle elm leaf beetle elm Dutch elm disease Northern Hemisphere Europe North America death watch beetle Anobiidae Great Britain hardwood oak chestnut Asian long-horned beetle Citrus long-horned beetle Western corn rootworm Coconut leaves seedlings coconut palms September 27 Philippines Metro Manila provinces quarantined pest coconut industry Coccinella septempunctata ladybirds Coccinellidae aphid scale insect mealybug honeydew nectar Ground beetle caterpillar Aphthona leafy spurge beetle bank Dermestidae taxidermy Dung beetle Scarabaeus sacer Ancient Egyptian Khepri Mummy New Kingdom Elytron Melbourne Museum coleopterology list of coleopterists The Coleopterists Society international organisation scientific journal The Coleopterist The Coleopterists Bulletin Nicrophorus americanus Entomological Society of America David Grimaldi Michael S. Engel Ross H. Arnett, Jr. Michael C. Thomas American Beetles Heteroptera
beetle	Is a beetle's general anatomy uniform?	Yes	data/set1/a8	beetle Beetles are a group of insects which have the largest number of species. They are placed in the order Coleoptera,which means "sheathed wing" and contains more described species than in any other order in the animal kingdom, constituting about twenty-five percent of all known life-forms. James K. Liebherr and Joseph V. McHugh in Resh, V. H. & R. T. CardÃ© (Editors) 2003. Encyclopedia of Insects. Academic Press. Forty percent of all described insect species are beetles (about 350,000 species ), and new species are frequently discovered. Estimates put the total number of species, described and undescribed, at between 5 and 8 million. Beetles can be found in almost all habitats, but are not known to occur in the sea or in the polar regions. They interact with their ecosystems in several ways. They often feed on plants and fungi, break down animal and plant debris, and eat other invertebrates. Some species are prey of various animals including birds and mammals. Certain species are agricultural pests, such as the Colorado potato beetle Leptinotarsa decemlineata, the boll weevil Anthonomus grandis, the red flour beetle Tribolium castaneum, and the mungbean or cowpea beetle Callosobruchus maculatus, while other species of beetles are important controls of agricultural pests. For example, coccinellidae ("ladybirds" or "ladybugs") consume aphids, scale insects, thrips, and other plant-sucking insects that damage crops. The name "Coleoptera" was given by Aristotle for the hardened shield like forewings (coleo = shield + ptera = wing). A cockchafer with its elytra raised, exposing the membranous flight wings, where the veins are visible Trogodendron fasciculatum, a clerid beetle with bright yellow antennae Other characters of this group which are believed to be monophyletic include a holometabolous life cycle; having a prothorax that is distinct from and freely articulating with the mesothorax; the meso- and meta-thoracic segments fusing to form a pterothorax; a depressed body shape with the legs on the ventral surface; the coxae of legs recessed into cavities formed by heavily sclerotized thoracic sclerites; the abdominal sternites more sclerotized than the tergites; antennae with 11 or fewer segments; and terminal genitalic appendages retracted into the abdomen and invisible at rest. The general anatomy of beetles is quite uniform, although specific organs and appendages may vary greatly in appearance and function between the many families in the order. Like all insects, beetles' bodies are divided into three sections: the head, the thorax, and the abdomen. When viewed from below, the thorax is that part from which all three pairs of legs and both pairs of wings arise. The abdomen is everything posterior to the thorax. When viewed from above, most beetles appear to have three clear sections, but this is deceptive: on the beetle's upper surface, the middle "section" is a hard plate called the pronotum, which is only the front part of the thorax; the back part of the thorax is concealed by the beetle's wings. Like all arthropods, beetles are segmented organisms, and all three of the major sections of the body are themselves composed of several further segments, although these are not always readily discernible. This further segmentation is usually best seen on the abdomen. Beetles are generally characterised by a particularly hard exoskeleton and hard forewings (elytra). The beetle's exoskeleton is made up of numerous plates called sclerites, separated by thin sutures. This design creates the armoured defences of the beetle while maintaining flexibility. The elytra are not used for flight, but tend to cover the hind part of the body and protect the second pair of wings (alae). The elytra must be raised in order to move the hind flight wings. A beetle's flight wings are crossed with veins and are folded after landing, often along these veins, and are stored below the elytra. In some beetles, the ability to fly has been lost. These include the ground beetles (family Carabidae) and some "true weevils" (family Curculionidae), but also some desert and cave-dwelling species of other families. Many of these species have the two elytra fused together, forming a solid shield over the abdomen. In a few families, both the ability to fly and the elytra have been lost, with the best known example being the glow-worms of the family Phengodidae, in which the females are larviform throughout their lives. Beetles have mouthparts similar to those of grasshoppers. Of these parts, the most commonly known are probably the mandibles, which appear as large pincers on the front of some beetles. The mandibles are a pair of hard, often tooth-like structures that move horizontally to grasp, crush, or cut food or enemies (see defence, below). Two pairs of finger-like appendages are found around the mouth in most beetles, serving to move food into the mouth. These are the maxillary and labial palpi. The eyes are compound and may display remarkable adaptability, as in the case of whirligig beetles (family Gyrinidae), in which the eyes are split to allow a view both above and below the waterline. Other species also have divided eyes â some longhorn beetles (family Cerambycidae) and weevils â while many beetles have eyes that are notched to some degree. A few beetle genera also possess ocelli, which are small, simple eyes usually situated farther back on the head (on the vertex). Beetles' antennae are primarily organs of smell, but may also be used to feel out a beetle's environment physically. They may also be used in some families during mating, or among a few beetles for defence. Antennae vary greatly in form within the Coleoptera, but are often similar within any given family. In some cases, males and females of the same species will have different antennal forms. Antennae may be clavate (flabellate and lamellate are sub-forms of clavate, or clubbed antennae), filiform, geniculate, moniliform, pectinate, or serrate. For images of these antennal forms see antenna (biology). Acilius sulcatus, a diving beetle showing hind legs adapted for life in water The legs, which are multi-segmented, end in two to five small segments called tarsi. Like many other insect orders beetles bear claws, usually one pair, on the end of the last tarsal segment of each leg. While most beetles use their legs for walking, legs may be variously modified and adapted for other uses. Among aquatic families â Dytiscidae, Haliplidae, many species of Hydrophilidae and others â the legs, most notably the last pair, are modified for swimming and often bear rows of long hairs to aid this purpose. Other beetles have fossorial legs that are widened and often spined for digging. Species with such adaptations are found among the scarabs, ground beetles, and clown beetles (family Histeridae). The hind legs of some beetles, such as flea beetles (within Chrysomelidae) and flea weevils (within Curculionidae), are enlarged and designed for jumping. Oxygen is obtained via a tracheal system. Air enters a series of tubes along the body through openings called spiracles, and is then taken into increasingly finer fibres. Pumping movements of the body force the air through the system. Beetles have haemolymph instead of blood, and the open circulatory system of the beetle is powered by a tube-like heart attached to the top inside of the thorax. Scarabaeiform larva of the cockchafer, Melolontha melolontha Beetles are endopterygotes with complete metamorphosis. A single female may lay from several dozen to several thousand eggs during her lifetime. Eggs are usually laid according to the substrate the larva will feed on upon hatching. Among others, they can be laid loose in the substrate (e.g. flour beetle), laid in clumps on leaves (e.g. Colorado potato beetle), or individually attached (e.g. mungbean beetle and other seed borers) or buried in the medium (e.g. carrot weevil). The larva is usually the principal feeding stage of the beetle life cycle. Larvae tend to feed voraciously once they emerge from their eggs. Some feed externally on plants, such as those of certain leaf beetles, while others feed within their food sources. Examples of internal feeders are most Buprestidae and longhorn beetles. The larvae of many beetle families are predatory like the adults (ground beetles, ladybirds, rove beetles). The larval period varies between species but can be as long as several years. Beetle larvae can be differentiated from other insect larvae by their hardened, often darkened head, the presence of chewing mouthparts, and spiracles along the sides of the body. Like adult beetles, the larvae are varied in appearance, particularly between beetle families. Beetles whose larvae are somewhat flattened and are highly mobile are the ground beetles, some rove beetles, and others; their larvae are described as campodeiform. Some beetle larvae resemble hardened worms with dark head capsules and minute legs. These are elateriform larvae, and are found in the click beetle (Elateridae) and darkling beetle (Tenebrionidae) families. Some elateriform larvae of click beetles are known as wireworms. Beetles in the families of the Scarabaeoidea have short, thick larvae described as scarabaeiform, but more commonly known as grubs. All beetle larvae go through several instars, which are the developmental stages between each moult. In many species the larvae simply increase in size with each successive instar as more food is consumed. In some cases, however, more dramatic changes occur. Among certain beetle families or genera, particularly those that exhibit parasitic lifestyles, the first instar (the planidium) is highly mobile in order to search out a host, while the following instars are more sedentary and remain on or within their host. This is known as hypermetamorphosis; examples include the blister beetles (family Meloidae) and some rove beetles, particularly those of the genus Aleochara. As with all endopterygotes, beetle larvae pupate, and from this pupa emerges a fully formed, sexually mature adult beetle, or imago. Adults have an extremely variable lifespan, from weeks to years, depending on the species. Beetles mating in San Francisco Flamboyant flower beetle, Eudicella gralli, from the forests of Central Africa. The iridescent elytra are used in marriage ceremonies. Beetles may display extremely intricate behaviour when mating. Smell is thought to be important in the location of a mate. Conflict can play a part in the mating rituals of species such as burying beetles (genus Nicrophorus) where conflicts between males and females rage until only one of each is left, thus ensuring reproduction by the strongest and fittest. Many beetles are territorial and will fiercely defend their small patch of territory from intruding males. Pairing is generally short but in some cases will last for several hours. During pairing sperm cells are transferred to the female to fertilise the egg. Parental care varies between species, ranging from the simple laying of eggs under a leaf to certain scarab beetles, which construct underground structures complete with a supply of dung to house and feed their young. Other beetles are leaf rollers, biting sections of leaves to cause them to curl inwards, then laying their eggs, thus protected, inside. Brachinus sp., a bombardier beetle Beetles and their larvae have a variety of strategies to avoid being attacked by predators or parasitoids. These include camouflage, mimicry, toxicity, and active defence. Camouflage involves the use of colouration or shape to blend into the surrounding environment. Among those that exhibit this defensive strategy are some of the leaf beetles (family Chysomelidae), having green colouring very similar to their habitat on plant leaves. More complex camouflage also occurs, as with some weevils, where various coloured scales or hairs cause the beetle to resemble bird dung. Another defence that often uses colour or shape to deceive potential enemies is mimicry. A number of longhorn beetles (family Cerambycidae) bear a striking resemblance to wasps, which fools predators into keeping their distance even though the beetles are in fact harmless. This defence can be found to a lesser extent in other beetle families, such as the scarab beetles. Beetles may combine their colour mimicry with behavioural mimicry, acting like the wasps they already closely resemble. Many beetle species, including ladybirds and blister beetles, can secrete distasteful or toxic substances to make them unpalatable or even poisonous. These same species often exhibit aposematism, where bright or contrasting colour patterns warn away potential predators. Large ground beetles and longhorn beetles may go on the attack, using their strong mandibles to forcibly persuade a predator to seek out easier prey. Others, such as bombardier beetles (within Carabidae) spray acidic gas from their abdomen to repel predators. Besides being abundant and varied, the Coleoptera are able to exploit the wide diversity of food sources available in their many habitats. Some are generalists, eating both plants and animals. Other beetles are highly specialised in their diet. Many species of leaf beetles, longhorn beetles, and weevils are very host specific, feeding on only a single species of plant. Ground beetles and rove beetles (family Staphylinidae), among others, are primarily carnivorous and will catch and consume many other arthropods and small prey such as earthworms and snails. While most predatory beetles are generalists, a few species have more specific prey requirements or preferences. Decaying organic matter is a primary diet for many species. This can range from dung, which is consumed by coprophagous species such as certain scarab beetles (family Scarabaeidae), to dead animals, which are eaten by necrophagous species such as the carrion beetles (family Silphidae). Some of the beetles found within dung and carrion are in fact predatory, such as the clown beetles, preying on the larvae of coprophagous and necrophagous insects. Aquatic beetles use several techniques for retaining air beneath the water's surface. Beetles of the family Dytiscidae hold air between the abdomen and the elytra when diving. Hydrophilidae have hairs on their under surface that retain a layer of air against their bodies. Adult crawling water beetles use both their elytra and their hind coxae (the basal segment of the back legs) in air retention while whirligig beetles simply carry an air bubble down with them whenever they dive. Sphaerius acaroides, a member of the small suborder Myxophaga While some authorities believe modern beetles began about 140 million years ago, research announced in 2007 showed that beetles may have entered the fossil record during the Lower Permian, about 265 to 300 million years ago. Modern Beetles Predate Dinosaurs, Dave Mosher, LiveScience.com, 26 December 2007. The four extant suborders of beetle are these: * Polyphaga is the largest suborder, containing more than 300,000 described species in more than 170 families, including rove beetles (Staphylinidae), scarab beetles (Scarabaeidae), blister beetles (Meloidae), stag beetles (Lucanidae) and true weevils (Curculionidae). These beetles can be identified by the cervical sclerites (hardened parts of the head used as points of attachment for muscles) absent in the other suborders. * Adephaga contains about 10 families of largely predatory beetles, includes ground beetles (Carabidae), Dytiscidae and whirligig beetles (Gyrinidae). In these beetles the testes are tubular and the first abdominal sternum (a plate of the exoskeleton) is divided by the hind coxae (the basal joints of the beetle's legs). * Archostemata contains four families of mainly wood-eating beetles, including reticulated beetles (Cupedidae) and the telephone-pole beetle. * Myxophaga contains about 100 described species in four families, mostly very small, including Hydroscaphidae and the genus Sphaerius. These suborders diverged in the Permian and Triassic. Their phylogenetic relationship is uncertain, with the most popular hypothesis being that Polyphaga and Myxophaga are most closely related, with Adephaga as the sister group to those two, and Archostemata as sister to the other three collectively. There are about 350,000 species of beetles. Such a large number of species poses special problems for classification, with some families consisting of thousands of species and needing further division into subfamilies and tribes. Colorado potato beetle (Leptinotarsa decemlineata) larvae Many agricultural, forestry, and household insect pests are beetles. These include the following: * The Colorado potato beetle, Leptinotarsa decemlineata, is a notorious pest of potato plants. Crops are destroyed and the beetle can only be treated by employing expensive pesticides, many of which it has begun to develop resistance to. As well as potatoes, suitable hosts can be a number of plants from the potato family (Solanaceae), such as nightshade, tomato, aubergine and capsicum. * The boll weevil, Anthonomus grandis, has cost cotton producers in the United States billions of dollars since it first entered that country. * The bark beetles Hylurgopinus rufipes and Scolytus multistriatus, the elm leaf beetle, Pyrrhalta luteola, and other beetles attack elm trees. The bark beetles are important elm pests because they carry Dutch elm disease as they move from infected breeding sites to feed on healthy elm trees. The spread of the fungus by the beetle has led to the devastation of elm trees in many parts of the Northern Hemisphere, notably in Europe and North America. * The death watch beetle, Xestobium rufovillosum, (family Anobiidae) is of considerable importance as a pest of older wooden buildings in Great Britain. It attacks hardwoods such as oak and chestnut, always where some fungal decay has taken or is taking place. It is thought that the actual introduction of the pest into buildings takes place at the time of construction. * Asian long-horned beetle * Citrus long-horned beetle * Western corn rootworm * Coconut hispine beetle or Brontispa longissima gestro feeds on young leaves and damages seedlings and mature coconut palms. On September 27, 2007, Philippines' Metro Manila and 26 provinces were quarantined due to having been infested with this pest (to save the $800-million Philippine coconut industry). Inquirer.net, Beetles infest coconuts in Manila, 26 provinces Coccinella septempunctata, a beneficial beetle * Both the larvae and adults of some ladybirds (family Coccinellidae) are found in aphid colonies. Other lady beetles feed on scale insects and mealybugs. If normal food sources are scarce they may feed on other things, such as small caterpillars, young plant bugs, honeydew and nectar. * Ground beetles (family Carabidae) are common predators of many different insects and other arthropods, including fly eggs, caterpillars, wireworms and others. * Plant-feeding beetles are often important beneficial insects, controlling problem weeds. Some flea beetles of the genus Aphthona feed on leafy spurge, a considerable weed of rangeland in western North America. Some farmers develop beetle banks to foster and provide cover for beneficial beetles. Beetles of the Dermestidae family are often used in taxidermy to clean bones of remaining flesh. Ancient Egyptian scene depicting a scarab beetle Several species of dung beetle, most notably Scarabaeus sacer (often referred to as "scarab"), enjoyed a sacred status among the ancient Egyptians, as the creatures were likened to the major god Khepri. Some scholars suggest that the Egyptians' practice of making mummies was inspired by the brooding process of the beetle. Many thousands of amulets and stamp seals have been excavated that depict the scarab. In many artifacts, the scarab is depicted pushing the sun along its course in the sky, much as scarabs push or roll balls of dung to their brood sites. During and following the New Kingdom, scarab amulets were often placed over the heart of the mummified deceased. Some tribal groups, particularly in tropical parts of the world, use the colourful, iridescent elytra of certain beetles, especially certain Scarabaeidae, in ceremonies and as adornment. Beetle collection at the Melbourne Museum, Australia The study of beetles is called coleopterology, and its practitioners are coleopterists. Coleopterists have formed organisations to facilitate the study of beetles. Among these is The Coleopterists Society, an international organisation based in the United States. Such organisations may have both professionals and amateurs interested in beetles as members. Research in this field is often published in peer-reviewed journals specific to the field of coleopterology, though journals dealing with general entomology also publish many papers on various aspects of beetle biology. Some of the journals specific to beetle research are: The Coleopterist (United Kingdom beetle fauna) The Coleopterists Bulletin (published by The Coleopterists Society) There is a thriving industry in the collection of beetle specimens for amateur and professional collectors. Many coleopterists prefer to collect beetle specimens for themselves, recording detailed information about each specimen and its habitat. Such collections add to the body of knowledge about the Coleoptera. Some countries have established laws governing or prohibiting the collection of certain rare (and often much sought after) species. One such beetle whose collection is illegal or restricted is the American burying beetle, Nicrophorus americanus. * Poul Beckmann, Living Jewels: The Natural Design of Beetles ISBN 3-7913-2528-0 * Arthur V. Evans, Charles Bellamy, and Lisa Charles Watson, An Inordinate Fondness for Beetles ISBN 0-520-22323-3 * Entomological Society of America, Beetle Larvae of the World ISBN 0-643-05506-1 * David Grimaldi, Michael S. Engel, Evolution of the Insects ISBN 0-521-82149-5 * Ross H. Arnett, Jr. and Michael C. Thomas, American Beetles (CRC Press, 2001-2). ISBN 0-8493-1925-0 * K. W. Harde, A Field Guide in Colour to Beetles ISBN 0-7064-1937-5 Pages 7-24 * White, R.E. 1983. Beetles. Houghton Mifflin Company, New York, NY. ISBN 0-395-91089-7 Heteroptera - insect suborder that is superficially similar to beetles - Coleoptera All what do you need to know about coleoptera, collecting and preparation * The Beetle Ring - A group of websites about beetles (Coleoptera). * List of major Beetle collections - worldwide * Entomology - online insect museum, entomology, tips and tricks, how to spread and pin insects, etc. * - Gallery of Central European beetles * Coleoptera from the Tree of Life * Australian borers species * Beetles and coleopterologists Russian site with English version, with information about biology, systematics and paleontology of beetles * North American Beetles from BugGuide * Bibliography on fossil insects * Coleoptera Families of the World * A digital collection of Southeast Asian beetles Related Wikipedia Articles coleopter Hylobius abietis weevil Animal Arthropod Insect Pterygota Neoptera Endopterygota Carolus Linnaeus Systema Naturae Suborder (biology) Adephaga Archostemata Myxophaga Polyphaga subgroups of the order Coleoptera insect species species animal polar region ecosystem plant fungus invertebrate Colorado potato beetle boll weevil coccinellidae aphid scale insect thrips Aristotle cockchafer Trogodendron fasciculatum monophyletic holometabolous prothorax coxa anatomy appendage pronotum insect wing segmentation (biology) exoskeleton elytron sclerite insect flight insect wing ground beetle Curculionidae glowworm Phengodidae Larviform female mouthparts grasshopper mandible (insect) #Defence appendage compound eye whirligig beetle longhorn beetle ocellus vertex (anatomy) antenna (biology) antenna (biology) Acilius sulcatus arthropod leg Dytiscidae Haliplidae Hydrophilidae fossorial clown beetle flea beetle Oxygen invertebrate trachea spiracle hemolymph blood open circulatory system Melolontha melolontha Endopterygota metamorphosis (biology) larva Colorado potato beetle larva Biological life cycle Buprestidae spiracle click beetle darkling beetle click beetle Scarabaeoidea instar ecdysis planidium hypermetamorphosis blister beetle Aleochara pupa imago San Francisco Flamboyant flower beetle burying beetle Spermatozoon fertilisation Scarabaeidae leaf roller Brachinus bombardier beetle parasitoid camouflage mimicry leaf beetle weevil longhorn beetle wasp Coccinellidae blister beetle aposematism ground beetle Mandible (insect) bombardier beetle Ground beetle rove beetle arthropod dung coprophagous dung beetle necrophagous carrion beetle clown beetle coxa Ross H. Arnett, Jr. Michael C. Thomas American Beetles CRC Press Boca Raton, Florida whirligig beetle Sphaerius Myxophaga fossil Permian Polyphaga rove beetle scarabaeidae blister beetle stag beetle Curculionidae sclerite Adephaga ground beetle Dytiscidae whirligig beetle testes exoskeleton coxa Archostemata reticulated beetle telephone-pole beetle Myxophaga Hydroscaphidae Sphaerius Triassic phylogenetics sister group Linnaean taxonomy Colorado potato beetle Colorado potato beetle potato pesticide pesticide resistance Solanaceae nightshade tomato aubergine capsicum boll weevil United States bark beetle elm leaf beetle elm Dutch elm disease Northern Hemisphere Europe North America death watch beetle Anobiidae Great Britain hardwood oak chestnut Asian long-horned beetle Citrus long-horned beetle Western corn rootworm Coconut leaves seedlings coconut palms September 27 Philippines Metro Manila provinces quarantined pest coconut industry Coccinella septempunctata ladybirds Coccinellidae aphid scale insect mealybug honeydew nectar Ground beetle caterpillar Aphthona leafy spurge beetle bank Dermestidae taxidermy Dung beetle Scarabaeus sacer Ancient Egyptian Khepri Mummy New Kingdom Elytron Melbourne Museum coleopterology list of coleopterists The Coleopterists Society international organisation scientific journal The Coleopterist The Coleopterists Bulletin Nicrophorus americanus Entomological Society of America David Grimaldi Michael S. Engel Ross H. Arnett, Jr. Michael C. Thomas American Beetles Heteroptera
beetle	Is a beetle's general anatomy uniform?	yes	data/set1/a8	beetle Beetles are a group of insects which have the largest number of species. They are placed in the order Coleoptera,which means "sheathed wing" and contains more described species than in any other order in the animal kingdom, constituting about twenty-five percent of all known life-forms. James K. Liebherr and Joseph V. McHugh in Resh, V. H. & R. T. CardÃ© (Editors) 2003. Encyclopedia of Insects. Academic Press. Forty percent of all described insect species are beetles (about 350,000 species ), and new species are frequently discovered. Estimates put the total number of species, described and undescribed, at between 5 and 8 million. Beetles can be found in almost all habitats, but are not known to occur in the sea or in the polar regions. They interact with their ecosystems in several ways. They often feed on plants and fungi, break down animal and plant debris, and eat other invertebrates. Some species are prey of various animals including birds and mammals. Certain species are agricultural pests, such as the Colorado potato beetle Leptinotarsa decemlineata, the boll weevil Anthonomus grandis, the red flour beetle Tribolium castaneum, and the mungbean or cowpea beetle Callosobruchus maculatus, while other species of beetles are important controls of agricultural pests. For example, coccinellidae ("ladybirds" or "ladybugs") consume aphids, scale insects, thrips, and other plant-sucking insects that damage crops. The name "Coleoptera" was given by Aristotle for the hardened shield like forewings (coleo = shield + ptera = wing). A cockchafer with its elytra raised, exposing the membranous flight wings, where the veins are visible Trogodendron fasciculatum, a clerid beetle with bright yellow antennae Other characters of this group which are believed to be monophyletic include a holometabolous life cycle; having a prothorax that is distinct from and freely articulating with the mesothorax; the meso- and meta-thoracic segments fusing to form a pterothorax; a depressed body shape with the legs on the ventral surface; the coxae of legs recessed into cavities formed by heavily sclerotized thoracic sclerites; the abdominal sternites more sclerotized than the tergites; antennae with 11 or fewer segments; and terminal genitalic appendages retracted into the abdomen and invisible at rest. The general anatomy of beetles is quite uniform, although specific organs and appendages may vary greatly in appearance and function between the many families in the order. Like all insects, beetles' bodies are divided into three sections: the head, the thorax, and the abdomen. When viewed from below, the thorax is that part from which all three pairs of legs and both pairs of wings arise. The abdomen is everything posterior to the thorax. When viewed from above, most beetles appear to have three clear sections, but this is deceptive: on the beetle's upper surface, the middle "section" is a hard plate called the pronotum, which is only the front part of the thorax; the back part of the thorax is concealed by the beetle's wings. Like all arthropods, beetles are segmented organisms, and all three of the major sections of the body are themselves composed of several further segments, although these are not always readily discernible. This further segmentation is usually best seen on the abdomen. Beetles are generally characterised by a particularly hard exoskeleton and hard forewings (elytra). The beetle's exoskeleton is made up of numerous plates called sclerites, separated by thin sutures. This design creates the armoured defences of the beetle while maintaining flexibility. The elytra are not used for flight, but tend to cover the hind part of the body and protect the second pair of wings (alae). The elytra must be raised in order to move the hind flight wings. A beetle's flight wings are crossed with veins and are folded after landing, often along these veins, and are stored below the elytra. In some beetles, the ability to fly has been lost. These include the ground beetles (family Carabidae) and some "true weevils" (family Curculionidae), but also some desert and cave-dwelling species of other families. Many of these species have the two elytra fused together, forming a solid shield over the abdomen. In a few families, both the ability to fly and the elytra have been lost, with the best known example being the glow-worms of the family Phengodidae, in which the females are larviform throughout their lives. Beetles have mouthparts similar to those of grasshoppers. Of these parts, the most commonly known are probably the mandibles, which appear as large pincers on the front of some beetles. The mandibles are a pair of hard, often tooth-like structures that move horizontally to grasp, crush, or cut food or enemies (see defence, below). Two pairs of finger-like appendages are found around the mouth in most beetles, serving to move food into the mouth. These are the maxillary and labial palpi. The eyes are compound and may display remarkable adaptability, as in the case of whirligig beetles (family Gyrinidae), in which the eyes are split to allow a view both above and below the waterline. Other species also have divided eyes â some longhorn beetles (family Cerambycidae) and weevils â while many beetles have eyes that are notched to some degree. A few beetle genera also possess ocelli, which are small, simple eyes usually situated farther back on the head (on the vertex). Beetles' antennae are primarily organs of smell, but may also be used to feel out a beetle's environment physically. They may also be used in some families during mating, or among a few beetles for defence. Antennae vary greatly in form within the Coleoptera, but are often similar within any given family. In some cases, males and females of the same species will have different antennal forms. Antennae may be clavate (flabellate and lamellate are sub-forms of clavate, or clubbed antennae), filiform, geniculate, moniliform, pectinate, or serrate. For images of these antennal forms see antenna (biology). Acilius sulcatus, a diving beetle showing hind legs adapted for life in water The legs, which are multi-segmented, end in two to five small segments called tarsi. Like many other insect orders beetles bear claws, usually one pair, on the end of the last tarsal segment of each leg. While most beetles use their legs for walking, legs may be variously modified and adapted for other uses. Among aquatic families â Dytiscidae, Haliplidae, many species of Hydrophilidae and others â the legs, most notably the last pair, are modified for swimming and often bear rows of long hairs to aid this purpose. Other beetles have fossorial legs that are widened and often spined for digging. Species with such adaptations are found among the scarabs, ground beetles, and clown beetles (family Histeridae). The hind legs of some beetles, such as flea beetles (within Chrysomelidae) and flea weevils (within Curculionidae), are enlarged and designed for jumping. Oxygen is obtained via a tracheal system. Air enters a series of tubes along the body through openings called spiracles, and is then taken into increasingly finer fibres. Pumping movements of the body force the air through the system. Beetles have haemolymph instead of blood, and the open circulatory system of the beetle is powered by a tube-like heart attached to the top inside of the thorax. Scarabaeiform larva of the cockchafer, Melolontha melolontha Beetles are endopterygotes with complete metamorphosis. A single female may lay from several dozen to several thousand eggs during her lifetime. Eggs are usually laid according to the substrate the larva will feed on upon hatching. Among others, they can be laid loose in the substrate (e.g. flour beetle), laid in clumps on leaves (e.g. Colorado potato beetle), or individually attached (e.g. mungbean beetle and other seed borers) or buried in the medium (e.g. carrot weevil). The larva is usually the principal feeding stage of the beetle life cycle. Larvae tend to feed voraciously once they emerge from their eggs. Some feed externally on plants, such as those of certain leaf beetles, while others feed within their food sources. Examples of internal feeders are most Buprestidae and longhorn beetles. The larvae of many beetle families are predatory like the adults (ground beetles, ladybirds, rove beetles). The larval period varies between species but can be as long as several years. Beetle larvae can be differentiated from other insect larvae by their hardened, often darkened head, the presence of chewing mouthparts, and spiracles along the sides of the body. Like adult beetles, the larvae are varied in appearance, particularly between beetle families. Beetles whose larvae are somewhat flattened and are highly mobile are the ground beetles, some rove beetles, and others; their larvae are described as campodeiform. Some beetle larvae resemble hardened worms with dark head capsules and minute legs. These are elateriform larvae, and are found in the click beetle (Elateridae) and darkling beetle (Tenebrionidae) families. Some elateriform larvae of click beetles are known as wireworms. Beetles in the families of the Scarabaeoidea have short, thick larvae described as scarabaeiform, but more commonly known as grubs. All beetle larvae go through several instars, which are the developmental stages between each moult. In many species the larvae simply increase in size with each successive instar as more food is consumed. In some cases, however, more dramatic changes occur. Among certain beetle families or genera, particularly those that exhibit parasitic lifestyles, the first instar (the planidium) is highly mobile in order to search out a host, while the following instars are more sedentary and remain on or within their host. This is known as hypermetamorphosis; examples include the blister beetles (family Meloidae) and some rove beetles, particularly those of the genus Aleochara. As with all endopterygotes, beetle larvae pupate, and from this pupa emerges a fully formed, sexually mature adult beetle, or imago. Adults have an extremely variable lifespan, from weeks to years, depending on the species. Beetles mating in San Francisco Flamboyant flower beetle, Eudicella gralli, from the forests of Central Africa. The iridescent elytra are used in marriage ceremonies. Beetles may display extremely intricate behaviour when mating. Smell is thought to be important in the location of a mate. Conflict can play a part in the mating rituals of species such as burying beetles (genus Nicrophorus) where conflicts between males and females rage until only one of each is left, thus ensuring reproduction by the strongest and fittest. Many beetles are territorial and will fiercely defend their small patch of territory from intruding males. Pairing is generally short but in some cases will last for several hours. During pairing sperm cells are transferred to the female to fertilise the egg. Parental care varies between species, ranging from the simple laying of eggs under a leaf to certain scarab beetles, which construct underground structures complete with a supply of dung to house and feed their young. Other beetles are leaf rollers, biting sections of leaves to cause them to curl inwards, then laying their eggs, thus protected, inside. Brachinus sp., a bombardier beetle Beetles and their larvae have a variety of strategies to avoid being attacked by predators or parasitoids. These include camouflage, mimicry, toxicity, and active defence. Camouflage involves the use of colouration or shape to blend into the surrounding environment. Among those that exhibit this defensive strategy are some of the leaf beetles (family Chysomelidae), having green colouring very similar to their habitat on plant leaves. More complex camouflage also occurs, as with some weevils, where various coloured scales or hairs cause the beetle to resemble bird dung. Another defence that often uses colour or shape to deceive potential enemies is mimicry. A number of longhorn beetles (family Cerambycidae) bear a striking resemblance to wasps, which fools predators into keeping their distance even though the beetles are in fact harmless. This defence can be found to a lesser extent in other beetle families, such as the scarab beetles. Beetles may combine their colour mimicry with behavioural mimicry, acting like the wasps they already closely resemble. Many beetle species, including ladybirds and blister beetles, can secrete distasteful or toxic substances to make them unpalatable or even poisonous. These same species often exhibit aposematism, where bright or contrasting colour patterns warn away potential predators. Large ground beetles and longhorn beetles may go on the attack, using their strong mandibles to forcibly persuade a predator to seek out easier prey. Others, such as bombardier beetles (within Carabidae) spray acidic gas from their abdomen to repel predators. Besides being abundant and varied, the Coleoptera are able to exploit the wide diversity of food sources available in their many habitats. Some are generalists, eating both plants and animals. Other beetles are highly specialised in their diet. Many species of leaf beetles, longhorn beetles, and weevils are very host specific, feeding on only a single species of plant. Ground beetles and rove beetles (family Staphylinidae), among others, are primarily carnivorous and will catch and consume many other arthropods and small prey such as earthworms and snails. While most predatory beetles are generalists, a few species have more specific prey requirements or preferences. Decaying organic matter is a primary diet for many species. This can range from dung, which is consumed by coprophagous species such as certain scarab beetles (family Scarabaeidae), to dead animals, which are eaten by necrophagous species such as the carrion beetles (family Silphidae). Some of the beetles found within dung and carrion are in fact predatory, such as the clown beetles, preying on the larvae of coprophagous and necrophagous insects. Aquatic beetles use several techniques for retaining air beneath the water's surface. Beetles of the family Dytiscidae hold air between the abdomen and the elytra when diving. Hydrophilidae have hairs on their under surface that retain a layer of air against their bodies. Adult crawling water beetles use both their elytra and their hind coxae (the basal segment of the back legs) in air retention while whirligig beetles simply carry an air bubble down with them whenever they dive. Sphaerius acaroides, a member of the small suborder Myxophaga While some authorities believe modern beetles began about 140 million years ago, research announced in 2007 showed that beetles may have entered the fossil record during the Lower Permian, about 265 to 300 million years ago. Modern Beetles Predate Dinosaurs, Dave Mosher, LiveScience.com, 26 December 2007. The four extant suborders of beetle are these: * Polyphaga is the largest suborder, containing more than 300,000 described species in more than 170 families, including rove beetles (Staphylinidae), scarab beetles (Scarabaeidae), blister beetles (Meloidae), stag beetles (Lucanidae) and true weevils (Curculionidae). These beetles can be identified by the cervical sclerites (hardened parts of the head used as points of attachment for muscles) absent in the other suborders. * Adephaga contains about 10 families of largely predatory beetles, includes ground beetles (Carabidae), Dytiscidae and whirligig beetles (Gyrinidae). In these beetles the testes are tubular and the first abdominal sternum (a plate of the exoskeleton) is divided by the hind coxae (the basal joints of the beetle's legs). * Archostemata contains four families of mainly wood-eating beetles, including reticulated beetles (Cupedidae) and the telephone-pole beetle. * Myxophaga contains about 100 described species in four families, mostly very small, including Hydroscaphidae and the genus Sphaerius. These suborders diverged in the Permian and Triassic. Their phylogenetic relationship is uncertain, with the most popular hypothesis being that Polyphaga and Myxophaga are most closely related, with Adephaga as the sister group to those two, and Archostemata as sister to the other three collectively. There are about 350,000 species of beetles. Such a large number of species poses special problems for classification, with some families consisting of thousands of species and needing further division into subfamilies and tribes. Colorado potato beetle (Leptinotarsa decemlineata) larvae Many agricultural, forestry, and household insect pests are beetles. These include the following: * The Colorado potato beetle, Leptinotarsa decemlineata, is a notorious pest of potato plants. Crops are destroyed and the beetle can only be treated by employing expensive pesticides, many of which it has begun to develop resistance to. As well as potatoes, suitable hosts can be a number of plants from the potato family (Solanaceae), such as nightshade, tomato, aubergine and capsicum. * The boll weevil, Anthonomus grandis, has cost cotton producers in the United States billions of dollars since it first entered that country. * The bark beetles Hylurgopinus rufipes and Scolytus multistriatus, the elm leaf beetle, Pyrrhalta luteola, and other beetles attack elm trees. The bark beetles are important elm pests because they carry Dutch elm disease as they move from infected breeding sites to feed on healthy elm trees. The spread of the fungus by the beetle has led to the devastation of elm trees in many parts of the Northern Hemisphere, notably in Europe and North America. * The death watch beetle, Xestobium rufovillosum, (family Anobiidae) is of considerable importance as a pest of older wooden buildings in Great Britain. It attacks hardwoods such as oak and chestnut, always where some fungal decay has taken or is taking place. It is thought that the actual introduction of the pest into buildings takes place at the time of construction. * Asian long-horned beetle * Citrus long-horned beetle * Western corn rootworm * Coconut hispine beetle or Brontispa longissima gestro feeds on young leaves and damages seedlings and mature coconut palms. On September 27, 2007, Philippines' Metro Manila and 26 provinces were quarantined due to having been infested with this pest (to save the $800-million Philippine coconut industry). Inquirer.net, Beetles infest coconuts in Manila, 26 provinces Coccinella septempunctata, a beneficial beetle * Both the larvae and adults of some ladybirds (family Coccinellidae) are found in aphid colonies. Other lady beetles feed on scale insects and mealybugs. If normal food sources are scarce they may feed on other things, such as small caterpillars, young plant bugs, honeydew and nectar. * Ground beetles (family Carabidae) are common predators of many different insects and other arthropods, including fly eggs, caterpillars, wireworms and others. * Plant-feeding beetles are often important beneficial insects, controlling problem weeds. Some flea beetles of the genus Aphthona feed on leafy spurge, a considerable weed of rangeland in western North America. Some farmers develop beetle banks to foster and provide cover for beneficial beetles. Beetles of the Dermestidae family are often used in taxidermy to clean bones of remaining flesh. Ancient Egyptian scene depicting a scarab beetle Several species of dung beetle, most notably Scarabaeus sacer (often referred to as "scarab"), enjoyed a sacred status among the ancient Egyptians, as the creatures were likened to the major god Khepri. Some scholars suggest that the Egyptians' practice of making mummies was inspired by the brooding process of the beetle. Many thousands of amulets and stamp seals have been excavated that depict the scarab. In many artifacts, the scarab is depicted pushing the sun along its course in the sky, much as scarabs push or roll balls of dung to their brood sites. During and following the New Kingdom, scarab amulets were often placed over the heart of the mummified deceased. Some tribal groups, particularly in tropical parts of the world, use the colourful, iridescent elytra of certain beetles, especially certain Scarabaeidae, in ceremonies and as adornment. Beetle collection at the Melbourne Museum, Australia The study of beetles is called coleopterology, and its practitioners are coleopterists. Coleopterists have formed organisations to facilitate the study of beetles. Among these is The Coleopterists Society, an international organisation based in the United States. Such organisations may have both professionals and amateurs interested in beetles as members. Research in this field is often published in peer-reviewed journals specific to the field of coleopterology, though journals dealing with general entomology also publish many papers on various aspects of beetle biology. Some of the journals specific to beetle research are: The Coleopterist (United Kingdom beetle fauna) The Coleopterists Bulletin (published by The Coleopterists Society) There is a thriving industry in the collection of beetle specimens for amateur and professional collectors. Many coleopterists prefer to collect beetle specimens for themselves, recording detailed information about each specimen and its habitat. Such collections add to the body of knowledge about the Coleoptera. Some countries have established laws governing or prohibiting the collection of certain rare (and often much sought after) species. One such beetle whose collection is illegal or restricted is the American burying beetle, Nicrophorus americanus. * Poul Beckmann, Living Jewels: The Natural Design of Beetles ISBN 3-7913-2528-0 * Arthur V. Evans, Charles Bellamy, and Lisa Charles Watson, An Inordinate Fondness for Beetles ISBN 0-520-22323-3 * Entomological Society of America, Beetle Larvae of the World ISBN 0-643-05506-1 * David Grimaldi, Michael S. Engel, Evolution of the Insects ISBN 0-521-82149-5 * Ross H. Arnett, Jr. and Michael C. Thomas, American Beetles (CRC Press, 2001-2). ISBN 0-8493-1925-0 * K. W. Harde, A Field Guide in Colour to Beetles ISBN 0-7064-1937-5 Pages 7-24 * White, R.E. 1983. Beetles. Houghton Mifflin Company, New York, NY. ISBN 0-395-91089-7 Heteroptera - insect suborder that is superficially similar to beetles - Coleoptera All what do you need to know about coleoptera, collecting and preparation * The Beetle Ring - A group of websites about beetles (Coleoptera). * List of major Beetle collections - worldwide * Entomology - online insect museum, entomology, tips and tricks, how to spread and pin insects, etc. * - Gallery of Central European beetles * Coleoptera from the Tree of Life * Australian borers species * Beetles and coleopterologists Russian site with English version, with information about biology, systematics and paleontology of beetles * North American Beetles from BugGuide * Bibliography on fossil insects * Coleoptera Families of the World * A digital collection of Southeast Asian beetles Related Wikipedia Articles coleopter Hylobius abietis weevil Animal Arthropod Insect Pterygota Neoptera Endopterygota Carolus Linnaeus Systema Naturae Suborder (biology) Adephaga Archostemata Myxophaga Polyphaga subgroups of the order Coleoptera insect species species animal polar region ecosystem plant fungus invertebrate Colorado potato beetle boll weevil coccinellidae aphid scale insect thrips Aristotle cockchafer Trogodendron fasciculatum monophyletic holometabolous prothorax coxa anatomy appendage pronotum insect wing segmentation (biology) exoskeleton elytron sclerite insect flight insect wing ground beetle Curculionidae glowworm Phengodidae Larviform female mouthparts grasshopper mandible (insect) #Defence appendage compound eye whirligig beetle longhorn beetle ocellus vertex (anatomy) antenna (biology) antenna (biology) Acilius sulcatus arthropod leg Dytiscidae Haliplidae Hydrophilidae fossorial clown beetle flea beetle Oxygen invertebrate trachea spiracle hemolymph blood open circulatory system Melolontha melolontha Endopterygota metamorphosis (biology) larva Colorado potato beetle larva Biological life cycle Buprestidae spiracle click beetle darkling beetle click beetle Scarabaeoidea instar ecdysis planidium hypermetamorphosis blister beetle Aleochara pupa imago San Francisco Flamboyant flower beetle burying beetle Spermatozoon fertilisation Scarabaeidae leaf roller Brachinus bombardier beetle parasitoid camouflage mimicry leaf beetle weevil longhorn beetle wasp Coccinellidae blister beetle aposematism ground beetle Mandible (insect) bombardier beetle Ground beetle rove beetle arthropod dung coprophagous dung beetle necrophagous carrion beetle clown beetle coxa Ross H. Arnett, Jr. Michael C. Thomas American Beetles CRC Press Boca Raton, Florida whirligig beetle Sphaerius Myxophaga fossil Permian Polyphaga rove beetle scarabaeidae blister beetle stag beetle Curculionidae sclerite Adephaga ground beetle Dytiscidae whirligig beetle testes exoskeleton coxa Archostemata reticulated beetle telephone-pole beetle Myxophaga Hydroscaphidae Sphaerius Triassic phylogenetics sister group Linnaean taxonomy Colorado potato beetle Colorado potato beetle potato pesticide pesticide resistance Solanaceae nightshade tomato aubergine capsicum boll weevil United States bark beetle elm leaf beetle elm Dutch elm disease Northern Hemisphere Europe North America death watch beetle Anobiidae Great Britain hardwood oak chestnut Asian long-horned beetle Citrus long-horned beetle Western corn rootworm Coconut leaves seedlings coconut palms September 27 Philippines Metro Manila provinces quarantined pest coconut industry Coccinella septempunctata ladybirds Coccinellidae aphid scale insect mealybug honeydew nectar Ground beetle caterpillar Aphthona leafy spurge beetle bank Dermestidae taxidermy Dung beetle Scarabaeus sacer Ancient Egyptian Khepri Mummy New Kingdom Elytron Melbourne Museum coleopterology list of coleopterists The Coleopterists Society international organisation scientific journal The Coleopterist The Coleopterists Bulletin Nicrophorus americanus Entomological Society of America David Grimaldi Michael S. Engel Ross H. Arnett, Jr. Michael C. Thomas American Beetles Heteroptera
beetle	Are beetles endopterygotes?	yes	data/set1/a8	beetle Beetles are a group of insects which have the largest number of species. They are placed in the order Coleoptera,which means "sheathed wing" and contains more described species than in any other order in the animal kingdom, constituting about twenty-five percent of all known life-forms. James K. Liebherr and Joseph V. McHugh in Resh, V. H. & R. T. CardÃ© (Editors) 2003. Encyclopedia of Insects. Academic Press. Forty percent of all described insect species are beetles (about 350,000 species ), and new species are frequently discovered. Estimates put the total number of species, described and undescribed, at between 5 and 8 million. Beetles can be found in almost all habitats, but are not known to occur in the sea or in the polar regions. They interact with their ecosystems in several ways. They often feed on plants and fungi, break down animal and plant debris, and eat other invertebrates. Some species are prey of various animals including birds and mammals. Certain species are agricultural pests, such as the Colorado potato beetle Leptinotarsa decemlineata, the boll weevil Anthonomus grandis, the red flour beetle Tribolium castaneum, and the mungbean or cowpea beetle Callosobruchus maculatus, while other species of beetles are important controls of agricultural pests. For example, coccinellidae ("ladybirds" or "ladybugs") consume aphids, scale insects, thrips, and other plant-sucking insects that damage crops. The name "Coleoptera" was given by Aristotle for the hardened shield like forewings (coleo = shield + ptera = wing). A cockchafer with its elytra raised, exposing the membranous flight wings, where the veins are visible Trogodendron fasciculatum, a clerid beetle with bright yellow antennae Other characters of this group which are believed to be monophyletic include a holometabolous life cycle; having a prothorax that is distinct from and freely articulating with the mesothorax; the meso- and meta-thoracic segments fusing to form a pterothorax; a depressed body shape with the legs on the ventral surface; the coxae of legs recessed into cavities formed by heavily sclerotized thoracic sclerites; the abdominal sternites more sclerotized than the tergites; antennae with 11 or fewer segments; and terminal genitalic appendages retracted into the abdomen and invisible at rest. The general anatomy of beetles is quite uniform, although specific organs and appendages may vary greatly in appearance and function between the many families in the order. Like all insects, beetles' bodies are divided into three sections: the head, the thorax, and the abdomen. When viewed from below, the thorax is that part from which all three pairs of legs and both pairs of wings arise. The abdomen is everything posterior to the thorax. When viewed from above, most beetles appear to have three clear sections, but this is deceptive: on the beetle's upper surface, the middle "section" is a hard plate called the pronotum, which is only the front part of the thorax; the back part of the thorax is concealed by the beetle's wings. Like all arthropods, beetles are segmented organisms, and all three of the major sections of the body are themselves composed of several further segments, although these are not always readily discernible. This further segmentation is usually best seen on the abdomen. Beetles are generally characterised by a particularly hard exoskeleton and hard forewings (elytra). The beetle's exoskeleton is made up of numerous plates called sclerites, separated by thin sutures. This design creates the armoured defences of the beetle while maintaining flexibility. The elytra are not used for flight, but tend to cover the hind part of the body and protect the second pair of wings (alae). The elytra must be raised in order to move the hind flight wings. A beetle's flight wings are crossed with veins and are folded after landing, often along these veins, and are stored below the elytra. In some beetles, the ability to fly has been lost. These include the ground beetles (family Carabidae) and some "true weevils" (family Curculionidae), but also some desert and cave-dwelling species of other families. Many of these species have the two elytra fused together, forming a solid shield over the abdomen. In a few families, both the ability to fly and the elytra have been lost, with the best known example being the glow-worms of the family Phengodidae, in which the females are larviform throughout their lives. Beetles have mouthparts similar to those of grasshoppers. Of these parts, the most commonly known are probably the mandibles, which appear as large pincers on the front of some beetles. The mandibles are a pair of hard, often tooth-like structures that move horizontally to grasp, crush, or cut food or enemies (see defence, below). Two pairs of finger-like appendages are found around the mouth in most beetles, serving to move food into the mouth. These are the maxillary and labial palpi. The eyes are compound and may display remarkable adaptability, as in the case of whirligig beetles (family Gyrinidae), in which the eyes are split to allow a view both above and below the waterline. Other species also have divided eyes â some longhorn beetles (family Cerambycidae) and weevils â while many beetles have eyes that are notched to some degree. A few beetle genera also possess ocelli, which are small, simple eyes usually situated farther back on the head (on the vertex). Beetles' antennae are primarily organs of smell, but may also be used to feel out a beetle's environment physically. They may also be used in some families during mating, or among a few beetles for defence. Antennae vary greatly in form within the Coleoptera, but are often similar within any given family. In some cases, males and females of the same species will have different antennal forms. Antennae may be clavate (flabellate and lamellate are sub-forms of clavate, or clubbed antennae), filiform, geniculate, moniliform, pectinate, or serrate. For images of these antennal forms see antenna (biology). Acilius sulcatus, a diving beetle showing hind legs adapted for life in water The legs, which are multi-segmented, end in two to five small segments called tarsi. Like many other insect orders beetles bear claws, usually one pair, on the end of the last tarsal segment of each leg. While most beetles use their legs for walking, legs may be variously modified and adapted for other uses. Among aquatic families â Dytiscidae, Haliplidae, many species of Hydrophilidae and others â the legs, most notably the last pair, are modified for swimming and often bear rows of long hairs to aid this purpose. Other beetles have fossorial legs that are widened and often spined for digging. Species with such adaptations are found among the scarabs, ground beetles, and clown beetles (family Histeridae). The hind legs of some beetles, such as flea beetles (within Chrysomelidae) and flea weevils (within Curculionidae), are enlarged and designed for jumping. Oxygen is obtained via a tracheal system. Air enters a series of tubes along the body through openings called spiracles, and is then taken into increasingly finer fibres. Pumping movements of the body force the air through the system. Beetles have haemolymph instead of blood, and the open circulatory system of the beetle is powered by a tube-like heart attached to the top inside of the thorax. Scarabaeiform larva of the cockchafer, Melolontha melolontha Beetles are endopterygotes with complete metamorphosis. A single female may lay from several dozen to several thousand eggs during her lifetime. Eggs are usually laid according to the substrate the larva will feed on upon hatching. Among others, they can be laid loose in the substrate (e.g. flour beetle), laid in clumps on leaves (e.g. Colorado potato beetle), or individually attached (e.g. mungbean beetle and other seed borers) or buried in the medium (e.g. carrot weevil). The larva is usually the principal feeding stage of the beetle life cycle. Larvae tend to feed voraciously once they emerge from their eggs. Some feed externally on plants, such as those of certain leaf beetles, while others feed within their food sources. Examples of internal feeders are most Buprestidae and longhorn beetles. The larvae of many beetle families are predatory like the adults (ground beetles, ladybirds, rove beetles). The larval period varies between species but can be as long as several years. Beetle larvae can be differentiated from other insect larvae by their hardened, often darkened head, the presence of chewing mouthparts, and spiracles along the sides of the body. Like adult beetles, the larvae are varied in appearance, particularly between beetle families. Beetles whose larvae are somewhat flattened and are highly mobile are the ground beetles, some rove beetles, and others; their larvae are described as campodeiform. Some beetle larvae resemble hardened worms with dark head capsules and minute legs. These are elateriform larvae, and are found in the click beetle (Elateridae) and darkling beetle (Tenebrionidae) families. Some elateriform larvae of click beetles are known as wireworms. Beetles in the families of the Scarabaeoidea have short, thick larvae described as scarabaeiform, but more commonly known as grubs. All beetle larvae go through several instars, which are the developmental stages between each moult. In many species the larvae simply increase in size with each successive instar as more food is consumed. In some cases, however, more dramatic changes occur. Among certain beetle families or genera, particularly those that exhibit parasitic lifestyles, the first instar (the planidium) is highly mobile in order to search out a host, while the following instars are more sedentary and remain on or within their host. This is known as hypermetamorphosis; examples include the blister beetles (family Meloidae) and some rove beetles, particularly those of the genus Aleochara. As with all endopterygotes, beetle larvae pupate, and from this pupa emerges a fully formed, sexually mature adult beetle, or imago. Adults have an extremely variable lifespan, from weeks to years, depending on the species. Beetles mating in San Francisco Flamboyant flower beetle, Eudicella gralli, from the forests of Central Africa. The iridescent elytra are used in marriage ceremonies. Beetles may display extremely intricate behaviour when mating. Smell is thought to be important in the location of a mate. Conflict can play a part in the mating rituals of species such as burying beetles (genus Nicrophorus) where conflicts between males and females rage until only one of each is left, thus ensuring reproduction by the strongest and fittest. Many beetles are territorial and will fiercely defend their small patch of territory from intruding males. Pairing is generally short but in some cases will last for several hours. During pairing sperm cells are transferred to the female to fertilise the egg. Parental care varies between species, ranging from the simple laying of eggs under a leaf to certain scarab beetles, which construct underground structures complete with a supply of dung to house and feed their young. Other beetles are leaf rollers, biting sections of leaves to cause them to curl inwards, then laying their eggs, thus protected, inside. Brachinus sp., a bombardier beetle Beetles and their larvae have a variety of strategies to avoid being attacked by predators or parasitoids. These include camouflage, mimicry, toxicity, and active defence. Camouflage involves the use of colouration or shape to blend into the surrounding environment. Among those that exhibit this defensive strategy are some of the leaf beetles (family Chysomelidae), having green colouring very similar to their habitat on plant leaves. More complex camouflage also occurs, as with some weevils, where various coloured scales or hairs cause the beetle to resemble bird dung. Another defence that often uses colour or shape to deceive potential enemies is mimicry. A number of longhorn beetles (family Cerambycidae) bear a striking resemblance to wasps, which fools predators into keeping their distance even though the beetles are in fact harmless. This defence can be found to a lesser extent in other beetle families, such as the scarab beetles. Beetles may combine their colour mimicry with behavioural mimicry, acting like the wasps they already closely resemble. Many beetle species, including ladybirds and blister beetles, can secrete distasteful or toxic substances to make them unpalatable or even poisonous. These same species often exhibit aposematism, where bright or contrasting colour patterns warn away potential predators. Large ground beetles and longhorn beetles may go on the attack, using their strong mandibles to forcibly persuade a predator to seek out easier prey. Others, such as bombardier beetles (within Carabidae) spray acidic gas from their abdomen to repel predators. Besides being abundant and varied, the Coleoptera are able to exploit the wide diversity of food sources available in their many habitats. Some are generalists, eating both plants and animals. Other beetles are highly specialised in their diet. Many species of leaf beetles, longhorn beetles, and weevils are very host specific, feeding on only a single species of plant. Ground beetles and rove beetles (family Staphylinidae), among others, are primarily carnivorous and will catch and consume many other arthropods and small prey such as earthworms and snails. While most predatory beetles are generalists, a few species have more specific prey requirements or preferences. Decaying organic matter is a primary diet for many species. This can range from dung, which is consumed by coprophagous species such as certain scarab beetles (family Scarabaeidae), to dead animals, which are eaten by necrophagous species such as the carrion beetles (family Silphidae). Some of the beetles found within dung and carrion are in fact predatory, such as the clown beetles, preying on the larvae of coprophagous and necrophagous insects. Aquatic beetles use several techniques for retaining air beneath the water's surface. Beetles of the family Dytiscidae hold air between the abdomen and the elytra when diving. Hydrophilidae have hairs on their under surface that retain a layer of air against their bodies. Adult crawling water beetles use both their elytra and their hind coxae (the basal segment of the back legs) in air retention while whirligig beetles simply carry an air bubble down with them whenever they dive. Sphaerius acaroides, a member of the small suborder Myxophaga While some authorities believe modern beetles began about 140 million years ago, research announced in 2007 showed that beetles may have entered the fossil record during the Lower Permian, about 265 to 300 million years ago. Modern Beetles Predate Dinosaurs, Dave Mosher, LiveScience.com, 26 December 2007. The four extant suborders of beetle are these: * Polyphaga is the largest suborder, containing more than 300,000 described species in more than 170 families, including rove beetles (Staphylinidae), scarab beetles (Scarabaeidae), blister beetles (Meloidae), stag beetles (Lucanidae) and true weevils (Curculionidae). These beetles can be identified by the cervical sclerites (hardened parts of the head used as points of attachment for muscles) absent in the other suborders. * Adephaga contains about 10 families of largely predatory beetles, includes ground beetles (Carabidae), Dytiscidae and whirligig beetles (Gyrinidae). In these beetles the testes are tubular and the first abdominal sternum (a plate of the exoskeleton) is divided by the hind coxae (the basal joints of the beetle's legs). * Archostemata contains four families of mainly wood-eating beetles, including reticulated beetles (Cupedidae) and the telephone-pole beetle. * Myxophaga contains about 100 described species in four families, mostly very small, including Hydroscaphidae and the genus Sphaerius. These suborders diverged in the Permian and Triassic. Their phylogenetic relationship is uncertain, with the most popular hypothesis being that Polyphaga and Myxophaga are most closely related, with Adephaga as the sister group to those two, and Archostemata as sister to the other three collectively. There are about 350,000 species of beetles. Such a large number of species poses special problems for classification, with some families consisting of thousands of species and needing further division into subfamilies and tribes. Colorado potato beetle (Leptinotarsa decemlineata) larvae Many agricultural, forestry, and household insect pests are beetles. These include the following: * The Colorado potato beetle, Leptinotarsa decemlineata, is a notorious pest of potato plants. Crops are destroyed and the beetle can only be treated by employing expensive pesticides, many of which it has begun to develop resistance to. As well as potatoes, suitable hosts can be a number of plants from the potato family (Solanaceae), such as nightshade, tomato, aubergine and capsicum. * The boll weevil, Anthonomus grandis, has cost cotton producers in the United States billions of dollars since it first entered that country. * The bark beetles Hylurgopinus rufipes and Scolytus multistriatus, the elm leaf beetle, Pyrrhalta luteola, and other beetles attack elm trees. The bark beetles are important elm pests because they carry Dutch elm disease as they move from infected breeding sites to feed on healthy elm trees. The spread of the fungus by the beetle has led to the devastation of elm trees in many parts of the Northern Hemisphere, notably in Europe and North America. * The death watch beetle, Xestobium rufovillosum, (family Anobiidae) is of considerable importance as a pest of older wooden buildings in Great Britain. It attacks hardwoods such as oak and chestnut, always where some fungal decay has taken or is taking place. It is thought that the actual introduction of the pest into buildings takes place at the time of construction. * Asian long-horned beetle * Citrus long-horned beetle * Western corn rootworm * Coconut hispine beetle or Brontispa longissima gestro feeds on young leaves and damages seedlings and mature coconut palms. On September 27, 2007, Philippines' Metro Manila and 26 provinces were quarantined due to having been infested with this pest (to save the $800-million Philippine coconut industry). Inquirer.net, Beetles infest coconuts in Manila, 26 provinces Coccinella septempunctata, a beneficial beetle * Both the larvae and adults of some ladybirds (family Coccinellidae) are found in aphid colonies. Other lady beetles feed on scale insects and mealybugs. If normal food sources are scarce they may feed on other things, such as small caterpillars, young plant bugs, honeydew and nectar. * Ground beetles (family Carabidae) are common predators of many different insects and other arthropods, including fly eggs, caterpillars, wireworms and others. * Plant-feeding beetles are often important beneficial insects, controlling problem weeds. Some flea beetles of the genus Aphthona feed on leafy spurge, a considerable weed of rangeland in western North America. Some farmers develop beetle banks to foster and provide cover for beneficial beetles. Beetles of the Dermestidae family are often used in taxidermy to clean bones of remaining flesh. Ancient Egyptian scene depicting a scarab beetle Several species of dung beetle, most notably Scarabaeus sacer (often referred to as "scarab"), enjoyed a sacred status among the ancient Egyptians, as the creatures were likened to the major god Khepri. Some scholars suggest that the Egyptians' practice of making mummies was inspired by the brooding process of the beetle. Many thousands of amulets and stamp seals have been excavated that depict the scarab. In many artifacts, the scarab is depicted pushing the sun along its course in the sky, much as scarabs push or roll balls of dung to their brood sites. During and following the New Kingdom, scarab amulets were often placed over the heart of the mummified deceased. Some tribal groups, particularly in tropical parts of the world, use the colourful, iridescent elytra of certain beetles, especially certain Scarabaeidae, in ceremonies and as adornment. Beetle collection at the Melbourne Museum, Australia The study of beetles is called coleopterology, and its practitioners are coleopterists. Coleopterists have formed organisations to facilitate the study of beetles. Among these is The Coleopterists Society, an international organisation based in the United States. Such organisations may have both professionals and amateurs interested in beetles as members. Research in this field is often published in peer-reviewed journals specific to the field of coleopterology, though journals dealing with general entomology also publish many papers on various aspects of beetle biology. Some of the journals specific to beetle research are: The Coleopterist (United Kingdom beetle fauna) The Coleopterists Bulletin (published by The Coleopterists Society) There is a thriving industry in the collection of beetle specimens for amateur and professional collectors. Many coleopterists prefer to collect beetle specimens for themselves, recording detailed information about each specimen and its habitat. Such collections add to the body of knowledge about the Coleoptera. Some countries have established laws governing or prohibiting the collection of certain rare (and often much sought after) species. One such beetle whose collection is illegal or restricted is the American burying beetle, Nicrophorus americanus. * Poul Beckmann, Living Jewels: The Natural Design of Beetles ISBN 3-7913-2528-0 * Arthur V. Evans, Charles Bellamy, and Lisa Charles Watson, An Inordinate Fondness for Beetles ISBN 0-520-22323-3 * Entomological Society of America, Beetle Larvae of the World ISBN 0-643-05506-1 * David Grimaldi, Michael S. Engel, Evolution of the Insects ISBN 0-521-82149-5 * Ross H. Arnett, Jr. and Michael C. Thomas, American Beetles (CRC Press, 2001-2). ISBN 0-8493-1925-0 * K. W. Harde, A Field Guide in Colour to Beetles ISBN 0-7064-1937-5 Pages 7-24 * White, R.E. 1983. Beetles. Houghton Mifflin Company, New York, NY. ISBN 0-395-91089-7 Heteroptera - insect suborder that is superficially similar to beetles - Coleoptera All what do you need to know about coleoptera, collecting and preparation * The Beetle Ring - A group of websites about beetles (Coleoptera). * List of major Beetle collections - worldwide * Entomology - online insect museum, entomology, tips and tricks, how to spread and pin insects, etc. * - Gallery of Central European beetles * Coleoptera from the Tree of Life * Australian borers species * Beetles and coleopterologists Russian site with English version, with information about biology, systematics and paleontology of beetles * North American Beetles from BugGuide * Bibliography on fossil insects * Coleoptera Families of the World * A digital collection of Southeast Asian beetles Related Wikipedia Articles coleopter Hylobius abietis weevil Animal Arthropod Insect Pterygota Neoptera Endopterygota Carolus Linnaeus Systema Naturae Suborder (biology) Adephaga Archostemata Myxophaga Polyphaga subgroups of the order Coleoptera insect species species animal polar region ecosystem plant fungus invertebrate Colorado potato beetle boll weevil coccinellidae aphid scale insect thrips Aristotle cockchafer Trogodendron fasciculatum monophyletic holometabolous prothorax coxa anatomy appendage pronotum insect wing segmentation (biology) exoskeleton elytron sclerite insect flight insect wing ground beetle Curculionidae glowworm Phengodidae Larviform female mouthparts grasshopper mandible (insect) #Defence appendage compound eye whirligig beetle longhorn beetle ocellus vertex (anatomy) antenna (biology) antenna (biology) Acilius sulcatus arthropod leg Dytiscidae Haliplidae Hydrophilidae fossorial clown beetle flea beetle Oxygen invertebrate trachea spiracle hemolymph blood open circulatory system Melolontha melolontha Endopterygota metamorphosis (biology) larva Colorado potato beetle larva Biological life cycle Buprestidae spiracle click beetle darkling beetle click beetle Scarabaeoidea instar ecdysis planidium hypermetamorphosis blister beetle Aleochara pupa imago San Francisco Flamboyant flower beetle burying beetle Spermatozoon fertilisation Scarabaeidae leaf roller Brachinus bombardier beetle parasitoid camouflage mimicry leaf beetle weevil longhorn beetle wasp Coccinellidae blister beetle aposematism ground beetle Mandible (insect) bombardier beetle Ground beetle rove beetle arthropod dung coprophagous dung beetle necrophagous carrion beetle clown beetle coxa Ross H. Arnett, Jr. Michael C. Thomas American Beetles CRC Press Boca Raton, Florida whirligig beetle Sphaerius Myxophaga fossil Permian Polyphaga rove beetle scarabaeidae blister beetle stag beetle Curculionidae sclerite Adephaga ground beetle Dytiscidae whirligig beetle testes exoskeleton coxa Archostemata reticulated beetle telephone-pole beetle Myxophaga Hydroscaphidae Sphaerius Triassic phylogenetics sister group Linnaean taxonomy Colorado potato beetle Colorado potato beetle potato pesticide pesticide resistance Solanaceae nightshade tomato aubergine capsicum boll weevil United States bark beetle elm leaf beetle elm Dutch elm disease Northern Hemisphere Europe North America death watch beetle Anobiidae Great Britain hardwood oak chestnut Asian long-horned beetle Citrus long-horned beetle Western corn rootworm Coconut leaves seedlings coconut palms September 27 Philippines Metro Manila provinces quarantined pest coconut industry Coccinella septempunctata ladybirds Coccinellidae aphid scale insect mealybug honeydew nectar Ground beetle caterpillar Aphthona leafy spurge beetle bank Dermestidae taxidermy Dung beetle Scarabaeus sacer Ancient Egyptian Khepri Mummy New Kingdom Elytron Melbourne Museum coleopterology list of coleopterists The Coleopterists Society international organisation scientific journal The Coleopterist The Coleopterists Bulletin Nicrophorus americanus Entomological Society of America David Grimaldi Michael S. Engel Ross H. Arnett, Jr. Michael C. Thomas American Beetles Heteroptera
beetle	Are beetles endopterygotes?	yes	data/set1/a8	beetle Beetles are a group of insects which have the largest number of species. They are placed in the order Coleoptera,which means "sheathed wing" and contains more described species than in any other order in the animal kingdom, constituting about twenty-five percent of all known life-forms. James K. Liebherr and Joseph V. McHugh in Resh, V. H. & R. T. CardÃ© (Editors) 2003. Encyclopedia of Insects. Academic Press. Forty percent of all described insect species are beetles (about 350,000 species ), and new species are frequently discovered. Estimates put the total number of species, described and undescribed, at between 5 and 8 million. Beetles can be found in almost all habitats, but are not known to occur in the sea or in the polar regions. They interact with their ecosystems in several ways. They often feed on plants and fungi, break down animal and plant debris, and eat other invertebrates. Some species are prey of various animals including birds and mammals. Certain species are agricultural pests, such as the Colorado potato beetle Leptinotarsa decemlineata, the boll weevil Anthonomus grandis, the red flour beetle Tribolium castaneum, and the mungbean or cowpea beetle Callosobruchus maculatus, while other species of beetles are important controls of agricultural pests. For example, coccinellidae ("ladybirds" or "ladybugs") consume aphids, scale insects, thrips, and other plant-sucking insects that damage crops. The name "Coleoptera" was given by Aristotle for the hardened shield like forewings (coleo = shield + ptera = wing). A cockchafer with its elytra raised, exposing the membranous flight wings, where the veins are visible Trogodendron fasciculatum, a clerid beetle with bright yellow antennae Other characters of this group which are believed to be monophyletic include a holometabolous life cycle; having a prothorax that is distinct from and freely articulating with the mesothorax; the meso- and meta-thoracic segments fusing to form a pterothorax; a depressed body shape with the legs on the ventral surface; the coxae of legs recessed into cavities formed by heavily sclerotized thoracic sclerites; the abdominal sternites more sclerotized than the tergites; antennae with 11 or fewer segments; and terminal genitalic appendages retracted into the abdomen and invisible at rest. The general anatomy of beetles is quite uniform, although specific organs and appendages may vary greatly in appearance and function between the many families in the order. Like all insects, beetles' bodies are divided into three sections: the head, the thorax, and the abdomen. When viewed from below, the thorax is that part from which all three pairs of legs and both pairs of wings arise. The abdomen is everything posterior to the thorax. When viewed from above, most beetles appear to have three clear sections, but this is deceptive: on the beetle's upper surface, the middle "section" is a hard plate called the pronotum, which is only the front part of the thorax; the back part of the thorax is concealed by the beetle's wings. Like all arthropods, beetles are segmented organisms, and all three of the major sections of the body are themselves composed of several further segments, although these are not always readily discernible. This further segmentation is usually best seen on the abdomen. Beetles are generally characterised by a particularly hard exoskeleton and hard forewings (elytra). The beetle's exoskeleton is made up of numerous plates called sclerites, separated by thin sutures. This design creates the armoured defences of the beetle while maintaining flexibility. The elytra are not used for flight, but tend to cover the hind part of the body and protect the second pair of wings (alae). The elytra must be raised in order to move the hind flight wings. A beetle's flight wings are crossed with veins and are folded after landing, often along these veins, and are stored below the elytra. In some beetles, the ability to fly has been lost. These include the ground beetles (family Carabidae) and some "true weevils" (family Curculionidae), but also some desert and cave-dwelling species of other families. Many of these species have the two elytra fused together, forming a solid shield over the abdomen. In a few families, both the ability to fly and the elytra have been lost, with the best known example being the glow-worms of the family Phengodidae, in which the females are larviform throughout their lives. Beetles have mouthparts similar to those of grasshoppers. Of these parts, the most commonly known are probably the mandibles, which appear as large pincers on the front of some beetles. The mandibles are a pair of hard, often tooth-like structures that move horizontally to grasp, crush, or cut food or enemies (see defence, below). Two pairs of finger-like appendages are found around the mouth in most beetles, serving to move food into the mouth. These are the maxillary and labial palpi. The eyes are compound and may display remarkable adaptability, as in the case of whirligig beetles (family Gyrinidae), in which the eyes are split to allow a view both above and below the waterline. Other species also have divided eyes â some longhorn beetles (family Cerambycidae) and weevils â while many beetles have eyes that are notched to some degree. A few beetle genera also possess ocelli, which are small, simple eyes usually situated farther back on the head (on the vertex). Beetles' antennae are primarily organs of smell, but may also be used to feel out a beetle's environment physically. They may also be used in some families during mating, or among a few beetles for defence. Antennae vary greatly in form within the Coleoptera, but are often similar within any given family. In some cases, males and females of the same species will have different antennal forms. Antennae may be clavate (flabellate and lamellate are sub-forms of clavate, or clubbed antennae), filiform, geniculate, moniliform, pectinate, or serrate. For images of these antennal forms see antenna (biology). Acilius sulcatus, a diving beetle showing hind legs adapted for life in water The legs, which are multi-segmented, end in two to five small segments called tarsi. Like many other insect orders beetles bear claws, usually one pair, on the end of the last tarsal segment of each leg. While most beetles use their legs for walking, legs may be variously modified and adapted for other uses. Among aquatic families â Dytiscidae, Haliplidae, many species of Hydrophilidae and others â the legs, most notably the last pair, are modified for swimming and often bear rows of long hairs to aid this purpose. Other beetles have fossorial legs that are widened and often spined for digging. Species with such adaptations are found among the scarabs, ground beetles, and clown beetles (family Histeridae). The hind legs of some beetles, such as flea beetles (within Chrysomelidae) and flea weevils (within Curculionidae), are enlarged and designed for jumping. Oxygen is obtained via a tracheal system. Air enters a series of tubes along the body through openings called spiracles, and is then taken into increasingly finer fibres. Pumping movements of the body force the air through the system. Beetles have haemolymph instead of blood, and the open circulatory system of the beetle is powered by a tube-like heart attached to the top inside of the thorax. Scarabaeiform larva of the cockchafer, Melolontha melolontha Beetles are endopterygotes with complete metamorphosis. A single female may lay from several dozen to several thousand eggs during her lifetime. Eggs are usually laid according to the substrate the larva will feed on upon hatching. Among others, they can be laid loose in the substrate (e.g. flour beetle), laid in clumps on leaves (e.g. Colorado potato beetle), or individually attached (e.g. mungbean beetle and other seed borers) or buried in the medium (e.g. carrot weevil). The larva is usually the principal feeding stage of the beetle life cycle. Larvae tend to feed voraciously once they emerge from their eggs. Some feed externally on plants, such as those of certain leaf beetles, while others feed within their food sources. Examples of internal feeders are most Buprestidae and longhorn beetles. The larvae of many beetle families are predatory like the adults (ground beetles, ladybirds, rove beetles). The larval period varies between species but can be as long as several years. Beetle larvae can be differentiated from other insect larvae by their hardened, often darkened head, the presence of chewing mouthparts, and spiracles along the sides of the body. Like adult beetles, the larvae are varied in appearance, particularly between beetle families. Beetles whose larvae are somewhat flattened and are highly mobile are the ground beetles, some rove beetles, and others; their larvae are described as campodeiform. Some beetle larvae resemble hardened worms with dark head capsules and minute legs. These are elateriform larvae, and are found in the click beetle (Elateridae) and darkling beetle (Tenebrionidae) families. Some elateriform larvae of click beetles are known as wireworms. Beetles in the families of the Scarabaeoidea have short, thick larvae described as scarabaeiform, but more commonly known as grubs. All beetle larvae go through several instars, which are the developmental stages between each moult. In many species the larvae simply increase in size with each successive instar as more food is consumed. In some cases, however, more dramatic changes occur. Among certain beetle families or genera, particularly those that exhibit parasitic lifestyles, the first instar (the planidium) is highly mobile in order to search out a host, while the following instars are more sedentary and remain on or within their host. This is known as hypermetamorphosis; examples include the blister beetles (family Meloidae) and some rove beetles, particularly those of the genus Aleochara. As with all endopterygotes, beetle larvae pupate, and from this pupa emerges a fully formed, sexually mature adult beetle, or imago. Adults have an extremely variable lifespan, from weeks to years, depending on the species. Beetles mating in San Francisco Flamboyant flower beetle, Eudicella gralli, from the forests of Central Africa. The iridescent elytra are used in marriage ceremonies. Beetles may display extremely intricate behaviour when mating. Smell is thought to be important in the location of a mate. Conflict can play a part in the mating rituals of species such as burying beetles (genus Nicrophorus) where conflicts between males and females rage until only one of each is left, thus ensuring reproduction by the strongest and fittest. Many beetles are territorial and will fiercely defend their small patch of territory from intruding males. Pairing is generally short but in some cases will last for several hours. During pairing sperm cells are transferred to the female to fertilise the egg. Parental care varies between species, ranging from the simple laying of eggs under a leaf to certain scarab beetles, which construct underground structures complete with a supply of dung to house and feed their young. Other beetles are leaf rollers, biting sections of leaves to cause them to curl inwards, then laying their eggs, thus protected, inside. Brachinus sp., a bombardier beetle Beetles and their larvae have a variety of strategies to avoid being attacked by predators or parasitoids. These include camouflage, mimicry, toxicity, and active defence. Camouflage involves the use of colouration or shape to blend into the surrounding environment. Among those that exhibit this defensive strategy are some of the leaf beetles (family Chysomelidae), having green colouring very similar to their habitat on plant leaves. More complex camouflage also occurs, as with some weevils, where various coloured scales or hairs cause the beetle to resemble bird dung. Another defence that often uses colour or shape to deceive potential enemies is mimicry. A number of longhorn beetles (family Cerambycidae) bear a striking resemblance to wasps, which fools predators into keeping their distance even though the beetles are in fact harmless. This defence can be found to a lesser extent in other beetle families, such as the scarab beetles. Beetles may combine their colour mimicry with behavioural mimicry, acting like the wasps they already closely resemble. Many beetle species, including ladybirds and blister beetles, can secrete distasteful or toxic substances to make them unpalatable or even poisonous. These same species often exhibit aposematism, where bright or contrasting colour patterns warn away potential predators. Large ground beetles and longhorn beetles may go on the attack, using their strong mandibles to forcibly persuade a predator to seek out easier prey. Others, such as bombardier beetles (within Carabidae) spray acidic gas from their abdomen to repel predators. Besides being abundant and varied, the Coleoptera are able to exploit the wide diversity of food sources available in their many habitats. Some are generalists, eating both plants and animals. Other beetles are highly specialised in their diet. Many species of leaf beetles, longhorn beetles, and weevils are very host specific, feeding on only a single species of plant. Ground beetles and rove beetles (family Staphylinidae), among others, are primarily carnivorous and will catch and consume many other arthropods and small prey such as earthworms and snails. While most predatory beetles are generalists, a few species have more specific prey requirements or preferences. Decaying organic matter is a primary diet for many species. This can range from dung, which is consumed by coprophagous species such as certain scarab beetles (family Scarabaeidae), to dead animals, which are eaten by necrophagous species such as the carrion beetles (family Silphidae). Some of the beetles found within dung and carrion are in fact predatory, such as the clown beetles, preying on the larvae of coprophagous and necrophagous insects. Aquatic beetles use several techniques for retaining air beneath the water's surface. Beetles of the family Dytiscidae hold air between the abdomen and the elytra when diving. Hydrophilidae have hairs on their under surface that retain a layer of air against their bodies. Adult crawling water beetles use both their elytra and their hind coxae (the basal segment of the back legs) in air retention while whirligig beetles simply carry an air bubble down with them whenever they dive. Sphaerius acaroides, a member of the small suborder Myxophaga While some authorities believe modern beetles began about 140 million years ago, research announced in 2007 showed that beetles may have entered the fossil record during the Lower Permian, about 265 to 300 million years ago. Modern Beetles Predate Dinosaurs, Dave Mosher, LiveScience.com, 26 December 2007. The four extant suborders of beetle are these: * Polyphaga is the largest suborder, containing more than 300,000 described species in more than 170 families, including rove beetles (Staphylinidae), scarab beetles (Scarabaeidae), blister beetles (Meloidae), stag beetles (Lucanidae) and true weevils (Curculionidae). These beetles can be identified by the cervical sclerites (hardened parts of the head used as points of attachment for muscles) absent in the other suborders. * Adephaga contains about 10 families of largely predatory beetles, includes ground beetles (Carabidae), Dytiscidae and whirligig beetles (Gyrinidae). In these beetles the testes are tubular and the first abdominal sternum (a plate of the exoskeleton) is divided by the hind coxae (the basal joints of the beetle's legs). * Archostemata contains four families of mainly wood-eating beetles, including reticulated beetles (Cupedidae) and the telephone-pole beetle. * Myxophaga contains about 100 described species in four families, mostly very small, including Hydroscaphidae and the genus Sphaerius. These suborders diverged in the Permian and Triassic. Their phylogenetic relationship is uncertain, with the most popular hypothesis being that Polyphaga and Myxophaga are most closely related, with Adephaga as the sister group to those two, and Archostemata as sister to the other three collectively. There are about 350,000 species of beetles. Such a large number of species poses special problems for classification, with some families consisting of thousands of species and needing further division into subfamilies and tribes. Colorado potato beetle (Leptinotarsa decemlineata) larvae Many agricultural, forestry, and household insect pests are beetles. These include the following: * The Colorado potato beetle, Leptinotarsa decemlineata, is a notorious pest of potato plants. Crops are destroyed and the beetle can only be treated by employing expensive pesticides, many of which it has begun to develop resistance to. As well as potatoes, suitable hosts can be a number of plants from the potato family (Solanaceae), such as nightshade, tomato, aubergine and capsicum. * The boll weevil, Anthonomus grandis, has cost cotton producers in the United States billions of dollars since it first entered that country. * The bark beetles Hylurgopinus rufipes and Scolytus multistriatus, the elm leaf beetle, Pyrrhalta luteola, and other beetles attack elm trees. The bark beetles are important elm pests because they carry Dutch elm disease as they move from infected breeding sites to feed on healthy elm trees. The spread of the fungus by the beetle has led to the devastation of elm trees in many parts of the Northern Hemisphere, notably in Europe and North America. * The death watch beetle, Xestobium rufovillosum, (family Anobiidae) is of considerable importance as a pest of older wooden buildings in Great Britain. It attacks hardwoods such as oak and chestnut, always where some fungal decay has taken or is taking place. It is thought that the actual introduction of the pest into buildings takes place at the time of construction. * Asian long-horned beetle * Citrus long-horned beetle * Western corn rootworm * Coconut hispine beetle or Brontispa longissima gestro feeds on young leaves and damages seedlings and mature coconut palms. On September 27, 2007, Philippines' Metro Manila and 26 provinces were quarantined due to having been infested with this pest (to save the $800-million Philippine coconut industry). Inquirer.net, Beetles infest coconuts in Manila, 26 provinces Coccinella septempunctata, a beneficial beetle * Both the larvae and adults of some ladybirds (family Coccinellidae) are found in aphid colonies. Other lady beetles feed on scale insects and mealybugs. If normal food sources are scarce they may feed on other things, such as small caterpillars, young plant bugs, honeydew and nectar. * Ground beetles (family Carabidae) are common predators of many different insects and other arthropods, including fly eggs, caterpillars, wireworms and others. * Plant-feeding beetles are often important beneficial insects, controlling problem weeds. Some flea beetles of the genus Aphthona feed on leafy spurge, a considerable weed of rangeland in western North America. Some farmers develop beetle banks to foster and provide cover for beneficial beetles. Beetles of the Dermestidae family are often used in taxidermy to clean bones of remaining flesh. Ancient Egyptian scene depicting a scarab beetle Several species of dung beetle, most notably Scarabaeus sacer (often referred to as "scarab"), enjoyed a sacred status among the ancient Egyptians, as the creatures were likened to the major god Khepri. Some scholars suggest that the Egyptians' practice of making mummies was inspired by the brooding process of the beetle. Many thousands of amulets and stamp seals have been excavated that depict the scarab. In many artifacts, the scarab is depicted pushing the sun along its course in the sky, much as scarabs push or roll balls of dung to their brood sites. During and following the New Kingdom, scarab amulets were often placed over the heart of the mummified deceased. Some tribal groups, particularly in tropical parts of the world, use the colourful, iridescent elytra of certain beetles, especially certain Scarabaeidae, in ceremonies and as adornment. Beetle collection at the Melbourne Museum, Australia The study of beetles is called coleopterology, and its practitioners are coleopterists. Coleopterists have formed organisations to facilitate the study of beetles. Among these is The Coleopterists Society, an international organisation based in the United States. Such organisations may have both professionals and amateurs interested in beetles as members. Research in this field is often published in peer-reviewed journals specific to the field of coleopterology, though journals dealing with general entomology also publish many papers on various aspects of beetle biology. Some of the journals specific to beetle research are: The Coleopterist (United Kingdom beetle fauna) The Coleopterists Bulletin (published by The Coleopterists Society) There is a thriving industry in the collection of beetle specimens for amateur and professional collectors. Many coleopterists prefer to collect beetle specimens for themselves, recording detailed information about each specimen and its habitat. Such collections add to the body of knowledge about the Coleoptera. Some countries have established laws governing or prohibiting the collection of certain rare (and often much sought after) species. One such beetle whose collection is illegal or restricted is the American burying beetle, Nicrophorus americanus. * Poul Beckmann, Living Jewels: The Natural Design of Beetles ISBN 3-7913-2528-0 * Arthur V. Evans, Charles Bellamy, and Lisa Charles Watson, An Inordinate Fondness for Beetles ISBN 0-520-22323-3 * Entomological Society of America, Beetle Larvae of the World ISBN 0-643-05506-1 * David Grimaldi, Michael S. Engel, Evolution of the Insects ISBN 0-521-82149-5 * Ross H. Arnett, Jr. and Michael C. Thomas, American Beetles (CRC Press, 2001-2). ISBN 0-8493-1925-0 * K. W. Harde, A Field Guide in Colour to Beetles ISBN 0-7064-1937-5 Pages 7-24 * White, R.E. 1983. Beetles. Houghton Mifflin Company, New York, NY. ISBN 0-395-91089-7 Heteroptera - insect suborder that is superficially similar to beetles - Coleoptera All what do you need to know about coleoptera, collecting and preparation * The Beetle Ring - A group of websites about beetles (Coleoptera). * List of major Beetle collections - worldwide * Entomology - online insect museum, entomology, tips and tricks, how to spread and pin insects, etc. * - Gallery of Central European beetles * Coleoptera from the Tree of Life * Australian borers species * Beetles and coleopterologists Russian site with English version, with information about biology, systematics and paleontology of beetles * North American Beetles from BugGuide * Bibliography on fossil insects * Coleoptera Families of the World * A digital collection of Southeast Asian beetles Related Wikipedia Articles coleopter Hylobius abietis weevil Animal Arthropod Insect Pterygota Neoptera Endopterygota Carolus Linnaeus Systema Naturae Suborder (biology) Adephaga Archostemata Myxophaga Polyphaga subgroups of the order Coleoptera insect species species animal polar region ecosystem plant fungus invertebrate Colorado potato beetle boll weevil coccinellidae aphid scale insect thrips Aristotle cockchafer Trogodendron fasciculatum monophyletic holometabolous prothorax coxa anatomy appendage pronotum insect wing segmentation (biology) exoskeleton elytron sclerite insect flight insect wing ground beetle Curculionidae glowworm Phengodidae Larviform female mouthparts grasshopper mandible (insect) #Defence appendage compound eye whirligig beetle longhorn beetle ocellus vertex (anatomy) antenna (biology) antenna (biology) Acilius sulcatus arthropod leg Dytiscidae Haliplidae Hydrophilidae fossorial clown beetle flea beetle Oxygen invertebrate trachea spiracle hemolymph blood open circulatory system Melolontha melolontha Endopterygota metamorphosis (biology) larva Colorado potato beetle larva Biological life cycle Buprestidae spiracle click beetle darkling beetle click beetle Scarabaeoidea instar ecdysis planidium hypermetamorphosis blister beetle Aleochara pupa imago San Francisco Flamboyant flower beetle burying beetle Spermatozoon fertilisation Scarabaeidae leaf roller Brachinus bombardier beetle parasitoid camouflage mimicry leaf beetle weevil longhorn beetle wasp Coccinellidae blister beetle aposematism ground beetle Mandible (insect) bombardier beetle Ground beetle rove beetle arthropod dung coprophagous dung beetle necrophagous carrion beetle clown beetle coxa Ross H. Arnett, Jr. Michael C. Thomas American Beetles CRC Press Boca Raton, Florida whirligig beetle Sphaerius Myxophaga fossil Permian Polyphaga rove beetle scarabaeidae blister beetle stag beetle Curculionidae sclerite Adephaga ground beetle Dytiscidae whirligig beetle testes exoskeleton coxa Archostemata reticulated beetle telephone-pole beetle Myxophaga Hydroscaphidae Sphaerius Triassic phylogenetics sister group Linnaean taxonomy Colorado potato beetle Colorado potato beetle potato pesticide pesticide resistance Solanaceae nightshade tomato aubergine capsicum boll weevil United States bark beetle elm leaf beetle elm Dutch elm disease Northern Hemisphere Europe North America death watch beetle Anobiidae Great Britain hardwood oak chestnut Asian long-horned beetle Citrus long-horned beetle Western corn rootworm Coconut leaves seedlings coconut palms September 27 Philippines Metro Manila provinces quarantined pest coconut industry Coccinella septempunctata ladybirds Coccinellidae aphid scale insect mealybug honeydew nectar Ground beetle caterpillar Aphthona leafy spurge beetle bank Dermestidae taxidermy Dung beetle Scarabaeus sacer Ancient Egyptian Khepri Mummy New Kingdom Elytron Melbourne Museum coleopterology list of coleopterists The Coleopterists Society international organisation scientific journal The Coleopterist The Coleopterists Bulletin Nicrophorus americanus Entomological Society of America David Grimaldi Michael S. Engel Ross H. Arnett, Jr. Michael C. Thomas American Beetles Heteroptera
beetle	How many species of beetles are there?	350,000	data/set1/a8	beetle Beetles are a group of insects which have the largest number of species. They are placed in the order Coleoptera,which means "sheathed wing" and contains more described species than in any other order in the animal kingdom, constituting about twenty-five percent of all known life-forms. James K. Liebherr and Joseph V. McHugh in Resh, V. H. & R. T. CardÃ© (Editors) 2003. Encyclopedia of Insects. Academic Press. Forty percent of all described insect species are beetles (about 350,000 species ), and new species are frequently discovered. Estimates put the total number of species, described and undescribed, at between 5 and 8 million. Beetles can be found in almost all habitats, but are not known to occur in the sea or in the polar regions. They interact with their ecosystems in several ways. They often feed on plants and fungi, break down animal and plant debris, and eat other invertebrates. Some species are prey of various animals including birds and mammals. Certain species are agricultural pests, such as the Colorado potato beetle Leptinotarsa decemlineata, the boll weevil Anthonomus grandis, the red flour beetle Tribolium castaneum, and the mungbean or cowpea beetle Callosobruchus maculatus, while other species of beetles are important controls of agricultural pests. For example, coccinellidae ("ladybirds" or "ladybugs") consume aphids, scale insects, thrips, and other plant-sucking insects that damage crops. The name "Coleoptera" was given by Aristotle for the hardened shield like forewings (coleo = shield + ptera = wing). A cockchafer with its elytra raised, exposing the membranous flight wings, where the veins are visible Trogodendron fasciculatum, a clerid beetle with bright yellow antennae Other characters of this group which are believed to be monophyletic include a holometabolous life cycle; having a prothorax that is distinct from and freely articulating with the mesothorax; the meso- and meta-thoracic segments fusing to form a pterothorax; a depressed body shape with the legs on the ventral surface; the coxae of legs recessed into cavities formed by heavily sclerotized thoracic sclerites; the abdominal sternites more sclerotized than the tergites; antennae with 11 or fewer segments; and terminal genitalic appendages retracted into the abdomen and invisible at rest. The general anatomy of beetles is quite uniform, although specific organs and appendages may vary greatly in appearance and function between the many families in the order. Like all insects, beetles' bodies are divided into three sections: the head, the thorax, and the abdomen. When viewed from below, the thorax is that part from which all three pairs of legs and both pairs of wings arise. The abdomen is everything posterior to the thorax. When viewed from above, most beetles appear to have three clear sections, but this is deceptive: on the beetle's upper surface, the middle "section" is a hard plate called the pronotum, which is only the front part of the thorax; the back part of the thorax is concealed by the beetle's wings. Like all arthropods, beetles are segmented organisms, and all three of the major sections of the body are themselves composed of several further segments, although these are not always readily discernible. This further segmentation is usually best seen on the abdomen. Beetles are generally characterised by a particularly hard exoskeleton and hard forewings (elytra). The beetle's exoskeleton is made up of numerous plates called sclerites, separated by thin sutures. This design creates the armoured defences of the beetle while maintaining flexibility. The elytra are not used for flight, but tend to cover the hind part of the body and protect the second pair of wings (alae). The elytra must be raised in order to move the hind flight wings. A beetle's flight wings are crossed with veins and are folded after landing, often along these veins, and are stored below the elytra. In some beetles, the ability to fly has been lost. These include the ground beetles (family Carabidae) and some "true weevils" (family Curculionidae), but also some desert and cave-dwelling species of other families. Many of these species have the two elytra fused together, forming a solid shield over the abdomen. In a few families, both the ability to fly and the elytra have been lost, with the best known example being the glow-worms of the family Phengodidae, in which the females are larviform throughout their lives. Beetles have mouthparts similar to those of grasshoppers. Of these parts, the most commonly known are probably the mandibles, which appear as large pincers on the front of some beetles. The mandibles are a pair of hard, often tooth-like structures that move horizontally to grasp, crush, or cut food or enemies (see defence, below). Two pairs of finger-like appendages are found around the mouth in most beetles, serving to move food into the mouth. These are the maxillary and labial palpi. The eyes are compound and may display remarkable adaptability, as in the case of whirligig beetles (family Gyrinidae), in which the eyes are split to allow a view both above and below the waterline. Other species also have divided eyes â some longhorn beetles (family Cerambycidae) and weevils â while many beetles have eyes that are notched to some degree. A few beetle genera also possess ocelli, which are small, simple eyes usually situated farther back on the head (on the vertex). Beetles' antennae are primarily organs of smell, but may also be used to feel out a beetle's environment physically. They may also be used in some families during mating, or among a few beetles for defence. Antennae vary greatly in form within the Coleoptera, but are often similar within any given family. In some cases, males and females of the same species will have different antennal forms. Antennae may be clavate (flabellate and lamellate are sub-forms of clavate, or clubbed antennae), filiform, geniculate, moniliform, pectinate, or serrate. For images of these antennal forms see antenna (biology). Acilius sulcatus, a diving beetle showing hind legs adapted for life in water The legs, which are multi-segmented, end in two to five small segments called tarsi. Like many other insect orders beetles bear claws, usually one pair, on the end of the last tarsal segment of each leg. While most beetles use their legs for walking, legs may be variously modified and adapted for other uses. Among aquatic families â Dytiscidae, Haliplidae, many species of Hydrophilidae and others â the legs, most notably the last pair, are modified for swimming and often bear rows of long hairs to aid this purpose. Other beetles have fossorial legs that are widened and often spined for digging. Species with such adaptations are found among the scarabs, ground beetles, and clown beetles (family Histeridae). The hind legs of some beetles, such as flea beetles (within Chrysomelidae) and flea weevils (within Curculionidae), are enlarged and designed for jumping. Oxygen is obtained via a tracheal system. Air enters a series of tubes along the body through openings called spiracles, and is then taken into increasingly finer fibres. Pumping movements of the body force the air through the system. Beetles have haemolymph instead of blood, and the open circulatory system of the beetle is powered by a tube-like heart attached to the top inside of the thorax. Scarabaeiform larva of the cockchafer, Melolontha melolontha Beetles are endopterygotes with complete metamorphosis. A single female may lay from several dozen to several thousand eggs during her lifetime. Eggs are usually laid according to the substrate the larva will feed on upon hatching. Among others, they can be laid loose in the substrate (e.g. flour beetle), laid in clumps on leaves (e.g. Colorado potato beetle), or individually attached (e.g. mungbean beetle and other seed borers) or buried in the medium (e.g. carrot weevil). The larva is usually the principal feeding stage of the beetle life cycle. Larvae tend to feed voraciously once they emerge from their eggs. Some feed externally on plants, such as those of certain leaf beetles, while others feed within their food sources. Examples of internal feeders are most Buprestidae and longhorn beetles. The larvae of many beetle families are predatory like the adults (ground beetles, ladybirds, rove beetles). The larval period varies between species but can be as long as several years. Beetle larvae can be differentiated from other insect larvae by their hardened, often darkened head, the presence of chewing mouthparts, and spiracles along the sides of the body. Like adult beetles, the larvae are varied in appearance, particularly between beetle families. Beetles whose larvae are somewhat flattened and are highly mobile are the ground beetles, some rove beetles, and others; their larvae are described as campodeiform. Some beetle larvae resemble hardened worms with dark head capsules and minute legs. These are elateriform larvae, and are found in the click beetle (Elateridae) and darkling beetle (Tenebrionidae) families. Some elateriform larvae of click beetles are known as wireworms. Beetles in the families of the Scarabaeoidea have short, thick larvae described as scarabaeiform, but more commonly known as grubs. All beetle larvae go through several instars, which are the developmental stages between each moult. In many species the larvae simply increase in size with each successive instar as more food is consumed. In some cases, however, more dramatic changes occur. Among certain beetle families or genera, particularly those that exhibit parasitic lifestyles, the first instar (the planidium) is highly mobile in order to search out a host, while the following instars are more sedentary and remain on or within their host. This is known as hypermetamorphosis; examples include the blister beetles (family Meloidae) and some rove beetles, particularly those of the genus Aleochara. As with all endopterygotes, beetle larvae pupate, and from this pupa emerges a fully formed, sexually mature adult beetle, or imago. Adults have an extremely variable lifespan, from weeks to years, depending on the species. Beetles mating in San Francisco Flamboyant flower beetle, Eudicella gralli, from the forests of Central Africa. The iridescent elytra are used in marriage ceremonies. Beetles may display extremely intricate behaviour when mating. Smell is thought to be important in the location of a mate. Conflict can play a part in the mating rituals of species such as burying beetles (genus Nicrophorus) where conflicts between males and females rage until only one of each is left, thus ensuring reproduction by the strongest and fittest. Many beetles are territorial and will fiercely defend their small patch of territory from intruding males. Pairing is generally short but in some cases will last for several hours. During pairing sperm cells are transferred to the female to fertilise the egg. Parental care varies between species, ranging from the simple laying of eggs under a leaf to certain scarab beetles, which construct underground structures complete with a supply of dung to house and feed their young. Other beetles are leaf rollers, biting sections of leaves to cause them to curl inwards, then laying their eggs, thus protected, inside. Brachinus sp., a bombardier beetle Beetles and their larvae have a variety of strategies to avoid being attacked by predators or parasitoids. These include camouflage, mimicry, toxicity, and active defence. Camouflage involves the use of colouration or shape to blend into the surrounding environment. Among those that exhibit this defensive strategy are some of the leaf beetles (family Chysomelidae), having green colouring very similar to their habitat on plant leaves. More complex camouflage also occurs, as with some weevils, where various coloured scales or hairs cause the beetle to resemble bird dung. Another defence that often uses colour or shape to deceive potential enemies is mimicry. A number of longhorn beetles (family Cerambycidae) bear a striking resemblance to wasps, which fools predators into keeping their distance even though the beetles are in fact harmless. This defence can be found to a lesser extent in other beetle families, such as the scarab beetles. Beetles may combine their colour mimicry with behavioural mimicry, acting like the wasps they already closely resemble. Many beetle species, including ladybirds and blister beetles, can secrete distasteful or toxic substances to make them unpalatable or even poisonous. These same species often exhibit aposematism, where bright or contrasting colour patterns warn away potential predators. Large ground beetles and longhorn beetles may go on the attack, using their strong mandibles to forcibly persuade a predator to seek out easier prey. Others, such as bombardier beetles (within Carabidae) spray acidic gas from their abdomen to repel predators. Besides being abundant and varied, the Coleoptera are able to exploit the wide diversity of food sources available in their many habitats. Some are generalists, eating both plants and animals. Other beetles are highly specialised in their diet. Many species of leaf beetles, longhorn beetles, and weevils are very host specific, feeding on only a single species of plant. Ground beetles and rove beetles (family Staphylinidae), among others, are primarily carnivorous and will catch and consume many other arthropods and small prey such as earthworms and snails. While most predatory beetles are generalists, a few species have more specific prey requirements or preferences. Decaying organic matter is a primary diet for many species. This can range from dung, which is consumed by coprophagous species such as certain scarab beetles (family Scarabaeidae), to dead animals, which are eaten by necrophagous species such as the carrion beetles (family Silphidae). Some of the beetles found within dung and carrion are in fact predatory, such as the clown beetles, preying on the larvae of coprophagous and necrophagous insects. Aquatic beetles use several techniques for retaining air beneath the water's surface. Beetles of the family Dytiscidae hold air between the abdomen and the elytra when diving. Hydrophilidae have hairs on their under surface that retain a layer of air against their bodies. Adult crawling water beetles use both their elytra and their hind coxae (the basal segment of the back legs) in air retention while whirligig beetles simply carry an air bubble down with them whenever they dive. Sphaerius acaroides, a member of the small suborder Myxophaga While some authorities believe modern beetles began about 140 million years ago, research announced in 2007 showed that beetles may have entered the fossil record during the Lower Permian, about 265 to 300 million years ago. Modern Beetles Predate Dinosaurs, Dave Mosher, LiveScience.com, 26 December 2007. The four extant suborders of beetle are these: * Polyphaga is the largest suborder, containing more than 300,000 described species in more than 170 families, including rove beetles (Staphylinidae), scarab beetles (Scarabaeidae), blister beetles (Meloidae), stag beetles (Lucanidae) and true weevils (Curculionidae). These beetles can be identified by the cervical sclerites (hardened parts of the head used as points of attachment for muscles) absent in the other suborders. * Adephaga contains about 10 families of largely predatory beetles, includes ground beetles (Carabidae), Dytiscidae and whirligig beetles (Gyrinidae). In these beetles the testes are tubular and the first abdominal sternum (a plate of the exoskeleton) is divided by the hind coxae (the basal joints of the beetle's legs). * Archostemata contains four families of mainly wood-eating beetles, including reticulated beetles (Cupedidae) and the telephone-pole beetle. * Myxophaga contains about 100 described species in four families, mostly very small, including Hydroscaphidae and the genus Sphaerius. These suborders diverged in the Permian and Triassic. Their phylogenetic relationship is uncertain, with the most popular hypothesis being that Polyphaga and Myxophaga are most closely related, with Adephaga as the sister group to those two, and Archostemata as sister to the other three collectively. There are about 350,000 species of beetles. Such a large number of species poses special problems for classification, with some families consisting of thousands of species and needing further division into subfamilies and tribes. Colorado potato beetle (Leptinotarsa decemlineata) larvae Many agricultural, forestry, and household insect pests are beetles. These include the following: * The Colorado potato beetle, Leptinotarsa decemlineata, is a notorious pest of potato plants. Crops are destroyed and the beetle can only be treated by employing expensive pesticides, many of which it has begun to develop resistance to. As well as potatoes, suitable hosts can be a number of plants from the potato family (Solanaceae), such as nightshade, tomato, aubergine and capsicum. * The boll weevil, Anthonomus grandis, has cost cotton producers in the United States billions of dollars since it first entered that country. * The bark beetles Hylurgopinus rufipes and Scolytus multistriatus, the elm leaf beetle, Pyrrhalta luteola, and other beetles attack elm trees. The bark beetles are important elm pests because they carry Dutch elm disease as they move from infected breeding sites to feed on healthy elm trees. The spread of the fungus by the beetle has led to the devastation of elm trees in many parts of the Northern Hemisphere, notably in Europe and North America. * The death watch beetle, Xestobium rufovillosum, (family Anobiidae) is of considerable importance as a pest of older wooden buildings in Great Britain. It attacks hardwoods such as oak and chestnut, always where some fungal decay has taken or is taking place. It is thought that the actual introduction of the pest into buildings takes place at the time of construction. * Asian long-horned beetle * Citrus long-horned beetle * Western corn rootworm * Coconut hispine beetle or Brontispa longissima gestro feeds on young leaves and damages seedlings and mature coconut palms. On September 27, 2007, Philippines' Metro Manila and 26 provinces were quarantined due to having been infested with this pest (to save the $800-million Philippine coconut industry). Inquirer.net, Beetles infest coconuts in Manila, 26 provinces Coccinella septempunctata, a beneficial beetle * Both the larvae and adults of some ladybirds (family Coccinellidae) are found in aphid colonies. Other lady beetles feed on scale insects and mealybugs. If normal food sources are scarce they may feed on other things, such as small caterpillars, young plant bugs, honeydew and nectar. * Ground beetles (family Carabidae) are common predators of many different insects and other arthropods, including fly eggs, caterpillars, wireworms and others. * Plant-feeding beetles are often important beneficial insects, controlling problem weeds. Some flea beetles of the genus Aphthona feed on leafy spurge, a considerable weed of rangeland in western North America. Some farmers develop beetle banks to foster and provide cover for beneficial beetles. Beetles of the Dermestidae family are often used in taxidermy to clean bones of remaining flesh. Ancient Egyptian scene depicting a scarab beetle Several species of dung beetle, most notably Scarabaeus sacer (often referred to as "scarab"), enjoyed a sacred status among the ancient Egyptians, as the creatures were likened to the major god Khepri. Some scholars suggest that the Egyptians' practice of making mummies was inspired by the brooding process of the beetle. Many thousands of amulets and stamp seals have been excavated that depict the scarab. In many artifacts, the scarab is depicted pushing the sun along its course in the sky, much as scarabs push or roll balls of dung to their brood sites. During and following the New Kingdom, scarab amulets were often placed over the heart of the mummified deceased. Some tribal groups, particularly in tropical parts of the world, use the colourful, iridescent elytra of certain beetles, especially certain Scarabaeidae, in ceremonies and as adornment. Beetle collection at the Melbourne Museum, Australia The study of beetles is called coleopterology, and its practitioners are coleopterists. Coleopterists have formed organisations to facilitate the study of beetles. Among these is The Coleopterists Society, an international organisation based in the United States. Such organisations may have both professionals and amateurs interested in beetles as members. Research in this field is often published in peer-reviewed journals specific to the field of coleopterology, though journals dealing with general entomology also publish many papers on various aspects of beetle biology. Some of the journals specific to beetle research are: The Coleopterist (United Kingdom beetle fauna) The Coleopterists Bulletin (published by The Coleopterists Society) There is a thriving industry in the collection of beetle specimens for amateur and professional collectors. Many coleopterists prefer to collect beetle specimens for themselves, recording detailed information about each specimen and its habitat. Such collections add to the body of knowledge about the Coleoptera. Some countries have established laws governing or prohibiting the collection of certain rare (and often much sought after) species. One such beetle whose collection is illegal or restricted is the American burying beetle, Nicrophorus americanus. * Poul Beckmann, Living Jewels: The Natural Design of Beetles ISBN 3-7913-2528-0 * Arthur V. Evans, Charles Bellamy, and Lisa Charles Watson, An Inordinate Fondness for Beetles ISBN 0-520-22323-3 * Entomological Society of America, Beetle Larvae of the World ISBN 0-643-05506-1 * David Grimaldi, Michael S. Engel, Evolution of the Insects ISBN 0-521-82149-5 * Ross H. Arnett, Jr. and Michael C. Thomas, American Beetles (CRC Press, 2001-2). ISBN 0-8493-1925-0 * K. W. Harde, A Field Guide in Colour to Beetles ISBN 0-7064-1937-5 Pages 7-24 * White, R.E. 1983. Beetles. Houghton Mifflin Company, New York, NY. ISBN 0-395-91089-7 Heteroptera - insect suborder that is superficially similar to beetles - Coleoptera All what do you need to know about coleoptera, collecting and preparation * The Beetle Ring - A group of websites about beetles (Coleoptera). * List of major Beetle collections - worldwide * Entomology - online insect museum, entomology, tips and tricks, how to spread and pin insects, etc. * - Gallery of Central European beetles * Coleoptera from the Tree of Life * Australian borers species * Beetles and coleopterologists Russian site with English version, with information about biology, systematics and paleontology of beetles * North American Beetles from BugGuide * Bibliography on fossil insects * Coleoptera Families of the World * A digital collection of Southeast Asian beetles Related Wikipedia Articles coleopter Hylobius abietis weevil Animal Arthropod Insect Pterygota Neoptera Endopterygota Carolus Linnaeus Systema Naturae Suborder (biology) Adephaga Archostemata Myxophaga Polyphaga subgroups of the order Coleoptera insect species species animal polar region ecosystem plant fungus invertebrate Colorado potato beetle boll weevil coccinellidae aphid scale insect thrips Aristotle cockchafer Trogodendron fasciculatum monophyletic holometabolous prothorax coxa anatomy appendage pronotum insect wing segmentation (biology) exoskeleton elytron sclerite insect flight insect wing ground beetle Curculionidae glowworm Phengodidae Larviform female mouthparts grasshopper mandible (insect) #Defence appendage compound eye whirligig beetle longhorn beetle ocellus vertex (anatomy) antenna (biology) antenna (biology) Acilius sulcatus arthropod leg Dytiscidae Haliplidae Hydrophilidae fossorial clown beetle flea beetle Oxygen invertebrate trachea spiracle hemolymph blood open circulatory system Melolontha melolontha Endopterygota metamorphosis (biology) larva Colorado potato beetle larva Biological life cycle Buprestidae spiracle click beetle darkling beetle click beetle Scarabaeoidea instar ecdysis planidium hypermetamorphosis blister beetle Aleochara pupa imago San Francisco Flamboyant flower beetle burying beetle Spermatozoon fertilisation Scarabaeidae leaf roller Brachinus bombardier beetle parasitoid camouflage mimicry leaf beetle weevil longhorn beetle wasp Coccinellidae blister beetle aposematism ground beetle Mandible (insect) bombardier beetle Ground beetle rove beetle arthropod dung coprophagous dung beetle necrophagous carrion beetle clown beetle coxa Ross H. Arnett, Jr. Michael C. Thomas American Beetles CRC Press Boca Raton, Florida whirligig beetle Sphaerius Myxophaga fossil Permian Polyphaga rove beetle scarabaeidae blister beetle stag beetle Curculionidae sclerite Adephaga ground beetle Dytiscidae whirligig beetle testes exoskeleton coxa Archostemata reticulated beetle telephone-pole beetle Myxophaga Hydroscaphidae Sphaerius Triassic phylogenetics sister group Linnaean taxonomy Colorado potato beetle Colorado potato beetle potato pesticide pesticide resistance Solanaceae nightshade tomato aubergine capsicum boll weevil United States bark beetle elm leaf beetle elm Dutch elm disease Northern Hemisphere Europe North America death watch beetle Anobiidae Great Britain hardwood oak chestnut Asian long-horned beetle Citrus long-horned beetle Western corn rootworm Coconut leaves seedlings coconut palms September 27 Philippines Metro Manila provinces quarantined pest coconut industry Coccinella septempunctata ladybirds Coccinellidae aphid scale insect mealybug honeydew nectar Ground beetle caterpillar Aphthona leafy spurge beetle bank Dermestidae taxidermy Dung beetle Scarabaeus sacer Ancient Egyptian Khepri Mummy New Kingdom Elytron Melbourne Museum coleopterology list of coleopterists The Coleopterists Society international organisation scientific journal The Coleopterist The Coleopterists Bulletin Nicrophorus americanus Entomological Society of America David Grimaldi Michael S. Engel Ross H. Arnett, Jr. Michael C. Thomas American Beetles Heteroptera
beetle	How many species of beetles are there?	about 350,000	data/set1/a8	beetle Beetles are a group of insects which have the largest number of species. They are placed in the order Coleoptera,which means "sheathed wing" and contains more described species than in any other order in the animal kingdom, constituting about twenty-five percent of all known life-forms. James K. Liebherr and Joseph V. McHugh in Resh, V. H. & R. T. CardÃ© (Editors) 2003. Encyclopedia of Insects. Academic Press. Forty percent of all described insect species are beetles (about 350,000 species ), and new species are frequently discovered. Estimates put the total number of species, described and undescribed, at between 5 and 8 million. Beetles can be found in almost all habitats, but are not known to occur in the sea or in the polar regions. They interact with their ecosystems in several ways. They often feed on plants and fungi, break down animal and plant debris, and eat other invertebrates. Some species are prey of various animals including birds and mammals. Certain species are agricultural pests, such as the Colorado potato beetle Leptinotarsa decemlineata, the boll weevil Anthonomus grandis, the red flour beetle Tribolium castaneum, and the mungbean or cowpea beetle Callosobruchus maculatus, while other species of beetles are important controls of agricultural pests. For example, coccinellidae ("ladybirds" or "ladybugs") consume aphids, scale insects, thrips, and other plant-sucking insects that damage crops. The name "Coleoptera" was given by Aristotle for the hardened shield like forewings (coleo = shield + ptera = wing). A cockchafer with its elytra raised, exposing the membranous flight wings, where the veins are visible Trogodendron fasciculatum, a clerid beetle with bright yellow antennae Other characters of this group which are believed to be monophyletic include a holometabolous life cycle; having a prothorax that is distinct from and freely articulating with the mesothorax; the meso- and meta-thoracic segments fusing to form a pterothorax; a depressed body shape with the legs on the ventral surface; the coxae of legs recessed into cavities formed by heavily sclerotized thoracic sclerites; the abdominal sternites more sclerotized than the tergites; antennae with 11 or fewer segments; and terminal genitalic appendages retracted into the abdomen and invisible at rest. The general anatomy of beetles is quite uniform, although specific organs and appendages may vary greatly in appearance and function between the many families in the order. Like all insects, beetles' bodies are divided into three sections: the head, the thorax, and the abdomen. When viewed from below, the thorax is that part from which all three pairs of legs and both pairs of wings arise. The abdomen is everything posterior to the thorax. When viewed from above, most beetles appear to have three clear sections, but this is deceptive: on the beetle's upper surface, the middle "section" is a hard plate called the pronotum, which is only the front part of the thorax; the back part of the thorax is concealed by the beetle's wings. Like all arthropods, beetles are segmented organisms, and all three of the major sections of the body are themselves composed of several further segments, although these are not always readily discernible. This further segmentation is usually best seen on the abdomen. Beetles are generally characterised by a particularly hard exoskeleton and hard forewings (elytra). The beetle's exoskeleton is made up of numerous plates called sclerites, separated by thin sutures. This design creates the armoured defences of the beetle while maintaining flexibility. The elytra are not used for flight, but tend to cover the hind part of the body and protect the second pair of wings (alae). The elytra must be raised in order to move the hind flight wings. A beetle's flight wings are crossed with veins and are folded after landing, often along these veins, and are stored below the elytra. In some beetles, the ability to fly has been lost. These include the ground beetles (family Carabidae) and some "true weevils" (family Curculionidae), but also some desert and cave-dwelling species of other families. Many of these species have the two elytra fused together, forming a solid shield over the abdomen. In a few families, both the ability to fly and the elytra have been lost, with the best known example being the glow-worms of the family Phengodidae, in which the females are larviform throughout their lives. Beetles have mouthparts similar to those of grasshoppers. Of these parts, the most commonly known are probably the mandibles, which appear as large pincers on the front of some beetles. The mandibles are a pair of hard, often tooth-like structures that move horizontally to grasp, crush, or cut food or enemies (see defence, below). Two pairs of finger-like appendages are found around the mouth in most beetles, serving to move food into the mouth. These are the maxillary and labial palpi. The eyes are compound and may display remarkable adaptability, as in the case of whirligig beetles (family Gyrinidae), in which the eyes are split to allow a view both above and below the waterline. Other species also have divided eyes â some longhorn beetles (family Cerambycidae) and weevils â while many beetles have eyes that are notched to some degree. A few beetle genera also possess ocelli, which are small, simple eyes usually situated farther back on the head (on the vertex). Beetles' antennae are primarily organs of smell, but may also be used to feel out a beetle's environment physically. They may also be used in some families during mating, or among a few beetles for defence. Antennae vary greatly in form within the Coleoptera, but are often similar within any given family. In some cases, males and females of the same species will have different antennal forms. Antennae may be clavate (flabellate and lamellate are sub-forms of clavate, or clubbed antennae), filiform, geniculate, moniliform, pectinate, or serrate. For images of these antennal forms see antenna (biology). Acilius sulcatus, a diving beetle showing hind legs adapted for life in water The legs, which are multi-segmented, end in two to five small segments called tarsi. Like many other insect orders beetles bear claws, usually one pair, on the end of the last tarsal segment of each leg. While most beetles use their legs for walking, legs may be variously modified and adapted for other uses. Among aquatic families â Dytiscidae, Haliplidae, many species of Hydrophilidae and others â the legs, most notably the last pair, are modified for swimming and often bear rows of long hairs to aid this purpose. Other beetles have fossorial legs that are widened and often spined for digging. Species with such adaptations are found among the scarabs, ground beetles, and clown beetles (family Histeridae). The hind legs of some beetles, such as flea beetles (within Chrysomelidae) and flea weevils (within Curculionidae), are enlarged and designed for jumping. Oxygen is obtained via a tracheal system. Air enters a series of tubes along the body through openings called spiracles, and is then taken into increasingly finer fibres. Pumping movements of the body force the air through the system. Beetles have haemolymph instead of blood, and the open circulatory system of the beetle is powered by a tube-like heart attached to the top inside of the thorax. Scarabaeiform larva of the cockchafer, Melolontha melolontha Beetles are endopterygotes with complete metamorphosis. A single female may lay from several dozen to several thousand eggs during her lifetime. Eggs are usually laid according to the substrate the larva will feed on upon hatching. Among others, they can be laid loose in the substrate (e.g. flour beetle), laid in clumps on leaves (e.g. Colorado potato beetle), or individually attached (e.g. mungbean beetle and other seed borers) or buried in the medium (e.g. carrot weevil). The larva is usually the principal feeding stage of the beetle life cycle. Larvae tend to feed voraciously once they emerge from their eggs. Some feed externally on plants, such as those of certain leaf beetles, while others feed within their food sources. Examples of internal feeders are most Buprestidae and longhorn beetles. The larvae of many beetle families are predatory like the adults (ground beetles, ladybirds, rove beetles). The larval period varies between species but can be as long as several years. Beetle larvae can be differentiated from other insect larvae by their hardened, often darkened head, the presence of chewing mouthparts, and spiracles along the sides of the body. Like adult beetles, the larvae are varied in appearance, particularly between beetle families. Beetles whose larvae are somewhat flattened and are highly mobile are the ground beetles, some rove beetles, and others; their larvae are described as campodeiform. Some beetle larvae resemble hardened worms with dark head capsules and minute legs. These are elateriform larvae, and are found in the click beetle (Elateridae) and darkling beetle (Tenebrionidae) families. Some elateriform larvae of click beetles are known as wireworms. Beetles in the families of the Scarabaeoidea have short, thick larvae described as scarabaeiform, but more commonly known as grubs. All beetle larvae go through several instars, which are the developmental stages between each moult. In many species the larvae simply increase in size with each successive instar as more food is consumed. In some cases, however, more dramatic changes occur. Among certain beetle families or genera, particularly those that exhibit parasitic lifestyles, the first instar (the planidium) is highly mobile in order to search out a host, while the following instars are more sedentary and remain on or within their host. This is known as hypermetamorphosis; examples include the blister beetles (family Meloidae) and some rove beetles, particularly those of the genus Aleochara. As with all endopterygotes, beetle larvae pupate, and from this pupa emerges a fully formed, sexually mature adult beetle, or imago. Adults have an extremely variable lifespan, from weeks to years, depending on the species. Beetles mating in San Francisco Flamboyant flower beetle, Eudicella gralli, from the forests of Central Africa. The iridescent elytra are used in marriage ceremonies. Beetles may display extremely intricate behaviour when mating. Smell is thought to be important in the location of a mate. Conflict can play a part in the mating rituals of species such as burying beetles (genus Nicrophorus) where conflicts between males and females rage until only one of each is left, thus ensuring reproduction by the strongest and fittest. Many beetles are territorial and will fiercely defend their small patch of territory from intruding males. Pairing is generally short but in some cases will last for several hours. During pairing sperm cells are transferred to the female to fertilise the egg. Parental care varies between species, ranging from the simple laying of eggs under a leaf to certain scarab beetles, which construct underground structures complete with a supply of dung to house and feed their young. Other beetles are leaf rollers, biting sections of leaves to cause them to curl inwards, then laying their eggs, thus protected, inside. Brachinus sp., a bombardier beetle Beetles and their larvae have a variety of strategies to avoid being attacked by predators or parasitoids. These include camouflage, mimicry, toxicity, and active defence. Camouflage involves the use of colouration or shape to blend into the surrounding environment. Among those that exhibit this defensive strategy are some of the leaf beetles (family Chysomelidae), having green colouring very similar to their habitat on plant leaves. More complex camouflage also occurs, as with some weevils, where various coloured scales or hairs cause the beetle to resemble bird dung. Another defence that often uses colour or shape to deceive potential enemies is mimicry. A number of longhorn beetles (family Cerambycidae) bear a striking resemblance to wasps, which fools predators into keeping their distance even though the beetles are in fact harmless. This defence can be found to a lesser extent in other beetle families, such as the scarab beetles. Beetles may combine their colour mimicry with behavioural mimicry, acting like the wasps they already closely resemble. Many beetle species, including ladybirds and blister beetles, can secrete distasteful or toxic substances to make them unpalatable or even poisonous. These same species often exhibit aposematism, where bright or contrasting colour patterns warn away potential predators. Large ground beetles and longhorn beetles may go on the attack, using their strong mandibles to forcibly persuade a predator to seek out easier prey. Others, such as bombardier beetles (within Carabidae) spray acidic gas from their abdomen to repel predators. Besides being abundant and varied, the Coleoptera are able to exploit the wide diversity of food sources available in their many habitats. Some are generalists, eating both plants and animals. Other beetles are highly specialised in their diet. Many species of leaf beetles, longhorn beetles, and weevils are very host specific, feeding on only a single species of plant. Ground beetles and rove beetles (family Staphylinidae), among others, are primarily carnivorous and will catch and consume many other arthropods and small prey such as earthworms and snails. While most predatory beetles are generalists, a few species have more specific prey requirements or preferences. Decaying organic matter is a primary diet for many species. This can range from dung, which is consumed by coprophagous species such as certain scarab beetles (family Scarabaeidae), to dead animals, which are eaten by necrophagous species such as the carrion beetles (family Silphidae). Some of the beetles found within dung and carrion are in fact predatory, such as the clown beetles, preying on the larvae of coprophagous and necrophagous insects. Aquatic beetles use several techniques for retaining air beneath the water's surface. Beetles of the family Dytiscidae hold air between the abdomen and the elytra when diving. Hydrophilidae have hairs on their under surface that retain a layer of air against their bodies. Adult crawling water beetles use both their elytra and their hind coxae (the basal segment of the back legs) in air retention while whirligig beetles simply carry an air bubble down with them whenever they dive. Sphaerius acaroides, a member of the small suborder Myxophaga While some authorities believe modern beetles began about 140 million years ago, research announced in 2007 showed that beetles may have entered the fossil record during the Lower Permian, about 265 to 300 million years ago. Modern Beetles Predate Dinosaurs, Dave Mosher, LiveScience.com, 26 December 2007. The four extant suborders of beetle are these: * Polyphaga is the largest suborder, containing more than 300,000 described species in more than 170 families, including rove beetles (Staphylinidae), scarab beetles (Scarabaeidae), blister beetles (Meloidae), stag beetles (Lucanidae) and true weevils (Curculionidae). These beetles can be identified by the cervical sclerites (hardened parts of the head used as points of attachment for muscles) absent in the other suborders. * Adephaga contains about 10 families of largely predatory beetles, includes ground beetles (Carabidae), Dytiscidae and whirligig beetles (Gyrinidae). In these beetles the testes are tubular and the first abdominal sternum (a plate of the exoskeleton) is divided by the hind coxae (the basal joints of the beetle's legs). * Archostemata contains four families of mainly wood-eating beetles, including reticulated beetles (Cupedidae) and the telephone-pole beetle. * Myxophaga contains about 100 described species in four families, mostly very small, including Hydroscaphidae and the genus Sphaerius. These suborders diverged in the Permian and Triassic. Their phylogenetic relationship is uncertain, with the most popular hypothesis being that Polyphaga and Myxophaga are most closely related, with Adephaga as the sister group to those two, and Archostemata as sister to the other three collectively. There are about 350,000 species of beetles. Such a large number of species poses special problems for classification, with some families consisting of thousands of species and needing further division into subfamilies and tribes. Colorado potato beetle (Leptinotarsa decemlineata) larvae Many agricultural, forestry, and household insect pests are beetles. These include the following: * The Colorado potato beetle, Leptinotarsa decemlineata, is a notorious pest of potato plants. Crops are destroyed and the beetle can only be treated by employing expensive pesticides, many of which it has begun to develop resistance to. As well as potatoes, suitable hosts can be a number of plants from the potato family (Solanaceae), such as nightshade, tomato, aubergine and capsicum. * The boll weevil, Anthonomus grandis, has cost cotton producers in the United States billions of dollars since it first entered that country. * The bark beetles Hylurgopinus rufipes and Scolytus multistriatus, the elm leaf beetle, Pyrrhalta luteola, and other beetles attack elm trees. The bark beetles are important elm pests because they carry Dutch elm disease as they move from infected breeding sites to feed on healthy elm trees. The spread of the fungus by the beetle has led to the devastation of elm trees in many parts of the Northern Hemisphere, notably in Europe and North America. * The death watch beetle, Xestobium rufovillosum, (family Anobiidae) is of considerable importance as a pest of older wooden buildings in Great Britain. It attacks hardwoods such as oak and chestnut, always where some fungal decay has taken or is taking place. It is thought that the actual introduction of the pest into buildings takes place at the time of construction. * Asian long-horned beetle * Citrus long-horned beetle * Western corn rootworm * Coconut hispine beetle or Brontispa longissima gestro feeds on young leaves and damages seedlings and mature coconut palms. On September 27, 2007, Philippines' Metro Manila and 26 provinces were quarantined due to having been infested with this pest (to save the $800-million Philippine coconut industry). Inquirer.net, Beetles infest coconuts in Manila, 26 provinces Coccinella septempunctata, a beneficial beetle * Both the larvae and adults of some ladybirds (family Coccinellidae) are found in aphid colonies. Other lady beetles feed on scale insects and mealybugs. If normal food sources are scarce they may feed on other things, such as small caterpillars, young plant bugs, honeydew and nectar. * Ground beetles (family Carabidae) are common predators of many different insects and other arthropods, including fly eggs, caterpillars, wireworms and others. * Plant-feeding beetles are often important beneficial insects, controlling problem weeds. Some flea beetles of the genus Aphthona feed on leafy spurge, a considerable weed of rangeland in western North America. Some farmers develop beetle banks to foster and provide cover for beneficial beetles. Beetles of the Dermestidae family are often used in taxidermy to clean bones of remaining flesh. Ancient Egyptian scene depicting a scarab beetle Several species of dung beetle, most notably Scarabaeus sacer (often referred to as "scarab"), enjoyed a sacred status among the ancient Egyptians, as the creatures were likened to the major god Khepri. Some scholars suggest that the Egyptians' practice of making mummies was inspired by the brooding process of the beetle. Many thousands of amulets and stamp seals have been excavated that depict the scarab. In many artifacts, the scarab is depicted pushing the sun along its course in the sky, much as scarabs push or roll balls of dung to their brood sites. During and following the New Kingdom, scarab amulets were often placed over the heart of the mummified deceased. Some tribal groups, particularly in tropical parts of the world, use the colourful, iridescent elytra of certain beetles, especially certain Scarabaeidae, in ceremonies and as adornment. Beetle collection at the Melbourne Museum, Australia The study of beetles is called coleopterology, and its practitioners are coleopterists. Coleopterists have formed organisations to facilitate the study of beetles. Among these is The Coleopterists Society, an international organisation based in the United States. Such organisations may have both professionals and amateurs interested in beetles as members. Research in this field is often published in peer-reviewed journals specific to the field of coleopterology, though journals dealing with general entomology also publish many papers on various aspects of beetle biology. Some of the journals specific to beetle research are: The Coleopterist (United Kingdom beetle fauna) The Coleopterists Bulletin (published by The Coleopterists Society) There is a thriving industry in the collection of beetle specimens for amateur and professional collectors. Many coleopterists prefer to collect beetle specimens for themselves, recording detailed information about each specimen and its habitat. Such collections add to the body of knowledge about the Coleoptera. Some countries have established laws governing or prohibiting the collection of certain rare (and often much sought after) species. One such beetle whose collection is illegal or restricted is the American burying beetle, Nicrophorus americanus. * Poul Beckmann, Living Jewels: The Natural Design of Beetles ISBN 3-7913-2528-0 * Arthur V. Evans, Charles Bellamy, and Lisa Charles Watson, An Inordinate Fondness for Beetles ISBN 0-520-22323-3 * Entomological Society of America, Beetle Larvae of the World ISBN 0-643-05506-1 * David Grimaldi, Michael S. Engel, Evolution of the Insects ISBN 0-521-82149-5 * Ross H. Arnett, Jr. and Michael C. Thomas, American Beetles (CRC Press, 2001-2). ISBN 0-8493-1925-0 * K. W. Harde, A Field Guide in Colour to Beetles ISBN 0-7064-1937-5 Pages 7-24 * White, R.E. 1983. Beetles. Houghton Mifflin Company, New York, NY. ISBN 0-395-91089-7 Heteroptera - insect suborder that is superficially similar to beetles - Coleoptera All what do you need to know about coleoptera, collecting and preparation * The Beetle Ring - A group of websites about beetles (Coleoptera). * List of major Beetle collections - worldwide * Entomology - online insect museum, entomology, tips and tricks, how to spread and pin insects, etc. * - Gallery of Central European beetles * Coleoptera from the Tree of Life * Australian borers species * Beetles and coleopterologists Russian site with English version, with information about biology, systematics and paleontology of beetles * North American Beetles from BugGuide * Bibliography on fossil insects * Coleoptera Families of the World * A digital collection of Southeast Asian beetles Related Wikipedia Articles coleopter Hylobius abietis weevil Animal Arthropod Insect Pterygota Neoptera Endopterygota Carolus Linnaeus Systema Naturae Suborder (biology) Adephaga Archostemata Myxophaga Polyphaga subgroups of the order Coleoptera insect species species animal polar region ecosystem plant fungus invertebrate Colorado potato beetle boll weevil coccinellidae aphid scale insect thrips Aristotle cockchafer Trogodendron fasciculatum monophyletic holometabolous prothorax coxa anatomy appendage pronotum insect wing segmentation (biology) exoskeleton elytron sclerite insect flight insect wing ground beetle Curculionidae glowworm Phengodidae Larviform female mouthparts grasshopper mandible (insect) #Defence appendage compound eye whirligig beetle longhorn beetle ocellus vertex (anatomy) antenna (biology) antenna (biology) Acilius sulcatus arthropod leg Dytiscidae Haliplidae Hydrophilidae fossorial clown beetle flea beetle Oxygen invertebrate trachea spiracle hemolymph blood open circulatory system Melolontha melolontha Endopterygota metamorphosis (biology) larva Colorado potato beetle larva Biological life cycle Buprestidae spiracle click beetle darkling beetle click beetle Scarabaeoidea instar ecdysis planidium hypermetamorphosis blister beetle Aleochara pupa imago San Francisco Flamboyant flower beetle burying beetle Spermatozoon fertilisation Scarabaeidae leaf roller Brachinus bombardier beetle parasitoid camouflage mimicry leaf beetle weevil longhorn beetle wasp Coccinellidae blister beetle aposematism ground beetle Mandible (insect) bombardier beetle Ground beetle rove beetle arthropod dung coprophagous dung beetle necrophagous carrion beetle clown beetle coxa Ross H. Arnett, Jr. Michael C. Thomas American Beetles CRC Press Boca Raton, Florida whirligig beetle Sphaerius Myxophaga fossil Permian Polyphaga rove beetle scarabaeidae blister beetle stag beetle Curculionidae sclerite Adephaga ground beetle Dytiscidae whirligig beetle testes exoskeleton coxa Archostemata reticulated beetle telephone-pole beetle Myxophaga Hydroscaphidae Sphaerius Triassic phylogenetics sister group Linnaean taxonomy Colorado potato beetle Colorado potato beetle potato pesticide pesticide resistance Solanaceae nightshade tomato aubergine capsicum boll weevil United States bark beetle elm leaf beetle elm Dutch elm disease Northern Hemisphere Europe North America death watch beetle Anobiidae Great Britain hardwood oak chestnut Asian long-horned beetle Citrus long-horned beetle Western corn rootworm Coconut leaves seedlings coconut palms September 27 Philippines Metro Manila provinces quarantined pest coconut industry Coccinella septempunctata ladybirds Coccinellidae aphid scale insect mealybug honeydew nectar Ground beetle caterpillar Aphthona leafy spurge beetle bank Dermestidae taxidermy Dung beetle Scarabaeus sacer Ancient Egyptian Khepri Mummy New Kingdom Elytron Melbourne Museum coleopterology list of coleopterists The Coleopterists Society international organisation scientific journal The Coleopterist The Coleopterists Bulletin Nicrophorus americanus Entomological Society of America David Grimaldi Michael S. Engel Ross H. Arnett, Jr. Michael C. Thomas American Beetles Heteroptera
beetle	When are sperm cells transferred to the female?	during pairing	data/set1/a8	beetle Beetles are a group of insects which have the largest number of species. They are placed in the order Coleoptera,which means "sheathed wing" and contains more described species than in any other order in the animal kingdom, constituting about twenty-five percent of all known life-forms. James K. Liebherr and Joseph V. McHugh in Resh, V. H. & R. T. CardÃ© (Editors) 2003. Encyclopedia of Insects. Academic Press. Forty percent of all described insect species are beetles (about 350,000 species ), and new species are frequently discovered. Estimates put the total number of species, described and undescribed, at between 5 and 8 million. Beetles can be found in almost all habitats, but are not known to occur in the sea or in the polar regions. They interact with their ecosystems in several ways. They often feed on plants and fungi, break down animal and plant debris, and eat other invertebrates. Some species are prey of various animals including birds and mammals. Certain species are agricultural pests, such as the Colorado potato beetle Leptinotarsa decemlineata, the boll weevil Anthonomus grandis, the red flour beetle Tribolium castaneum, and the mungbean or cowpea beetle Callosobruchus maculatus, while other species of beetles are important controls of agricultural pests. For example, coccinellidae ("ladybirds" or "ladybugs") consume aphids, scale insects, thrips, and other plant-sucking insects that damage crops. The name "Coleoptera" was given by Aristotle for the hardened shield like forewings (coleo = shield + ptera = wing). A cockchafer with its elytra raised, exposing the membranous flight wings, where the veins are visible Trogodendron fasciculatum, a clerid beetle with bright yellow antennae Other characters of this group which are believed to be monophyletic include a holometabolous life cycle; having a prothorax that is distinct from and freely articulating with the mesothorax; the meso- and meta-thoracic segments fusing to form a pterothorax; a depressed body shape with the legs on the ventral surface; the coxae of legs recessed into cavities formed by heavily sclerotized thoracic sclerites; the abdominal sternites more sclerotized than the tergites; antennae with 11 or fewer segments; and terminal genitalic appendages retracted into the abdomen and invisible at rest. The general anatomy of beetles is quite uniform, although specific organs and appendages may vary greatly in appearance and function between the many families in the order. Like all insects, beetles' bodies are divided into three sections: the head, the thorax, and the abdomen. When viewed from below, the thorax is that part from which all three pairs of legs and both pairs of wings arise. The abdomen is everything posterior to the thorax. When viewed from above, most beetles appear to have three clear sections, but this is deceptive: on the beetle's upper surface, the middle "section" is a hard plate called the pronotum, which is only the front part of the thorax; the back part of the thorax is concealed by the beetle's wings. Like all arthropods, beetles are segmented organisms, and all three of the major sections of the body are themselves composed of several further segments, although these are not always readily discernible. This further segmentation is usually best seen on the abdomen. Beetles are generally characterised by a particularly hard exoskeleton and hard forewings (elytra). The beetle's exoskeleton is made up of numerous plates called sclerites, separated by thin sutures. This design creates the armoured defences of the beetle while maintaining flexibility. The elytra are not used for flight, but tend to cover the hind part of the body and protect the second pair of wings (alae). The elytra must be raised in order to move the hind flight wings. A beetle's flight wings are crossed with veins and are folded after landing, often along these veins, and are stored below the elytra. In some beetles, the ability to fly has been lost. These include the ground beetles (family Carabidae) and some "true weevils" (family Curculionidae), but also some desert and cave-dwelling species of other families. Many of these species have the two elytra fused together, forming a solid shield over the abdomen. In a few families, both the ability to fly and the elytra have been lost, with the best known example being the glow-worms of the family Phengodidae, in which the females are larviform throughout their lives. Beetles have mouthparts similar to those of grasshoppers. Of these parts, the most commonly known are probably the mandibles, which appear as large pincers on the front of some beetles. The mandibles are a pair of hard, often tooth-like structures that move horizontally to grasp, crush, or cut food or enemies (see defence, below). Two pairs of finger-like appendages are found around the mouth in most beetles, serving to move food into the mouth. These are the maxillary and labial palpi. The eyes are compound and may display remarkable adaptability, as in the case of whirligig beetles (family Gyrinidae), in which the eyes are split to allow a view both above and below the waterline. Other species also have divided eyes â some longhorn beetles (family Cerambycidae) and weevils â while many beetles have eyes that are notched to some degree. A few beetle genera also possess ocelli, which are small, simple eyes usually situated farther back on the head (on the vertex). Beetles' antennae are primarily organs of smell, but may also be used to feel out a beetle's environment physically. They may also be used in some families during mating, or among a few beetles for defence. Antennae vary greatly in form within the Coleoptera, but are often similar within any given family. In some cases, males and females of the same species will have different antennal forms. Antennae may be clavate (flabellate and lamellate are sub-forms of clavate, or clubbed antennae), filiform, geniculate, moniliform, pectinate, or serrate. For images of these antennal forms see antenna (biology). Acilius sulcatus, a diving beetle showing hind legs adapted for life in water The legs, which are multi-segmented, end in two to five small segments called tarsi. Like many other insect orders beetles bear claws, usually one pair, on the end of the last tarsal segment of each leg. While most beetles use their legs for walking, legs may be variously modified and adapted for other uses. Among aquatic families â Dytiscidae, Haliplidae, many species of Hydrophilidae and others â the legs, most notably the last pair, are modified for swimming and often bear rows of long hairs to aid this purpose. Other beetles have fossorial legs that are widened and often spined for digging. Species with such adaptations are found among the scarabs, ground beetles, and clown beetles (family Histeridae). The hind legs of some beetles, such as flea beetles (within Chrysomelidae) and flea weevils (within Curculionidae), are enlarged and designed for jumping. Oxygen is obtained via a tracheal system. Air enters a series of tubes along the body through openings called spiracles, and is then taken into increasingly finer fibres. Pumping movements of the body force the air through the system. Beetles have haemolymph instead of blood, and the open circulatory system of the beetle is powered by a tube-like heart attached to the top inside of the thorax. Scarabaeiform larva of the cockchafer, Melolontha melolontha Beetles are endopterygotes with complete metamorphosis. A single female may lay from several dozen to several thousand eggs during her lifetime. Eggs are usually laid according to the substrate the larva will feed on upon hatching. Among others, they can be laid loose in the substrate (e.g. flour beetle), laid in clumps on leaves (e.g. Colorado potato beetle), or individually attached (e.g. mungbean beetle and other seed borers) or buried in the medium (e.g. carrot weevil). The larva is usually the principal feeding stage of the beetle life cycle. Larvae tend to feed voraciously once they emerge from their eggs. Some feed externally on plants, such as those of certain leaf beetles, while others feed within their food sources. Examples of internal feeders are most Buprestidae and longhorn beetles. The larvae of many beetle families are predatory like the adults (ground beetles, ladybirds, rove beetles). The larval period varies between species but can be as long as several years. Beetle larvae can be differentiated from other insect larvae by their hardened, often darkened head, the presence of chewing mouthparts, and spiracles along the sides of the body. Like adult beetles, the larvae are varied in appearance, particularly between beetle families. Beetles whose larvae are somewhat flattened and are highly mobile are the ground beetles, some rove beetles, and others; their larvae are described as campodeiform. Some beetle larvae resemble hardened worms with dark head capsules and minute legs. These are elateriform larvae, and are found in the click beetle (Elateridae) and darkling beetle (Tenebrionidae) families. Some elateriform larvae of click beetles are known as wireworms. Beetles in the families of the Scarabaeoidea have short, thick larvae described as scarabaeiform, but more commonly known as grubs. All beetle larvae go through several instars, which are the developmental stages between each moult. In many species the larvae simply increase in size with each successive instar as more food is consumed. In some cases, however, more dramatic changes occur. Among certain beetle families or genera, particularly those that exhibit parasitic lifestyles, the first instar (the planidium) is highly mobile in order to search out a host, while the following instars are more sedentary and remain on or within their host. This is known as hypermetamorphosis; examples include the blister beetles (family Meloidae) and some rove beetles, particularly those of the genus Aleochara. As with all endopterygotes, beetle larvae pupate, and from this pupa emerges a fully formed, sexually mature adult beetle, or imago. Adults have an extremely variable lifespan, from weeks to years, depending on the species. Beetles mating in San Francisco Flamboyant flower beetle, Eudicella gralli, from the forests of Central Africa. The iridescent elytra are used in marriage ceremonies. Beetles may display extremely intricate behaviour when mating. Smell is thought to be important in the location of a mate. Conflict can play a part in the mating rituals of species such as burying beetles (genus Nicrophorus) where conflicts between males and females rage until only one of each is left, thus ensuring reproduction by the strongest and fittest. Many beetles are territorial and will fiercely defend their small patch of territory from intruding males. Pairing is generally short but in some cases will last for several hours. During pairing sperm cells are transferred to the female to fertilise the egg. Parental care varies between species, ranging from the simple laying of eggs under a leaf to certain scarab beetles, which construct underground structures complete with a supply of dung to house and feed their young. Other beetles are leaf rollers, biting sections of leaves to cause them to curl inwards, then laying their eggs, thus protected, inside. Brachinus sp., a bombardier beetle Beetles and their larvae have a variety of strategies to avoid being attacked by predators or parasitoids. These include camouflage, mimicry, toxicity, and active defence. Camouflage involves the use of colouration or shape to blend into the surrounding environment. Among those that exhibit this defensive strategy are some of the leaf beetles (family Chysomelidae), having green colouring very similar to their habitat on plant leaves. More complex camouflage also occurs, as with some weevils, where various coloured scales or hairs cause the beetle to resemble bird dung. Another defence that often uses colour or shape to deceive potential enemies is mimicry. A number of longhorn beetles (family Cerambycidae) bear a striking resemblance to wasps, which fools predators into keeping their distance even though the beetles are in fact harmless. This defence can be found to a lesser extent in other beetle families, such as the scarab beetles. Beetles may combine their colour mimicry with behavioural mimicry, acting like the wasps they already closely resemble. Many beetle species, including ladybirds and blister beetles, can secrete distasteful or toxic substances to make them unpalatable or even poisonous. These same species often exhibit aposematism, where bright or contrasting colour patterns warn away potential predators. Large ground beetles and longhorn beetles may go on the attack, using their strong mandibles to forcibly persuade a predator to seek out easier prey. Others, such as bombardier beetles (within Carabidae) spray acidic gas from their abdomen to repel predators. Besides being abundant and varied, the Coleoptera are able to exploit the wide diversity of food sources available in their many habitats. Some are generalists, eating both plants and animals. Other beetles are highly specialised in their diet. Many species of leaf beetles, longhorn beetles, and weevils are very host specific, feeding on only a single species of plant. Ground beetles and rove beetles (family Staphylinidae), among others, are primarily carnivorous and will catch and consume many other arthropods and small prey such as earthworms and snails. While most predatory beetles are generalists, a few species have more specific prey requirements or preferences. Decaying organic matter is a primary diet for many species. This can range from dung, which is consumed by coprophagous species such as certain scarab beetles (family Scarabaeidae), to dead animals, which are eaten by necrophagous species such as the carrion beetles (family Silphidae). Some of the beetles found within dung and carrion are in fact predatory, such as the clown beetles, preying on the larvae of coprophagous and necrophagous insects. Aquatic beetles use several techniques for retaining air beneath the water's surface. Beetles of the family Dytiscidae hold air between the abdomen and the elytra when diving. Hydrophilidae have hairs on their under surface that retain a layer of air against their bodies. Adult crawling water beetles use both their elytra and their hind coxae (the basal segment of the back legs) in air retention while whirligig beetles simply carry an air bubble down with them whenever they dive. Sphaerius acaroides, a member of the small suborder Myxophaga While some authorities believe modern beetles began about 140 million years ago, research announced in 2007 showed that beetles may have entered the fossil record during the Lower Permian, about 265 to 300 million years ago. Modern Beetles Predate Dinosaurs, Dave Mosher, LiveScience.com, 26 December 2007. The four extant suborders of beetle are these: * Polyphaga is the largest suborder, containing more than 300,000 described species in more than 170 families, including rove beetles (Staphylinidae), scarab beetles (Scarabaeidae), blister beetles (Meloidae), stag beetles (Lucanidae) and true weevils (Curculionidae). These beetles can be identified by the cervical sclerites (hardened parts of the head used as points of attachment for muscles) absent in the other suborders. * Adephaga contains about 10 families of largely predatory beetles, includes ground beetles (Carabidae), Dytiscidae and whirligig beetles (Gyrinidae). In these beetles the testes are tubular and the first abdominal sternum (a plate of the exoskeleton) is divided by the hind coxae (the basal joints of the beetle's legs). * Archostemata contains four families of mainly wood-eating beetles, including reticulated beetles (Cupedidae) and the telephone-pole beetle. * Myxophaga contains about 100 described species in four families, mostly very small, including Hydroscaphidae and the genus Sphaerius. These suborders diverged in the Permian and Triassic. Their phylogenetic relationship is uncertain, with the most popular hypothesis being that Polyphaga and Myxophaga are most closely related, with Adephaga as the sister group to those two, and Archostemata as sister to the other three collectively. There are about 350,000 species of beetles. Such a large number of species poses special problems for classification, with some families consisting of thousands of species and needing further division into subfamilies and tribes. Colorado potato beetle (Leptinotarsa decemlineata) larvae Many agricultural, forestry, and household insect pests are beetles. These include the following: * The Colorado potato beetle, Leptinotarsa decemlineata, is a notorious pest of potato plants. Crops are destroyed and the beetle can only be treated by employing expensive pesticides, many of which it has begun to develop resistance to. As well as potatoes, suitable hosts can be a number of plants from the potato family (Solanaceae), such as nightshade, tomato, aubergine and capsicum. * The boll weevil, Anthonomus grandis, has cost cotton producers in the United States billions of dollars since it first entered that country. * The bark beetles Hylurgopinus rufipes and Scolytus multistriatus, the elm leaf beetle, Pyrrhalta luteola, and other beetles attack elm trees. The bark beetles are important elm pests because they carry Dutch elm disease as they move from infected breeding sites to feed on healthy elm trees. The spread of the fungus by the beetle has led to the devastation of elm trees in many parts of the Northern Hemisphere, notably in Europe and North America. * The death watch beetle, Xestobium rufovillosum, (family Anobiidae) is of considerable importance as a pest of older wooden buildings in Great Britain. It attacks hardwoods such as oak and chestnut, always where some fungal decay has taken or is taking place. It is thought that the actual introduction of the pest into buildings takes place at the time of construction. * Asian long-horned beetle * Citrus long-horned beetle * Western corn rootworm * Coconut hispine beetle or Brontispa longissima gestro feeds on young leaves and damages seedlings and mature coconut palms. On September 27, 2007, Philippines' Metro Manila and 26 provinces were quarantined due to having been infested with this pest (to save the $800-million Philippine coconut industry). Inquirer.net, Beetles infest coconuts in Manila, 26 provinces Coccinella septempunctata, a beneficial beetle * Both the larvae and adults of some ladybirds (family Coccinellidae) are found in aphid colonies. Other lady beetles feed on scale insects and mealybugs. If normal food sources are scarce they may feed on other things, such as small caterpillars, young plant bugs, honeydew and nectar. * Ground beetles (family Carabidae) are common predators of many different insects and other arthropods, including fly eggs, caterpillars, wireworms and others. * Plant-feeding beetles are often important beneficial insects, controlling problem weeds. Some flea beetles of the genus Aphthona feed on leafy spurge, a considerable weed of rangeland in western North America. Some farmers develop beetle banks to foster and provide cover for beneficial beetles. Beetles of the Dermestidae family are often used in taxidermy to clean bones of remaining flesh. Ancient Egyptian scene depicting a scarab beetle Several species of dung beetle, most notably Scarabaeus sacer (often referred to as "scarab"), enjoyed a sacred status among the ancient Egyptians, as the creatures were likened to the major god Khepri. Some scholars suggest that the Egyptians' practice of making mummies was inspired by the brooding process of the beetle. Many thousands of amulets and stamp seals have been excavated that depict the scarab. In many artifacts, the scarab is depicted pushing the sun along its course in the sky, much as scarabs push or roll balls of dung to their brood sites. During and following the New Kingdom, scarab amulets were often placed over the heart of the mummified deceased. Some tribal groups, particularly in tropical parts of the world, use the colourful, iridescent elytra of certain beetles, especially certain Scarabaeidae, in ceremonies and as adornment. Beetle collection at the Melbourne Museum, Australia The study of beetles is called coleopterology, and its practitioners are coleopterists. Coleopterists have formed organisations to facilitate the study of beetles. Among these is The Coleopterists Society, an international organisation based in the United States. Such organisations may have both professionals and amateurs interested in beetles as members. Research in this field is often published in peer-reviewed journals specific to the field of coleopterology, though journals dealing with general entomology also publish many papers on various aspects of beetle biology. Some of the journals specific to beetle research are: The Coleopterist (United Kingdom beetle fauna) The Coleopterists Bulletin (published by The Coleopterists Society) There is a thriving industry in the collection of beetle specimens for amateur and professional collectors. Many coleopterists prefer to collect beetle specimens for themselves, recording detailed information about each specimen and its habitat. Such collections add to the body of knowledge about the Coleoptera. Some countries have established laws governing or prohibiting the collection of certain rare (and often much sought after) species. One such beetle whose collection is illegal or restricted is the American burying beetle, Nicrophorus americanus. * Poul Beckmann, Living Jewels: The Natural Design of Beetles ISBN 3-7913-2528-0 * Arthur V. Evans, Charles Bellamy, and Lisa Charles Watson, An Inordinate Fondness for Beetles ISBN 0-520-22323-3 * Entomological Society of America, Beetle Larvae of the World ISBN 0-643-05506-1 * David Grimaldi, Michael S. Engel, Evolution of the Insects ISBN 0-521-82149-5 * Ross H. Arnett, Jr. and Michael C. Thomas, American Beetles (CRC Press, 2001-2). ISBN 0-8493-1925-0 * K. W. Harde, A Field Guide in Colour to Beetles ISBN 0-7064-1937-5 Pages 7-24 * White, R.E. 1983. Beetles. Houghton Mifflin Company, New York, NY. ISBN 0-395-91089-7 Heteroptera - insect suborder that is superficially similar to beetles - Coleoptera All what do you need to know about coleoptera, collecting and preparation * The Beetle Ring - A group of websites about beetles (Coleoptera). * List of major Beetle collections - worldwide * Entomology - online insect museum, entomology, tips and tricks, how to spread and pin insects, etc. * - Gallery of Central European beetles * Coleoptera from the Tree of Life * Australian borers species * Beetles and coleopterologists Russian site with English version, with information about biology, systematics and paleontology of beetles * North American Beetles from BugGuide * Bibliography on fossil insects * Coleoptera Families of the World * A digital collection of Southeast Asian beetles Related Wikipedia Articles coleopter Hylobius abietis weevil Animal Arthropod Insect Pterygota Neoptera Endopterygota Carolus Linnaeus Systema Naturae Suborder (biology) Adephaga Archostemata Myxophaga Polyphaga subgroups of the order Coleoptera insect species species animal polar region ecosystem plant fungus invertebrate Colorado potato beetle boll weevil coccinellidae aphid scale insect thrips Aristotle cockchafer Trogodendron fasciculatum monophyletic holometabolous prothorax coxa anatomy appendage pronotum insect wing segmentation (biology) exoskeleton elytron sclerite insect flight insect wing ground beetle Curculionidae glowworm Phengodidae Larviform female mouthparts grasshopper mandible (insect) #Defence appendage compound eye whirligig beetle longhorn beetle ocellus vertex (anatomy) antenna (biology) antenna (biology) Acilius sulcatus arthropod leg Dytiscidae Haliplidae Hydrophilidae fossorial clown beetle flea beetle Oxygen invertebrate trachea spiracle hemolymph blood open circulatory system Melolontha melolontha Endopterygota metamorphosis (biology) larva Colorado potato beetle larva Biological life cycle Buprestidae spiracle click beetle darkling beetle click beetle Scarabaeoidea instar ecdysis planidium hypermetamorphosis blister beetle Aleochara pupa imago San Francisco Flamboyant flower beetle burying beetle Spermatozoon fertilisation Scarabaeidae leaf roller Brachinus bombardier beetle parasitoid camouflage mimicry leaf beetle weevil longhorn beetle wasp Coccinellidae blister beetle aposematism ground beetle Mandible (insect) bombardier beetle Ground beetle rove beetle arthropod dung coprophagous dung beetle necrophagous carrion beetle clown beetle coxa Ross H. Arnett, Jr. Michael C. Thomas American Beetles CRC Press Boca Raton, Florida whirligig beetle Sphaerius Myxophaga fossil Permian Polyphaga rove beetle scarabaeidae blister beetle stag beetle Curculionidae sclerite Adephaga ground beetle Dytiscidae whirligig beetle testes exoskeleton coxa Archostemata reticulated beetle telephone-pole beetle Myxophaga Hydroscaphidae Sphaerius Triassic phylogenetics sister group Linnaean taxonomy Colorado potato beetle Colorado potato beetle potato pesticide pesticide resistance Solanaceae nightshade tomato aubergine capsicum boll weevil United States bark beetle elm leaf beetle elm Dutch elm disease Northern Hemisphere Europe North America death watch beetle Anobiidae Great Britain hardwood oak chestnut Asian long-horned beetle Citrus long-horned beetle Western corn rootworm Coconut leaves seedlings coconut palms September 27 Philippines Metro Manila provinces quarantined pest coconut industry Coccinella septempunctata ladybirds Coccinellidae aphid scale insect mealybug honeydew nectar Ground beetle caterpillar Aphthona leafy spurge beetle bank Dermestidae taxidermy Dung beetle Scarabaeus sacer Ancient Egyptian Khepri Mummy New Kingdom Elytron Melbourne Museum coleopterology list of coleopterists The Coleopterists Society international organisation scientific journal The Coleopterist The Coleopterists Bulletin Nicrophorus americanus Entomological Society of America David Grimaldi Michael S. Engel Ross H. Arnett, Jr. Michael C. Thomas American Beetles Heteroptera
beetle	When are sperm cells transferred to the female?	During pairing	data/set1/a8	beetle Beetles are a group of insects which have the largest number of species. They are placed in the order Coleoptera,which means "sheathed wing" and contains more described species than in any other order in the animal kingdom, constituting about twenty-five percent of all known life-forms. James K. Liebherr and Joseph V. McHugh in Resh, V. H. & R. T. CardÃ© (Editors) 2003. Encyclopedia of Insects. Academic Press. Forty percent of all described insect species are beetles (about 350,000 species ), and new species are frequently discovered. Estimates put the total number of species, described and undescribed, at between 5 and 8 million. Beetles can be found in almost all habitats, but are not known to occur in the sea or in the polar regions. They interact with their ecosystems in several ways. They often feed on plants and fungi, break down animal and plant debris, and eat other invertebrates. Some species are prey of various animals including birds and mammals. Certain species are agricultural pests, such as the Colorado potato beetle Leptinotarsa decemlineata, the boll weevil Anthonomus grandis, the red flour beetle Tribolium castaneum, and the mungbean or cowpea beetle Callosobruchus maculatus, while other species of beetles are important controls of agricultural pests. For example, coccinellidae ("ladybirds" or "ladybugs") consume aphids, scale insects, thrips, and other plant-sucking insects that damage crops. The name "Coleoptera" was given by Aristotle for the hardened shield like forewings (coleo = shield + ptera = wing). A cockchafer with its elytra raised, exposing the membranous flight wings, where the veins are visible Trogodendron fasciculatum, a clerid beetle with bright yellow antennae Other characters of this group which are believed to be monophyletic include a holometabolous life cycle; having a prothorax that is distinct from and freely articulating with the mesothorax; the meso- and meta-thoracic segments fusing to form a pterothorax; a depressed body shape with the legs on the ventral surface; the coxae of legs recessed into cavities formed by heavily sclerotized thoracic sclerites; the abdominal sternites more sclerotized than the tergites; antennae with 11 or fewer segments; and terminal genitalic appendages retracted into the abdomen and invisible at rest. The general anatomy of beetles is quite uniform, although specific organs and appendages may vary greatly in appearance and function between the many families in the order. Like all insects, beetles' bodies are divided into three sections: the head, the thorax, and the abdomen. When viewed from below, the thorax is that part from which all three pairs of legs and both pairs of wings arise. The abdomen is everything posterior to the thorax. When viewed from above, most beetles appear to have three clear sections, but this is deceptive: on the beetle's upper surface, the middle "section" is a hard plate called the pronotum, which is only the front part of the thorax; the back part of the thorax is concealed by the beetle's wings. Like all arthropods, beetles are segmented organisms, and all three of the major sections of the body are themselves composed of several further segments, although these are not always readily discernible. This further segmentation is usually best seen on the abdomen. Beetles are generally characterised by a particularly hard exoskeleton and hard forewings (elytra). The beetle's exoskeleton is made up of numerous plates called sclerites, separated by thin sutures. This design creates the armoured defences of the beetle while maintaining flexibility. The elytra are not used for flight, but tend to cover the hind part of the body and protect the second pair of wings (alae). The elytra must be raised in order to move the hind flight wings. A beetle's flight wings are crossed with veins and are folded after landing, often along these veins, and are stored below the elytra. In some beetles, the ability to fly has been lost. These include the ground beetles (family Carabidae) and some "true weevils" (family Curculionidae), but also some desert and cave-dwelling species of other families. Many of these species have the two elytra fused together, forming a solid shield over the abdomen. In a few families, both the ability to fly and the elytra have been lost, with the best known example being the glow-worms of the family Phengodidae, in which the females are larviform throughout their lives. Beetles have mouthparts similar to those of grasshoppers. Of these parts, the most commonly known are probably the mandibles, which appear as large pincers on the front of some beetles. The mandibles are a pair of hard, often tooth-like structures that move horizontally to grasp, crush, or cut food or enemies (see defence, below). Two pairs of finger-like appendages are found around the mouth in most beetles, serving to move food into the mouth. These are the maxillary and labial palpi. The eyes are compound and may display remarkable adaptability, as in the case of whirligig beetles (family Gyrinidae), in which the eyes are split to allow a view both above and below the waterline. Other species also have divided eyes â some longhorn beetles (family Cerambycidae) and weevils â while many beetles have eyes that are notched to some degree. A few beetle genera also possess ocelli, which are small, simple eyes usually situated farther back on the head (on the vertex). Beetles' antennae are primarily organs of smell, but may also be used to feel out a beetle's environment physically. They may also be used in some families during mating, or among a few beetles for defence. Antennae vary greatly in form within the Coleoptera, but are often similar within any given family. In some cases, males and females of the same species will have different antennal forms. Antennae may be clavate (flabellate and lamellate are sub-forms of clavate, or clubbed antennae), filiform, geniculate, moniliform, pectinate, or serrate. For images of these antennal forms see antenna (biology). Acilius sulcatus, a diving beetle showing hind legs adapted for life in water The legs, which are multi-segmented, end in two to five small segments called tarsi. Like many other insect orders beetles bear claws, usually one pair, on the end of the last tarsal segment of each leg. While most beetles use their legs for walking, legs may be variously modified and adapted for other uses. Among aquatic families â Dytiscidae, Haliplidae, many species of Hydrophilidae and others â the legs, most notably the last pair, are modified for swimming and often bear rows of long hairs to aid this purpose. Other beetles have fossorial legs that are widened and often spined for digging. Species with such adaptations are found among the scarabs, ground beetles, and clown beetles (family Histeridae). The hind legs of some beetles, such as flea beetles (within Chrysomelidae) and flea weevils (within Curculionidae), are enlarged and designed for jumping. Oxygen is obtained via a tracheal system. Air enters a series of tubes along the body through openings called spiracles, and is then taken into increasingly finer fibres. Pumping movements of the body force the air through the system. Beetles have haemolymph instead of blood, and the open circulatory system of the beetle is powered by a tube-like heart attached to the top inside of the thorax. Scarabaeiform larva of the cockchafer, Melolontha melolontha Beetles are endopterygotes with complete metamorphosis. A single female may lay from several dozen to several thousand eggs during her lifetime. Eggs are usually laid according to the substrate the larva will feed on upon hatching. Among others, they can be laid loose in the substrate (e.g. flour beetle), laid in clumps on leaves (e.g. Colorado potato beetle), or individually attached (e.g. mungbean beetle and other seed borers) or buried in the medium (e.g. carrot weevil). The larva is usually the principal feeding stage of the beetle life cycle. Larvae tend to feed voraciously once they emerge from their eggs. Some feed externally on plants, such as those of certain leaf beetles, while others feed within their food sources. Examples of internal feeders are most Buprestidae and longhorn beetles. The larvae of many beetle families are predatory like the adults (ground beetles, ladybirds, rove beetles). The larval period varies between species but can be as long as several years. Beetle larvae can be differentiated from other insect larvae by their hardened, often darkened head, the presence of chewing mouthparts, and spiracles along the sides of the body. Like adult beetles, the larvae are varied in appearance, particularly between beetle families. Beetles whose larvae are somewhat flattened and are highly mobile are the ground beetles, some rove beetles, and others; their larvae are described as campodeiform. Some beetle larvae resemble hardened worms with dark head capsules and minute legs. These are elateriform larvae, and are found in the click beetle (Elateridae) and darkling beetle (Tenebrionidae) families. Some elateriform larvae of click beetles are known as wireworms. Beetles in the families of the Scarabaeoidea have short, thick larvae described as scarabaeiform, but more commonly known as grubs. All beetle larvae go through several instars, which are the developmental stages between each moult. In many species the larvae simply increase in size with each successive instar as more food is consumed. In some cases, however, more dramatic changes occur. Among certain beetle families or genera, particularly those that exhibit parasitic lifestyles, the first instar (the planidium) is highly mobile in order to search out a host, while the following instars are more sedentary and remain on or within their host. This is known as hypermetamorphosis; examples include the blister beetles (family Meloidae) and some rove beetles, particularly those of the genus Aleochara. As with all endopterygotes, beetle larvae pupate, and from this pupa emerges a fully formed, sexually mature adult beetle, or imago. Adults have an extremely variable lifespan, from weeks to years, depending on the species. Beetles mating in San Francisco Flamboyant flower beetle, Eudicella gralli, from the forests of Central Africa. The iridescent elytra are used in marriage ceremonies. Beetles may display extremely intricate behaviour when mating. Smell is thought to be important in the location of a mate. Conflict can play a part in the mating rituals of species such as burying beetles (genus Nicrophorus) where conflicts between males and females rage until only one of each is left, thus ensuring reproduction by the strongest and fittest. Many beetles are territorial and will fiercely defend their small patch of territory from intruding males. Pairing is generally short but in some cases will last for several hours. During pairing sperm cells are transferred to the female to fertilise the egg. Parental care varies between species, ranging from the simple laying of eggs under a leaf to certain scarab beetles, which construct underground structures complete with a supply of dung to house and feed their young. Other beetles are leaf rollers, biting sections of leaves to cause them to curl inwards, then laying their eggs, thus protected, inside. Brachinus sp., a bombardier beetle Beetles and their larvae have a variety of strategies to avoid being attacked by predators or parasitoids. These include camouflage, mimicry, toxicity, and active defence. Camouflage involves the use of colouration or shape to blend into the surrounding environment. Among those that exhibit this defensive strategy are some of the leaf beetles (family Chysomelidae), having green colouring very similar to their habitat on plant leaves. More complex camouflage also occurs, as with some weevils, where various coloured scales or hairs cause the beetle to resemble bird dung. Another defence that often uses colour or shape to deceive potential enemies is mimicry. A number of longhorn beetles (family Cerambycidae) bear a striking resemblance to wasps, which fools predators into keeping their distance even though the beetles are in fact harmless. This defence can be found to a lesser extent in other beetle families, such as the scarab beetles. Beetles may combine their colour mimicry with behavioural mimicry, acting like the wasps they already closely resemble. Many beetle species, including ladybirds and blister beetles, can secrete distasteful or toxic substances to make them unpalatable or even poisonous. These same species often exhibit aposematism, where bright or contrasting colour patterns warn away potential predators. Large ground beetles and longhorn beetles may go on the attack, using their strong mandibles to forcibly persuade a predator to seek out easier prey. Others, such as bombardier beetles (within Carabidae) spray acidic gas from their abdomen to repel predators. Besides being abundant and varied, the Coleoptera are able to exploit the wide diversity of food sources available in their many habitats. Some are generalists, eating both plants and animals. Other beetles are highly specialised in their diet. Many species of leaf beetles, longhorn beetles, and weevils are very host specific, feeding on only a single species of plant. Ground beetles and rove beetles (family Staphylinidae), among others, are primarily carnivorous and will catch and consume many other arthropods and small prey such as earthworms and snails. While most predatory beetles are generalists, a few species have more specific prey requirements or preferences. Decaying organic matter is a primary diet for many species. This can range from dung, which is consumed by coprophagous species such as certain scarab beetles (family Scarabaeidae), to dead animals, which are eaten by necrophagous species such as the carrion beetles (family Silphidae). Some of the beetles found within dung and carrion are in fact predatory, such as the clown beetles, preying on the larvae of coprophagous and necrophagous insects. Aquatic beetles use several techniques for retaining air beneath the water's surface. Beetles of the family Dytiscidae hold air between the abdomen and the elytra when diving. Hydrophilidae have hairs on their under surface that retain a layer of air against their bodies. Adult crawling water beetles use both their elytra and their hind coxae (the basal segment of the back legs) in air retention while whirligig beetles simply carry an air bubble down with them whenever they dive. Sphaerius acaroides, a member of the small suborder Myxophaga While some authorities believe modern beetles began about 140 million years ago, research announced in 2007 showed that beetles may have entered the fossil record during the Lower Permian, about 265 to 300 million years ago. Modern Beetles Predate Dinosaurs, Dave Mosher, LiveScience.com, 26 December 2007. The four extant suborders of beetle are these: * Polyphaga is the largest suborder, containing more than 300,000 described species in more than 170 families, including rove beetles (Staphylinidae), scarab beetles (Scarabaeidae), blister beetles (Meloidae), stag beetles (Lucanidae) and true weevils (Curculionidae). These beetles can be identified by the cervical sclerites (hardened parts of the head used as points of attachment for muscles) absent in the other suborders. * Adephaga contains about 10 families of largely predatory beetles, includes ground beetles (Carabidae), Dytiscidae and whirligig beetles (Gyrinidae). In these beetles the testes are tubular and the first abdominal sternum (a plate of the exoskeleton) is divided by the hind coxae (the basal joints of the beetle's legs). * Archostemata contains four families of mainly wood-eating beetles, including reticulated beetles (Cupedidae) and the telephone-pole beetle. * Myxophaga contains about 100 described species in four families, mostly very small, including Hydroscaphidae and the genus Sphaerius. These suborders diverged in the Permian and Triassic. Their phylogenetic relationship is uncertain, with the most popular hypothesis being that Polyphaga and Myxophaga are most closely related, with Adephaga as the sister group to those two, and Archostemata as sister to the other three collectively. There are about 350,000 species of beetles. Such a large number of species poses special problems for classification, with some families consisting of thousands of species and needing further division into subfamilies and tribes. Colorado potato beetle (Leptinotarsa decemlineata) larvae Many agricultural, forestry, and household insect pests are beetles. These include the following: * The Colorado potato beetle, Leptinotarsa decemlineata, is a notorious pest of potato plants. Crops are destroyed and the beetle can only be treated by employing expensive pesticides, many of which it has begun to develop resistance to. As well as potatoes, suitable hosts can be a number of plants from the potato family (Solanaceae), such as nightshade, tomato, aubergine and capsicum. * The boll weevil, Anthonomus grandis, has cost cotton producers in the United States billions of dollars since it first entered that country. * The bark beetles Hylurgopinus rufipes and Scolytus multistriatus, the elm leaf beetle, Pyrrhalta luteola, and other beetles attack elm trees. The bark beetles are important elm pests because they carry Dutch elm disease as they move from infected breeding sites to feed on healthy elm trees. The spread of the fungus by the beetle has led to the devastation of elm trees in many parts of the Northern Hemisphere, notably in Europe and North America. * The death watch beetle, Xestobium rufovillosum, (family Anobiidae) is of considerable importance as a pest of older wooden buildings in Great Britain. It attacks hardwoods such as oak and chestnut, always where some fungal decay has taken or is taking place. It is thought that the actual introduction of the pest into buildings takes place at the time of construction. * Asian long-horned beetle * Citrus long-horned beetle * Western corn rootworm * Coconut hispine beetle or Brontispa longissima gestro feeds on young leaves and damages seedlings and mature coconut palms. On September 27, 2007, Philippines' Metro Manila and 26 provinces were quarantined due to having been infested with this pest (to save the $800-million Philippine coconut industry). Inquirer.net, Beetles infest coconuts in Manila, 26 provinces Coccinella septempunctata, a beneficial beetle * Both the larvae and adults of some ladybirds (family Coccinellidae) are found in aphid colonies. Other lady beetles feed on scale insects and mealybugs. If normal food sources are scarce they may feed on other things, such as small caterpillars, young plant bugs, honeydew and nectar. * Ground beetles (family Carabidae) are common predators of many different insects and other arthropods, including fly eggs, caterpillars, wireworms and others. * Plant-feeding beetles are often important beneficial insects, controlling problem weeds. Some flea beetles of the genus Aphthona feed on leafy spurge, a considerable weed of rangeland in western North America. Some farmers develop beetle banks to foster and provide cover for beneficial beetles. Beetles of the Dermestidae family are often used in taxidermy to clean bones of remaining flesh. Ancient Egyptian scene depicting a scarab beetle Several species of dung beetle, most notably Scarabaeus sacer (often referred to as "scarab"), enjoyed a sacred status among the ancient Egyptians, as the creatures were likened to the major god Khepri. Some scholars suggest that the Egyptians' practice of making mummies was inspired by the brooding process of the beetle. Many thousands of amulets and stamp seals have been excavated that depict the scarab. In many artifacts, the scarab is depicted pushing the sun along its course in the sky, much as scarabs push or roll balls of dung to their brood sites. During and following the New Kingdom, scarab amulets were often placed over the heart of the mummified deceased. Some tribal groups, particularly in tropical parts of the world, use the colourful, iridescent elytra of certain beetles, especially certain Scarabaeidae, in ceremonies and as adornment. Beetle collection at the Melbourne Museum, Australia The study of beetles is called coleopterology, and its practitioners are coleopterists. Coleopterists have formed organisations to facilitate the study of beetles. Among these is The Coleopterists Society, an international organisation based in the United States. Such organisations may have both professionals and amateurs interested in beetles as members. Research in this field is often published in peer-reviewed journals specific to the field of coleopterology, though journals dealing with general entomology also publish many papers on various aspects of beetle biology. Some of the journals specific to beetle research are: The Coleopterist (United Kingdom beetle fauna) The Coleopterists Bulletin (published by The Coleopterists Society) There is a thriving industry in the collection of beetle specimens for amateur and professional collectors. Many coleopterists prefer to collect beetle specimens for themselves, recording detailed information about each specimen and its habitat. Such collections add to the body of knowledge about the Coleoptera. Some countries have established laws governing or prohibiting the collection of certain rare (and often much sought after) species. One such beetle whose collection is illegal or restricted is the American burying beetle, Nicrophorus americanus. * Poul Beckmann, Living Jewels: The Natural Design of Beetles ISBN 3-7913-2528-0 * Arthur V. Evans, Charles Bellamy, and Lisa Charles Watson, An Inordinate Fondness for Beetles ISBN 0-520-22323-3 * Entomological Society of America, Beetle Larvae of the World ISBN 0-643-05506-1 * David Grimaldi, Michael S. Engel, Evolution of the Insects ISBN 0-521-82149-5 * Ross H. Arnett, Jr. and Michael C. Thomas, American Beetles (CRC Press, 2001-2). ISBN 0-8493-1925-0 * K. W. Harde, A Field Guide in Colour to Beetles ISBN 0-7064-1937-5 Pages 7-24 * White, R.E. 1983. Beetles. Houghton Mifflin Company, New York, NY. ISBN 0-395-91089-7 Heteroptera - insect suborder that is superficially similar to beetles - Coleoptera All what do you need to know about coleoptera, collecting and preparation * The Beetle Ring - A group of websites about beetles (Coleoptera). * List of major Beetle collections - worldwide * Entomology - online insect museum, entomology, tips and tricks, how to spread and pin insects, etc. * - Gallery of Central European beetles * Coleoptera from the Tree of Life * Australian borers species * Beetles and coleopterologists Russian site with English version, with information about biology, systematics and paleontology of beetles * North American Beetles from BugGuide * Bibliography on fossil insects * Coleoptera Families of the World * A digital collection of Southeast Asian beetles Related Wikipedia Articles coleopter Hylobius abietis weevil Animal Arthropod Insect Pterygota Neoptera Endopterygota Carolus Linnaeus Systema Naturae Suborder (biology) Adephaga Archostemata Myxophaga Polyphaga subgroups of the order Coleoptera insect species species animal polar region ecosystem plant fungus invertebrate Colorado potato beetle boll weevil coccinellidae aphid scale insect thrips Aristotle cockchafer Trogodendron fasciculatum monophyletic holometabolous prothorax coxa anatomy appendage pronotum insect wing segmentation (biology) exoskeleton elytron sclerite insect flight insect wing ground beetle Curculionidae glowworm Phengodidae Larviform female mouthparts grasshopper mandible (insect) #Defence appendage compound eye whirligig beetle longhorn beetle ocellus vertex (anatomy) antenna (biology) antenna (biology) Acilius sulcatus arthropod leg Dytiscidae Haliplidae Hydrophilidae fossorial clown beetle flea beetle Oxygen invertebrate trachea spiracle hemolymph blood open circulatory system Melolontha melolontha Endopterygota metamorphosis (biology) larva Colorado potato beetle larva Biological life cycle Buprestidae spiracle click beetle darkling beetle click beetle Scarabaeoidea instar ecdysis planidium hypermetamorphosis blister beetle Aleochara pupa imago San Francisco Flamboyant flower beetle burying beetle Spermatozoon fertilisation Scarabaeidae leaf roller Brachinus bombardier beetle parasitoid camouflage mimicry leaf beetle weevil longhorn beetle wasp Coccinellidae blister beetle aposematism ground beetle Mandible (insect) bombardier beetle Ground beetle rove beetle arthropod dung coprophagous dung beetle necrophagous carrion beetle clown beetle coxa Ross H. Arnett, Jr. Michael C. Thomas American Beetles CRC Press Boca Raton, Florida whirligig beetle Sphaerius Myxophaga fossil Permian Polyphaga rove beetle scarabaeidae blister beetle stag beetle Curculionidae sclerite Adephaga ground beetle Dytiscidae whirligig beetle testes exoskeleton coxa Archostemata reticulated beetle telephone-pole beetle Myxophaga Hydroscaphidae Sphaerius Triassic phylogenetics sister group Linnaean taxonomy Colorado potato beetle Colorado potato beetle potato pesticide pesticide resistance Solanaceae nightshade tomato aubergine capsicum boll weevil United States bark beetle elm leaf beetle elm Dutch elm disease Northern Hemisphere Europe North America death watch beetle Anobiidae Great Britain hardwood oak chestnut Asian long-horned beetle Citrus long-horned beetle Western corn rootworm Coconut leaves seedlings coconut palms September 27 Philippines Metro Manila provinces quarantined pest coconut industry Coccinella septempunctata ladybirds Coccinellidae aphid scale insect mealybug honeydew nectar Ground beetle caterpillar Aphthona leafy spurge beetle bank Dermestidae taxidermy Dung beetle Scarabaeus sacer Ancient Egyptian Khepri Mummy New Kingdom Elytron Melbourne Museum coleopterology list of coleopterists The Coleopterists Society international organisation scientific journal The Coleopterist The Coleopterists Bulletin Nicrophorus americanus Entomological Society of America David Grimaldi Michael S. Engel Ross H. Arnett, Jr. Michael C. Thomas American Beetles Heteroptera
beetle	What is the study of beetles called?	coleopterology	data/set1/a8	beetle Beetles are a group of insects which have the largest number of species. They are placed in the order Coleoptera,which means "sheathed wing" and contains more described species than in any other order in the animal kingdom, constituting about twenty-five percent of all known life-forms. James K. Liebherr and Joseph V. McHugh in Resh, V. H. & R. T. CardÃ© (Editors) 2003. Encyclopedia of Insects. Academic Press. Forty percent of all described insect species are beetles (about 350,000 species ), and new species are frequently discovered. Estimates put the total number of species, described and undescribed, at between 5 and 8 million. Beetles can be found in almost all habitats, but are not known to occur in the sea or in the polar regions. They interact with their ecosystems in several ways. They often feed on plants and fungi, break down animal and plant debris, and eat other invertebrates. Some species are prey of various animals including birds and mammals. Certain species are agricultural pests, such as the Colorado potato beetle Leptinotarsa decemlineata, the boll weevil Anthonomus grandis, the red flour beetle Tribolium castaneum, and the mungbean or cowpea beetle Callosobruchus maculatus, while other species of beetles are important controls of agricultural pests. For example, coccinellidae ("ladybirds" or "ladybugs") consume aphids, scale insects, thrips, and other plant-sucking insects that damage crops. The name "Coleoptera" was given by Aristotle for the hardened shield like forewings (coleo = shield + ptera = wing). A cockchafer with its elytra raised, exposing the membranous flight wings, where the veins are visible Trogodendron fasciculatum, a clerid beetle with bright yellow antennae Other characters of this group which are believed to be monophyletic include a holometabolous life cycle; having a prothorax that is distinct from and freely articulating with the mesothorax; the meso- and meta-thoracic segments fusing to form a pterothorax; a depressed body shape with the legs on the ventral surface; the coxae of legs recessed into cavities formed by heavily sclerotized thoracic sclerites; the abdominal sternites more sclerotized than the tergites; antennae with 11 or fewer segments; and terminal genitalic appendages retracted into the abdomen and invisible at rest. The general anatomy of beetles is quite uniform, although specific organs and appendages may vary greatly in appearance and function between the many families in the order. Like all insects, beetles' bodies are divided into three sections: the head, the thorax, and the abdomen. When viewed from below, the thorax is that part from which all three pairs of legs and both pairs of wings arise. The abdomen is everything posterior to the thorax. When viewed from above, most beetles appear to have three clear sections, but this is deceptive: on the beetle's upper surface, the middle "section" is a hard plate called the pronotum, which is only the front part of the thorax; the back part of the thorax is concealed by the beetle's wings. Like all arthropods, beetles are segmented organisms, and all three of the major sections of the body are themselves composed of several further segments, although these are not always readily discernible. This further segmentation is usually best seen on the abdomen. Beetles are generally characterised by a particularly hard exoskeleton and hard forewings (elytra). The beetle's exoskeleton is made up of numerous plates called sclerites, separated by thin sutures. This design creates the armoured defences of the beetle while maintaining flexibility. The elytra are not used for flight, but tend to cover the hind part of the body and protect the second pair of wings (alae). The elytra must be raised in order to move the hind flight wings. A beetle's flight wings are crossed with veins and are folded after landing, often along these veins, and are stored below the elytra. In some beetles, the ability to fly has been lost. These include the ground beetles (family Carabidae) and some "true weevils" (family Curculionidae), but also some desert and cave-dwelling species of other families. Many of these species have the two elytra fused together, forming a solid shield over the abdomen. In a few families, both the ability to fly and the elytra have been lost, with the best known example being the glow-worms of the family Phengodidae, in which the females are larviform throughout their lives. Beetles have mouthparts similar to those of grasshoppers. Of these parts, the most commonly known are probably the mandibles, which appear as large pincers on the front of some beetles. The mandibles are a pair of hard, often tooth-like structures that move horizontally to grasp, crush, or cut food or enemies (see defence, below). Two pairs of finger-like appendages are found around the mouth in most beetles, serving to move food into the mouth. These are the maxillary and labial palpi. The eyes are compound and may display remarkable adaptability, as in the case of whirligig beetles (family Gyrinidae), in which the eyes are split to allow a view both above and below the waterline. Other species also have divided eyes â some longhorn beetles (family Cerambycidae) and weevils â while many beetles have eyes that are notched to some degree. A few beetle genera also possess ocelli, which are small, simple eyes usually situated farther back on the head (on the vertex). Beetles' antennae are primarily organs of smell, but may also be used to feel out a beetle's environment physically. They may also be used in some families during mating, or among a few beetles for defence. Antennae vary greatly in form within the Coleoptera, but are often similar within any given family. In some cases, males and females of the same species will have different antennal forms. Antennae may be clavate (flabellate and lamellate are sub-forms of clavate, or clubbed antennae), filiform, geniculate, moniliform, pectinate, or serrate. For images of these antennal forms see antenna (biology). Acilius sulcatus, a diving beetle showing hind legs adapted for life in water The legs, which are multi-segmented, end in two to five small segments called tarsi. Like many other insect orders beetles bear claws, usually one pair, on the end of the last tarsal segment of each leg. While most beetles use their legs for walking, legs may be variously modified and adapted for other uses. Among aquatic families â Dytiscidae, Haliplidae, many species of Hydrophilidae and others â the legs, most notably the last pair, are modified for swimming and often bear rows of long hairs to aid this purpose. Other beetles have fossorial legs that are widened and often spined for digging. Species with such adaptations are found among the scarabs, ground beetles, and clown beetles (family Histeridae). The hind legs of some beetles, such as flea beetles (within Chrysomelidae) and flea weevils (within Curculionidae), are enlarged and designed for jumping. Oxygen is obtained via a tracheal system. Air enters a series of tubes along the body through openings called spiracles, and is then taken into increasingly finer fibres. Pumping movements of the body force the air through the system. Beetles have haemolymph instead of blood, and the open circulatory system of the beetle is powered by a tube-like heart attached to the top inside of the thorax. Scarabaeiform larva of the cockchafer, Melolontha melolontha Beetles are endopterygotes with complete metamorphosis. A single female may lay from several dozen to several thousand eggs during her lifetime. Eggs are usually laid according to the substrate the larva will feed on upon hatching. Among others, they can be laid loose in the substrate (e.g. flour beetle), laid in clumps on leaves (e.g. Colorado potato beetle), or individually attached (e.g. mungbean beetle and other seed borers) or buried in the medium (e.g. carrot weevil). The larva is usually the principal feeding stage of the beetle life cycle. Larvae tend to feed voraciously once they emerge from their eggs. Some feed externally on plants, such as those of certain leaf beetles, while others feed within their food sources. Examples of internal feeders are most Buprestidae and longhorn beetles. The larvae of many beetle families are predatory like the adults (ground beetles, ladybirds, rove beetles). The larval period varies between species but can be as long as several years. Beetle larvae can be differentiated from other insect larvae by their hardened, often darkened head, the presence of chewing mouthparts, and spiracles along the sides of the body. Like adult beetles, the larvae are varied in appearance, particularly between beetle families. Beetles whose larvae are somewhat flattened and are highly mobile are the ground beetles, some rove beetles, and others; their larvae are described as campodeiform. Some beetle larvae resemble hardened worms with dark head capsules and minute legs. These are elateriform larvae, and are found in the click beetle (Elateridae) and darkling beetle (Tenebrionidae) families. Some elateriform larvae of click beetles are known as wireworms. Beetles in the families of the Scarabaeoidea have short, thick larvae described as scarabaeiform, but more commonly known as grubs. All beetle larvae go through several instars, which are the developmental stages between each moult. In many species the larvae simply increase in size with each successive instar as more food is consumed. In some cases, however, more dramatic changes occur. Among certain beetle families or genera, particularly those that exhibit parasitic lifestyles, the first instar (the planidium) is highly mobile in order to search out a host, while the following instars are more sedentary and remain on or within their host. This is known as hypermetamorphosis; examples include the blister beetles (family Meloidae) and some rove beetles, particularly those of the genus Aleochara. As with all endopterygotes, beetle larvae pupate, and from this pupa emerges a fully formed, sexually mature adult beetle, or imago. Adults have an extremely variable lifespan, from weeks to years, depending on the species. Beetles mating in San Francisco Flamboyant flower beetle, Eudicella gralli, from the forests of Central Africa. The iridescent elytra are used in marriage ceremonies. Beetles may display extremely intricate behaviour when mating. Smell is thought to be important in the location of a mate. Conflict can play a part in the mating rituals of species such as burying beetles (genus Nicrophorus) where conflicts between males and females rage until only one of each is left, thus ensuring reproduction by the strongest and fittest. Many beetles are territorial and will fiercely defend their small patch of territory from intruding males. Pairing is generally short but in some cases will last for several hours. During pairing sperm cells are transferred to the female to fertilise the egg. Parental care varies between species, ranging from the simple laying of eggs under a leaf to certain scarab beetles, which construct underground structures complete with a supply of dung to house and feed their young. Other beetles are leaf rollers, biting sections of leaves to cause them to curl inwards, then laying their eggs, thus protected, inside. Brachinus sp., a bombardier beetle Beetles and their larvae have a variety of strategies to avoid being attacked by predators or parasitoids. These include camouflage, mimicry, toxicity, and active defence. Camouflage involves the use of colouration or shape to blend into the surrounding environment. Among those that exhibit this defensive strategy are some of the leaf beetles (family Chysomelidae), having green colouring very similar to their habitat on plant leaves. More complex camouflage also occurs, as with some weevils, where various coloured scales or hairs cause the beetle to resemble bird dung. Another defence that often uses colour or shape to deceive potential enemies is mimicry. A number of longhorn beetles (family Cerambycidae) bear a striking resemblance to wasps, which fools predators into keeping their distance even though the beetles are in fact harmless. This defence can be found to a lesser extent in other beetle families, such as the scarab beetles. Beetles may combine their colour mimicry with behavioural mimicry, acting like the wasps they already closely resemble. Many beetle species, including ladybirds and blister beetles, can secrete distasteful or toxic substances to make them unpalatable or even poisonous. These same species often exhibit aposematism, where bright or contrasting colour patterns warn away potential predators. Large ground beetles and longhorn beetles may go on the attack, using their strong mandibles to forcibly persuade a predator to seek out easier prey. Others, such as bombardier beetles (within Carabidae) spray acidic gas from their abdomen to repel predators. Besides being abundant and varied, the Coleoptera are able to exploit the wide diversity of food sources available in their many habitats. Some are generalists, eating both plants and animals. Other beetles are highly specialised in their diet. Many species of leaf beetles, longhorn beetles, and weevils are very host specific, feeding on only a single species of plant. Ground beetles and rove beetles (family Staphylinidae), among others, are primarily carnivorous and will catch and consume many other arthropods and small prey such as earthworms and snails. While most predatory beetles are generalists, a few species have more specific prey requirements or preferences. Decaying organic matter is a primary diet for many species. This can range from dung, which is consumed by coprophagous species such as certain scarab beetles (family Scarabaeidae), to dead animals, which are eaten by necrophagous species such as the carrion beetles (family Silphidae). Some of the beetles found within dung and carrion are in fact predatory, such as the clown beetles, preying on the larvae of coprophagous and necrophagous insects. Aquatic beetles use several techniques for retaining air beneath the water's surface. Beetles of the family Dytiscidae hold air between the abdomen and the elytra when diving. Hydrophilidae have hairs on their under surface that retain a layer of air against their bodies. Adult crawling water beetles use both their elytra and their hind coxae (the basal segment of the back legs) in air retention while whirligig beetles simply carry an air bubble down with them whenever they dive. Sphaerius acaroides, a member of the small suborder Myxophaga While some authorities believe modern beetles began about 140 million years ago, research announced in 2007 showed that beetles may have entered the fossil record during the Lower Permian, about 265 to 300 million years ago. Modern Beetles Predate Dinosaurs, Dave Mosher, LiveScience.com, 26 December 2007. The four extant suborders of beetle are these: * Polyphaga is the largest suborder, containing more than 300,000 described species in more than 170 families, including rove beetles (Staphylinidae), scarab beetles (Scarabaeidae), blister beetles (Meloidae), stag beetles (Lucanidae) and true weevils (Curculionidae). These beetles can be identified by the cervical sclerites (hardened parts of the head used as points of attachment for muscles) absent in the other suborders. * Adephaga contains about 10 families of largely predatory beetles, includes ground beetles (Carabidae), Dytiscidae and whirligig beetles (Gyrinidae). In these beetles the testes are tubular and the first abdominal sternum (a plate of the exoskeleton) is divided by the hind coxae (the basal joints of the beetle's legs). * Archostemata contains four families of mainly wood-eating beetles, including reticulated beetles (Cupedidae) and the telephone-pole beetle. * Myxophaga contains about 100 described species in four families, mostly very small, including Hydroscaphidae and the genus Sphaerius. These suborders diverged in the Permian and Triassic. Their phylogenetic relationship is uncertain, with the most popular hypothesis being that Polyphaga and Myxophaga are most closely related, with Adephaga as the sister group to those two, and Archostemata as sister to the other three collectively. There are about 350,000 species of beetles. Such a large number of species poses special problems for classification, with some families consisting of thousands of species and needing further division into subfamilies and tribes. Colorado potato beetle (Leptinotarsa decemlineata) larvae Many agricultural, forestry, and household insect pests are beetles. These include the following: * The Colorado potato beetle, Leptinotarsa decemlineata, is a notorious pest of potato plants. Crops are destroyed and the beetle can only be treated by employing expensive pesticides, many of which it has begun to develop resistance to. As well as potatoes, suitable hosts can be a number of plants from the potato family (Solanaceae), such as nightshade, tomato, aubergine and capsicum. * The boll weevil, Anthonomus grandis, has cost cotton producers in the United States billions of dollars since it first entered that country. * The bark beetles Hylurgopinus rufipes and Scolytus multistriatus, the elm leaf beetle, Pyrrhalta luteola, and other beetles attack elm trees. The bark beetles are important elm pests because they carry Dutch elm disease as they move from infected breeding sites to feed on healthy elm trees. The spread of the fungus by the beetle has led to the devastation of elm trees in many parts of the Northern Hemisphere, notably in Europe and North America. * The death watch beetle, Xestobium rufovillosum, (family Anobiidae) is of considerable importance as a pest of older wooden buildings in Great Britain. It attacks hardwoods such as oak and chestnut, always where some fungal decay has taken or is taking place. It is thought that the actual introduction of the pest into buildings takes place at the time of construction. * Asian long-horned beetle * Citrus long-horned beetle * Western corn rootworm * Coconut hispine beetle or Brontispa longissima gestro feeds on young leaves and damages seedlings and mature coconut palms. On September 27, 2007, Philippines' Metro Manila and 26 provinces were quarantined due to having been infested with this pest (to save the $800-million Philippine coconut industry). Inquirer.net, Beetles infest coconuts in Manila, 26 provinces Coccinella septempunctata, a beneficial beetle * Both the larvae and adults of some ladybirds (family Coccinellidae) are found in aphid colonies. Other lady beetles feed on scale insects and mealybugs. If normal food sources are scarce they may feed on other things, such as small caterpillars, young plant bugs, honeydew and nectar. * Ground beetles (family Carabidae) are common predators of many different insects and other arthropods, including fly eggs, caterpillars, wireworms and others. * Plant-feeding beetles are often important beneficial insects, controlling problem weeds. Some flea beetles of the genus Aphthona feed on leafy spurge, a considerable weed of rangeland in western North America. Some farmers develop beetle banks to foster and provide cover for beneficial beetles. Beetles of the Dermestidae family are often used in taxidermy to clean bones of remaining flesh. Ancient Egyptian scene depicting a scarab beetle Several species of dung beetle, most notably Scarabaeus sacer (often referred to as "scarab"), enjoyed a sacred status among the ancient Egyptians, as the creatures were likened to the major god Khepri. Some scholars suggest that the Egyptians' practice of making mummies was inspired by the brooding process of the beetle. Many thousands of amulets and stamp seals have been excavated that depict the scarab. In many artifacts, the scarab is depicted pushing the sun along its course in the sky, much as scarabs push or roll balls of dung to their brood sites. During and following the New Kingdom, scarab amulets were often placed over the heart of the mummified deceased. Some tribal groups, particularly in tropical parts of the world, use the colourful, iridescent elytra of certain beetles, especially certain Scarabaeidae, in ceremonies and as adornment. Beetle collection at the Melbourne Museum, Australia The study of beetles is called coleopterology, and its practitioners are coleopterists. Coleopterists have formed organisations to facilitate the study of beetles. Among these is The Coleopterists Society, an international organisation based in the United States. Such organisations may have both professionals and amateurs interested in beetles as members. Research in this field is often published in peer-reviewed journals specific to the field of coleopterology, though journals dealing with general entomology also publish many papers on various aspects of beetle biology. Some of the journals specific to beetle research are: The Coleopterist (United Kingdom beetle fauna) The Coleopterists Bulletin (published by The Coleopterists Society) There is a thriving industry in the collection of beetle specimens for amateur and professional collectors. Many coleopterists prefer to collect beetle specimens for themselves, recording detailed information about each specimen and its habitat. Such collections add to the body of knowledge about the Coleoptera. Some countries have established laws governing or prohibiting the collection of certain rare (and often much sought after) species. One such beetle whose collection is illegal or restricted is the American burying beetle, Nicrophorus americanus. * Poul Beckmann, Living Jewels: The Natural Design of Beetles ISBN 3-7913-2528-0 * Arthur V. Evans, Charles Bellamy, and Lisa Charles Watson, An Inordinate Fondness for Beetles ISBN 0-520-22323-3 * Entomological Society of America, Beetle Larvae of the World ISBN 0-643-05506-1 * David Grimaldi, Michael S. Engel, Evolution of the Insects ISBN 0-521-82149-5 * Ross H. Arnett, Jr. and Michael C. Thomas, American Beetles (CRC Press, 2001-2). ISBN 0-8493-1925-0 * K. W. Harde, A Field Guide in Colour to Beetles ISBN 0-7064-1937-5 Pages 7-24 * White, R.E. 1983. Beetles. Houghton Mifflin Company, New York, NY. ISBN 0-395-91089-7 Heteroptera - insect suborder that is superficially similar to beetles - Coleoptera All what do you need to know about coleoptera, collecting and preparation * The Beetle Ring - A group of websites about beetles (Coleoptera). * List of major Beetle collections - worldwide * Entomology - online insect museum, entomology, tips and tricks, how to spread and pin insects, etc. * - Gallery of Central European beetles * Coleoptera from the Tree of Life * Australian borers species * Beetles and coleopterologists Russian site with English version, with information about biology, systematics and paleontology of beetles * North American Beetles from BugGuide * Bibliography on fossil insects * Coleoptera Families of the World * A digital collection of Southeast Asian beetles Related Wikipedia Articles coleopter Hylobius abietis weevil Animal Arthropod Insect Pterygota Neoptera Endopterygota Carolus Linnaeus Systema Naturae Suborder (biology) Adephaga Archostemata Myxophaga Polyphaga subgroups of the order Coleoptera insect species species animal polar region ecosystem plant fungus invertebrate Colorado potato beetle boll weevil coccinellidae aphid scale insect thrips Aristotle cockchafer Trogodendron fasciculatum monophyletic holometabolous prothorax coxa anatomy appendage pronotum insect wing segmentation (biology) exoskeleton elytron sclerite insect flight insect wing ground beetle Curculionidae glowworm Phengodidae Larviform female mouthparts grasshopper mandible (insect) #Defence appendage compound eye whirligig beetle longhorn beetle ocellus vertex (anatomy) antenna (biology) antenna (biology) Acilius sulcatus arthropod leg Dytiscidae Haliplidae Hydrophilidae fossorial clown beetle flea beetle Oxygen invertebrate trachea spiracle hemolymph blood open circulatory system Melolontha melolontha Endopterygota metamorphosis (biology) larva Colorado potato beetle larva Biological life cycle Buprestidae spiracle click beetle darkling beetle click beetle Scarabaeoidea instar ecdysis planidium hypermetamorphosis blister beetle Aleochara pupa imago San Francisco Flamboyant flower beetle burying beetle Spermatozoon fertilisation Scarabaeidae leaf roller Brachinus bombardier beetle parasitoid camouflage mimicry leaf beetle weevil longhorn beetle wasp Coccinellidae blister beetle aposematism ground beetle Mandible (insect) bombardier beetle Ground beetle rove beetle arthropod dung coprophagous dung beetle necrophagous carrion beetle clown beetle coxa Ross H. Arnett, Jr. Michael C. Thomas American Beetles CRC Press Boca Raton, Florida whirligig beetle Sphaerius Myxophaga fossil Permian Polyphaga rove beetle scarabaeidae blister beetle stag beetle Curculionidae sclerite Adephaga ground beetle Dytiscidae whirligig beetle testes exoskeleton coxa Archostemata reticulated beetle telephone-pole beetle Myxophaga Hydroscaphidae Sphaerius Triassic phylogenetics sister group Linnaean taxonomy Colorado potato beetle Colorado potato beetle potato pesticide pesticide resistance Solanaceae nightshade tomato aubergine capsicum boll weevil United States bark beetle elm leaf beetle elm Dutch elm disease Northern Hemisphere Europe North America death watch beetle Anobiidae Great Britain hardwood oak chestnut Asian long-horned beetle Citrus long-horned beetle Western corn rootworm Coconut leaves seedlings coconut palms September 27 Philippines Metro Manila provinces quarantined pest coconut industry Coccinella septempunctata ladybirds Coccinellidae aphid scale insect mealybug honeydew nectar Ground beetle caterpillar Aphthona leafy spurge beetle bank Dermestidae taxidermy Dung beetle Scarabaeus sacer Ancient Egyptian Khepri Mummy New Kingdom Elytron Melbourne Museum coleopterology list of coleopterists The Coleopterists Society international organisation scientific journal The Coleopterist The Coleopterists Bulletin Nicrophorus americanus Entomological Society of America David Grimaldi Michael S. Engel Ross H. Arnett, Jr. Michael C. Thomas American Beetles Heteroptera
beetle	What is the study of beetles called?	coleopterology	data/set1/a8	beetle Beetles are a group of insects which have the largest number of species. They are placed in the order Coleoptera,which means "sheathed wing" and contains more described species than in any other order in the animal kingdom, constituting about twenty-five percent of all known life-forms. James K. Liebherr and Joseph V. McHugh in Resh, V. H. & R. T. CardÃ© (Editors) 2003. Encyclopedia of Insects. Academic Press. Forty percent of all described insect species are beetles (about 350,000 species ), and new species are frequently discovered. Estimates put the total number of species, described and undescribed, at between 5 and 8 million. Beetles can be found in almost all habitats, but are not known to occur in the sea or in the polar regions. They interact with their ecosystems in several ways. They often feed on plants and fungi, break down animal and plant debris, and eat other invertebrates. Some species are prey of various animals including birds and mammals. Certain species are agricultural pests, such as the Colorado potato beetle Leptinotarsa decemlineata, the boll weevil Anthonomus grandis, the red flour beetle Tribolium castaneum, and the mungbean or cowpea beetle Callosobruchus maculatus, while other species of beetles are important controls of agricultural pests. For example, coccinellidae ("ladybirds" or "ladybugs") consume aphids, scale insects, thrips, and other plant-sucking insects that damage crops. The name "Coleoptera" was given by Aristotle for the hardened shield like forewings (coleo = shield + ptera = wing). A cockchafer with its elytra raised, exposing the membranous flight wings, where the veins are visible Trogodendron fasciculatum, a clerid beetle with bright yellow antennae Other characters of this group which are believed to be monophyletic include a holometabolous life cycle; having a prothorax that is distinct from and freely articulating with the mesothorax; the meso- and meta-thoracic segments fusing to form a pterothorax; a depressed body shape with the legs on the ventral surface; the coxae of legs recessed into cavities formed by heavily sclerotized thoracic sclerites; the abdominal sternites more sclerotized than the tergites; antennae with 11 or fewer segments; and terminal genitalic appendages retracted into the abdomen and invisible at rest. The general anatomy of beetles is quite uniform, although specific organs and appendages may vary greatly in appearance and function between the many families in the order. Like all insects, beetles' bodies are divided into three sections: the head, the thorax, and the abdomen. When viewed from below, the thorax is that part from which all three pairs of legs and both pairs of wings arise. The abdomen is everything posterior to the thorax. When viewed from above, most beetles appear to have three clear sections, but this is deceptive: on the beetle's upper surface, the middle "section" is a hard plate called the pronotum, which is only the front part of the thorax; the back part of the thorax is concealed by the beetle's wings. Like all arthropods, beetles are segmented organisms, and all three of the major sections of the body are themselves composed of several further segments, although these are not always readily discernible. This further segmentation is usually best seen on the abdomen. Beetles are generally characterised by a particularly hard exoskeleton and hard forewings (elytra). The beetle's exoskeleton is made up of numerous plates called sclerites, separated by thin sutures. This design creates the armoured defences of the beetle while maintaining flexibility. The elytra are not used for flight, but tend to cover the hind part of the body and protect the second pair of wings (alae). The elytra must be raised in order to move the hind flight wings. A beetle's flight wings are crossed with veins and are folded after landing, often along these veins, and are stored below the elytra. In some beetles, the ability to fly has been lost. These include the ground beetles (family Carabidae) and some "true weevils" (family Curculionidae), but also some desert and cave-dwelling species of other families. Many of these species have the two elytra fused together, forming a solid shield over the abdomen. In a few families, both the ability to fly and the elytra have been lost, with the best known example being the glow-worms of the family Phengodidae, in which the females are larviform throughout their lives. Beetles have mouthparts similar to those of grasshoppers. Of these parts, the most commonly known are probably the mandibles, which appear as large pincers on the front of some beetles. The mandibles are a pair of hard, often tooth-like structures that move horizontally to grasp, crush, or cut food or enemies (see defence, below). Two pairs of finger-like appendages are found around the mouth in most beetles, serving to move food into the mouth. These are the maxillary and labial palpi. The eyes are compound and may display remarkable adaptability, as in the case of whirligig beetles (family Gyrinidae), in which the eyes are split to allow a view both above and below the waterline. Other species also have divided eyes â some longhorn beetles (family Cerambycidae) and weevils â while many beetles have eyes that are notched to some degree. A few beetle genera also possess ocelli, which are small, simple eyes usually situated farther back on the head (on the vertex). Beetles' antennae are primarily organs of smell, but may also be used to feel out a beetle's environment physically. They may also be used in some families during mating, or among a few beetles for defence. Antennae vary greatly in form within the Coleoptera, but are often similar within any given family. In some cases, males and females of the same species will have different antennal forms. Antennae may be clavate (flabellate and lamellate are sub-forms of clavate, or clubbed antennae), filiform, geniculate, moniliform, pectinate, or serrate. For images of these antennal forms see antenna (biology). Acilius sulcatus, a diving beetle showing hind legs adapted for life in water The legs, which are multi-segmented, end in two to five small segments called tarsi. Like many other insect orders beetles bear claws, usually one pair, on the end of the last tarsal segment of each leg. While most beetles use their legs for walking, legs may be variously modified and adapted for other uses. Among aquatic families â Dytiscidae, Haliplidae, many species of Hydrophilidae and others â the legs, most notably the last pair, are modified for swimming and often bear rows of long hairs to aid this purpose. Other beetles have fossorial legs that are widened and often spined for digging. Species with such adaptations are found among the scarabs, ground beetles, and clown beetles (family Histeridae). The hind legs of some beetles, such as flea beetles (within Chrysomelidae) and flea weevils (within Curculionidae), are enlarged and designed for jumping. Oxygen is obtained via a tracheal system. Air enters a series of tubes along the body through openings called spiracles, and is then taken into increasingly finer fibres. Pumping movements of the body force the air through the system. Beetles have haemolymph instead of blood, and the open circulatory system of the beetle is powered by a tube-like heart attached to the top inside of the thorax. Scarabaeiform larva of the cockchafer, Melolontha melolontha Beetles are endopterygotes with complete metamorphosis. A single female may lay from several dozen to several thousand eggs during her lifetime. Eggs are usually laid according to the substrate the larva will feed on upon hatching. Among others, they can be laid loose in the substrate (e.g. flour beetle), laid in clumps on leaves (e.g. Colorado potato beetle), or individually attached (e.g. mungbean beetle and other seed borers) or buried in the medium (e.g. carrot weevil). The larva is usually the principal feeding stage of the beetle life cycle. Larvae tend to feed voraciously once they emerge from their eggs. Some feed externally on plants, such as those of certain leaf beetles, while others feed within their food sources. Examples of internal feeders are most Buprestidae and longhorn beetles. The larvae of many beetle families are predatory like the adults (ground beetles, ladybirds, rove beetles). The larval period varies between species but can be as long as several years. Beetle larvae can be differentiated from other insect larvae by their hardened, often darkened head, the presence of chewing mouthparts, and spiracles along the sides of the body. Like adult beetles, the larvae are varied in appearance, particularly between beetle families. Beetles whose larvae are somewhat flattened and are highly mobile are the ground beetles, some rove beetles, and others; their larvae are described as campodeiform. Some beetle larvae resemble hardened worms with dark head capsules and minute legs. These are elateriform larvae, and are found in the click beetle (Elateridae) and darkling beetle (Tenebrionidae) families. Some elateriform larvae of click beetles are known as wireworms. Beetles in the families of the Scarabaeoidea have short, thick larvae described as scarabaeiform, but more commonly known as grubs. All beetle larvae go through several instars, which are the developmental stages between each moult. In many species the larvae simply increase in size with each successive instar as more food is consumed. In some cases, however, more dramatic changes occur. Among certain beetle families or genera, particularly those that exhibit parasitic lifestyles, the first instar (the planidium) is highly mobile in order to search out a host, while the following instars are more sedentary and remain on or within their host. This is known as hypermetamorphosis; examples include the blister beetles (family Meloidae) and some rove beetles, particularly those of the genus Aleochara. As with all endopterygotes, beetle larvae pupate, and from this pupa emerges a fully formed, sexually mature adult beetle, or imago. Adults have an extremely variable lifespan, from weeks to years, depending on the species. Beetles mating in San Francisco Flamboyant flower beetle, Eudicella gralli, from the forests of Central Africa. The iridescent elytra are used in marriage ceremonies. Beetles may display extremely intricate behaviour when mating. Smell is thought to be important in the location of a mate. Conflict can play a part in the mating rituals of species such as burying beetles (genus Nicrophorus) where conflicts between males and females rage until only one of each is left, thus ensuring reproduction by the strongest and fittest. Many beetles are territorial and will fiercely defend their small patch of territory from intruding males. Pairing is generally short but in some cases will last for several hours. During pairing sperm cells are transferred to the female to fertilise the egg. Parental care varies between species, ranging from the simple laying of eggs under a leaf to certain scarab beetles, which construct underground structures complete with a supply of dung to house and feed their young. Other beetles are leaf rollers, biting sections of leaves to cause them to curl inwards, then laying their eggs, thus protected, inside. Brachinus sp., a bombardier beetle Beetles and their larvae have a variety of strategies to avoid being attacked by predators or parasitoids. These include camouflage, mimicry, toxicity, and active defence. Camouflage involves the use of colouration or shape to blend into the surrounding environment. Among those that exhibit this defensive strategy are some of the leaf beetles (family Chysomelidae), having green colouring very similar to their habitat on plant leaves. More complex camouflage also occurs, as with some weevils, where various coloured scales or hairs cause the beetle to resemble bird dung. Another defence that often uses colour or shape to deceive potential enemies is mimicry. A number of longhorn beetles (family Cerambycidae) bear a striking resemblance to wasps, which fools predators into keeping their distance even though the beetles are in fact harmless. This defence can be found to a lesser extent in other beetle families, such as the scarab beetles. Beetles may combine their colour mimicry with behavioural mimicry, acting like the wasps they already closely resemble. Many beetle species, including ladybirds and blister beetles, can secrete distasteful or toxic substances to make them unpalatable or even poisonous. These same species often exhibit aposematism, where bright or contrasting colour patterns warn away potential predators. Large ground beetles and longhorn beetles may go on the attack, using their strong mandibles to forcibly persuade a predator to seek out easier prey. Others, such as bombardier beetles (within Carabidae) spray acidic gas from their abdomen to repel predators. Besides being abundant and varied, the Coleoptera are able to exploit the wide diversity of food sources available in their many habitats. Some are generalists, eating both plants and animals. Other beetles are highly specialised in their diet. Many species of leaf beetles, longhorn beetles, and weevils are very host specific, feeding on only a single species of plant. Ground beetles and rove beetles (family Staphylinidae), among others, are primarily carnivorous and will catch and consume many other arthropods and small prey such as earthworms and snails. While most predatory beetles are generalists, a few species have more specific prey requirements or preferences. Decaying organic matter is a primary diet for many species. This can range from dung, which is consumed by coprophagous species such as certain scarab beetles (family Scarabaeidae), to dead animals, which are eaten by necrophagous species such as the carrion beetles (family Silphidae). Some of the beetles found within dung and carrion are in fact predatory, such as the clown beetles, preying on the larvae of coprophagous and necrophagous insects. Aquatic beetles use several techniques for retaining air beneath the water's surface. Beetles of the family Dytiscidae hold air between the abdomen and the elytra when diving. Hydrophilidae have hairs on their under surface that retain a layer of air against their bodies. Adult crawling water beetles use both their elytra and their hind coxae (the basal segment of the back legs) in air retention while whirligig beetles simply carry an air bubble down with them whenever they dive. Sphaerius acaroides, a member of the small suborder Myxophaga While some authorities believe modern beetles began about 140 million years ago, research announced in 2007 showed that beetles may have entered the fossil record during the Lower Permian, about 265 to 300 million years ago. Modern Beetles Predate Dinosaurs, Dave Mosher, LiveScience.com, 26 December 2007. The four extant suborders of beetle are these: * Polyphaga is the largest suborder, containing more than 300,000 described species in more than 170 families, including rove beetles (Staphylinidae), scarab beetles (Scarabaeidae), blister beetles (Meloidae), stag beetles (Lucanidae) and true weevils (Curculionidae). These beetles can be identified by the cervical sclerites (hardened parts of the head used as points of attachment for muscles) absent in the other suborders. * Adephaga contains about 10 families of largely predatory beetles, includes ground beetles (Carabidae), Dytiscidae and whirligig beetles (Gyrinidae). In these beetles the testes are tubular and the first abdominal sternum (a plate of the exoskeleton) is divided by the hind coxae (the basal joints of the beetle's legs). * Archostemata contains four families of mainly wood-eating beetles, including reticulated beetles (Cupedidae) and the telephone-pole beetle. * Myxophaga contains about 100 described species in four families, mostly very small, including Hydroscaphidae and the genus Sphaerius. These suborders diverged in the Permian and Triassic. Their phylogenetic relationship is uncertain, with the most popular hypothesis being that Polyphaga and Myxophaga are most closely related, with Adephaga as the sister group to those two, and Archostemata as sister to the other three collectively. There are about 350,000 species of beetles. Such a large number of species poses special problems for classification, with some families consisting of thousands of species and needing further division into subfamilies and tribes. Colorado potato beetle (Leptinotarsa decemlineata) larvae Many agricultural, forestry, and household insect pests are beetles. These include the following: * The Colorado potato beetle, Leptinotarsa decemlineata, is a notorious pest of potato plants. Crops are destroyed and the beetle can only be treated by employing expensive pesticides, many of which it has begun to develop resistance to. As well as potatoes, suitable hosts can be a number of plants from the potato family (Solanaceae), such as nightshade, tomato, aubergine and capsicum. * The boll weevil, Anthonomus grandis, has cost cotton producers in the United States billions of dollars since it first entered that country. * The bark beetles Hylurgopinus rufipes and Scolytus multistriatus, the elm leaf beetle, Pyrrhalta luteola, and other beetles attack elm trees. The bark beetles are important elm pests because they carry Dutch elm disease as they move from infected breeding sites to feed on healthy elm trees. The spread of the fungus by the beetle has led to the devastation of elm trees in many parts of the Northern Hemisphere, notably in Europe and North America. * The death watch beetle, Xestobium rufovillosum, (family Anobiidae) is of considerable importance as a pest of older wooden buildings in Great Britain. It attacks hardwoods such as oak and chestnut, always where some fungal decay has taken or is taking place. It is thought that the actual introduction of the pest into buildings takes place at the time of construction. * Asian long-horned beetle * Citrus long-horned beetle * Western corn rootworm * Coconut hispine beetle or Brontispa longissima gestro feeds on young leaves and damages seedlings and mature coconut palms. On September 27, 2007, Philippines' Metro Manila and 26 provinces were quarantined due to having been infested with this pest (to save the $800-million Philippine coconut industry). Inquirer.net, Beetles infest coconuts in Manila, 26 provinces Coccinella septempunctata, a beneficial beetle * Both the larvae and adults of some ladybirds (family Coccinellidae) are found in aphid colonies. Other lady beetles feed on scale insects and mealybugs. If normal food sources are scarce they may feed on other things, such as small caterpillars, young plant bugs, honeydew and nectar. * Ground beetles (family Carabidae) are common predators of many different insects and other arthropods, including fly eggs, caterpillars, wireworms and others. * Plant-feeding beetles are often important beneficial insects, controlling problem weeds. Some flea beetles of the genus Aphthona feed on leafy spurge, a considerable weed of rangeland in western North America. Some farmers develop beetle banks to foster and provide cover for beneficial beetles. Beetles of the Dermestidae family are often used in taxidermy to clean bones of remaining flesh. Ancient Egyptian scene depicting a scarab beetle Several species of dung beetle, most notably Scarabaeus sacer (often referred to as "scarab"), enjoyed a sacred status among the ancient Egyptians, as the creatures were likened to the major god Khepri. Some scholars suggest that the Egyptians' practice of making mummies was inspired by the brooding process of the beetle. Many thousands of amulets and stamp seals have been excavated that depict the scarab. In many artifacts, the scarab is depicted pushing the sun along its course in the sky, much as scarabs push or roll balls of dung to their brood sites. During and following the New Kingdom, scarab amulets were often placed over the heart of the mummified deceased. Some tribal groups, particularly in tropical parts of the world, use the colourful, iridescent elytra of certain beetles, especially certain Scarabaeidae, in ceremonies and as adornment. Beetle collection at the Melbourne Museum, Australia The study of beetles is called coleopterology, and its practitioners are coleopterists. Coleopterists have formed organisations to facilitate the study of beetles. Among these is The Coleopterists Society, an international organisation based in the United States. Such organisations may have both professionals and amateurs interested in beetles as members. Research in this field is often published in peer-reviewed journals specific to the field of coleopterology, though journals dealing with general entomology also publish many papers on various aspects of beetle biology. Some of the journals specific to beetle research are: The Coleopterist (United Kingdom beetle fauna) The Coleopterists Bulletin (published by The Coleopterists Society) There is a thriving industry in the collection of beetle specimens for amateur and professional collectors. Many coleopterists prefer to collect beetle specimens for themselves, recording detailed information about each specimen and its habitat. Such collections add to the body of knowledge about the Coleoptera. Some countries have established laws governing or prohibiting the collection of certain rare (and often much sought after) species. One such beetle whose collection is illegal or restricted is the American burying beetle, Nicrophorus americanus. * Poul Beckmann, Living Jewels: The Natural Design of Beetles ISBN 3-7913-2528-0 * Arthur V. Evans, Charles Bellamy, and Lisa Charles Watson, An Inordinate Fondness for Beetles ISBN 0-520-22323-3 * Entomological Society of America, Beetle Larvae of the World ISBN 0-643-05506-1 * David Grimaldi, Michael S. Engel, Evolution of the Insects ISBN 0-521-82149-5 * Ross H. Arnett, Jr. and Michael C. Thomas, American Beetles (CRC Press, 2001-2). ISBN 0-8493-1925-0 * K. W. Harde, A Field Guide in Colour to Beetles ISBN 0-7064-1937-5 Pages 7-24 * White, R.E. 1983. Beetles. Houghton Mifflin Company, New York, NY. ISBN 0-395-91089-7 Heteroptera - insect suborder that is superficially similar to beetles - Coleoptera All what do you need to know about coleoptera, collecting and preparation * The Beetle Ring - A group of websites about beetles (Coleoptera). * List of major Beetle collections - worldwide * Entomology - online insect museum, entomology, tips and tricks, how to spread and pin insects, etc. * - Gallery of Central European beetles * Coleoptera from the Tree of Life * Australian borers species * Beetles and coleopterologists Russian site with English version, with information about biology, systematics and paleontology of beetles * North American Beetles from BugGuide * Bibliography on fossil insects * Coleoptera Families of the World * A digital collection of Southeast Asian beetles Related Wikipedia Articles coleopter Hylobius abietis weevil Animal Arthropod Insect Pterygota Neoptera Endopterygota Carolus Linnaeus Systema Naturae Suborder (biology) Adephaga Archostemata Myxophaga Polyphaga subgroups of the order Coleoptera insect species species animal polar region ecosystem plant fungus invertebrate Colorado potato beetle boll weevil coccinellidae aphid scale insect thrips Aristotle cockchafer Trogodendron fasciculatum monophyletic holometabolous prothorax coxa anatomy appendage pronotum insect wing segmentation (biology) exoskeleton elytron sclerite insect flight insect wing ground beetle Curculionidae glowworm Phengodidae Larviform female mouthparts grasshopper mandible (insect) #Defence appendage compound eye whirligig beetle longhorn beetle ocellus vertex (anatomy) antenna (biology) antenna (biology) Acilius sulcatus arthropod leg Dytiscidae Haliplidae Hydrophilidae fossorial clown beetle flea beetle Oxygen invertebrate trachea spiracle hemolymph blood open circulatory system Melolontha melolontha Endopterygota metamorphosis (biology) larva Colorado potato beetle larva Biological life cycle Buprestidae spiracle click beetle darkling beetle click beetle Scarabaeoidea instar ecdysis planidium hypermetamorphosis blister beetle Aleochara pupa imago San Francisco Flamboyant flower beetle burying beetle Spermatozoon fertilisation Scarabaeidae leaf roller Brachinus bombardier beetle parasitoid camouflage mimicry leaf beetle weevil longhorn beetle wasp Coccinellidae blister beetle aposematism ground beetle Mandible (insect) bombardier beetle Ground beetle rove beetle arthropod dung coprophagous dung beetle necrophagous carrion beetle clown beetle coxa Ross H. Arnett, Jr. Michael C. Thomas American Beetles CRC Press Boca Raton, Florida whirligig beetle Sphaerius Myxophaga fossil Permian Polyphaga rove beetle scarabaeidae blister beetle stag beetle Curculionidae sclerite Adephaga ground beetle Dytiscidae whirligig beetle testes exoskeleton coxa Archostemata reticulated beetle telephone-pole beetle Myxophaga Hydroscaphidae Sphaerius Triassic phylogenetics sister group Linnaean taxonomy Colorado potato beetle Colorado potato beetle potato pesticide pesticide resistance Solanaceae nightshade tomato aubergine capsicum boll weevil United States bark beetle elm leaf beetle elm Dutch elm disease Northern Hemisphere Europe North America death watch beetle Anobiidae Great Britain hardwood oak chestnut Asian long-horned beetle Citrus long-horned beetle Western corn rootworm Coconut leaves seedlings coconut palms September 27 Philippines Metro Manila provinces quarantined pest coconut industry Coccinella septempunctata ladybirds Coccinellidae aphid scale insect mealybug honeydew nectar Ground beetle caterpillar Aphthona leafy spurge beetle bank Dermestidae taxidermy Dung beetle Scarabaeus sacer Ancient Egyptian Khepri Mummy New Kingdom Elytron Melbourne Museum coleopterology list of coleopterists The Coleopterists Society international organisation scientific journal The Coleopterist The Coleopterists Bulletin Nicrophorus americanus Entomological Society of America David Grimaldi Michael S. Engel Ross H. Arnett, Jr. Michael C. Thomas American Beetles Heteroptera
beetle	Is it possible that there are more than 350,000 species of beetles?	yes	data/set1/a8	beetle Beetles are a group of insects which have the largest number of species. They are placed in the order Coleoptera,which means "sheathed wing" and contains more described species than in any other order in the animal kingdom, constituting about twenty-five percent of all known life-forms. James K. Liebherr and Joseph V. McHugh in Resh, V. H. & R. T. CardÃ© (Editors) 2003. Encyclopedia of Insects. Academic Press. Forty percent of all described insect species are beetles (about 350,000 species ), and new species are frequently discovered. Estimates put the total number of species, described and undescribed, at between 5 and 8 million. Beetles can be found in almost all habitats, but are not known to occur in the sea or in the polar regions. They interact with their ecosystems in several ways. They often feed on plants and fungi, break down animal and plant debris, and eat other invertebrates. Some species are prey of various animals including birds and mammals. Certain species are agricultural pests, such as the Colorado potato beetle Leptinotarsa decemlineata, the boll weevil Anthonomus grandis, the red flour beetle Tribolium castaneum, and the mungbean or cowpea beetle Callosobruchus maculatus, while other species of beetles are important controls of agricultural pests. For example, coccinellidae ("ladybirds" or "ladybugs") consume aphids, scale insects, thrips, and other plant-sucking insects that damage crops. The name "Coleoptera" was given by Aristotle for the hardened shield like forewings (coleo = shield + ptera = wing). A cockchafer with its elytra raised, exposing the membranous flight wings, where the veins are visible Trogodendron fasciculatum, a clerid beetle with bright yellow antennae Other characters of this group which are believed to be monophyletic include a holometabolous life cycle; having a prothorax that is distinct from and freely articulating with the mesothorax; the meso- and meta-thoracic segments fusing to form a pterothorax; a depressed body shape with the legs on the ventral surface; the coxae of legs recessed into cavities formed by heavily sclerotized thoracic sclerites; the abdominal sternites more sclerotized than the tergites; antennae with 11 or fewer segments; and terminal genitalic appendages retracted into the abdomen and invisible at rest. The general anatomy of beetles is quite uniform, although specific organs and appendages may vary greatly in appearance and function between the many families in the order. Like all insects, beetles' bodies are divided into three sections: the head, the thorax, and the abdomen. When viewed from below, the thorax is that part from which all three pairs of legs and both pairs of wings arise. The abdomen is everything posterior to the thorax. When viewed from above, most beetles appear to have three clear sections, but this is deceptive: on the beetle's upper surface, the middle "section" is a hard plate called the pronotum, which is only the front part of the thorax; the back part of the thorax is concealed by the beetle's wings. Like all arthropods, beetles are segmented organisms, and all three of the major sections of the body are themselves composed of several further segments, although these are not always readily discernible. This further segmentation is usually best seen on the abdomen. Beetles are generally characterised by a particularly hard exoskeleton and hard forewings (elytra). The beetle's exoskeleton is made up of numerous plates called sclerites, separated by thin sutures. This design creates the armoured defences of the beetle while maintaining flexibility. The elytra are not used for flight, but tend to cover the hind part of the body and protect the second pair of wings (alae). The elytra must be raised in order to move the hind flight wings. A beetle's flight wings are crossed with veins and are folded after landing, often along these veins, and are stored below the elytra. In some beetles, the ability to fly has been lost. These include the ground beetles (family Carabidae) and some "true weevils" (family Curculionidae), but also some desert and cave-dwelling species of other families. Many of these species have the two elytra fused together, forming a solid shield over the abdomen. In a few families, both the ability to fly and the elytra have been lost, with the best known example being the glow-worms of the family Phengodidae, in which the females are larviform throughout their lives. Beetles have mouthparts similar to those of grasshoppers. Of these parts, the most commonly known are probably the mandibles, which appear as large pincers on the front of some beetles. The mandibles are a pair of hard, often tooth-like structures that move horizontally to grasp, crush, or cut food or enemies (see defence, below). Two pairs of finger-like appendages are found around the mouth in most beetles, serving to move food into the mouth. These are the maxillary and labial palpi. The eyes are compound and may display remarkable adaptability, as in the case of whirligig beetles (family Gyrinidae), in which the eyes are split to allow a view both above and below the waterline. Other species also have divided eyes â some longhorn beetles (family Cerambycidae) and weevils â while many beetles have eyes that are notched to some degree. A few beetle genera also possess ocelli, which are small, simple eyes usually situated farther back on the head (on the vertex). Beetles' antennae are primarily organs of smell, but may also be used to feel out a beetle's environment physically. They may also be used in some families during mating, or among a few beetles for defence. Antennae vary greatly in form within the Coleoptera, but are often similar within any given family. In some cases, males and females of the same species will have different antennal forms. Antennae may be clavate (flabellate and lamellate are sub-forms of clavate, or clubbed antennae), filiform, geniculate, moniliform, pectinate, or serrate. For images of these antennal forms see antenna (biology). Acilius sulcatus, a diving beetle showing hind legs adapted for life in water The legs, which are multi-segmented, end in two to five small segments called tarsi. Like many other insect orders beetles bear claws, usually one pair, on the end of the last tarsal segment of each leg. While most beetles use their legs for walking, legs may be variously modified and adapted for other uses. Among aquatic families â Dytiscidae, Haliplidae, many species of Hydrophilidae and others â the legs, most notably the last pair, are modified for swimming and often bear rows of long hairs to aid this purpose. Other beetles have fossorial legs that are widened and often spined for digging. Species with such adaptations are found among the scarabs, ground beetles, and clown beetles (family Histeridae). The hind legs of some beetles, such as flea beetles (within Chrysomelidae) and flea weevils (within Curculionidae), are enlarged and designed for jumping. Oxygen is obtained via a tracheal system. Air enters a series of tubes along the body through openings called spiracles, and is then taken into increasingly finer fibres. Pumping movements of the body force the air through the system. Beetles have haemolymph instead of blood, and the open circulatory system of the beetle is powered by a tube-like heart attached to the top inside of the thorax. Scarabaeiform larva of the cockchafer, Melolontha melolontha Beetles are endopterygotes with complete metamorphosis. A single female may lay from several dozen to several thousand eggs during her lifetime. Eggs are usually laid according to the substrate the larva will feed on upon hatching. Among others, they can be laid loose in the substrate (e.g. flour beetle), laid in clumps on leaves (e.g. Colorado potato beetle), or individually attached (e.g. mungbean beetle and other seed borers) or buried in the medium (e.g. carrot weevil). The larva is usually the principal feeding stage of the beetle life cycle. Larvae tend to feed voraciously once they emerge from their eggs. Some feed externally on plants, such as those of certain leaf beetles, while others feed within their food sources. Examples of internal feeders are most Buprestidae and longhorn beetles. The larvae of many beetle families are predatory like the adults (ground beetles, ladybirds, rove beetles). The larval period varies between species but can be as long as several years. Beetle larvae can be differentiated from other insect larvae by their hardened, often darkened head, the presence of chewing mouthparts, and spiracles along the sides of the body. Like adult beetles, the larvae are varied in appearance, particularly between beetle families. Beetles whose larvae are somewhat flattened and are highly mobile are the ground beetles, some rove beetles, and others; their larvae are described as campodeiform. Some beetle larvae resemble hardened worms with dark head capsules and minute legs. These are elateriform larvae, and are found in the click beetle (Elateridae) and darkling beetle (Tenebrionidae) families. Some elateriform larvae of click beetles are known as wireworms. Beetles in the families of the Scarabaeoidea have short, thick larvae described as scarabaeiform, but more commonly known as grubs. All beetle larvae go through several instars, which are the developmental stages between each moult. In many species the larvae simply increase in size with each successive instar as more food is consumed. In some cases, however, more dramatic changes occur. Among certain beetle families or genera, particularly those that exhibit parasitic lifestyles, the first instar (the planidium) is highly mobile in order to search out a host, while the following instars are more sedentary and remain on or within their host. This is known as hypermetamorphosis; examples include the blister beetles (family Meloidae) and some rove beetles, particularly those of the genus Aleochara. As with all endopterygotes, beetle larvae pupate, and from this pupa emerges a fully formed, sexually mature adult beetle, or imago. Adults have an extremely variable lifespan, from weeks to years, depending on the species. Beetles mating in San Francisco Flamboyant flower beetle, Eudicella gralli, from the forests of Central Africa. The iridescent elytra are used in marriage ceremonies. Beetles may display extremely intricate behaviour when mating. Smell is thought to be important in the location of a mate. Conflict can play a part in the mating rituals of species such as burying beetles (genus Nicrophorus) where conflicts between males and females rage until only one of each is left, thus ensuring reproduction by the strongest and fittest. Many beetles are territorial and will fiercely defend their small patch of territory from intruding males. Pairing is generally short but in some cases will last for several hours. During pairing sperm cells are transferred to the female to fertilise the egg. Parental care varies between species, ranging from the simple laying of eggs under a leaf to certain scarab beetles, which construct underground structures complete with a supply of dung to house and feed their young. Other beetles are leaf rollers, biting sections of leaves to cause them to curl inwards, then laying their eggs, thus protected, inside. Brachinus sp., a bombardier beetle Beetles and their larvae have a variety of strategies to avoid being attacked by predators or parasitoids. These include camouflage, mimicry, toxicity, and active defence. Camouflage involves the use of colouration or shape to blend into the surrounding environment. Among those that exhibit this defensive strategy are some of the leaf beetles (family Chysomelidae), having green colouring very similar to their habitat on plant leaves. More complex camouflage also occurs, as with some weevils, where various coloured scales or hairs cause the beetle to resemble bird dung. Another defence that often uses colour or shape to deceive potential enemies is mimicry. A number of longhorn beetles (family Cerambycidae) bear a striking resemblance to wasps, which fools predators into keeping their distance even though the beetles are in fact harmless. This defence can be found to a lesser extent in other beetle families, such as the scarab beetles. Beetles may combine their colour mimicry with behavioural mimicry, acting like the wasps they already closely resemble. Many beetle species, including ladybirds and blister beetles, can secrete distasteful or toxic substances to make them unpalatable or even poisonous. These same species often exhibit aposematism, where bright or contrasting colour patterns warn away potential predators. Large ground beetles and longhorn beetles may go on the attack, using their strong mandibles to forcibly persuade a predator to seek out easier prey. Others, such as bombardier beetles (within Carabidae) spray acidic gas from their abdomen to repel predators. Besides being abundant and varied, the Coleoptera are able to exploit the wide diversity of food sources available in their many habitats. Some are generalists, eating both plants and animals. Other beetles are highly specialised in their diet. Many species of leaf beetles, longhorn beetles, and weevils are very host specific, feeding on only a single species of plant. Ground beetles and rove beetles (family Staphylinidae), among others, are primarily carnivorous and will catch and consume many other arthropods and small prey such as earthworms and snails. While most predatory beetles are generalists, a few species have more specific prey requirements or preferences. Decaying organic matter is a primary diet for many species. This can range from dung, which is consumed by coprophagous species such as certain scarab beetles (family Scarabaeidae), to dead animals, which are eaten by necrophagous species such as the carrion beetles (family Silphidae). Some of the beetles found within dung and carrion are in fact predatory, such as the clown beetles, preying on the larvae of coprophagous and necrophagous insects. Aquatic beetles use several techniques for retaining air beneath the water's surface. Beetles of the family Dytiscidae hold air between the abdomen and the elytra when diving. Hydrophilidae have hairs on their under surface that retain a layer of air against their bodies. Adult crawling water beetles use both their elytra and their hind coxae (the basal segment of the back legs) in air retention while whirligig beetles simply carry an air bubble down with them whenever they dive. Sphaerius acaroides, a member of the small suborder Myxophaga While some authorities believe modern beetles began about 140 million years ago, research announced in 2007 showed that beetles may have entered the fossil record during the Lower Permian, about 265 to 300 million years ago. Modern Beetles Predate Dinosaurs, Dave Mosher, LiveScience.com, 26 December 2007. The four extant suborders of beetle are these: * Polyphaga is the largest suborder, containing more than 300,000 described species in more than 170 families, including rove beetles (Staphylinidae), scarab beetles (Scarabaeidae), blister beetles (Meloidae), stag beetles (Lucanidae) and true weevils (Curculionidae). These beetles can be identified by the cervical sclerites (hardened parts of the head used as points of attachment for muscles) absent in the other suborders. * Adephaga contains about 10 families of largely predatory beetles, includes ground beetles (Carabidae), Dytiscidae and whirligig beetles (Gyrinidae). In these beetles the testes are tubular and the first abdominal sternum (a plate of the exoskeleton) is divided by the hind coxae (the basal joints of the beetle's legs). * Archostemata contains four families of mainly wood-eating beetles, including reticulated beetles (Cupedidae) and the telephone-pole beetle. * Myxophaga contains about 100 described species in four families, mostly very small, including Hydroscaphidae and the genus Sphaerius. These suborders diverged in the Permian and Triassic. Their phylogenetic relationship is uncertain, with the most popular hypothesis being that Polyphaga and Myxophaga are most closely related, with Adephaga as the sister group to those two, and Archostemata as sister to the other three collectively. There are about 350,000 species of beetles. Such a large number of species poses special problems for classification, with some families consisting of thousands of species and needing further division into subfamilies and tribes. Colorado potato beetle (Leptinotarsa decemlineata) larvae Many agricultural, forestry, and household insect pests are beetles. These include the following: * The Colorado potato beetle, Leptinotarsa decemlineata, is a notorious pest of potato plants. Crops are destroyed and the beetle can only be treated by employing expensive pesticides, many of which it has begun to develop resistance to. As well as potatoes, suitable hosts can be a number of plants from the potato family (Solanaceae), such as nightshade, tomato, aubergine and capsicum. * The boll weevil, Anthonomus grandis, has cost cotton producers in the United States billions of dollars since it first entered that country. * The bark beetles Hylurgopinus rufipes and Scolytus multistriatus, the elm leaf beetle, Pyrrhalta luteola, and other beetles attack elm trees. The bark beetles are important elm pests because they carry Dutch elm disease as they move from infected breeding sites to feed on healthy elm trees. The spread of the fungus by the beetle has led to the devastation of elm trees in many parts of the Northern Hemisphere, notably in Europe and North America. * The death watch beetle, Xestobium rufovillosum, (family Anobiidae) is of considerable importance as a pest of older wooden buildings in Great Britain. It attacks hardwoods such as oak and chestnut, always where some fungal decay has taken or is taking place. It is thought that the actual introduction of the pest into buildings takes place at the time of construction. * Asian long-horned beetle * Citrus long-horned beetle * Western corn rootworm * Coconut hispine beetle or Brontispa longissima gestro feeds on young leaves and damages seedlings and mature coconut palms. On September 27, 2007, Philippines' Metro Manila and 26 provinces were quarantined due to having been infested with this pest (to save the $800-million Philippine coconut industry). Inquirer.net, Beetles infest coconuts in Manila, 26 provinces Coccinella septempunctata, a beneficial beetle * Both the larvae and adults of some ladybirds (family Coccinellidae) are found in aphid colonies. Other lady beetles feed on scale insects and mealybugs. If normal food sources are scarce they may feed on other things, such as small caterpillars, young plant bugs, honeydew and nectar. * Ground beetles (family Carabidae) are common predators of many different insects and other arthropods, including fly eggs, caterpillars, wireworms and others. * Plant-feeding beetles are often important beneficial insects, controlling problem weeds. Some flea beetles of the genus Aphthona feed on leafy spurge, a considerable weed of rangeland in western North America. Some farmers develop beetle banks to foster and provide cover for beneficial beetles. Beetles of the Dermestidae family are often used in taxidermy to clean bones of remaining flesh. Ancient Egyptian scene depicting a scarab beetle Several species of dung beetle, most notably Scarabaeus sacer (often referred to as "scarab"), enjoyed a sacred status among the ancient Egyptians, as the creatures were likened to the major god Khepri. Some scholars suggest that the Egyptians' practice of making mummies was inspired by the brooding process of the beetle. Many thousands of amulets and stamp seals have been excavated that depict the scarab. In many artifacts, the scarab is depicted pushing the sun along its course in the sky, much as scarabs push or roll balls of dung to their brood sites. During and following the New Kingdom, scarab amulets were often placed over the heart of the mummified deceased. Some tribal groups, particularly in tropical parts of the world, use the colourful, iridescent elytra of certain beetles, especially certain Scarabaeidae, in ceremonies and as adornment. Beetle collection at the Melbourne Museum, Australia The study of beetles is called coleopterology, and its practitioners are coleopterists. Coleopterists have formed organisations to facilitate the study of beetles. Among these is The Coleopterists Society, an international organisation based in the United States. Such organisations may have both professionals and amateurs interested in beetles as members. Research in this field is often published in peer-reviewed journals specific to the field of coleopterology, though journals dealing with general entomology also publish many papers on various aspects of beetle biology. Some of the journals specific to beetle research are: The Coleopterist (United Kingdom beetle fauna) The Coleopterists Bulletin (published by The Coleopterists Society) There is a thriving industry in the collection of beetle specimens for amateur and professional collectors. Many coleopterists prefer to collect beetle specimens for themselves, recording detailed information about each specimen and its habitat. Such collections add to the body of knowledge about the Coleoptera. Some countries have established laws governing or prohibiting the collection of certain rare (and often much sought after) species. One such beetle whose collection is illegal or restricted is the American burying beetle, Nicrophorus americanus. * Poul Beckmann, Living Jewels: The Natural Design of Beetles ISBN 3-7913-2528-0 * Arthur V. Evans, Charles Bellamy, and Lisa Charles Watson, An Inordinate Fondness for Beetles ISBN 0-520-22323-3 * Entomological Society of America, Beetle Larvae of the World ISBN 0-643-05506-1 * David Grimaldi, Michael S. Engel, Evolution of the Insects ISBN 0-521-82149-5 * Ross H. Arnett, Jr. and Michael C. Thomas, American Beetles (CRC Press, 2001-2). ISBN 0-8493-1925-0 * K. W. Harde, A Field Guide in Colour to Beetles ISBN 0-7064-1937-5 Pages 7-24 * White, R.E. 1983. Beetles. Houghton Mifflin Company, New York, NY. ISBN 0-395-91089-7 Heteroptera - insect suborder that is superficially similar to beetles - Coleoptera All what do you need to know about coleoptera, collecting and preparation * The Beetle Ring - A group of websites about beetles (Coleoptera). * List of major Beetle collections - worldwide * Entomology - online insect museum, entomology, tips and tricks, how to spread and pin insects, etc. * - Gallery of Central European beetles * Coleoptera from the Tree of Life * Australian borers species * Beetles and coleopterologists Russian site with English version, with information about biology, systematics and paleontology of beetles * North American Beetles from BugGuide * Bibliography on fossil insects * Coleoptera Families of the World * A digital collection of Southeast Asian beetles Related Wikipedia Articles coleopter Hylobius abietis weevil Animal Arthropod Insect Pterygota Neoptera Endopterygota Carolus Linnaeus Systema Naturae Suborder (biology) Adephaga Archostemata Myxophaga Polyphaga subgroups of the order Coleoptera insect species species animal polar region ecosystem plant fungus invertebrate Colorado potato beetle boll weevil coccinellidae aphid scale insect thrips Aristotle cockchafer Trogodendron fasciculatum monophyletic holometabolous prothorax coxa anatomy appendage pronotum insect wing segmentation (biology) exoskeleton elytron sclerite insect flight insect wing ground beetle Curculionidae glowworm Phengodidae Larviform female mouthparts grasshopper mandible (insect) #Defence appendage compound eye whirligig beetle longhorn beetle ocellus vertex (anatomy) antenna (biology) antenna (biology) Acilius sulcatus arthropod leg Dytiscidae Haliplidae Hydrophilidae fossorial clown beetle flea beetle Oxygen invertebrate trachea spiracle hemolymph blood open circulatory system Melolontha melolontha Endopterygota metamorphosis (biology) larva Colorado potato beetle larva Biological life cycle Buprestidae spiracle click beetle darkling beetle click beetle Scarabaeoidea instar ecdysis planidium hypermetamorphosis blister beetle Aleochara pupa imago San Francisco Flamboyant flower beetle burying beetle Spermatozoon fertilisation Scarabaeidae leaf roller Brachinus bombardier beetle parasitoid camouflage mimicry leaf beetle weevil longhorn beetle wasp Coccinellidae blister beetle aposematism ground beetle Mandible (insect) bombardier beetle Ground beetle rove beetle arthropod dung coprophagous dung beetle necrophagous carrion beetle clown beetle coxa Ross H. Arnett, Jr. Michael C. Thomas American Beetles CRC Press Boca Raton, Florida whirligig beetle Sphaerius Myxophaga fossil Permian Polyphaga rove beetle scarabaeidae blister beetle stag beetle Curculionidae sclerite Adephaga ground beetle Dytiscidae whirligig beetle testes exoskeleton coxa Archostemata reticulated beetle telephone-pole beetle Myxophaga Hydroscaphidae Sphaerius Triassic phylogenetics sister group Linnaean taxonomy Colorado potato beetle Colorado potato beetle potato pesticide pesticide resistance Solanaceae nightshade tomato aubergine capsicum boll weevil United States bark beetle elm leaf beetle elm Dutch elm disease Northern Hemisphere Europe North America death watch beetle Anobiidae Great Britain hardwood oak chestnut Asian long-horned beetle Citrus long-horned beetle Western corn rootworm Coconut leaves seedlings coconut palms September 27 Philippines Metro Manila provinces quarantined pest coconut industry Coccinella septempunctata ladybirds Coccinellidae aphid scale insect mealybug honeydew nectar Ground beetle caterpillar Aphthona leafy spurge beetle bank Dermestidae taxidermy Dung beetle Scarabaeus sacer Ancient Egyptian Khepri Mummy New Kingdom Elytron Melbourne Museum coleopterology list of coleopterists The Coleopterists Society international organisation scientific journal The Coleopterist The Coleopterists Bulletin Nicrophorus americanus Entomological Society of America David Grimaldi Michael S. Engel Ross H. Arnett, Jr. Michael C. Thomas American Beetles Heteroptera
beetle	Is it possible that there are more than 350,000 species of beetles?	yes	data/set1/a8	beetle Beetles are a group of insects which have the largest number of species. They are placed in the order Coleoptera,which means "sheathed wing" and contains more described species than in any other order in the animal kingdom, constituting about twenty-five percent of all known life-forms. James K. Liebherr and Joseph V. McHugh in Resh, V. H. & R. T. CardÃ© (Editors) 2003. Encyclopedia of Insects. Academic Press. Forty percent of all described insect species are beetles (about 350,000 species ), and new species are frequently discovered. Estimates put the total number of species, described and undescribed, at between 5 and 8 million. Beetles can be found in almost all habitats, but are not known to occur in the sea or in the polar regions. They interact with their ecosystems in several ways. They often feed on plants and fungi, break down animal and plant debris, and eat other invertebrates. Some species are prey of various animals including birds and mammals. Certain species are agricultural pests, such as the Colorado potato beetle Leptinotarsa decemlineata, the boll weevil Anthonomus grandis, the red flour beetle Tribolium castaneum, and the mungbean or cowpea beetle Callosobruchus maculatus, while other species of beetles are important controls of agricultural pests. For example, coccinellidae ("ladybirds" or "ladybugs") consume aphids, scale insects, thrips, and other plant-sucking insects that damage crops. The name "Coleoptera" was given by Aristotle for the hardened shield like forewings (coleo = shield + ptera = wing). A cockchafer with its elytra raised, exposing the membranous flight wings, where the veins are visible Trogodendron fasciculatum, a clerid beetle with bright yellow antennae Other characters of this group which are believed to be monophyletic include a holometabolous life cycle; having a prothorax that is distinct from and freely articulating with the mesothorax; the meso- and meta-thoracic segments fusing to form a pterothorax; a depressed body shape with the legs on the ventral surface; the coxae of legs recessed into cavities formed by heavily sclerotized thoracic sclerites; the abdominal sternites more sclerotized than the tergites; antennae with 11 or fewer segments; and terminal genitalic appendages retracted into the abdomen and invisible at rest. The general anatomy of beetles is quite uniform, although specific organs and appendages may vary greatly in appearance and function between the many families in the order. Like all insects, beetles' bodies are divided into three sections: the head, the thorax, and the abdomen. When viewed from below, the thorax is that part from which all three pairs of legs and both pairs of wings arise. The abdomen is everything posterior to the thorax. When viewed from above, most beetles appear to have three clear sections, but this is deceptive: on the beetle's upper surface, the middle "section" is a hard plate called the pronotum, which is only the front part of the thorax; the back part of the thorax is concealed by the beetle's wings. Like all arthropods, beetles are segmented organisms, and all three of the major sections of the body are themselves composed of several further segments, although these are not always readily discernible. This further segmentation is usually best seen on the abdomen. Beetles are generally characterised by a particularly hard exoskeleton and hard forewings (elytra). The beetle's exoskeleton is made up of numerous plates called sclerites, separated by thin sutures. This design creates the armoured defences of the beetle while maintaining flexibility. The elytra are not used for flight, but tend to cover the hind part of the body and protect the second pair of wings (alae). The elytra must be raised in order to move the hind flight wings. A beetle's flight wings are crossed with veins and are folded after landing, often along these veins, and are stored below the elytra. In some beetles, the ability to fly has been lost. These include the ground beetles (family Carabidae) and some "true weevils" (family Curculionidae), but also some desert and cave-dwelling species of other families. Many of these species have the two elytra fused together, forming a solid shield over the abdomen. In a few families, both the ability to fly and the elytra have been lost, with the best known example being the glow-worms of the family Phengodidae, in which the females are larviform throughout their lives. Beetles have mouthparts similar to those of grasshoppers. Of these parts, the most commonly known are probably the mandibles, which appear as large pincers on the front of some beetles. The mandibles are a pair of hard, often tooth-like structures that move horizontally to grasp, crush, or cut food or enemies (see defence, below). Two pairs of finger-like appendages are found around the mouth in most beetles, serving to move food into the mouth. These are the maxillary and labial palpi. The eyes are compound and may display remarkable adaptability, as in the case of whirligig beetles (family Gyrinidae), in which the eyes are split to allow a view both above and below the waterline. Other species also have divided eyes â some longhorn beetles (family Cerambycidae) and weevils â while many beetles have eyes that are notched to some degree. A few beetle genera also possess ocelli, which are small, simple eyes usually situated farther back on the head (on the vertex). Beetles' antennae are primarily organs of smell, but may also be used to feel out a beetle's environment physically. They may also be used in some families during mating, or among a few beetles for defence. Antennae vary greatly in form within the Coleoptera, but are often similar within any given family. In some cases, males and females of the same species will have different antennal forms. Antennae may be clavate (flabellate and lamellate are sub-forms of clavate, or clubbed antennae), filiform, geniculate, moniliform, pectinate, or serrate. For images of these antennal forms see antenna (biology). Acilius sulcatus, a diving beetle showing hind legs adapted for life in water The legs, which are multi-segmented, end in two to five small segments called tarsi. Like many other insect orders beetles bear claws, usually one pair, on the end of the last tarsal segment of each leg. While most beetles use their legs for walking, legs may be variously modified and adapted for other uses. Among aquatic families â Dytiscidae, Haliplidae, many species of Hydrophilidae and others â the legs, most notably the last pair, are modified for swimming and often bear rows of long hairs to aid this purpose. Other beetles have fossorial legs that are widened and often spined for digging. Species with such adaptations are found among the scarabs, ground beetles, and clown beetles (family Histeridae). The hind legs of some beetles, such as flea beetles (within Chrysomelidae) and flea weevils (within Curculionidae), are enlarged and designed for jumping. Oxygen is obtained via a tracheal system. Air enters a series of tubes along the body through openings called spiracles, and is then taken into increasingly finer fibres. Pumping movements of the body force the air through the system. Beetles have haemolymph instead of blood, and the open circulatory system of the beetle is powered by a tube-like heart attached to the top inside of the thorax. Scarabaeiform larva of the cockchafer, Melolontha melolontha Beetles are endopterygotes with complete metamorphosis. A single female may lay from several dozen to several thousand eggs during her lifetime. Eggs are usually laid according to the substrate the larva will feed on upon hatching. Among others, they can be laid loose in the substrate (e.g. flour beetle), laid in clumps on leaves (e.g. Colorado potato beetle), or individually attached (e.g. mungbean beetle and other seed borers) or buried in the medium (e.g. carrot weevil). The larva is usually the principal feeding stage of the beetle life cycle. Larvae tend to feed voraciously once they emerge from their eggs. Some feed externally on plants, such as those of certain leaf beetles, while others feed within their food sources. Examples of internal feeders are most Buprestidae and longhorn beetles. The larvae of many beetle families are predatory like the adults (ground beetles, ladybirds, rove beetles). The larval period varies between species but can be as long as several years. Beetle larvae can be differentiated from other insect larvae by their hardened, often darkened head, the presence of chewing mouthparts, and spiracles along the sides of the body. Like adult beetles, the larvae are varied in appearance, particularly between beetle families. Beetles whose larvae are somewhat flattened and are highly mobile are the ground beetles, some rove beetles, and others; their larvae are described as campodeiform. Some beetle larvae resemble hardened worms with dark head capsules and minute legs. These are elateriform larvae, and are found in the click beetle (Elateridae) and darkling beetle (Tenebrionidae) families. Some elateriform larvae of click beetles are known as wireworms. Beetles in the families of the Scarabaeoidea have short, thick larvae described as scarabaeiform, but more commonly known as grubs. All beetle larvae go through several instars, which are the developmental stages between each moult. In many species the larvae simply increase in size with each successive instar as more food is consumed. In some cases, however, more dramatic changes occur. Among certain beetle families or genera, particularly those that exhibit parasitic lifestyles, the first instar (the planidium) is highly mobile in order to search out a host, while the following instars are more sedentary and remain on or within their host. This is known as hypermetamorphosis; examples include the blister beetles (family Meloidae) and some rove beetles, particularly those of the genus Aleochara. As with all endopterygotes, beetle larvae pupate, and from this pupa emerges a fully formed, sexually mature adult beetle, or imago. Adults have an extremely variable lifespan, from weeks to years, depending on the species. Beetles mating in San Francisco Flamboyant flower beetle, Eudicella gralli, from the forests of Central Africa. The iridescent elytra are used in marriage ceremonies. Beetles may display extremely intricate behaviour when mating. Smell is thought to be important in the location of a mate. Conflict can play a part in the mating rituals of species such as burying beetles (genus Nicrophorus) where conflicts between males and females rage until only one of each is left, thus ensuring reproduction by the strongest and fittest. Many beetles are territorial and will fiercely defend their small patch of territory from intruding males. Pairing is generally short but in some cases will last for several hours. During pairing sperm cells are transferred to the female to fertilise the egg. Parental care varies between species, ranging from the simple laying of eggs under a leaf to certain scarab beetles, which construct underground structures complete with a supply of dung to house and feed their young. Other beetles are leaf rollers, biting sections of leaves to cause them to curl inwards, then laying their eggs, thus protected, inside. Brachinus sp., a bombardier beetle Beetles and their larvae have a variety of strategies to avoid being attacked by predators or parasitoids. These include camouflage, mimicry, toxicity, and active defence. Camouflage involves the use of colouration or shape to blend into the surrounding environment. Among those that exhibit this defensive strategy are some of the leaf beetles (family Chysomelidae), having green colouring very similar to their habitat on plant leaves. More complex camouflage also occurs, as with some weevils, where various coloured scales or hairs cause the beetle to resemble bird dung. Another defence that often uses colour or shape to deceive potential enemies is mimicry. A number of longhorn beetles (family Cerambycidae) bear a striking resemblance to wasps, which fools predators into keeping their distance even though the beetles are in fact harmless. This defence can be found to a lesser extent in other beetle families, such as the scarab beetles. Beetles may combine their colour mimicry with behavioural mimicry, acting like the wasps they already closely resemble. Many beetle species, including ladybirds and blister beetles, can secrete distasteful or toxic substances to make them unpalatable or even poisonous. These same species often exhibit aposematism, where bright or contrasting colour patterns warn away potential predators. Large ground beetles and longhorn beetles may go on the attack, using their strong mandibles to forcibly persuade a predator to seek out easier prey. Others, such as bombardier beetles (within Carabidae) spray acidic gas from their abdomen to repel predators. Besides being abundant and varied, the Coleoptera are able to exploit the wide diversity of food sources available in their many habitats. Some are generalists, eating both plants and animals. Other beetles are highly specialised in their diet. Many species of leaf beetles, longhorn beetles, and weevils are very host specific, feeding on only a single species of plant. Ground beetles and rove beetles (family Staphylinidae), among others, are primarily carnivorous and will catch and consume many other arthropods and small prey such as earthworms and snails. While most predatory beetles are generalists, a few species have more specific prey requirements or preferences. Decaying organic matter is a primary diet for many species. This can range from dung, which is consumed by coprophagous species such as certain scarab beetles (family Scarabaeidae), to dead animals, which are eaten by necrophagous species such as the carrion beetles (family Silphidae). Some of the beetles found within dung and carrion are in fact predatory, such as the clown beetles, preying on the larvae of coprophagous and necrophagous insects. Aquatic beetles use several techniques for retaining air beneath the water's surface. Beetles of the family Dytiscidae hold air between the abdomen and the elytra when diving. Hydrophilidae have hairs on their under surface that retain a layer of air against their bodies. Adult crawling water beetles use both their elytra and their hind coxae (the basal segment of the back legs) in air retention while whirligig beetles simply carry an air bubble down with them whenever they dive. Sphaerius acaroides, a member of the small suborder Myxophaga While some authorities believe modern beetles began about 140 million years ago, research announced in 2007 showed that beetles may have entered the fossil record during the Lower Permian, about 265 to 300 million years ago. Modern Beetles Predate Dinosaurs, Dave Mosher, LiveScience.com, 26 December 2007. The four extant suborders of beetle are these: * Polyphaga is the largest suborder, containing more than 300,000 described species in more than 170 families, including rove beetles (Staphylinidae), scarab beetles (Scarabaeidae), blister beetles (Meloidae), stag beetles (Lucanidae) and true weevils (Curculionidae). These beetles can be identified by the cervical sclerites (hardened parts of the head used as points of attachment for muscles) absent in the other suborders. * Adephaga contains about 10 families of largely predatory beetles, includes ground beetles (Carabidae), Dytiscidae and whirligig beetles (Gyrinidae). In these beetles the testes are tubular and the first abdominal sternum (a plate of the exoskeleton) is divided by the hind coxae (the basal joints of the beetle's legs). * Archostemata contains four families of mainly wood-eating beetles, including reticulated beetles (Cupedidae) and the telephone-pole beetle. * Myxophaga contains about 100 described species in four families, mostly very small, including Hydroscaphidae and the genus Sphaerius. These suborders diverged in the Permian and Triassic. Their phylogenetic relationship is uncertain, with the most popular hypothesis being that Polyphaga and Myxophaga are most closely related, with Adephaga as the sister group to those two, and Archostemata as sister to the other three collectively. There are about 350,000 species of beetles. Such a large number of species poses special problems for classification, with some families consisting of thousands of species and needing further division into subfamilies and tribes. Colorado potato beetle (Leptinotarsa decemlineata) larvae Many agricultural, forestry, and household insect pests are beetles. These include the following: * The Colorado potato beetle, Leptinotarsa decemlineata, is a notorious pest of potato plants. Crops are destroyed and the beetle can only be treated by employing expensive pesticides, many of which it has begun to develop resistance to. As well as potatoes, suitable hosts can be a number of plants from the potato family (Solanaceae), such as nightshade, tomato, aubergine and capsicum. * The boll weevil, Anthonomus grandis, has cost cotton producers in the United States billions of dollars since it first entered that country. * The bark beetles Hylurgopinus rufipes and Scolytus multistriatus, the elm leaf beetle, Pyrrhalta luteola, and other beetles attack elm trees. The bark beetles are important elm pests because they carry Dutch elm disease as they move from infected breeding sites to feed on healthy elm trees. The spread of the fungus by the beetle has led to the devastation of elm trees in many parts of the Northern Hemisphere, notably in Europe and North America. * The death watch beetle, Xestobium rufovillosum, (family Anobiidae) is of considerable importance as a pest of older wooden buildings in Great Britain. It attacks hardwoods such as oak and chestnut, always where some fungal decay has taken or is taking place. It is thought that the actual introduction of the pest into buildings takes place at the time of construction. * Asian long-horned beetle * Citrus long-horned beetle * Western corn rootworm * Coconut hispine beetle or Brontispa longissima gestro feeds on young leaves and damages seedlings and mature coconut palms. On September 27, 2007, Philippines' Metro Manila and 26 provinces were quarantined due to having been infested with this pest (to save the $800-million Philippine coconut industry). Inquirer.net, Beetles infest coconuts in Manila, 26 provinces Coccinella septempunctata, a beneficial beetle * Both the larvae and adults of some ladybirds (family Coccinellidae) are found in aphid colonies. Other lady beetles feed on scale insects and mealybugs. If normal food sources are scarce they may feed on other things, such as small caterpillars, young plant bugs, honeydew and nectar. * Ground beetles (family Carabidae) are common predators of many different insects and other arthropods, including fly eggs, caterpillars, wireworms and others. * Plant-feeding beetles are often important beneficial insects, controlling problem weeds. Some flea beetles of the genus Aphthona feed on leafy spurge, a considerable weed of rangeland in western North America. Some farmers develop beetle banks to foster and provide cover for beneficial beetles. Beetles of the Dermestidae family are often used in taxidermy to clean bones of remaining flesh. Ancient Egyptian scene depicting a scarab beetle Several species of dung beetle, most notably Scarabaeus sacer (often referred to as "scarab"), enjoyed a sacred status among the ancient Egyptians, as the creatures were likened to the major god Khepri. Some scholars suggest that the Egyptians' practice of making mummies was inspired by the brooding process of the beetle. Many thousands of amulets and stamp seals have been excavated that depict the scarab. In many artifacts, the scarab is depicted pushing the sun along its course in the sky, much as scarabs push or roll balls of dung to their brood sites. During and following the New Kingdom, scarab amulets were often placed over the heart of the mummified deceased. Some tribal groups, particularly in tropical parts of the world, use the colourful, iridescent elytra of certain beetles, especially certain Scarabaeidae, in ceremonies and as adornment. Beetle collection at the Melbourne Museum, Australia The study of beetles is called coleopterology, and its practitioners are coleopterists. Coleopterists have formed organisations to facilitate the study of beetles. Among these is The Coleopterists Society, an international organisation based in the United States. Such organisations may have both professionals and amateurs interested in beetles as members. Research in this field is often published in peer-reviewed journals specific to the field of coleopterology, though journals dealing with general entomology also publish many papers on various aspects of beetle biology. Some of the journals specific to beetle research are: The Coleopterist (United Kingdom beetle fauna) The Coleopterists Bulletin (published by The Coleopterists Society) There is a thriving industry in the collection of beetle specimens for amateur and professional collectors. Many coleopterists prefer to collect beetle specimens for themselves, recording detailed information about each specimen and its habitat. Such collections add to the body of knowledge about the Coleoptera. Some countries have established laws governing or prohibiting the collection of certain rare (and often much sought after) species. One such beetle whose collection is illegal or restricted is the American burying beetle, Nicrophorus americanus. * Poul Beckmann, Living Jewels: The Natural Design of Beetles ISBN 3-7913-2528-0 * Arthur V. Evans, Charles Bellamy, and Lisa Charles Watson, An Inordinate Fondness for Beetles ISBN 0-520-22323-3 * Entomological Society of America, Beetle Larvae of the World ISBN 0-643-05506-1 * David Grimaldi, Michael S. Engel, Evolution of the Insects ISBN 0-521-82149-5 * Ross H. Arnett, Jr. and Michael C. Thomas, American Beetles (CRC Press, 2001-2). ISBN 0-8493-1925-0 * K. W. Harde, A Field Guide in Colour to Beetles ISBN 0-7064-1937-5 Pages 7-24 * White, R.E. 1983. Beetles. Houghton Mifflin Company, New York, NY. ISBN 0-395-91089-7 Heteroptera - insect suborder that is superficially similar to beetles - Coleoptera All what do you need to know about coleoptera, collecting and preparation * The Beetle Ring - A group of websites about beetles (Coleoptera). * List of major Beetle collections - worldwide * Entomology - online insect museum, entomology, tips and tricks, how to spread and pin insects, etc. * - Gallery of Central European beetles * Coleoptera from the Tree of Life * Australian borers species * Beetles and coleopterologists Russian site with English version, with information about biology, systematics and paleontology of beetles * North American Beetles from BugGuide * Bibliography on fossil insects * Coleoptera Families of the World * A digital collection of Southeast Asian beetles Related Wikipedia Articles coleopter Hylobius abietis weevil Animal Arthropod Insect Pterygota Neoptera Endopterygota Carolus Linnaeus Systema Naturae Suborder (biology) Adephaga Archostemata Myxophaga Polyphaga subgroups of the order Coleoptera insect species species animal polar region ecosystem plant fungus invertebrate Colorado potato beetle boll weevil coccinellidae aphid scale insect thrips Aristotle cockchafer Trogodendron fasciculatum monophyletic holometabolous prothorax coxa anatomy appendage pronotum insect wing segmentation (biology) exoskeleton elytron sclerite insect flight insect wing ground beetle Curculionidae glowworm Phengodidae Larviform female mouthparts grasshopper mandible (insect) #Defence appendage compound eye whirligig beetle longhorn beetle ocellus vertex (anatomy) antenna (biology) antenna (biology) Acilius sulcatus arthropod leg Dytiscidae Haliplidae Hydrophilidae fossorial clown beetle flea beetle Oxygen invertebrate trachea spiracle hemolymph blood open circulatory system Melolontha melolontha Endopterygota metamorphosis (biology) larva Colorado potato beetle larva Biological life cycle Buprestidae spiracle click beetle darkling beetle click beetle Scarabaeoidea instar ecdysis planidium hypermetamorphosis blister beetle Aleochara pupa imago San Francisco Flamboyant flower beetle burying beetle Spermatozoon fertilisation Scarabaeidae leaf roller Brachinus bombardier beetle parasitoid camouflage mimicry leaf beetle weevil longhorn beetle wasp Coccinellidae blister beetle aposematism ground beetle Mandible (insect) bombardier beetle Ground beetle rove beetle arthropod dung coprophagous dung beetle necrophagous carrion beetle clown beetle coxa Ross H. Arnett, Jr. Michael C. Thomas American Beetles CRC Press Boca Raton, Florida whirligig beetle Sphaerius Myxophaga fossil Permian Polyphaga rove beetle scarabaeidae blister beetle stag beetle Curculionidae sclerite Adephaga ground beetle Dytiscidae whirligig beetle testes exoskeleton coxa Archostemata reticulated beetle telephone-pole beetle Myxophaga Hydroscaphidae Sphaerius Triassic phylogenetics sister group Linnaean taxonomy Colorado potato beetle Colorado potato beetle potato pesticide pesticide resistance Solanaceae nightshade tomato aubergine capsicum boll weevil United States bark beetle elm leaf beetle elm Dutch elm disease Northern Hemisphere Europe North America death watch beetle Anobiidae Great Britain hardwood oak chestnut Asian long-horned beetle Citrus long-horned beetle Western corn rootworm Coconut leaves seedlings coconut palms September 27 Philippines Metro Manila provinces quarantined pest coconut industry Coccinella septempunctata ladybirds Coccinellidae aphid scale insect mealybug honeydew nectar Ground beetle caterpillar Aphthona leafy spurge beetle bank Dermestidae taxidermy Dung beetle Scarabaeus sacer Ancient Egyptian Khepri Mummy New Kingdom Elytron Melbourne Museum coleopterology list of coleopterists The Coleopterists Society international organisation scientific journal The Coleopterist The Coleopterists Bulletin Nicrophorus americanus Entomological Society of America David Grimaldi Michael S. Engel Ross H. Arnett, Jr. Michael C. Thomas American Beetles Heteroptera
beetle	Is the Adephaga suborder larger than the Polyphaga suborder?	no	data/set1/a8	beetle Beetles are a group of insects which have the largest number of species. They are placed in the order Coleoptera,which means "sheathed wing" and contains more described species than in any other order in the animal kingdom, constituting about twenty-five percent of all known life-forms. James K. Liebherr and Joseph V. McHugh in Resh, V. H. & R. T. CardÃ© (Editors) 2003. Encyclopedia of Insects. Academic Press. Forty percent of all described insect species are beetles (about 350,000 species ), and new species are frequently discovered. Estimates put the total number of species, described and undescribed, at between 5 and 8 million. Beetles can be found in almost all habitats, but are not known to occur in the sea or in the polar regions. They interact with their ecosystems in several ways. They often feed on plants and fungi, break down animal and plant debris, and eat other invertebrates. Some species are prey of various animals including birds and mammals. Certain species are agricultural pests, such as the Colorado potato beetle Leptinotarsa decemlineata, the boll weevil Anthonomus grandis, the red flour beetle Tribolium castaneum, and the mungbean or cowpea beetle Callosobruchus maculatus, while other species of beetles are important controls of agricultural pests. For example, coccinellidae ("ladybirds" or "ladybugs") consume aphids, scale insects, thrips, and other plant-sucking insects that damage crops. The name "Coleoptera" was given by Aristotle for the hardened shield like forewings (coleo = shield + ptera = wing). A cockchafer with its elytra raised, exposing the membranous flight wings, where the veins are visible Trogodendron fasciculatum, a clerid beetle with bright yellow antennae Other characters of this group which are believed to be monophyletic include a holometabolous life cycle; having a prothorax that is distinct from and freely articulating with the mesothorax; the meso- and meta-thoracic segments fusing to form a pterothorax; a depressed body shape with the legs on the ventral surface; the coxae of legs recessed into cavities formed by heavily sclerotized thoracic sclerites; the abdominal sternites more sclerotized than the tergites; antennae with 11 or fewer segments; and terminal genitalic appendages retracted into the abdomen and invisible at rest. The general anatomy of beetles is quite uniform, although specific organs and appendages may vary greatly in appearance and function between the many families in the order. Like all insects, beetles' bodies are divided into three sections: the head, the thorax, and the abdomen. When viewed from below, the thorax is that part from which all three pairs of legs and both pairs of wings arise. The abdomen is everything posterior to the thorax. When viewed from above, most beetles appear to have three clear sections, but this is deceptive: on the beetle's upper surface, the middle "section" is a hard plate called the pronotum, which is only the front part of the thorax; the back part of the thorax is concealed by the beetle's wings. Like all arthropods, beetles are segmented organisms, and all three of the major sections of the body are themselves composed of several further segments, although these are not always readily discernible. This further segmentation is usually best seen on the abdomen. Beetles are generally characterised by a particularly hard exoskeleton and hard forewings (elytra). The beetle's exoskeleton is made up of numerous plates called sclerites, separated by thin sutures. This design creates the armoured defences of the beetle while maintaining flexibility. The elytra are not used for flight, but tend to cover the hind part of the body and protect the second pair of wings (alae). The elytra must be raised in order to move the hind flight wings. A beetle's flight wings are crossed with veins and are folded after landing, often along these veins, and are stored below the elytra. In some beetles, the ability to fly has been lost. These include the ground beetles (family Carabidae) and some "true weevils" (family Curculionidae), but also some desert and cave-dwelling species of other families. Many of these species have the two elytra fused together, forming a solid shield over the abdomen. In a few families, both the ability to fly and the elytra have been lost, with the best known example being the glow-worms of the family Phengodidae, in which the females are larviform throughout their lives. Beetles have mouthparts similar to those of grasshoppers. Of these parts, the most commonly known are probably the mandibles, which appear as large pincers on the front of some beetles. The mandibles are a pair of hard, often tooth-like structures that move horizontally to grasp, crush, or cut food or enemies (see defence, below). Two pairs of finger-like appendages are found around the mouth in most beetles, serving to move food into the mouth. These are the maxillary and labial palpi. The eyes are compound and may display remarkable adaptability, as in the case of whirligig beetles (family Gyrinidae), in which the eyes are split to allow a view both above and below the waterline. Other species also have divided eyes â some longhorn beetles (family Cerambycidae) and weevils â while many beetles have eyes that are notched to some degree. A few beetle genera also possess ocelli, which are small, simple eyes usually situated farther back on the head (on the vertex). Beetles' antennae are primarily organs of smell, but may also be used to feel out a beetle's environment physically. They may also be used in some families during mating, or among a few beetles for defence. Antennae vary greatly in form within the Coleoptera, but are often similar within any given family. In some cases, males and females of the same species will have different antennal forms. Antennae may be clavate (flabellate and lamellate are sub-forms of clavate, or clubbed antennae), filiform, geniculate, moniliform, pectinate, or serrate. For images of these antennal forms see antenna (biology). Acilius sulcatus, a diving beetle showing hind legs adapted for life in water The legs, which are multi-segmented, end in two to five small segments called tarsi. Like many other insect orders beetles bear claws, usually one pair, on the end of the last tarsal segment of each leg. While most beetles use their legs for walking, legs may be variously modified and adapted for other uses. Among aquatic families â Dytiscidae, Haliplidae, many species of Hydrophilidae and others â the legs, most notably the last pair, are modified for swimming and often bear rows of long hairs to aid this purpose. Other beetles have fossorial legs that are widened and often spined for digging. Species with such adaptations are found among the scarabs, ground beetles, and clown beetles (family Histeridae). The hind legs of some beetles, such as flea beetles (within Chrysomelidae) and flea weevils (within Curculionidae), are enlarged and designed for jumping. Oxygen is obtained via a tracheal system. Air enters a series of tubes along the body through openings called spiracles, and is then taken into increasingly finer fibres. Pumping movements of the body force the air through the system. Beetles have haemolymph instead of blood, and the open circulatory system of the beetle is powered by a tube-like heart attached to the top inside of the thorax. Scarabaeiform larva of the cockchafer, Melolontha melolontha Beetles are endopterygotes with complete metamorphosis. A single female may lay from several dozen to several thousand eggs during her lifetime. Eggs are usually laid according to the substrate the larva will feed on upon hatching. Among others, they can be laid loose in the substrate (e.g. flour beetle), laid in clumps on leaves (e.g. Colorado potato beetle), or individually attached (e.g. mungbean beetle and other seed borers) or buried in the medium (e.g. carrot weevil). The larva is usually the principal feeding stage of the beetle life cycle. Larvae tend to feed voraciously once they emerge from their eggs. Some feed externally on plants, such as those of certain leaf beetles, while others feed within their food sources. Examples of internal feeders are most Buprestidae and longhorn beetles. The larvae of many beetle families are predatory like the adults (ground beetles, ladybirds, rove beetles). The larval period varies between species but can be as long as several years. Beetle larvae can be differentiated from other insect larvae by their hardened, often darkened head, the presence of chewing mouthparts, and spiracles along the sides of the body. Like adult beetles, the larvae are varied in appearance, particularly between beetle families. Beetles whose larvae are somewhat flattened and are highly mobile are the ground beetles, some rove beetles, and others; their larvae are described as campodeiform. Some beetle larvae resemble hardened worms with dark head capsules and minute legs. These are elateriform larvae, and are found in the click beetle (Elateridae) and darkling beetle (Tenebrionidae) families. Some elateriform larvae of click beetles are known as wireworms. Beetles in the families of the Scarabaeoidea have short, thick larvae described as scarabaeiform, but more commonly known as grubs. All beetle larvae go through several instars, which are the developmental stages between each moult. In many species the larvae simply increase in size with each successive instar as more food is consumed. In some cases, however, more dramatic changes occur. Among certain beetle families or genera, particularly those that exhibit parasitic lifestyles, the first instar (the planidium) is highly mobile in order to search out a host, while the following instars are more sedentary and remain on or within their host. This is known as hypermetamorphosis; examples include the blister beetles (family Meloidae) and some rove beetles, particularly those of the genus Aleochara. As with all endopterygotes, beetle larvae pupate, and from this pupa emerges a fully formed, sexually mature adult beetle, or imago. Adults have an extremely variable lifespan, from weeks to years, depending on the species. Beetles mating in San Francisco Flamboyant flower beetle, Eudicella gralli, from the forests of Central Africa. The iridescent elytra are used in marriage ceremonies. Beetles may display extremely intricate behaviour when mating. Smell is thought to be important in the location of a mate. Conflict can play a part in the mating rituals of species such as burying beetles (genus Nicrophorus) where conflicts between males and females rage until only one of each is left, thus ensuring reproduction by the strongest and fittest. Many beetles are territorial and will fiercely defend their small patch of territory from intruding males. Pairing is generally short but in some cases will last for several hours. During pairing sperm cells are transferred to the female to fertilise the egg. Parental care varies between species, ranging from the simple laying of eggs under a leaf to certain scarab beetles, which construct underground structures complete with a supply of dung to house and feed their young. Other beetles are leaf rollers, biting sections of leaves to cause them to curl inwards, then laying their eggs, thus protected, inside. Brachinus sp., a bombardier beetle Beetles and their larvae have a variety of strategies to avoid being attacked by predators or parasitoids. These include camouflage, mimicry, toxicity, and active defence. Camouflage involves the use of colouration or shape to blend into the surrounding environment. Among those that exhibit this defensive strategy are some of the leaf beetles (family Chysomelidae), having green colouring very similar to their habitat on plant leaves. More complex camouflage also occurs, as with some weevils, where various coloured scales or hairs cause the beetle to resemble bird dung. Another defence that often uses colour or shape to deceive potential enemies is mimicry. A number of longhorn beetles (family Cerambycidae) bear a striking resemblance to wasps, which fools predators into keeping their distance even though the beetles are in fact harmless. This defence can be found to a lesser extent in other beetle families, such as the scarab beetles. Beetles may combine their colour mimicry with behavioural mimicry, acting like the wasps they already closely resemble. Many beetle species, including ladybirds and blister beetles, can secrete distasteful or toxic substances to make them unpalatable or even poisonous. These same species often exhibit aposematism, where bright or contrasting colour patterns warn away potential predators. Large ground beetles and longhorn beetles may go on the attack, using their strong mandibles to forcibly persuade a predator to seek out easier prey. Others, such as bombardier beetles (within Carabidae) spray acidic gas from their abdomen to repel predators. Besides being abundant and varied, the Coleoptera are able to exploit the wide diversity of food sources available in their many habitats. Some are generalists, eating both plants and animals. Other beetles are highly specialised in their diet. Many species of leaf beetles, longhorn beetles, and weevils are very host specific, feeding on only a single species of plant. Ground beetles and rove beetles (family Staphylinidae), among others, are primarily carnivorous and will catch and consume many other arthropods and small prey such as earthworms and snails. While most predatory beetles are generalists, a few species have more specific prey requirements or preferences. Decaying organic matter is a primary diet for many species. This can range from dung, which is consumed by coprophagous species such as certain scarab beetles (family Scarabaeidae), to dead animals, which are eaten by necrophagous species such as the carrion beetles (family Silphidae). Some of the beetles found within dung and carrion are in fact predatory, such as the clown beetles, preying on the larvae of coprophagous and necrophagous insects. Aquatic beetles use several techniques for retaining air beneath the water's surface. Beetles of the family Dytiscidae hold air between the abdomen and the elytra when diving. Hydrophilidae have hairs on their under surface that retain a layer of air against their bodies. Adult crawling water beetles use both their elytra and their hind coxae (the basal segment of the back legs) in air retention while whirligig beetles simply carry an air bubble down with them whenever they dive. Sphaerius acaroides, a member of the small suborder Myxophaga While some authorities believe modern beetles began about 140 million years ago, research announced in 2007 showed that beetles may have entered the fossil record during the Lower Permian, about 265 to 300 million years ago. Modern Beetles Predate Dinosaurs, Dave Mosher, LiveScience.com, 26 December 2007. The four extant suborders of beetle are these: * Polyphaga is the largest suborder, containing more than 300,000 described species in more than 170 families, including rove beetles (Staphylinidae), scarab beetles (Scarabaeidae), blister beetles (Meloidae), stag beetles (Lucanidae) and true weevils (Curculionidae). These beetles can be identified by the cervical sclerites (hardened parts of the head used as points of attachment for muscles) absent in the other suborders. * Adephaga contains about 10 families of largely predatory beetles, includes ground beetles (Carabidae), Dytiscidae and whirligig beetles (Gyrinidae). In these beetles the testes are tubular and the first abdominal sternum (a plate of the exoskeleton) is divided by the hind coxae (the basal joints of the beetle's legs). * Archostemata contains four families of mainly wood-eating beetles, including reticulated beetles (Cupedidae) and the telephone-pole beetle. * Myxophaga contains about 100 described species in four families, mostly very small, including Hydroscaphidae and the genus Sphaerius. These suborders diverged in the Permian and Triassic. Their phylogenetic relationship is uncertain, with the most popular hypothesis being that Polyphaga and Myxophaga are most closely related, with Adephaga as the sister group to those two, and Archostemata as sister to the other three collectively. There are about 350,000 species of beetles. Such a large number of species poses special problems for classification, with some families consisting of thousands of species and needing further division into subfamilies and tribes. Colorado potato beetle (Leptinotarsa decemlineata) larvae Many agricultural, forestry, and household insect pests are beetles. These include the following: * The Colorado potato beetle, Leptinotarsa decemlineata, is a notorious pest of potato plants. Crops are destroyed and the beetle can only be treated by employing expensive pesticides, many of which it has begun to develop resistance to. As well as potatoes, suitable hosts can be a number of plants from the potato family (Solanaceae), such as nightshade, tomato, aubergine and capsicum. * The boll weevil, Anthonomus grandis, has cost cotton producers in the United States billions of dollars since it first entered that country. * The bark beetles Hylurgopinus rufipes and Scolytus multistriatus, the elm leaf beetle, Pyrrhalta luteola, and other beetles attack elm trees. The bark beetles are important elm pests because they carry Dutch elm disease as they move from infected breeding sites to feed on healthy elm trees. The spread of the fungus by the beetle has led to the devastation of elm trees in many parts of the Northern Hemisphere, notably in Europe and North America. * The death watch beetle, Xestobium rufovillosum, (family Anobiidae) is of considerable importance as a pest of older wooden buildings in Great Britain. It attacks hardwoods such as oak and chestnut, always where some fungal decay has taken or is taking place. It is thought that the actual introduction of the pest into buildings takes place at the time of construction. * Asian long-horned beetle * Citrus long-horned beetle * Western corn rootworm * Coconut hispine beetle or Brontispa longissima gestro feeds on young leaves and damages seedlings and mature coconut palms. On September 27, 2007, Philippines' Metro Manila and 26 provinces were quarantined due to having been infested with this pest (to save the $800-million Philippine coconut industry). Inquirer.net, Beetles infest coconuts in Manila, 26 provinces Coccinella septempunctata, a beneficial beetle * Both the larvae and adults of some ladybirds (family Coccinellidae) are found in aphid colonies. Other lady beetles feed on scale insects and mealybugs. If normal food sources are scarce they may feed on other things, such as small caterpillars, young plant bugs, honeydew and nectar. * Ground beetles (family Carabidae) are common predators of many different insects and other arthropods, including fly eggs, caterpillars, wireworms and others. * Plant-feeding beetles are often important beneficial insects, controlling problem weeds. Some flea beetles of the genus Aphthona feed on leafy spurge, a considerable weed of rangeland in western North America. Some farmers develop beetle banks to foster and provide cover for beneficial beetles. Beetles of the Dermestidae family are often used in taxidermy to clean bones of remaining flesh. Ancient Egyptian scene depicting a scarab beetle Several species of dung beetle, most notably Scarabaeus sacer (often referred to as "scarab"), enjoyed a sacred status among the ancient Egyptians, as the creatures were likened to the major god Khepri. Some scholars suggest that the Egyptians' practice of making mummies was inspired by the brooding process of the beetle. Many thousands of amulets and stamp seals have been excavated that depict the scarab. In many artifacts, the scarab is depicted pushing the sun along its course in the sky, much as scarabs push or roll balls of dung to their brood sites. During and following the New Kingdom, scarab amulets were often placed over the heart of the mummified deceased. Some tribal groups, particularly in tropical parts of the world, use the colourful, iridescent elytra of certain beetles, especially certain Scarabaeidae, in ceremonies and as adornment. Beetle collection at the Melbourne Museum, Australia The study of beetles is called coleopterology, and its practitioners are coleopterists. Coleopterists have formed organisations to facilitate the study of beetles. Among these is The Coleopterists Society, an international organisation based in the United States. Such organisations may have both professionals and amateurs interested in beetles as members. Research in this field is often published in peer-reviewed journals specific to the field of coleopterology, though journals dealing with general entomology also publish many papers on various aspects of beetle biology. Some of the journals specific to beetle research are: The Coleopterist (United Kingdom beetle fauna) The Coleopterists Bulletin (published by The Coleopterists Society) There is a thriving industry in the collection of beetle specimens for amateur and professional collectors. Many coleopterists prefer to collect beetle specimens for themselves, recording detailed information about each specimen and its habitat. Such collections add to the body of knowledge about the Coleoptera. Some countries have established laws governing or prohibiting the collection of certain rare (and often much sought after) species. One such beetle whose collection is illegal or restricted is the American burying beetle, Nicrophorus americanus. * Poul Beckmann, Living Jewels: The Natural Design of Beetles ISBN 3-7913-2528-0 * Arthur V. Evans, Charles Bellamy, and Lisa Charles Watson, An Inordinate Fondness for Beetles ISBN 0-520-22323-3 * Entomological Society of America, Beetle Larvae of the World ISBN 0-643-05506-1 * David Grimaldi, Michael S. Engel, Evolution of the Insects ISBN 0-521-82149-5 * Ross H. Arnett, Jr. and Michael C. Thomas, American Beetles (CRC Press, 2001-2). ISBN 0-8493-1925-0 * K. W. Harde, A Field Guide in Colour to Beetles ISBN 0-7064-1937-5 Pages 7-24 * White, R.E. 1983. Beetles. Houghton Mifflin Company, New York, NY. ISBN 0-395-91089-7 Heteroptera - insect suborder that is superficially similar to beetles - Coleoptera All what do you need to know about coleoptera, collecting and preparation * The Beetle Ring - A group of websites about beetles (Coleoptera). * List of major Beetle collections - worldwide * Entomology - online insect museum, entomology, tips and tricks, how to spread and pin insects, etc. * - Gallery of Central European beetles * Coleoptera from the Tree of Life * Australian borers species * Beetles and coleopterologists Russian site with English version, with information about biology, systematics and paleontology of beetles * North American Beetles from BugGuide * Bibliography on fossil insects * Coleoptera Families of the World * A digital collection of Southeast Asian beetles Related Wikipedia Articles coleopter Hylobius abietis weevil Animal Arthropod Insect Pterygota Neoptera Endopterygota Carolus Linnaeus Systema Naturae Suborder (biology) Adephaga Archostemata Myxophaga Polyphaga subgroups of the order Coleoptera insect species species animal polar region ecosystem plant fungus invertebrate Colorado potato beetle boll weevil coccinellidae aphid scale insect thrips Aristotle cockchafer Trogodendron fasciculatum monophyletic holometabolous prothorax coxa anatomy appendage pronotum insect wing segmentation (biology) exoskeleton elytron sclerite insect flight insect wing ground beetle Curculionidae glowworm Phengodidae Larviform female mouthparts grasshopper mandible (insect) #Defence appendage compound eye whirligig beetle longhorn beetle ocellus vertex (anatomy) antenna (biology) antenna (biology) Acilius sulcatus arthropod leg Dytiscidae Haliplidae Hydrophilidae fossorial clown beetle flea beetle Oxygen invertebrate trachea spiracle hemolymph blood open circulatory system Melolontha melolontha Endopterygota metamorphosis (biology) larva Colorado potato beetle larva Biological life cycle Buprestidae spiracle click beetle darkling beetle click beetle Scarabaeoidea instar ecdysis planidium hypermetamorphosis blister beetle Aleochara pupa imago San Francisco Flamboyant flower beetle burying beetle Spermatozoon fertilisation Scarabaeidae leaf roller Brachinus bombardier beetle parasitoid camouflage mimicry leaf beetle weevil longhorn beetle wasp Coccinellidae blister beetle aposematism ground beetle Mandible (insect) bombardier beetle Ground beetle rove beetle arthropod dung coprophagous dung beetle necrophagous carrion beetle clown beetle coxa Ross H. Arnett, Jr. Michael C. Thomas American Beetles CRC Press Boca Raton, Florida whirligig beetle Sphaerius Myxophaga fossil Permian Polyphaga rove beetle scarabaeidae blister beetle stag beetle Curculionidae sclerite Adephaga ground beetle Dytiscidae whirligig beetle testes exoskeleton coxa Archostemata reticulated beetle telephone-pole beetle Myxophaga Hydroscaphidae Sphaerius Triassic phylogenetics sister group Linnaean taxonomy Colorado potato beetle Colorado potato beetle potato pesticide pesticide resistance Solanaceae nightshade tomato aubergine capsicum boll weevil United States bark beetle elm leaf beetle elm Dutch elm disease Northern Hemisphere Europe North America death watch beetle Anobiidae Great Britain hardwood oak chestnut Asian long-horned beetle Citrus long-horned beetle Western corn rootworm Coconut leaves seedlings coconut palms September 27 Philippines Metro Manila provinces quarantined pest coconut industry Coccinella septempunctata ladybirds Coccinellidae aphid scale insect mealybug honeydew nectar Ground beetle caterpillar Aphthona leafy spurge beetle bank Dermestidae taxidermy Dung beetle Scarabaeus sacer Ancient Egyptian Khepri Mummy New Kingdom Elytron Melbourne Museum coleopterology list of coleopterists The Coleopterists Society international organisation scientific journal The Coleopterist The Coleopterists Bulletin Nicrophorus americanus Entomological Society of America David Grimaldi Michael S. Engel Ross H. Arnett, Jr. Michael C. Thomas American Beetles Heteroptera
beetle	Is the Adephaga suborder larger than the Polyphaga suborder?	yes	data/set1/a8	beetle Beetles are a group of insects which have the largest number of species. They are placed in the order Coleoptera,which means "sheathed wing" and contains more described species than in any other order in the animal kingdom, constituting about twenty-five percent of all known life-forms. James K. Liebherr and Joseph V. McHugh in Resh, V. H. & R. T. CardÃ© (Editors) 2003. Encyclopedia of Insects. Academic Press. Forty percent of all described insect species are beetles (about 350,000 species ), and new species are frequently discovered. Estimates put the total number of species, described and undescribed, at between 5 and 8 million. Beetles can be found in almost all habitats, but are not known to occur in the sea or in the polar regions. They interact with their ecosystems in several ways. They often feed on plants and fungi, break down animal and plant debris, and eat other invertebrates. Some species are prey of various animals including birds and mammals. Certain species are agricultural pests, such as the Colorado potato beetle Leptinotarsa decemlineata, the boll weevil Anthonomus grandis, the red flour beetle Tribolium castaneum, and the mungbean or cowpea beetle Callosobruchus maculatus, while other species of beetles are important controls of agricultural pests. For example, coccinellidae ("ladybirds" or "ladybugs") consume aphids, scale insects, thrips, and other plant-sucking insects that damage crops. The name "Coleoptera" was given by Aristotle for the hardened shield like forewings (coleo = shield + ptera = wing). A cockchafer with its elytra raised, exposing the membranous flight wings, where the veins are visible Trogodendron fasciculatum, a clerid beetle with bright yellow antennae Other characters of this group which are believed to be monophyletic include a holometabolous life cycle; having a prothorax that is distinct from and freely articulating with the mesothorax; the meso- and meta-thoracic segments fusing to form a pterothorax; a depressed body shape with the legs on the ventral surface; the coxae of legs recessed into cavities formed by heavily sclerotized thoracic sclerites; the abdominal sternites more sclerotized than the tergites; antennae with 11 or fewer segments; and terminal genitalic appendages retracted into the abdomen and invisible at rest. The general anatomy of beetles is quite uniform, although specific organs and appendages may vary greatly in appearance and function between the many families in the order. Like all insects, beetles' bodies are divided into three sections: the head, the thorax, and the abdomen. When viewed from below, the thorax is that part from which all three pairs of legs and both pairs of wings arise. The abdomen is everything posterior to the thorax. When viewed from above, most beetles appear to have three clear sections, but this is deceptive: on the beetle's upper surface, the middle "section" is a hard plate called the pronotum, which is only the front part of the thorax; the back part of the thorax is concealed by the beetle's wings. Like all arthropods, beetles are segmented organisms, and all three of the major sections of the body are themselves composed of several further segments, although these are not always readily discernible. This further segmentation is usually best seen on the abdomen. Beetles are generally characterised by a particularly hard exoskeleton and hard forewings (elytra). The beetle's exoskeleton is made up of numerous plates called sclerites, separated by thin sutures. This design creates the armoured defences of the beetle while maintaining flexibility. The elytra are not used for flight, but tend to cover the hind part of the body and protect the second pair of wings (alae). The elytra must be raised in order to move the hind flight wings. A beetle's flight wings are crossed with veins and are folded after landing, often along these veins, and are stored below the elytra. In some beetles, the ability to fly has been lost. These include the ground beetles (family Carabidae) and some "true weevils" (family Curculionidae), but also some desert and cave-dwelling species of other families. Many of these species have the two elytra fused together, forming a solid shield over the abdomen. In a few families, both the ability to fly and the elytra have been lost, with the best known example being the glow-worms of the family Phengodidae, in which the females are larviform throughout their lives. Beetles have mouthparts similar to those of grasshoppers. Of these parts, the most commonly known are probably the mandibles, which appear as large pincers on the front of some beetles. The mandibles are a pair of hard, often tooth-like structures that move horizontally to grasp, crush, or cut food or enemies (see defence, below). Two pairs of finger-like appendages are found around the mouth in most beetles, serving to move food into the mouth. These are the maxillary and labial palpi. The eyes are compound and may display remarkable adaptability, as in the case of whirligig beetles (family Gyrinidae), in which the eyes are split to allow a view both above and below the waterline. Other species also have divided eyes â some longhorn beetles (family Cerambycidae) and weevils â while many beetles have eyes that are notched to some degree. A few beetle genera also possess ocelli, which are small, simple eyes usually situated farther back on the head (on the vertex). Beetles' antennae are primarily organs of smell, but may also be used to feel out a beetle's environment physically. They may also be used in some families during mating, or among a few beetles for defence. Antennae vary greatly in form within the Coleoptera, but are often similar within any given family. In some cases, males and females of the same species will have different antennal forms. Antennae may be clavate (flabellate and lamellate are sub-forms of clavate, or clubbed antennae), filiform, geniculate, moniliform, pectinate, or serrate. For images of these antennal forms see antenna (biology). Acilius sulcatus, a diving beetle showing hind legs adapted for life in water The legs, which are multi-segmented, end in two to five small segments called tarsi. Like many other insect orders beetles bear claws, usually one pair, on the end of the last tarsal segment of each leg. While most beetles use their legs for walking, legs may be variously modified and adapted for other uses. Among aquatic families â Dytiscidae, Haliplidae, many species of Hydrophilidae and others â the legs, most notably the last pair, are modified for swimming and often bear rows of long hairs to aid this purpose. Other beetles have fossorial legs that are widened and often spined for digging. Species with such adaptations are found among the scarabs, ground beetles, and clown beetles (family Histeridae). The hind legs of some beetles, such as flea beetles (within Chrysomelidae) and flea weevils (within Curculionidae), are enlarged and designed for jumping. Oxygen is obtained via a tracheal system. Air enters a series of tubes along the body through openings called spiracles, and is then taken into increasingly finer fibres. Pumping movements of the body force the air through the system. Beetles have haemolymph instead of blood, and the open circulatory system of the beetle is powered by a tube-like heart attached to the top inside of the thorax. Scarabaeiform larva of the cockchafer, Melolontha melolontha Beetles are endopterygotes with complete metamorphosis. A single female may lay from several dozen to several thousand eggs during her lifetime. Eggs are usually laid according to the substrate the larva will feed on upon hatching. Among others, they can be laid loose in the substrate (e.g. flour beetle), laid in clumps on leaves (e.g. Colorado potato beetle), or individually attached (e.g. mungbean beetle and other seed borers) or buried in the medium (e.g. carrot weevil). The larva is usually the principal feeding stage of the beetle life cycle. Larvae tend to feed voraciously once they emerge from their eggs. Some feed externally on plants, such as those of certain leaf beetles, while others feed within their food sources. Examples of internal feeders are most Buprestidae and longhorn beetles. The larvae of many beetle families are predatory like the adults (ground beetles, ladybirds, rove beetles). The larval period varies between species but can be as long as several years. Beetle larvae can be differentiated from other insect larvae by their hardened, often darkened head, the presence of chewing mouthparts, and spiracles along the sides of the body. Like adult beetles, the larvae are varied in appearance, particularly between beetle families. Beetles whose larvae are somewhat flattened and are highly mobile are the ground beetles, some rove beetles, and others; their larvae are described as campodeiform. Some beetle larvae resemble hardened worms with dark head capsules and minute legs. These are elateriform larvae, and are found in the click beetle (Elateridae) and darkling beetle (Tenebrionidae) families. Some elateriform larvae of click beetles are known as wireworms. Beetles in the families of the Scarabaeoidea have short, thick larvae described as scarabaeiform, but more commonly known as grubs. All beetle larvae go through several instars, which are the developmental stages between each moult. In many species the larvae simply increase in size with each successive instar as more food is consumed. In some cases, however, more dramatic changes occur. Among certain beetle families or genera, particularly those that exhibit parasitic lifestyles, the first instar (the planidium) is highly mobile in order to search out a host, while the following instars are more sedentary and remain on or within their host. This is known as hypermetamorphosis; examples include the blister beetles (family Meloidae) and some rove beetles, particularly those of the genus Aleochara. As with all endopterygotes, beetle larvae pupate, and from this pupa emerges a fully formed, sexually mature adult beetle, or imago. Adults have an extremely variable lifespan, from weeks to years, depending on the species. Beetles mating in San Francisco Flamboyant flower beetle, Eudicella gralli, from the forests of Central Africa. The iridescent elytra are used in marriage ceremonies. Beetles may display extremely intricate behaviour when mating. Smell is thought to be important in the location of a mate. Conflict can play a part in the mating rituals of species such as burying beetles (genus Nicrophorus) where conflicts between males and females rage until only one of each is left, thus ensuring reproduction by the strongest and fittest. Many beetles are territorial and will fiercely defend their small patch of territory from intruding males. Pairing is generally short but in some cases will last for several hours. During pairing sperm cells are transferred to the female to fertilise the egg. Parental care varies between species, ranging from the simple laying of eggs under a leaf to certain scarab beetles, which construct underground structures complete with a supply of dung to house and feed their young. Other beetles are leaf rollers, biting sections of leaves to cause them to curl inwards, then laying their eggs, thus protected, inside. Brachinus sp., a bombardier beetle Beetles and their larvae have a variety of strategies to avoid being attacked by predators or parasitoids. These include camouflage, mimicry, toxicity, and active defence. Camouflage involves the use of colouration or shape to blend into the surrounding environment. Among those that exhibit this defensive strategy are some of the leaf beetles (family Chysomelidae), having green colouring very similar to their habitat on plant leaves. More complex camouflage also occurs, as with some weevils, where various coloured scales or hairs cause the beetle to resemble bird dung. Another defence that often uses colour or shape to deceive potential enemies is mimicry. A number of longhorn beetles (family Cerambycidae) bear a striking resemblance to wasps, which fools predators into keeping their distance even though the beetles are in fact harmless. This defence can be found to a lesser extent in other beetle families, such as the scarab beetles. Beetles may combine their colour mimicry with behavioural mimicry, acting like the wasps they already closely resemble. Many beetle species, including ladybirds and blister beetles, can secrete distasteful or toxic substances to make them unpalatable or even poisonous. These same species often exhibit aposematism, where bright or contrasting colour patterns warn away potential predators. Large ground beetles and longhorn beetles may go on the attack, using their strong mandibles to forcibly persuade a predator to seek out easier prey. Others, such as bombardier beetles (within Carabidae) spray acidic gas from their abdomen to repel predators. Besides being abundant and varied, the Coleoptera are able to exploit the wide diversity of food sources available in their many habitats. Some are generalists, eating both plants and animals. Other beetles are highly specialised in their diet. Many species of leaf beetles, longhorn beetles, and weevils are very host specific, feeding on only a single species of plant. Ground beetles and rove beetles (family Staphylinidae), among others, are primarily carnivorous and will catch and consume many other arthropods and small prey such as earthworms and snails. While most predatory beetles are generalists, a few species have more specific prey requirements or preferences. Decaying organic matter is a primary diet for many species. This can range from dung, which is consumed by coprophagous species such as certain scarab beetles (family Scarabaeidae), to dead animals, which are eaten by necrophagous species such as the carrion beetles (family Silphidae). Some of the beetles found within dung and carrion are in fact predatory, such as the clown beetles, preying on the larvae of coprophagous and necrophagous insects. Aquatic beetles use several techniques for retaining air beneath the water's surface. Beetles of the family Dytiscidae hold air between the abdomen and the elytra when diving. Hydrophilidae have hairs on their under surface that retain a layer of air against their bodies. Adult crawling water beetles use both their elytra and their hind coxae (the basal segment of the back legs) in air retention while whirligig beetles simply carry an air bubble down with them whenever they dive. Sphaerius acaroides, a member of the small suborder Myxophaga While some authorities believe modern beetles began about 140 million years ago, research announced in 2007 showed that beetles may have entered the fossil record during the Lower Permian, about 265 to 300 million years ago. Modern Beetles Predate Dinosaurs, Dave Mosher, LiveScience.com, 26 December 2007. The four extant suborders of beetle are these: * Polyphaga is the largest suborder, containing more than 300,000 described species in more than 170 families, including rove beetles (Staphylinidae), scarab beetles (Scarabaeidae), blister beetles (Meloidae), stag beetles (Lucanidae) and true weevils (Curculionidae). These beetles can be identified by the cervical sclerites (hardened parts of the head used as points of attachment for muscles) absent in the other suborders. * Adephaga contains about 10 families of largely predatory beetles, includes ground beetles (Carabidae), Dytiscidae and whirligig beetles (Gyrinidae). In these beetles the testes are tubular and the first abdominal sternum (a plate of the exoskeleton) is divided by the hind coxae (the basal joints of the beetle's legs). * Archostemata contains four families of mainly wood-eating beetles, including reticulated beetles (Cupedidae) and the telephone-pole beetle. * Myxophaga contains about 100 described species in four families, mostly very small, including Hydroscaphidae and the genus Sphaerius. These suborders diverged in the Permian and Triassic. Their phylogenetic relationship is uncertain, with the most popular hypothesis being that Polyphaga and Myxophaga are most closely related, with Adephaga as the sister group to those two, and Archostemata as sister to the other three collectively. There are about 350,000 species of beetles. Such a large number of species poses special problems for classification, with some families consisting of thousands of species and needing further division into subfamilies and tribes. Colorado potato beetle (Leptinotarsa decemlineata) larvae Many agricultural, forestry, and household insect pests are beetles. These include the following: * The Colorado potato beetle, Leptinotarsa decemlineata, is a notorious pest of potato plants. Crops are destroyed and the beetle can only be treated by employing expensive pesticides, many of which it has begun to develop resistance to. As well as potatoes, suitable hosts can be a number of plants from the potato family (Solanaceae), such as nightshade, tomato, aubergine and capsicum. * The boll weevil, Anthonomus grandis, has cost cotton producers in the United States billions of dollars since it first entered that country. * The bark beetles Hylurgopinus rufipes and Scolytus multistriatus, the elm leaf beetle, Pyrrhalta luteola, and other beetles attack elm trees. The bark beetles are important elm pests because they carry Dutch elm disease as they move from infected breeding sites to feed on healthy elm trees. The spread of the fungus by the beetle has led to the devastation of elm trees in many parts of the Northern Hemisphere, notably in Europe and North America. * The death watch beetle, Xestobium rufovillosum, (family Anobiidae) is of considerable importance as a pest of older wooden buildings in Great Britain. It attacks hardwoods such as oak and chestnut, always where some fungal decay has taken or is taking place. It is thought that the actual introduction of the pest into buildings takes place at the time of construction. * Asian long-horned beetle * Citrus long-horned beetle * Western corn rootworm * Coconut hispine beetle or Brontispa longissima gestro feeds on young leaves and damages seedlings and mature coconut palms. On September 27, 2007, Philippines' Metro Manila and 26 provinces were quarantined due to having been infested with this pest (to save the $800-million Philippine coconut industry). Inquirer.net, Beetles infest coconuts in Manila, 26 provinces Coccinella septempunctata, a beneficial beetle * Both the larvae and adults of some ladybirds (family Coccinellidae) are found in aphid colonies. Other lady beetles feed on scale insects and mealybugs. If normal food sources are scarce they may feed on other things, such as small caterpillars, young plant bugs, honeydew and nectar. * Ground beetles (family Carabidae) are common predators of many different insects and other arthropods, including fly eggs, caterpillars, wireworms and others. * Plant-feeding beetles are often important beneficial insects, controlling problem weeds. Some flea beetles of the genus Aphthona feed on leafy spurge, a considerable weed of rangeland in western North America. Some farmers develop beetle banks to foster and provide cover for beneficial beetles. Beetles of the Dermestidae family are often used in taxidermy to clean bones of remaining flesh. Ancient Egyptian scene depicting a scarab beetle Several species of dung beetle, most notably Scarabaeus sacer (often referred to as "scarab"), enjoyed a sacred status among the ancient Egyptians, as the creatures were likened to the major god Khepri. Some scholars suggest that the Egyptians' practice of making mummies was inspired by the brooding process of the beetle. Many thousands of amulets and stamp seals have been excavated that depict the scarab. In many artifacts, the scarab is depicted pushing the sun along its course in the sky, much as scarabs push or roll balls of dung to their brood sites. During and following the New Kingdom, scarab amulets were often placed over the heart of the mummified deceased. Some tribal groups, particularly in tropical parts of the world, use the colourful, iridescent elytra of certain beetles, especially certain Scarabaeidae, in ceremonies and as adornment. Beetle collection at the Melbourne Museum, Australia The study of beetles is called coleopterology, and its practitioners are coleopterists. Coleopterists have formed organisations to facilitate the study of beetles. Among these is The Coleopterists Society, an international organisation based in the United States. Such organisations may have both professionals and amateurs interested in beetles as members. Research in this field is often published in peer-reviewed journals specific to the field of coleopterology, though journals dealing with general entomology also publish many papers on various aspects of beetle biology. Some of the journals specific to beetle research are: The Coleopterist (United Kingdom beetle fauna) The Coleopterists Bulletin (published by The Coleopterists Society) There is a thriving industry in the collection of beetle specimens for amateur and professional collectors. Many coleopterists prefer to collect beetle specimens for themselves, recording detailed information about each specimen and its habitat. Such collections add to the body of knowledge about the Coleoptera. Some countries have established laws governing or prohibiting the collection of certain rare (and often much sought after) species. One such beetle whose collection is illegal or restricted is the American burying beetle, Nicrophorus americanus. * Poul Beckmann, Living Jewels: The Natural Design of Beetles ISBN 3-7913-2528-0 * Arthur V. Evans, Charles Bellamy, and Lisa Charles Watson, An Inordinate Fondness for Beetles ISBN 0-520-22323-3 * Entomological Society of America, Beetle Larvae of the World ISBN 0-643-05506-1 * David Grimaldi, Michael S. Engel, Evolution of the Insects ISBN 0-521-82149-5 * Ross H. Arnett, Jr. and Michael C. Thomas, American Beetles (CRC Press, 2001-2). ISBN 0-8493-1925-0 * K. W. Harde, A Field Guide in Colour to Beetles ISBN 0-7064-1937-5 Pages 7-24 * White, R.E. 1983. Beetles. Houghton Mifflin Company, New York, NY. ISBN 0-395-91089-7 Heteroptera - insect suborder that is superficially similar to beetles - Coleoptera All what do you need to know about coleoptera, collecting and preparation * The Beetle Ring - A group of websites about beetles (Coleoptera). * List of major Beetle collections - worldwide * Entomology - online insect museum, entomology, tips and tricks, how to spread and pin insects, etc. * - Gallery of Central European beetles * Coleoptera from the Tree of Life * Australian borers species * Beetles and coleopterologists Russian site with English version, with information about biology, systematics and paleontology of beetles * North American Beetles from BugGuide * Bibliography on fossil insects * Coleoptera Families of the World * A digital collection of Southeast Asian beetles Related Wikipedia Articles coleopter Hylobius abietis weevil Animal Arthropod Insect Pterygota Neoptera Endopterygota Carolus Linnaeus Systema Naturae Suborder (biology) Adephaga Archostemata Myxophaga Polyphaga subgroups of the order Coleoptera insect species species animal polar region ecosystem plant fungus invertebrate Colorado potato beetle boll weevil coccinellidae aphid scale insect thrips Aristotle cockchafer Trogodendron fasciculatum monophyletic holometabolous prothorax coxa anatomy appendage pronotum insect wing segmentation (biology) exoskeleton elytron sclerite insect flight insect wing ground beetle Curculionidae glowworm Phengodidae Larviform female mouthparts grasshopper mandible (insect) #Defence appendage compound eye whirligig beetle longhorn beetle ocellus vertex (anatomy) antenna (biology) antenna (biology) Acilius sulcatus arthropod leg Dytiscidae Haliplidae Hydrophilidae fossorial clown beetle flea beetle Oxygen invertebrate trachea spiracle hemolymph blood open circulatory system Melolontha melolontha Endopterygota metamorphosis (biology) larva Colorado potato beetle larva Biological life cycle Buprestidae spiracle click beetle darkling beetle click beetle Scarabaeoidea instar ecdysis planidium hypermetamorphosis blister beetle Aleochara pupa imago San Francisco Flamboyant flower beetle burying beetle Spermatozoon fertilisation Scarabaeidae leaf roller Brachinus bombardier beetle parasitoid camouflage mimicry leaf beetle weevil longhorn beetle wasp Coccinellidae blister beetle aposematism ground beetle Mandible (insect) bombardier beetle Ground beetle rove beetle arthropod dung coprophagous dung beetle necrophagous carrion beetle clown beetle coxa Ross H. Arnett, Jr. Michael C. Thomas American Beetles CRC Press Boca Raton, Florida whirligig beetle Sphaerius Myxophaga fossil Permian Polyphaga rove beetle scarabaeidae blister beetle stag beetle Curculionidae sclerite Adephaga ground beetle Dytiscidae whirligig beetle testes exoskeleton coxa Archostemata reticulated beetle telephone-pole beetle Myxophaga Hydroscaphidae Sphaerius Triassic phylogenetics sister group Linnaean taxonomy Colorado potato beetle Colorado potato beetle potato pesticide pesticide resistance Solanaceae nightshade tomato aubergine capsicum boll weevil United States bark beetle elm leaf beetle elm Dutch elm disease Northern Hemisphere Europe North America death watch beetle Anobiidae Great Britain hardwood oak chestnut Asian long-horned beetle Citrus long-horned beetle Western corn rootworm Coconut leaves seedlings coconut palms September 27 Philippines Metro Manila provinces quarantined pest coconut industry Coccinella septempunctata ladybirds Coccinellidae aphid scale insect mealybug honeydew nectar Ground beetle caterpillar Aphthona leafy spurge beetle bank Dermestidae taxidermy Dung beetle Scarabaeus sacer Ancient Egyptian Khepri Mummy New Kingdom Elytron Melbourne Museum coleopterology list of coleopterists The Coleopterists Society international organisation scientific journal The Coleopterist The Coleopterists Bulletin Nicrophorus americanus Entomological Society of America David Grimaldi Michael S. Engel Ross H. Arnett, Jr. Michael C. Thomas American Beetles Heteroptera
beetle	Do carrion beetles eat dung?	no	data/set1/a8	beetle Beetles are a group of insects which have the largest number of species. They are placed in the order Coleoptera,which means "sheathed wing" and contains more described species than in any other order in the animal kingdom, constituting about twenty-five percent of all known life-forms. James K. Liebherr and Joseph V. McHugh in Resh, V. H. & R. T. CardÃ© (Editors) 2003. Encyclopedia of Insects. Academic Press. Forty percent of all described insect species are beetles (about 350,000 species ), and new species are frequently discovered. Estimates put the total number of species, described and undescribed, at between 5 and 8 million. Beetles can be found in almost all habitats, but are not known to occur in the sea or in the polar regions. They interact with their ecosystems in several ways. They often feed on plants and fungi, break down animal and plant debris, and eat other invertebrates. Some species are prey of various animals including birds and mammals. Certain species are agricultural pests, such as the Colorado potato beetle Leptinotarsa decemlineata, the boll weevil Anthonomus grandis, the red flour beetle Tribolium castaneum, and the mungbean or cowpea beetle Callosobruchus maculatus, while other species of beetles are important controls of agricultural pests. For example, coccinellidae ("ladybirds" or "ladybugs") consume aphids, scale insects, thrips, and other plant-sucking insects that damage crops. The name "Coleoptera" was given by Aristotle for the hardened shield like forewings (coleo = shield + ptera = wing). A cockchafer with its elytra raised, exposing the membranous flight wings, where the veins are visible Trogodendron fasciculatum, a clerid beetle with bright yellow antennae Other characters of this group which are believed to be monophyletic include a holometabolous life cycle; having a prothorax that is distinct from and freely articulating with the mesothorax; the meso- and meta-thoracic segments fusing to form a pterothorax; a depressed body shape with the legs on the ventral surface; the coxae of legs recessed into cavities formed by heavily sclerotized thoracic sclerites; the abdominal sternites more sclerotized than the tergites; antennae with 11 or fewer segments; and terminal genitalic appendages retracted into the abdomen and invisible at rest. The general anatomy of beetles is quite uniform, although specific organs and appendages may vary greatly in appearance and function between the many families in the order. Like all insects, beetles' bodies are divided into three sections: the head, the thorax, and the abdomen. When viewed from below, the thorax is that part from which all three pairs of legs and both pairs of wings arise. The abdomen is everything posterior to the thorax. When viewed from above, most beetles appear to have three clear sections, but this is deceptive: on the beetle's upper surface, the middle "section" is a hard plate called the pronotum, which is only the front part of the thorax; the back part of the thorax is concealed by the beetle's wings. Like all arthropods, beetles are segmented organisms, and all three of the major sections of the body are themselves composed of several further segments, although these are not always readily discernible. This further segmentation is usually best seen on the abdomen. Beetles are generally characterised by a particularly hard exoskeleton and hard forewings (elytra). The beetle's exoskeleton is made up of numerous plates called sclerites, separated by thin sutures. This design creates the armoured defences of the beetle while maintaining flexibility. The elytra are not used for flight, but tend to cover the hind part of the body and protect the second pair of wings (alae). The elytra must be raised in order to move the hind flight wings. A beetle's flight wings are crossed with veins and are folded after landing, often along these veins, and are stored below the elytra. In some beetles, the ability to fly has been lost. These include the ground beetles (family Carabidae) and some "true weevils" (family Curculionidae), but also some desert and cave-dwelling species of other families. Many of these species have the two elytra fused together, forming a solid shield over the abdomen. In a few families, both the ability to fly and the elytra have been lost, with the best known example being the glow-worms of the family Phengodidae, in which the females are larviform throughout their lives. Beetles have mouthparts similar to those of grasshoppers. Of these parts, the most commonly known are probably the mandibles, which appear as large pincers on the front of some beetles. The mandibles are a pair of hard, often tooth-like structures that move horizontally to grasp, crush, or cut food or enemies (see defence, below). Two pairs of finger-like appendages are found around the mouth in most beetles, serving to move food into the mouth. These are the maxillary and labial palpi. The eyes are compound and may display remarkable adaptability, as in the case of whirligig beetles (family Gyrinidae), in which the eyes are split to allow a view both above and below the waterline. Other species also have divided eyes â some longhorn beetles (family Cerambycidae) and weevils â while many beetles have eyes that are notched to some degree. A few beetle genera also possess ocelli, which are small, simple eyes usually situated farther back on the head (on the vertex). Beetles' antennae are primarily organs of smell, but may also be used to feel out a beetle's environment physically. They may also be used in some families during mating, or among a few beetles for defence. Antennae vary greatly in form within the Coleoptera, but are often similar within any given family. In some cases, males and females of the same species will have different antennal forms. Antennae may be clavate (flabellate and lamellate are sub-forms of clavate, or clubbed antennae), filiform, geniculate, moniliform, pectinate, or serrate. For images of these antennal forms see antenna (biology). Acilius sulcatus, a diving beetle showing hind legs adapted for life in water The legs, which are multi-segmented, end in two to five small segments called tarsi. Like many other insect orders beetles bear claws, usually one pair, on the end of the last tarsal segment of each leg. While most beetles use their legs for walking, legs may be variously modified and adapted for other uses. Among aquatic families â Dytiscidae, Haliplidae, many species of Hydrophilidae and others â the legs, most notably the last pair, are modified for swimming and often bear rows of long hairs to aid this purpose. Other beetles have fossorial legs that are widened and often spined for digging. Species with such adaptations are found among the scarabs, ground beetles, and clown beetles (family Histeridae). The hind legs of some beetles, such as flea beetles (within Chrysomelidae) and flea weevils (within Curculionidae), are enlarged and designed for jumping. Oxygen is obtained via a tracheal system. Air enters a series of tubes along the body through openings called spiracles, and is then taken into increasingly finer fibres. Pumping movements of the body force the air through the system. Beetles have haemolymph instead of blood, and the open circulatory system of the beetle is powered by a tube-like heart attached to the top inside of the thorax. Scarabaeiform larva of the cockchafer, Melolontha melolontha Beetles are endopterygotes with complete metamorphosis. A single female may lay from several dozen to several thousand eggs during her lifetime. Eggs are usually laid according to the substrate the larva will feed on upon hatching. Among others, they can be laid loose in the substrate (e.g. flour beetle), laid in clumps on leaves (e.g. Colorado potato beetle), or individually attached (e.g. mungbean beetle and other seed borers) or buried in the medium (e.g. carrot weevil). The larva is usually the principal feeding stage of the beetle life cycle. Larvae tend to feed voraciously once they emerge from their eggs. Some feed externally on plants, such as those of certain leaf beetles, while others feed within their food sources. Examples of internal feeders are most Buprestidae and longhorn beetles. The larvae of many beetle families are predatory like the adults (ground beetles, ladybirds, rove beetles). The larval period varies between species but can be as long as several years. Beetle larvae can be differentiated from other insect larvae by their hardened, often darkened head, the presence of chewing mouthparts, and spiracles along the sides of the body. Like adult beetles, the larvae are varied in appearance, particularly between beetle families. Beetles whose larvae are somewhat flattened and are highly mobile are the ground beetles, some rove beetles, and others; their larvae are described as campodeiform. Some beetle larvae resemble hardened worms with dark head capsules and minute legs. These are elateriform larvae, and are found in the click beetle (Elateridae) and darkling beetle (Tenebrionidae) families. Some elateriform larvae of click beetles are known as wireworms. Beetles in the families of the Scarabaeoidea have short, thick larvae described as scarabaeiform, but more commonly known as grubs. All beetle larvae go through several instars, which are the developmental stages between each moult. In many species the larvae simply increase in size with each successive instar as more food is consumed. In some cases, however, more dramatic changes occur. Among certain beetle families or genera, particularly those that exhibit parasitic lifestyles, the first instar (the planidium) is highly mobile in order to search out a host, while the following instars are more sedentary and remain on or within their host. This is known as hypermetamorphosis; examples include the blister beetles (family Meloidae) and some rove beetles, particularly those of the genus Aleochara. As with all endopterygotes, beetle larvae pupate, and from this pupa emerges a fully formed, sexually mature adult beetle, or imago. Adults have an extremely variable lifespan, from weeks to years, depending on the species. Beetles mating in San Francisco Flamboyant flower beetle, Eudicella gralli, from the forests of Central Africa. The iridescent elytra are used in marriage ceremonies. Beetles may display extremely intricate behaviour when mating. Smell is thought to be important in the location of a mate. Conflict can play a part in the mating rituals of species such as burying beetles (genus Nicrophorus) where conflicts between males and females rage until only one of each is left, thus ensuring reproduction by the strongest and fittest. Many beetles are territorial and will fiercely defend their small patch of territory from intruding males. Pairing is generally short but in some cases will last for several hours. During pairing sperm cells are transferred to the female to fertilise the egg. Parental care varies between species, ranging from the simple laying of eggs under a leaf to certain scarab beetles, which construct underground structures complete with a supply of dung to house and feed their young. Other beetles are leaf rollers, biting sections of leaves to cause them to curl inwards, then laying their eggs, thus protected, inside. Brachinus sp., a bombardier beetle Beetles and their larvae have a variety of strategies to avoid being attacked by predators or parasitoids. These include camouflage, mimicry, toxicity, and active defence. Camouflage involves the use of colouration or shape to blend into the surrounding environment. Among those that exhibit this defensive strategy are some of the leaf beetles (family Chysomelidae), having green colouring very similar to their habitat on plant leaves. More complex camouflage also occurs, as with some weevils, where various coloured scales or hairs cause the beetle to resemble bird dung. Another defence that often uses colour or shape to deceive potential enemies is mimicry. A number of longhorn beetles (family Cerambycidae) bear a striking resemblance to wasps, which fools predators into keeping their distance even though the beetles are in fact harmless. This defence can be found to a lesser extent in other beetle families, such as the scarab beetles. Beetles may combine their colour mimicry with behavioural mimicry, acting like the wasps they already closely resemble. Many beetle species, including ladybirds and blister beetles, can secrete distasteful or toxic substances to make them unpalatable or even poisonous. These same species often exhibit aposematism, where bright or contrasting colour patterns warn away potential predators. Large ground beetles and longhorn beetles may go on the attack, using their strong mandibles to forcibly persuade a predator to seek out easier prey. Others, such as bombardier beetles (within Carabidae) spray acidic gas from their abdomen to repel predators. Besides being abundant and varied, the Coleoptera are able to exploit the wide diversity of food sources available in their many habitats. Some are generalists, eating both plants and animals. Other beetles are highly specialised in their diet. Many species of leaf beetles, longhorn beetles, and weevils are very host specific, feeding on only a single species of plant. Ground beetles and rove beetles (family Staphylinidae), among others, are primarily carnivorous and will catch and consume many other arthropods and small prey such as earthworms and snails. While most predatory beetles are generalists, a few species have more specific prey requirements or preferences. Decaying organic matter is a primary diet for many species. This can range from dung, which is consumed by coprophagous species such as certain scarab beetles (family Scarabaeidae), to dead animals, which are eaten by necrophagous species such as the carrion beetles (family Silphidae). Some of the beetles found within dung and carrion are in fact predatory, such as the clown beetles, preying on the larvae of coprophagous and necrophagous insects. Aquatic beetles use several techniques for retaining air beneath the water's surface. Beetles of the family Dytiscidae hold air between the abdomen and the elytra when diving. Hydrophilidae have hairs on their under surface that retain a layer of air against their bodies. Adult crawling water beetles use both their elytra and their hind coxae (the basal segment of the back legs) in air retention while whirligig beetles simply carry an air bubble down with them whenever they dive. Sphaerius acaroides, a member of the small suborder Myxophaga While some authorities believe modern beetles began about 140 million years ago, research announced in 2007 showed that beetles may have entered the fossil record during the Lower Permian, about 265 to 300 million years ago. Modern Beetles Predate Dinosaurs, Dave Mosher, LiveScience.com, 26 December 2007. The four extant suborders of beetle are these: * Polyphaga is the largest suborder, containing more than 300,000 described species in more than 170 families, including rove beetles (Staphylinidae), scarab beetles (Scarabaeidae), blister beetles (Meloidae), stag beetles (Lucanidae) and true weevils (Curculionidae). These beetles can be identified by the cervical sclerites (hardened parts of the head used as points of attachment for muscles) absent in the other suborders. * Adephaga contains about 10 families of largely predatory beetles, includes ground beetles (Carabidae), Dytiscidae and whirligig beetles (Gyrinidae). In these beetles the testes are tubular and the first abdominal sternum (a plate of the exoskeleton) is divided by the hind coxae (the basal joints of the beetle's legs). * Archostemata contains four families of mainly wood-eating beetles, including reticulated beetles (Cupedidae) and the telephone-pole beetle. * Myxophaga contains about 100 described species in four families, mostly very small, including Hydroscaphidae and the genus Sphaerius. These suborders diverged in the Permian and Triassic. Their phylogenetic relationship is uncertain, with the most popular hypothesis being that Polyphaga and Myxophaga are most closely related, with Adephaga as the sister group to those two, and Archostemata as sister to the other three collectively. There are about 350,000 species of beetles. Such a large number of species poses special problems for classification, with some families consisting of thousands of species and needing further division into subfamilies and tribes. Colorado potato beetle (Leptinotarsa decemlineata) larvae Many agricultural, forestry, and household insect pests are beetles. These include the following: * The Colorado potato beetle, Leptinotarsa decemlineata, is a notorious pest of potato plants. Crops are destroyed and the beetle can only be treated by employing expensive pesticides, many of which it has begun to develop resistance to. As well as potatoes, suitable hosts can be a number of plants from the potato family (Solanaceae), such as nightshade, tomato, aubergine and capsicum. * The boll weevil, Anthonomus grandis, has cost cotton producers in the United States billions of dollars since it first entered that country. * The bark beetles Hylurgopinus rufipes and Scolytus multistriatus, the elm leaf beetle, Pyrrhalta luteola, and other beetles attack elm trees. The bark beetles are important elm pests because they carry Dutch elm disease as they move from infected breeding sites to feed on healthy elm trees. The spread of the fungus by the beetle has led to the devastation of elm trees in many parts of the Northern Hemisphere, notably in Europe and North America. * The death watch beetle, Xestobium rufovillosum, (family Anobiidae) is of considerable importance as a pest of older wooden buildings in Great Britain. It attacks hardwoods such as oak and chestnut, always where some fungal decay has taken or is taking place. It is thought that the actual introduction of the pest into buildings takes place at the time of construction. * Asian long-horned beetle * Citrus long-horned beetle * Western corn rootworm * Coconut hispine beetle or Brontispa longissima gestro feeds on young leaves and damages seedlings and mature coconut palms. On September 27, 2007, Philippines' Metro Manila and 26 provinces were quarantined due to having been infested with this pest (to save the $800-million Philippine coconut industry). Inquirer.net, Beetles infest coconuts in Manila, 26 provinces Coccinella septempunctata, a beneficial beetle * Both the larvae and adults of some ladybirds (family Coccinellidae) are found in aphid colonies. Other lady beetles feed on scale insects and mealybugs. If normal food sources are scarce they may feed on other things, such as small caterpillars, young plant bugs, honeydew and nectar. * Ground beetles (family Carabidae) are common predators of many different insects and other arthropods, including fly eggs, caterpillars, wireworms and others. * Plant-feeding beetles are often important beneficial insects, controlling problem weeds. Some flea beetles of the genus Aphthona feed on leafy spurge, a considerable weed of rangeland in western North America. Some farmers develop beetle banks to foster and provide cover for beneficial beetles. Beetles of the Dermestidae family are often used in taxidermy to clean bones of remaining flesh. Ancient Egyptian scene depicting a scarab beetle Several species of dung beetle, most notably Scarabaeus sacer (often referred to as "scarab"), enjoyed a sacred status among the ancient Egyptians, as the creatures were likened to the major god Khepri. Some scholars suggest that the Egyptians' practice of making mummies was inspired by the brooding process of the beetle. Many thousands of amulets and stamp seals have been excavated that depict the scarab. In many artifacts, the scarab is depicted pushing the sun along its course in the sky, much as scarabs push or roll balls of dung to their brood sites. During and following the New Kingdom, scarab amulets were often placed over the heart of the mummified deceased. Some tribal groups, particularly in tropical parts of the world, use the colourful, iridescent elytra of certain beetles, especially certain Scarabaeidae, in ceremonies and as adornment. Beetle collection at the Melbourne Museum, Australia The study of beetles is called coleopterology, and its practitioners are coleopterists. Coleopterists have formed organisations to facilitate the study of beetles. Among these is The Coleopterists Society, an international organisation based in the United States. Such organisations may have both professionals and amateurs interested in beetles as members. Research in this field is often published in peer-reviewed journals specific to the field of coleopterology, though journals dealing with general entomology also publish many papers on various aspects of beetle biology. Some of the journals specific to beetle research are: The Coleopterist (United Kingdom beetle fauna) The Coleopterists Bulletin (published by The Coleopterists Society) There is a thriving industry in the collection of beetle specimens for amateur and professional collectors. Many coleopterists prefer to collect beetle specimens for themselves, recording detailed information about each specimen and its habitat. Such collections add to the body of knowledge about the Coleoptera. Some countries have established laws governing or prohibiting the collection of certain rare (and often much sought after) species. One such beetle whose collection is illegal or restricted is the American burying beetle, Nicrophorus americanus. * Poul Beckmann, Living Jewels: The Natural Design of Beetles ISBN 3-7913-2528-0 * Arthur V. Evans, Charles Bellamy, and Lisa Charles Watson, An Inordinate Fondness for Beetles ISBN 0-520-22323-3 * Entomological Society of America, Beetle Larvae of the World ISBN 0-643-05506-1 * David Grimaldi, Michael S. Engel, Evolution of the Insects ISBN 0-521-82149-5 * Ross H. Arnett, Jr. and Michael C. Thomas, American Beetles (CRC Press, 2001-2). ISBN 0-8493-1925-0 * K. W. Harde, A Field Guide in Colour to Beetles ISBN 0-7064-1937-5 Pages 7-24 * White, R.E. 1983. Beetles. Houghton Mifflin Company, New York, NY. ISBN 0-395-91089-7 Heteroptera - insect suborder that is superficially similar to beetles - Coleoptera All what do you need to know about coleoptera, collecting and preparation * The Beetle Ring - A group of websites about beetles (Coleoptera). * List of major Beetle collections - worldwide * Entomology - online insect museum, entomology, tips and tricks, how to spread and pin insects, etc. * - Gallery of Central European beetles * Coleoptera from the Tree of Life * Australian borers species * Beetles and coleopterologists Russian site with English version, with information about biology, systematics and paleontology of beetles * North American Beetles from BugGuide * Bibliography on fossil insects * Coleoptera Families of the World * A digital collection of Southeast Asian beetles Related Wikipedia Articles coleopter Hylobius abietis weevil Animal Arthropod Insect Pterygota Neoptera Endopterygota Carolus Linnaeus Systema Naturae Suborder (biology) Adephaga Archostemata Myxophaga Polyphaga subgroups of the order Coleoptera insect species species animal polar region ecosystem plant fungus invertebrate Colorado potato beetle boll weevil coccinellidae aphid scale insect thrips Aristotle cockchafer Trogodendron fasciculatum monophyletic holometabolous prothorax coxa anatomy appendage pronotum insect wing segmentation (biology) exoskeleton elytron sclerite insect flight insect wing ground beetle Curculionidae glowworm Phengodidae Larviform female mouthparts grasshopper mandible (insect) #Defence appendage compound eye whirligig beetle longhorn beetle ocellus vertex (anatomy) antenna (biology) antenna (biology) Acilius sulcatus arthropod leg Dytiscidae Haliplidae Hydrophilidae fossorial clown beetle flea beetle Oxygen invertebrate trachea spiracle hemolymph blood open circulatory system Melolontha melolontha Endopterygota metamorphosis (biology) larva Colorado potato beetle larva Biological life cycle Buprestidae spiracle click beetle darkling beetle click beetle Scarabaeoidea instar ecdysis planidium hypermetamorphosis blister beetle Aleochara pupa imago San Francisco Flamboyant flower beetle burying beetle Spermatozoon fertilisation Scarabaeidae leaf roller Brachinus bombardier beetle parasitoid camouflage mimicry leaf beetle weevil longhorn beetle wasp Coccinellidae blister beetle aposematism ground beetle Mandible (insect) bombardier beetle Ground beetle rove beetle arthropod dung coprophagous dung beetle necrophagous carrion beetle clown beetle coxa Ross H. Arnett, Jr. Michael C. Thomas American Beetles CRC Press Boca Raton, Florida whirligig beetle Sphaerius Myxophaga fossil Permian Polyphaga rove beetle scarabaeidae blister beetle stag beetle Curculionidae sclerite Adephaga ground beetle Dytiscidae whirligig beetle testes exoskeleton coxa Archostemata reticulated beetle telephone-pole beetle Myxophaga Hydroscaphidae Sphaerius Triassic phylogenetics sister group Linnaean taxonomy Colorado potato beetle Colorado potato beetle potato pesticide pesticide resistance Solanaceae nightshade tomato aubergine capsicum boll weevil United States bark beetle elm leaf beetle elm Dutch elm disease Northern Hemisphere Europe North America death watch beetle Anobiidae Great Britain hardwood oak chestnut Asian long-horned beetle Citrus long-horned beetle Western corn rootworm Coconut leaves seedlings coconut palms September 27 Philippines Metro Manila provinces quarantined pest coconut industry Coccinella septempunctata ladybirds Coccinellidae aphid scale insect mealybug honeydew nectar Ground beetle caterpillar Aphthona leafy spurge beetle bank Dermestidae taxidermy Dung beetle Scarabaeus sacer Ancient Egyptian Khepri Mummy New Kingdom Elytron Melbourne Museum coleopterology list of coleopterists The Coleopterists Society international organisation scientific journal The Coleopterist The Coleopterists Bulletin Nicrophorus americanus Entomological Society of America David Grimaldi Michael S. Engel Ross H. Arnett, Jr. Michael C. Thomas American Beetles Heteroptera
beetle	Do carrion beetles eat dung?	no	data/set1/a8	beetle Beetles are a group of insects which have the largest number of species. They are placed in the order Coleoptera,which means "sheathed wing" and contains more described species than in any other order in the animal kingdom, constituting about twenty-five percent of all known life-forms. James K. Liebherr and Joseph V. McHugh in Resh, V. H. & R. T. CardÃ© (Editors) 2003. Encyclopedia of Insects. Academic Press. Forty percent of all described insect species are beetles (about 350,000 species ), and new species are frequently discovered. Estimates put the total number of species, described and undescribed, at between 5 and 8 million. Beetles can be found in almost all habitats, but are not known to occur in the sea or in the polar regions. They interact with their ecosystems in several ways. They often feed on plants and fungi, break down animal and plant debris, and eat other invertebrates. Some species are prey of various animals including birds and mammals. Certain species are agricultural pests, such as the Colorado potato beetle Leptinotarsa decemlineata, the boll weevil Anthonomus grandis, the red flour beetle Tribolium castaneum, and the mungbean or cowpea beetle Callosobruchus maculatus, while other species of beetles are important controls of agricultural pests. For example, coccinellidae ("ladybirds" or "ladybugs") consume aphids, scale insects, thrips, and other plant-sucking insects that damage crops. The name "Coleoptera" was given by Aristotle for the hardened shield like forewings (coleo = shield + ptera = wing). A cockchafer with its elytra raised, exposing the membranous flight wings, where the veins are visible Trogodendron fasciculatum, a clerid beetle with bright yellow antennae Other characters of this group which are believed to be monophyletic include a holometabolous life cycle; having a prothorax that is distinct from and freely articulating with the mesothorax; the meso- and meta-thoracic segments fusing to form a pterothorax; a depressed body shape with the legs on the ventral surface; the coxae of legs recessed into cavities formed by heavily sclerotized thoracic sclerites; the abdominal sternites more sclerotized than the tergites; antennae with 11 or fewer segments; and terminal genitalic appendages retracted into the abdomen and invisible at rest. The general anatomy of beetles is quite uniform, although specific organs and appendages may vary greatly in appearance and function between the many families in the order. Like all insects, beetles' bodies are divided into three sections: the head, the thorax, and the abdomen. When viewed from below, the thorax is that part from which all three pairs of legs and both pairs of wings arise. The abdomen is everything posterior to the thorax. When viewed from above, most beetles appear to have three clear sections, but this is deceptive: on the beetle's upper surface, the middle "section" is a hard plate called the pronotum, which is only the front part of the thorax; the back part of the thorax is concealed by the beetle's wings. Like all arthropods, beetles are segmented organisms, and all three of the major sections of the body are themselves composed of several further segments, although these are not always readily discernible. This further segmentation is usually best seen on the abdomen. Beetles are generally characterised by a particularly hard exoskeleton and hard forewings (elytra). The beetle's exoskeleton is made up of numerous plates called sclerites, separated by thin sutures. This design creates the armoured defences of the beetle while maintaining flexibility. The elytra are not used for flight, but tend to cover the hind part of the body and protect the second pair of wings (alae). The elytra must be raised in order to move the hind flight wings. A beetle's flight wings are crossed with veins and are folded after landing, often along these veins, and are stored below the elytra. In some beetles, the ability to fly has been lost. These include the ground beetles (family Carabidae) and some "true weevils" (family Curculionidae), but also some desert and cave-dwelling species of other families. Many of these species have the two elytra fused together, forming a solid shield over the abdomen. In a few families, both the ability to fly and the elytra have been lost, with the best known example being the glow-worms of the family Phengodidae, in which the females are larviform throughout their lives. Beetles have mouthparts similar to those of grasshoppers. Of these parts, the most commonly known are probably the mandibles, which appear as large pincers on the front of some beetles. The mandibles are a pair of hard, often tooth-like structures that move horizontally to grasp, crush, or cut food or enemies (see defence, below). Two pairs of finger-like appendages are found around the mouth in most beetles, serving to move food into the mouth. These are the maxillary and labial palpi. The eyes are compound and may display remarkable adaptability, as in the case of whirligig beetles (family Gyrinidae), in which the eyes are split to allow a view both above and below the waterline. Other species also have divided eyes â some longhorn beetles (family Cerambycidae) and weevils â while many beetles have eyes that are notched to some degree. A few beetle genera also possess ocelli, which are small, simple eyes usually situated farther back on the head (on the vertex). Beetles' antennae are primarily organs of smell, but may also be used to feel out a beetle's environment physically. They may also be used in some families during mating, or among a few beetles for defence. Antennae vary greatly in form within the Coleoptera, but are often similar within any given family. In some cases, males and females of the same species will have different antennal forms. Antennae may be clavate (flabellate and lamellate are sub-forms of clavate, or clubbed antennae), filiform, geniculate, moniliform, pectinate, or serrate. For images of these antennal forms see antenna (biology). Acilius sulcatus, a diving beetle showing hind legs adapted for life in water The legs, which are multi-segmented, end in two to five small segments called tarsi. Like many other insect orders beetles bear claws, usually one pair, on the end of the last tarsal segment of each leg. While most beetles use their legs for walking, legs may be variously modified and adapted for other uses. Among aquatic families â Dytiscidae, Haliplidae, many species of Hydrophilidae and others â the legs, most notably the last pair, are modified for swimming and often bear rows of long hairs to aid this purpose. Other beetles have fossorial legs that are widened and often spined for digging. Species with such adaptations are found among the scarabs, ground beetles, and clown beetles (family Histeridae). The hind legs of some beetles, such as flea beetles (within Chrysomelidae) and flea weevils (within Curculionidae), are enlarged and designed for jumping. Oxygen is obtained via a tracheal system. Air enters a series of tubes along the body through openings called spiracles, and is then taken into increasingly finer fibres. Pumping movements of the body force the air through the system. Beetles have haemolymph instead of blood, and the open circulatory system of the beetle is powered by a tube-like heart attached to the top inside of the thorax. Scarabaeiform larva of the cockchafer, Melolontha melolontha Beetles are endopterygotes with complete metamorphosis. A single female may lay from several dozen to several thousand eggs during her lifetime. Eggs are usually laid according to the substrate the larva will feed on upon hatching. Among others, they can be laid loose in the substrate (e.g. flour beetle), laid in clumps on leaves (e.g. Colorado potato beetle), or individually attached (e.g. mungbean beetle and other seed borers) or buried in the medium (e.g. carrot weevil). The larva is usually the principal feeding stage of the beetle life cycle. Larvae tend to feed voraciously once they emerge from their eggs. Some feed externally on plants, such as those of certain leaf beetles, while others feed within their food sources. Examples of internal feeders are most Buprestidae and longhorn beetles. The larvae of many beetle families are predatory like the adults (ground beetles, ladybirds, rove beetles). The larval period varies between species but can be as long as several years. Beetle larvae can be differentiated from other insect larvae by their hardened, often darkened head, the presence of chewing mouthparts, and spiracles along the sides of the body. Like adult beetles, the larvae are varied in appearance, particularly between beetle families. Beetles whose larvae are somewhat flattened and are highly mobile are the ground beetles, some rove beetles, and others; their larvae are described as campodeiform. Some beetle larvae resemble hardened worms with dark head capsules and minute legs. These are elateriform larvae, and are found in the click beetle (Elateridae) and darkling beetle (Tenebrionidae) families. Some elateriform larvae of click beetles are known as wireworms. Beetles in the families of the Scarabaeoidea have short, thick larvae described as scarabaeiform, but more commonly known as grubs. All beetle larvae go through several instars, which are the developmental stages between each moult. In many species the larvae simply increase in size with each successive instar as more food is consumed. In some cases, however, more dramatic changes occur. Among certain beetle families or genera, particularly those that exhibit parasitic lifestyles, the first instar (the planidium) is highly mobile in order to search out a host, while the following instars are more sedentary and remain on or within their host. This is known as hypermetamorphosis; examples include the blister beetles (family Meloidae) and some rove beetles, particularly those of the genus Aleochara. As with all endopterygotes, beetle larvae pupate, and from this pupa emerges a fully formed, sexually mature adult beetle, or imago. Adults have an extremely variable lifespan, from weeks to years, depending on the species. Beetles mating in San Francisco Flamboyant flower beetle, Eudicella gralli, from the forests of Central Africa. The iridescent elytra are used in marriage ceremonies. Beetles may display extremely intricate behaviour when mating. Smell is thought to be important in the location of a mate. Conflict can play a part in the mating rituals of species such as burying beetles (genus Nicrophorus) where conflicts between males and females rage until only one of each is left, thus ensuring reproduction by the strongest and fittest. Many beetles are territorial and will fiercely defend their small patch of territory from intruding males. Pairing is generally short but in some cases will last for several hours. During pairing sperm cells are transferred to the female to fertilise the egg. Parental care varies between species, ranging from the simple laying of eggs under a leaf to certain scarab beetles, which construct underground structures complete with a supply of dung to house and feed their young. Other beetles are leaf rollers, biting sections of leaves to cause them to curl inwards, then laying their eggs, thus protected, inside. Brachinus sp., a bombardier beetle Beetles and their larvae have a variety of strategies to avoid being attacked by predators or parasitoids. These include camouflage, mimicry, toxicity, and active defence. Camouflage involves the use of colouration or shape to blend into the surrounding environment. Among those that exhibit this defensive strategy are some of the leaf beetles (family Chysomelidae), having green colouring very similar to their habitat on plant leaves. More complex camouflage also occurs, as with some weevils, where various coloured scales or hairs cause the beetle to resemble bird dung. Another defence that often uses colour or shape to deceive potential enemies is mimicry. A number of longhorn beetles (family Cerambycidae) bear a striking resemblance to wasps, which fools predators into keeping their distance even though the beetles are in fact harmless. This defence can be found to a lesser extent in other beetle families, such as the scarab beetles. Beetles may combine their colour mimicry with behavioural mimicry, acting like the wasps they already closely resemble. Many beetle species, including ladybirds and blister beetles, can secrete distasteful or toxic substances to make them unpalatable or even poisonous. These same species often exhibit aposematism, where bright or contrasting colour patterns warn away potential predators. Large ground beetles and longhorn beetles may go on the attack, using their strong mandibles to forcibly persuade a predator to seek out easier prey. Others, such as bombardier beetles (within Carabidae) spray acidic gas from their abdomen to repel predators. Besides being abundant and varied, the Coleoptera are able to exploit the wide diversity of food sources available in their many habitats. Some are generalists, eating both plants and animals. Other beetles are highly specialised in their diet. Many species of leaf beetles, longhorn beetles, and weevils are very host specific, feeding on only a single species of plant. Ground beetles and rove beetles (family Staphylinidae), among others, are primarily carnivorous and will catch and consume many other arthropods and small prey such as earthworms and snails. While most predatory beetles are generalists, a few species have more specific prey requirements or preferences. Decaying organic matter is a primary diet for many species. This can range from dung, which is consumed by coprophagous species such as certain scarab beetles (family Scarabaeidae), to dead animals, which are eaten by necrophagous species such as the carrion beetles (family Silphidae). Some of the beetles found within dung and carrion are in fact predatory, such as the clown beetles, preying on the larvae of coprophagous and necrophagous insects. Aquatic beetles use several techniques for retaining air beneath the water's surface. Beetles of the family Dytiscidae hold air between the abdomen and the elytra when diving. Hydrophilidae have hairs on their under surface that retain a layer of air against their bodies. Adult crawling water beetles use both their elytra and their hind coxae (the basal segment of the back legs) in air retention while whirligig beetles simply carry an air bubble down with them whenever they dive. Sphaerius acaroides, a member of the small suborder Myxophaga While some authorities believe modern beetles began about 140 million years ago, research announced in 2007 showed that beetles may have entered the fossil record during the Lower Permian, about 265 to 300 million years ago. Modern Beetles Predate Dinosaurs, Dave Mosher, LiveScience.com, 26 December 2007. The four extant suborders of beetle are these: * Polyphaga is the largest suborder, containing more than 300,000 described species in more than 170 families, including rove beetles (Staphylinidae), scarab beetles (Scarabaeidae), blister beetles (Meloidae), stag beetles (Lucanidae) and true weevils (Curculionidae). These beetles can be identified by the cervical sclerites (hardened parts of the head used as points of attachment for muscles) absent in the other suborders. * Adephaga contains about 10 families of largely predatory beetles, includes ground beetles (Carabidae), Dytiscidae and whirligig beetles (Gyrinidae). In these beetles the testes are tubular and the first abdominal sternum (a plate of the exoskeleton) is divided by the hind coxae (the basal joints of the beetle's legs). * Archostemata contains four families of mainly wood-eating beetles, including reticulated beetles (Cupedidae) and the telephone-pole beetle. * Myxophaga contains about 100 described species in four families, mostly very small, including Hydroscaphidae and the genus Sphaerius. These suborders diverged in the Permian and Triassic. Their phylogenetic relationship is uncertain, with the most popular hypothesis being that Polyphaga and Myxophaga are most closely related, with Adephaga as the sister group to those two, and Archostemata as sister to the other three collectively. There are about 350,000 species of beetles. Such a large number of species poses special problems for classification, with some families consisting of thousands of species and needing further division into subfamilies and tribes. Colorado potato beetle (Leptinotarsa decemlineata) larvae Many agricultural, forestry, and household insect pests are beetles. These include the following: * The Colorado potato beetle, Leptinotarsa decemlineata, is a notorious pest of potato plants. Crops are destroyed and the beetle can only be treated by employing expensive pesticides, many of which it has begun to develop resistance to. As well as potatoes, suitable hosts can be a number of plants from the potato family (Solanaceae), such as nightshade, tomato, aubergine and capsicum. * The boll weevil, Anthonomus grandis, has cost cotton producers in the United States billions of dollars since it first entered that country. * The bark beetles Hylurgopinus rufipes and Scolytus multistriatus, the elm leaf beetle, Pyrrhalta luteola, and other beetles attack elm trees. The bark beetles are important elm pests because they carry Dutch elm disease as they move from infected breeding sites to feed on healthy elm trees. The spread of the fungus by the beetle has led to the devastation of elm trees in many parts of the Northern Hemisphere, notably in Europe and North America. * The death watch beetle, Xestobium rufovillosum, (family Anobiidae) is of considerable importance as a pest of older wooden buildings in Great Britain. It attacks hardwoods such as oak and chestnut, always where some fungal decay has taken or is taking place. It is thought that the actual introduction of the pest into buildings takes place at the time of construction. * Asian long-horned beetle * Citrus long-horned beetle * Western corn rootworm * Coconut hispine beetle or Brontispa longissima gestro feeds on young leaves and damages seedlings and mature coconut palms. On September 27, 2007, Philippines' Metro Manila and 26 provinces were quarantined due to having been infested with this pest (to save the $800-million Philippine coconut industry). Inquirer.net, Beetles infest coconuts in Manila, 26 provinces Coccinella septempunctata, a beneficial beetle * Both the larvae and adults of some ladybirds (family Coccinellidae) are found in aphid colonies. Other lady beetles feed on scale insects and mealybugs. If normal food sources are scarce they may feed on other things, such as small caterpillars, young plant bugs, honeydew and nectar. * Ground beetles (family Carabidae) are common predators of many different insects and other arthropods, including fly eggs, caterpillars, wireworms and others. * Plant-feeding beetles are often important beneficial insects, controlling problem weeds. Some flea beetles of the genus Aphthona feed on leafy spurge, a considerable weed of rangeland in western North America. Some farmers develop beetle banks to foster and provide cover for beneficial beetles. Beetles of the Dermestidae family are often used in taxidermy to clean bones of remaining flesh. Ancient Egyptian scene depicting a scarab beetle Several species of dung beetle, most notably Scarabaeus sacer (often referred to as "scarab"), enjoyed a sacred status among the ancient Egyptians, as the creatures were likened to the major god Khepri. Some scholars suggest that the Egyptians' practice of making mummies was inspired by the brooding process of the beetle. Many thousands of amulets and stamp seals have been excavated that depict the scarab. In many artifacts, the scarab is depicted pushing the sun along its course in the sky, much as scarabs push or roll balls of dung to their brood sites. During and following the New Kingdom, scarab amulets were often placed over the heart of the mummified deceased. Some tribal groups, particularly in tropical parts of the world, use the colourful, iridescent elytra of certain beetles, especially certain Scarabaeidae, in ceremonies and as adornment. Beetle collection at the Melbourne Museum, Australia The study of beetles is called coleopterology, and its practitioners are coleopterists. Coleopterists have formed organisations to facilitate the study of beetles. Among these is The Coleopterists Society, an international organisation based in the United States. Such organisations may have both professionals and amateurs interested in beetles as members. Research in this field is often published in peer-reviewed journals specific to the field of coleopterology, though journals dealing with general entomology also publish many papers on various aspects of beetle biology. Some of the journals specific to beetle research are: The Coleopterist (United Kingdom beetle fauna) The Coleopterists Bulletin (published by The Coleopterists Society) There is a thriving industry in the collection of beetle specimens for amateur and professional collectors. Many coleopterists prefer to collect beetle specimens for themselves, recording detailed information about each specimen and its habitat. Such collections add to the body of knowledge about the Coleoptera. Some countries have established laws governing or prohibiting the collection of certain rare (and often much sought after) species. One such beetle whose collection is illegal or restricted is the American burying beetle, Nicrophorus americanus. * Poul Beckmann, Living Jewels: The Natural Design of Beetles ISBN 3-7913-2528-0 * Arthur V. Evans, Charles Bellamy, and Lisa Charles Watson, An Inordinate Fondness for Beetles ISBN 0-520-22323-3 * Entomological Society of America, Beetle Larvae of the World ISBN 0-643-05506-1 * David Grimaldi, Michael S. Engel, Evolution of the Insects ISBN 0-521-82149-5 * Ross H. Arnett, Jr. and Michael C. Thomas, American Beetles (CRC Press, 2001-2). ISBN 0-8493-1925-0 * K. W. Harde, A Field Guide in Colour to Beetles ISBN 0-7064-1937-5 Pages 7-24 * White, R.E. 1983. Beetles. Houghton Mifflin Company, New York, NY. ISBN 0-395-91089-7 Heteroptera - insect suborder that is superficially similar to beetles - Coleoptera All what do you need to know about coleoptera, collecting and preparation * The Beetle Ring - A group of websites about beetles (Coleoptera). * List of major Beetle collections - worldwide * Entomology - online insect museum, entomology, tips and tricks, how to spread and pin insects, etc. * - Gallery of Central European beetles * Coleoptera from the Tree of Life * Australian borers species * Beetles and coleopterologists Russian site with English version, with information about biology, systematics and paleontology of beetles * North American Beetles from BugGuide * Bibliography on fossil insects * Coleoptera Families of the World * A digital collection of Southeast Asian beetles Related Wikipedia Articles coleopter Hylobius abietis weevil Animal Arthropod Insect Pterygota Neoptera Endopterygota Carolus Linnaeus Systema Naturae Suborder (biology) Adephaga Archostemata Myxophaga Polyphaga subgroups of the order Coleoptera insect species species animal polar region ecosystem plant fungus invertebrate Colorado potato beetle boll weevil coccinellidae aphid scale insect thrips Aristotle cockchafer Trogodendron fasciculatum monophyletic holometabolous prothorax coxa anatomy appendage pronotum insect wing segmentation (biology) exoskeleton elytron sclerite insect flight insect wing ground beetle Curculionidae glowworm Phengodidae Larviform female mouthparts grasshopper mandible (insect) #Defence appendage compound eye whirligig beetle longhorn beetle ocellus vertex (anatomy) antenna (biology) antenna (biology) Acilius sulcatus arthropod leg Dytiscidae Haliplidae Hydrophilidae fossorial clown beetle flea beetle Oxygen invertebrate trachea spiracle hemolymph blood open circulatory system Melolontha melolontha Endopterygota metamorphosis (biology) larva Colorado potato beetle larva Biological life cycle Buprestidae spiracle click beetle darkling beetle click beetle Scarabaeoidea instar ecdysis planidium hypermetamorphosis blister beetle Aleochara pupa imago San Francisco Flamboyant flower beetle burying beetle Spermatozoon fertilisation Scarabaeidae leaf roller Brachinus bombardier beetle parasitoid camouflage mimicry leaf beetle weevil longhorn beetle wasp Coccinellidae blister beetle aposematism ground beetle Mandible (insect) bombardier beetle Ground beetle rove beetle arthropod dung coprophagous dung beetle necrophagous carrion beetle clown beetle coxa Ross H. Arnett, Jr. Michael C. Thomas American Beetles CRC Press Boca Raton, Florida whirligig beetle Sphaerius Myxophaga fossil Permian Polyphaga rove beetle scarabaeidae blister beetle stag beetle Curculionidae sclerite Adephaga ground beetle Dytiscidae whirligig beetle testes exoskeleton coxa Archostemata reticulated beetle telephone-pole beetle Myxophaga Hydroscaphidae Sphaerius Triassic phylogenetics sister group Linnaean taxonomy Colorado potato beetle Colorado potato beetle potato pesticide pesticide resistance Solanaceae nightshade tomato aubergine capsicum boll weevil United States bark beetle elm leaf beetle elm Dutch elm disease Northern Hemisphere Europe North America death watch beetle Anobiidae Great Britain hardwood oak chestnut Asian long-horned beetle Citrus long-horned beetle Western corn rootworm Coconut leaves seedlings coconut palms September 27 Philippines Metro Manila provinces quarantined pest coconut industry Coccinella septempunctata ladybirds Coccinellidae aphid scale insect mealybug honeydew nectar Ground beetle caterpillar Aphthona leafy spurge beetle bank Dermestidae taxidermy Dung beetle Scarabaeus sacer Ancient Egyptian Khepri Mummy New Kingdom Elytron Melbourne Museum coleopterology list of coleopterists The Coleopterists Society international organisation scientific journal The Coleopterist The Coleopterists Bulletin Nicrophorus americanus Entomological Society of America David Grimaldi Michael S. Engel Ross H. Arnett, Jr. Michael C. Thomas American Beetles Heteroptera
beetle	What are prey of various animals including birds and mammals?	Beetles.	data/set1/a8	beetle Beetles are a group of insects which have the largest number of species. They are placed in the order Coleoptera,which means "sheathed wing" and contains more described species than in any other order in the animal kingdom, constituting about twenty-five percent of all known life-forms. James K. Liebherr and Joseph V. McHugh in Resh, V. H. & R. T. CardÃ© (Editors) 2003. Encyclopedia of Insects. Academic Press. Forty percent of all described insect species are beetles (about 350,000 species ), and new species are frequently discovered. Estimates put the total number of species, described and undescribed, at between 5 and 8 million. Beetles can be found in almost all habitats, but are not known to occur in the sea or in the polar regions. They interact with their ecosystems in several ways. They often feed on plants and fungi, break down animal and plant debris, and eat other invertebrates. Some species are prey of various animals including birds and mammals. Certain species are agricultural pests, such as the Colorado potato beetle Leptinotarsa decemlineata, the boll weevil Anthonomus grandis, the red flour beetle Tribolium castaneum, and the mungbean or cowpea beetle Callosobruchus maculatus, while other species of beetles are important controls of agricultural pests. For example, coccinellidae ("ladybirds" or "ladybugs") consume aphids, scale insects, thrips, and other plant-sucking insects that damage crops. The name "Coleoptera" was given by Aristotle for the hardened shield like forewings (coleo = shield + ptera = wing). A cockchafer with its elytra raised, exposing the membranous flight wings, where the veins are visible Trogodendron fasciculatum, a clerid beetle with bright yellow antennae Other characters of this group which are believed to be monophyletic include a holometabolous life cycle; having a prothorax that is distinct from and freely articulating with the mesothorax; the meso- and meta-thoracic segments fusing to form a pterothorax; a depressed body shape with the legs on the ventral surface; the coxae of legs recessed into cavities formed by heavily sclerotized thoracic sclerites; the abdominal sternites more sclerotized than the tergites; antennae with 11 or fewer segments; and terminal genitalic appendages retracted into the abdomen and invisible at rest. The general anatomy of beetles is quite uniform, although specific organs and appendages may vary greatly in appearance and function between the many families in the order. Like all insects, beetles' bodies are divided into three sections: the head, the thorax, and the abdomen. When viewed from below, the thorax is that part from which all three pairs of legs and both pairs of wings arise. The abdomen is everything posterior to the thorax. When viewed from above, most beetles appear to have three clear sections, but this is deceptive: on the beetle's upper surface, the middle "section" is a hard plate called the pronotum, which is only the front part of the thorax; the back part of the thorax is concealed by the beetle's wings. Like all arthropods, beetles are segmented organisms, and all three of the major sections of the body are themselves composed of several further segments, although these are not always readily discernible. This further segmentation is usually best seen on the abdomen. Beetles are generally characterised by a particularly hard exoskeleton and hard forewings (elytra). The beetle's exoskeleton is made up of numerous plates called sclerites, separated by thin sutures. This design creates the armoured defences of the beetle while maintaining flexibility. The elytra are not used for flight, but tend to cover the hind part of the body and protect the second pair of wings (alae). The elytra must be raised in order to move the hind flight wings. A beetle's flight wings are crossed with veins and are folded after landing, often along these veins, and are stored below the elytra. In some beetles, the ability to fly has been lost. These include the ground beetles (family Carabidae) and some "true weevils" (family Curculionidae), but also some desert and cave-dwelling species of other families. Many of these species have the two elytra fused together, forming a solid shield over the abdomen. In a few families, both the ability to fly and the elytra have been lost, with the best known example being the glow-worms of the family Phengodidae, in which the females are larviform throughout their lives. Beetles have mouthparts similar to those of grasshoppers. Of these parts, the most commonly known are probably the mandibles, which appear as large pincers on the front of some beetles. The mandibles are a pair of hard, often tooth-like structures that move horizontally to grasp, crush, or cut food or enemies (see defence, below). Two pairs of finger-like appendages are found around the mouth in most beetles, serving to move food into the mouth. These are the maxillary and labial palpi. The eyes are compound and may display remarkable adaptability, as in the case of whirligig beetles (family Gyrinidae), in which the eyes are split to allow a view both above and below the waterline. Other species also have divided eyes â some longhorn beetles (family Cerambycidae) and weevils â while many beetles have eyes that are notched to some degree. A few beetle genera also possess ocelli, which are small, simple eyes usually situated farther back on the head (on the vertex). Beetles' antennae are primarily organs of smell, but may also be used to feel out a beetle's environment physically. They may also be used in some families during mating, or among a few beetles for defence. Antennae vary greatly in form within the Coleoptera, but are often similar within any given family. In some cases, males and females of the same species will have different antennal forms. Antennae may be clavate (flabellate and lamellate are sub-forms of clavate, or clubbed antennae), filiform, geniculate, moniliform, pectinate, or serrate. For images of these antennal forms see antenna (biology). Acilius sulcatus, a diving beetle showing hind legs adapted for life in water The legs, which are multi-segmented, end in two to five small segments called tarsi. Like many other insect orders beetles bear claws, usually one pair, on the end of the last tarsal segment of each leg. While most beetles use their legs for walking, legs may be variously modified and adapted for other uses. Among aquatic families â Dytiscidae, Haliplidae, many species of Hydrophilidae and others â the legs, most notably the last pair, are modified for swimming and often bear rows of long hairs to aid this purpose. Other beetles have fossorial legs that are widened and often spined for digging. Species with such adaptations are found among the scarabs, ground beetles, and clown beetles (family Histeridae). The hind legs of some beetles, such as flea beetles (within Chrysomelidae) and flea weevils (within Curculionidae), are enlarged and designed for jumping. Oxygen is obtained via a tracheal system. Air enters a series of tubes along the body through openings called spiracles, and is then taken into increasingly finer fibres. Pumping movements of the body force the air through the system. Beetles have haemolymph instead of blood, and the open circulatory system of the beetle is powered by a tube-like heart attached to the top inside of the thorax. Scarabaeiform larva of the cockchafer, Melolontha melolontha Beetles are endopterygotes with complete metamorphosis. A single female may lay from several dozen to several thousand eggs during her lifetime. Eggs are usually laid according to the substrate the larva will feed on upon hatching. Among others, they can be laid loose in the substrate (e.g. flour beetle), laid in clumps on leaves (e.g. Colorado potato beetle), or individually attached (e.g. mungbean beetle and other seed borers) or buried in the medium (e.g. carrot weevil). The larva is usually the principal feeding stage of the beetle life cycle. Larvae tend to feed voraciously once they emerge from their eggs. Some feed externally on plants, such as those of certain leaf beetles, while others feed within their food sources. Examples of internal feeders are most Buprestidae and longhorn beetles. The larvae of many beetle families are predatory like the adults (ground beetles, ladybirds, rove beetles). The larval period varies between species but can be as long as several years. Beetle larvae can be differentiated from other insect larvae by their hardened, often darkened head, the presence of chewing mouthparts, and spiracles along the sides of the body. Like adult beetles, the larvae are varied in appearance, particularly between beetle families. Beetles whose larvae are somewhat flattened and are highly mobile are the ground beetles, some rove beetles, and others; their larvae are described as campodeiform. Some beetle larvae resemble hardened worms with dark head capsules and minute legs. These are elateriform larvae, and are found in the click beetle (Elateridae) and darkling beetle (Tenebrionidae) families. Some elateriform larvae of click beetles are known as wireworms. Beetles in the families of the Scarabaeoidea have short, thick larvae described as scarabaeiform, but more commonly known as grubs. All beetle larvae go through several instars, which are the developmental stages between each moult. In many species the larvae simply increase in size with each successive instar as more food is consumed. In some cases, however, more dramatic changes occur. Among certain beetle families or genera, particularly those that exhibit parasitic lifestyles, the first instar (the planidium) is highly mobile in order to search out a host, while the following instars are more sedentary and remain on or within their host. This is known as hypermetamorphosis; examples include the blister beetles (family Meloidae) and some rove beetles, particularly those of the genus Aleochara. As with all endopterygotes, beetle larvae pupate, and from this pupa emerges a fully formed, sexually mature adult beetle, or imago. Adults have an extremely variable lifespan, from weeks to years, depending on the species. Beetles mating in San Francisco Flamboyant flower beetle, Eudicella gralli, from the forests of Central Africa. The iridescent elytra are used in marriage ceremonies. Beetles may display extremely intricate behaviour when mating. Smell is thought to be important in the location of a mate. Conflict can play a part in the mating rituals of species such as burying beetles (genus Nicrophorus) where conflicts between males and females rage until only one of each is left, thus ensuring reproduction by the strongest and fittest. Many beetles are territorial and will fiercely defend their small patch of territory from intruding males. Pairing is generally short but in some cases will last for several hours. During pairing sperm cells are transferred to the female to fertilise the egg. Parental care varies between species, ranging from the simple laying of eggs under a leaf to certain scarab beetles, which construct underground structures complete with a supply of dung to house and feed their young. Other beetles are leaf rollers, biting sections of leaves to cause them to curl inwards, then laying their eggs, thus protected, inside. Brachinus sp., a bombardier beetle Beetles and their larvae have a variety of strategies to avoid being attacked by predators or parasitoids. These include camouflage, mimicry, toxicity, and active defence. Camouflage involves the use of colouration or shape to blend into the surrounding environment. Among those that exhibit this defensive strategy are some of the leaf beetles (family Chysomelidae), having green colouring very similar to their habitat on plant leaves. More complex camouflage also occurs, as with some weevils, where various coloured scales or hairs cause the beetle to resemble bird dung. Another defence that often uses colour or shape to deceive potential enemies is mimicry. A number of longhorn beetles (family Cerambycidae) bear a striking resemblance to wasps, which fools predators into keeping their distance even though the beetles are in fact harmless. This defence can be found to a lesser extent in other beetle families, such as the scarab beetles. Beetles may combine their colour mimicry with behavioural mimicry, acting like the wasps they already closely resemble. Many beetle species, including ladybirds and blister beetles, can secrete distasteful or toxic substances to make them unpalatable or even poisonous. These same species often exhibit aposematism, where bright or contrasting colour patterns warn away potential predators. Large ground beetles and longhorn beetles may go on the attack, using their strong mandibles to forcibly persuade a predator to seek out easier prey. Others, such as bombardier beetles (within Carabidae) spray acidic gas from their abdomen to repel predators. Besides being abundant and varied, the Coleoptera are able to exploit the wide diversity of food sources available in their many habitats. Some are generalists, eating both plants and animals. Other beetles are highly specialised in their diet. Many species of leaf beetles, longhorn beetles, and weevils are very host specific, feeding on only a single species of plant. Ground beetles and rove beetles (family Staphylinidae), among others, are primarily carnivorous and will catch and consume many other arthropods and small prey such as earthworms and snails. While most predatory beetles are generalists, a few species have more specific prey requirements or preferences. Decaying organic matter is a primary diet for many species. This can range from dung, which is consumed by coprophagous species such as certain scarab beetles (family Scarabaeidae), to dead animals, which are eaten by necrophagous species such as the carrion beetles (family Silphidae). Some of the beetles found within dung and carrion are in fact predatory, such as the clown beetles, preying on the larvae of coprophagous and necrophagous insects. Aquatic beetles use several techniques for retaining air beneath the water's surface. Beetles of the family Dytiscidae hold air between the abdomen and the elytra when diving. Hydrophilidae have hairs on their under surface that retain a layer of air against their bodies. Adult crawling water beetles use both their elytra and their hind coxae (the basal segment of the back legs) in air retention while whirligig beetles simply carry an air bubble down with them whenever they dive. Sphaerius acaroides, a member of the small suborder Myxophaga While some authorities believe modern beetles began about 140 million years ago, research announced in 2007 showed that beetles may have entered the fossil record during the Lower Permian, about 265 to 300 million years ago. Modern Beetles Predate Dinosaurs, Dave Mosher, LiveScience.com, 26 December 2007. The four extant suborders of beetle are these: * Polyphaga is the largest suborder, containing more than 300,000 described species in more than 170 families, including rove beetles (Staphylinidae), scarab beetles (Scarabaeidae), blister beetles (Meloidae), stag beetles (Lucanidae) and true weevils (Curculionidae). These beetles can be identified by the cervical sclerites (hardened parts of the head used as points of attachment for muscles) absent in the other suborders. * Adephaga contains about 10 families of largely predatory beetles, includes ground beetles (Carabidae), Dytiscidae and whirligig beetles (Gyrinidae). In these beetles the testes are tubular and the first abdominal sternum (a plate of the exoskeleton) is divided by the hind coxae (the basal joints of the beetle's legs). * Archostemata contains four families of mainly wood-eating beetles, including reticulated beetles (Cupedidae) and the telephone-pole beetle. * Myxophaga contains about 100 described species in four families, mostly very small, including Hydroscaphidae and the genus Sphaerius. These suborders diverged in the Permian and Triassic. Their phylogenetic relationship is uncertain, with the most popular hypothesis being that Polyphaga and Myxophaga are most closely related, with Adephaga as the sister group to those two, and Archostemata as sister to the other three collectively. There are about 350,000 species of beetles. Such a large number of species poses special problems for classification, with some families consisting of thousands of species and needing further division into subfamilies and tribes. Colorado potato beetle (Leptinotarsa decemlineata) larvae Many agricultural, forestry, and household insect pests are beetles. These include the following: * The Colorado potato beetle, Leptinotarsa decemlineata, is a notorious pest of potato plants. Crops are destroyed and the beetle can only be treated by employing expensive pesticides, many of which it has begun to develop resistance to. As well as potatoes, suitable hosts can be a number of plants from the potato family (Solanaceae), such as nightshade, tomato, aubergine and capsicum. * The boll weevil, Anthonomus grandis, has cost cotton producers in the United States billions of dollars since it first entered that country. * The bark beetles Hylurgopinus rufipes and Scolytus multistriatus, the elm leaf beetle, Pyrrhalta luteola, and other beetles attack elm trees. The bark beetles are important elm pests because they carry Dutch elm disease as they move from infected breeding sites to feed on healthy elm trees. The spread of the fungus by the beetle has led to the devastation of elm trees in many parts of the Northern Hemisphere, notably in Europe and North America. * The death watch beetle, Xestobium rufovillosum, (family Anobiidae) is of considerable importance as a pest of older wooden buildings in Great Britain. It attacks hardwoods such as oak and chestnut, always where some fungal decay has taken or is taking place. It is thought that the actual introduction of the pest into buildings takes place at the time of construction. * Asian long-horned beetle * Citrus long-horned beetle * Western corn rootworm * Coconut hispine beetle or Brontispa longissima gestro feeds on young leaves and damages seedlings and mature coconut palms. On September 27, 2007, Philippines' Metro Manila and 26 provinces were quarantined due to having been infested with this pest (to save the $800-million Philippine coconut industry). Inquirer.net, Beetles infest coconuts in Manila, 26 provinces Coccinella septempunctata, a beneficial beetle * Both the larvae and adults of some ladybirds (family Coccinellidae) are found in aphid colonies. Other lady beetles feed on scale insects and mealybugs. If normal food sources are scarce they may feed on other things, such as small caterpillars, young plant bugs, honeydew and nectar. * Ground beetles (family Carabidae) are common predators of many different insects and other arthropods, including fly eggs, caterpillars, wireworms and others. * Plant-feeding beetles are often important beneficial insects, controlling problem weeds. Some flea beetles of the genus Aphthona feed on leafy spurge, a considerable weed of rangeland in western North America. Some farmers develop beetle banks to foster and provide cover for beneficial beetles. Beetles of the Dermestidae family are often used in taxidermy to clean bones of remaining flesh. Ancient Egyptian scene depicting a scarab beetle Several species of dung beetle, most notably Scarabaeus sacer (often referred to as "scarab"), enjoyed a sacred status among the ancient Egyptians, as the creatures were likened to the major god Khepri. Some scholars suggest that the Egyptians' practice of making mummies was inspired by the brooding process of the beetle. Many thousands of amulets and stamp seals have been excavated that depict the scarab. In many artifacts, the scarab is depicted pushing the sun along its course in the sky, much as scarabs push or roll balls of dung to their brood sites. During and following the New Kingdom, scarab amulets were often placed over the heart of the mummified deceased. Some tribal groups, particularly in tropical parts of the world, use the colourful, iridescent elytra of certain beetles, especially certain Scarabaeidae, in ceremonies and as adornment. Beetle collection at the Melbourne Museum, Australia The study of beetles is called coleopterology, and its practitioners are coleopterists. Coleopterists have formed organisations to facilitate the study of beetles. Among these is The Coleopterists Society, an international organisation based in the United States. Such organisations may have both professionals and amateurs interested in beetles as members. Research in this field is often published in peer-reviewed journals specific to the field of coleopterology, though journals dealing with general entomology also publish many papers on various aspects of beetle biology. Some of the journals specific to beetle research are: The Coleopterist (United Kingdom beetle fauna) The Coleopterists Bulletin (published by The Coleopterists Society) There is a thriving industry in the collection of beetle specimens for amateur and professional collectors. Many coleopterists prefer to collect beetle specimens for themselves, recording detailed information about each specimen and its habitat. Such collections add to the body of knowledge about the Coleoptera. Some countries have established laws governing or prohibiting the collection of certain rare (and often much sought after) species. One such beetle whose collection is illegal or restricted is the American burying beetle, Nicrophorus americanus. * Poul Beckmann, Living Jewels: The Natural Design of Beetles ISBN 3-7913-2528-0 * Arthur V. Evans, Charles Bellamy, and Lisa Charles Watson, An Inordinate Fondness for Beetles ISBN 0-520-22323-3 * Entomological Society of America, Beetle Larvae of the World ISBN 0-643-05506-1 * David Grimaldi, Michael S. Engel, Evolution of the Insects ISBN 0-521-82149-5 * Ross H. Arnett, Jr. and Michael C. Thomas, American Beetles (CRC Press, 2001-2). ISBN 0-8493-1925-0 * K. W. Harde, A Field Guide in Colour to Beetles ISBN 0-7064-1937-5 Pages 7-24 * White, R.E. 1983. Beetles. Houghton Mifflin Company, New York, NY. ISBN 0-395-91089-7 Heteroptera - insect suborder that is superficially similar to beetles - Coleoptera All what do you need to know about coleoptera, collecting and preparation * The Beetle Ring - A group of websites about beetles (Coleoptera). * List of major Beetle collections - worldwide * Entomology - online insect museum, entomology, tips and tricks, how to spread and pin insects, etc. * - Gallery of Central European beetles * Coleoptera from the Tree of Life * Australian borers species * Beetles and coleopterologists Russian site with English version, with information about biology, systematics and paleontology of beetles * North American Beetles from BugGuide * Bibliography on fossil insects * Coleoptera Families of the World * A digital collection of Southeast Asian beetles Related Wikipedia Articles coleopter Hylobius abietis weevil Animal Arthropod Insect Pterygota Neoptera Endopterygota Carolus Linnaeus Systema Naturae Suborder (biology) Adephaga Archostemata Myxophaga Polyphaga subgroups of the order Coleoptera insect species species animal polar region ecosystem plant fungus invertebrate Colorado potato beetle boll weevil coccinellidae aphid scale insect thrips Aristotle cockchafer Trogodendron fasciculatum monophyletic holometabolous prothorax coxa anatomy appendage pronotum insect wing segmentation (biology) exoskeleton elytron sclerite insect flight insect wing ground beetle Curculionidae glowworm Phengodidae Larviform female mouthparts grasshopper mandible (insect) #Defence appendage compound eye whirligig beetle longhorn beetle ocellus vertex (anatomy) antenna (biology) antenna (biology) Acilius sulcatus arthropod leg Dytiscidae Haliplidae Hydrophilidae fossorial clown beetle flea beetle Oxygen invertebrate trachea spiracle hemolymph blood open circulatory system Melolontha melolontha Endopterygota metamorphosis (biology) larva Colorado potato beetle larva Biological life cycle Buprestidae spiracle click beetle darkling beetle click beetle Scarabaeoidea instar ecdysis planidium hypermetamorphosis blister beetle Aleochara pupa imago San Francisco Flamboyant flower beetle burying beetle Spermatozoon fertilisation Scarabaeidae leaf roller Brachinus bombardier beetle parasitoid camouflage mimicry leaf beetle weevil longhorn beetle wasp Coccinellidae blister beetle aposematism ground beetle Mandible (insect) bombardier beetle Ground beetle rove beetle arthropod dung coprophagous dung beetle necrophagous carrion beetle clown beetle coxa Ross H. Arnett, Jr. Michael C. Thomas American Beetles CRC Press Boca Raton, Florida whirligig beetle Sphaerius Myxophaga fossil Permian Polyphaga rove beetle scarabaeidae blister beetle stag beetle Curculionidae sclerite Adephaga ground beetle Dytiscidae whirligig beetle testes exoskeleton coxa Archostemata reticulated beetle telephone-pole beetle Myxophaga Hydroscaphidae Sphaerius Triassic phylogenetics sister group Linnaean taxonomy Colorado potato beetle Colorado potato beetle potato pesticide pesticide resistance Solanaceae nightshade tomato aubergine capsicum boll weevil United States bark beetle elm leaf beetle elm Dutch elm disease Northern Hemisphere Europe North America death watch beetle Anobiidae Great Britain hardwood oak chestnut Asian long-horned beetle Citrus long-horned beetle Western corn rootworm Coconut leaves seedlings coconut palms September 27 Philippines Metro Manila provinces quarantined pest coconut industry Coccinella septempunctata ladybirds Coccinellidae aphid scale insect mealybug honeydew nectar Ground beetle caterpillar Aphthona leafy spurge beetle bank Dermestidae taxidermy Dung beetle Scarabaeus sacer Ancient Egyptian Khepri Mummy New Kingdom Elytron Melbourne Museum coleopterology list of coleopterists The Coleopterists Society international organisation scientific journal The Coleopterist The Coleopterists Bulletin Nicrophorus americanus Entomological Society of America David Grimaldi Michael S. Engel Ross H. Arnett, Jr. Michael C. Thomas American Beetles Heteroptera
beetle	What was given by Aristotle for the hardened shield like forewings?	The name "Coleoptera".	data/set1/a8	beetle Beetles are a group of insects which have the largest number of species. They are placed in the order Coleoptera,which means "sheathed wing" and contains more described species than in any other order in the animal kingdom, constituting about twenty-five percent of all known life-forms. James K. Liebherr and Joseph V. McHugh in Resh, V. H. & R. T. CardÃ© (Editors) 2003. Encyclopedia of Insects. Academic Press. Forty percent of all described insect species are beetles (about 350,000 species ), and new species are frequently discovered. Estimates put the total number of species, described and undescribed, at between 5 and 8 million. Beetles can be found in almost all habitats, but are not known to occur in the sea or in the polar regions. They interact with their ecosystems in several ways. They often feed on plants and fungi, break down animal and plant debris, and eat other invertebrates. Some species are prey of various animals including birds and mammals. Certain species are agricultural pests, such as the Colorado potato beetle Leptinotarsa decemlineata, the boll weevil Anthonomus grandis, the red flour beetle Tribolium castaneum, and the mungbean or cowpea beetle Callosobruchus maculatus, while other species of beetles are important controls of agricultural pests. For example, coccinellidae ("ladybirds" or "ladybugs") consume aphids, scale insects, thrips, and other plant-sucking insects that damage crops. The name "Coleoptera" was given by Aristotle for the hardened shield like forewings (coleo = shield + ptera = wing). A cockchafer with its elytra raised, exposing the membranous flight wings, where the veins are visible Trogodendron fasciculatum, a clerid beetle with bright yellow antennae Other characters of this group which are believed to be monophyletic include a holometabolous life cycle; having a prothorax that is distinct from and freely articulating with the mesothorax; the meso- and meta-thoracic segments fusing to form a pterothorax; a depressed body shape with the legs on the ventral surface; the coxae of legs recessed into cavities formed by heavily sclerotized thoracic sclerites; the abdominal sternites more sclerotized than the tergites; antennae with 11 or fewer segments; and terminal genitalic appendages retracted into the abdomen and invisible at rest. The general anatomy of beetles is quite uniform, although specific organs and appendages may vary greatly in appearance and function between the many families in the order. Like all insects, beetles' bodies are divided into three sections: the head, the thorax, and the abdomen. When viewed from below, the thorax is that part from which all three pairs of legs and both pairs of wings arise. The abdomen is everything posterior to the thorax. When viewed from above, most beetles appear to have three clear sections, but this is deceptive: on the beetle's upper surface, the middle "section" is a hard plate called the pronotum, which is only the front part of the thorax; the back part of the thorax is concealed by the beetle's wings. Like all arthropods, beetles are segmented organisms, and all three of the major sections of the body are themselves composed of several further segments, although these are not always readily discernible. This further segmentation is usually best seen on the abdomen. Beetles are generally characterised by a particularly hard exoskeleton and hard forewings (elytra). The beetle's exoskeleton is made up of numerous plates called sclerites, separated by thin sutures. This design creates the armoured defences of the beetle while maintaining flexibility. The elytra are not used for flight, but tend to cover the hind part of the body and protect the second pair of wings (alae). The elytra must be raised in order to move the hind flight wings. A beetle's flight wings are crossed with veins and are folded after landing, often along these veins, and are stored below the elytra. In some beetles, the ability to fly has been lost. These include the ground beetles (family Carabidae) and some "true weevils" (family Curculionidae), but also some desert and cave-dwelling species of other families. Many of these species have the two elytra fused together, forming a solid shield over the abdomen. In a few families, both the ability to fly and the elytra have been lost, with the best known example being the glow-worms of the family Phengodidae, in which the females are larviform throughout their lives. Beetles have mouthparts similar to those of grasshoppers. Of these parts, the most commonly known are probably the mandibles, which appear as large pincers on the front of some beetles. The mandibles are a pair of hard, often tooth-like structures that move horizontally to grasp, crush, or cut food or enemies (see defence, below). Two pairs of finger-like appendages are found around the mouth in most beetles, serving to move food into the mouth. These are the maxillary and labial palpi. The eyes are compound and may display remarkable adaptability, as in the case of whirligig beetles (family Gyrinidae), in which the eyes are split to allow a view both above and below the waterline. Other species also have divided eyes â some longhorn beetles (family Cerambycidae) and weevils â while many beetles have eyes that are notched to some degree. A few beetle genera also possess ocelli, which are small, simple eyes usually situated farther back on the head (on the vertex). Beetles' antennae are primarily organs of smell, but may also be used to feel out a beetle's environment physically. They may also be used in some families during mating, or among a few beetles for defence. Antennae vary greatly in form within the Coleoptera, but are often similar within any given family. In some cases, males and females of the same species will have different antennal forms. Antennae may be clavate (flabellate and lamellate are sub-forms of clavate, or clubbed antennae), filiform, geniculate, moniliform, pectinate, or serrate. For images of these antennal forms see antenna (biology). Acilius sulcatus, a diving beetle showing hind legs adapted for life in water The legs, which are multi-segmented, end in two to five small segments called tarsi. Like many other insect orders beetles bear claws, usually one pair, on the end of the last tarsal segment of each leg. While most beetles use their legs for walking, legs may be variously modified and adapted for other uses. Among aquatic families â Dytiscidae, Haliplidae, many species of Hydrophilidae and others â the legs, most notably the last pair, are modified for swimming and often bear rows of long hairs to aid this purpose. Other beetles have fossorial legs that are widened and often spined for digging. Species with such adaptations are found among the scarabs, ground beetles, and clown beetles (family Histeridae). The hind legs of some beetles, such as flea beetles (within Chrysomelidae) and flea weevils (within Curculionidae), are enlarged and designed for jumping. Oxygen is obtained via a tracheal system. Air enters a series of tubes along the body through openings called spiracles, and is then taken into increasingly finer fibres. Pumping movements of the body force the air through the system. Beetles have haemolymph instead of blood, and the open circulatory system of the beetle is powered by a tube-like heart attached to the top inside of the thorax. Scarabaeiform larva of the cockchafer, Melolontha melolontha Beetles are endopterygotes with complete metamorphosis. A single female may lay from several dozen to several thousand eggs during her lifetime. Eggs are usually laid according to the substrate the larva will feed on upon hatching. Among others, they can be laid loose in the substrate (e.g. flour beetle), laid in clumps on leaves (e.g. Colorado potato beetle), or individually attached (e.g. mungbean beetle and other seed borers) or buried in the medium (e.g. carrot weevil). The larva is usually the principal feeding stage of the beetle life cycle. Larvae tend to feed voraciously once they emerge from their eggs. Some feed externally on plants, such as those of certain leaf beetles, while others feed within their food sources. Examples of internal feeders are most Buprestidae and longhorn beetles. The larvae of many beetle families are predatory like the adults (ground beetles, ladybirds, rove beetles). The larval period varies between species but can be as long as several years. Beetle larvae can be differentiated from other insect larvae by their hardened, often darkened head, the presence of chewing mouthparts, and spiracles along the sides of the body. Like adult beetles, the larvae are varied in appearance, particularly between beetle families. Beetles whose larvae are somewhat flattened and are highly mobile are the ground beetles, some rove beetles, and others; their larvae are described as campodeiform. Some beetle larvae resemble hardened worms with dark head capsules and minute legs. These are elateriform larvae, and are found in the click beetle (Elateridae) and darkling beetle (Tenebrionidae) families. Some elateriform larvae of click beetles are known as wireworms. Beetles in the families of the Scarabaeoidea have short, thick larvae described as scarabaeiform, but more commonly known as grubs. All beetle larvae go through several instars, which are the developmental stages between each moult. In many species the larvae simply increase in size with each successive instar as more food is consumed. In some cases, however, more dramatic changes occur. Among certain beetle families or genera, particularly those that exhibit parasitic lifestyles, the first instar (the planidium) is highly mobile in order to search out a host, while the following instars are more sedentary and remain on or within their host. This is known as hypermetamorphosis; examples include the blister beetles (family Meloidae) and some rove beetles, particularly those of the genus Aleochara. As with all endopterygotes, beetle larvae pupate, and from this pupa emerges a fully formed, sexually mature adult beetle, or imago. Adults have an extremely variable lifespan, from weeks to years, depending on the species. Beetles mating in San Francisco Flamboyant flower beetle, Eudicella gralli, from the forests of Central Africa. The iridescent elytra are used in marriage ceremonies. Beetles may display extremely intricate behaviour when mating. Smell is thought to be important in the location of a mate. Conflict can play a part in the mating rituals of species such as burying beetles (genus Nicrophorus) where conflicts between males and females rage until only one of each is left, thus ensuring reproduction by the strongest and fittest. Many beetles are territorial and will fiercely defend their small patch of territory from intruding males. Pairing is generally short but in some cases will last for several hours. During pairing sperm cells are transferred to the female to fertilise the egg. Parental care varies between species, ranging from the simple laying of eggs under a leaf to certain scarab beetles, which construct underground structures complete with a supply of dung to house and feed their young. Other beetles are leaf rollers, biting sections of leaves to cause them to curl inwards, then laying their eggs, thus protected, inside. Brachinus sp., a bombardier beetle Beetles and their larvae have a variety of strategies to avoid being attacked by predators or parasitoids. These include camouflage, mimicry, toxicity, and active defence. Camouflage involves the use of colouration or shape to blend into the surrounding environment. Among those that exhibit this defensive strategy are some of the leaf beetles (family Chysomelidae), having green colouring very similar to their habitat on plant leaves. More complex camouflage also occurs, as with some weevils, where various coloured scales or hairs cause the beetle to resemble bird dung. Another defence that often uses colour or shape to deceive potential enemies is mimicry. A number of longhorn beetles (family Cerambycidae) bear a striking resemblance to wasps, which fools predators into keeping their distance even though the beetles are in fact harmless. This defence can be found to a lesser extent in other beetle families, such as the scarab beetles. Beetles may combine their colour mimicry with behavioural mimicry, acting like the wasps they already closely resemble. Many beetle species, including ladybirds and blister beetles, can secrete distasteful or toxic substances to make them unpalatable or even poisonous. These same species often exhibit aposematism, where bright or contrasting colour patterns warn away potential predators. Large ground beetles and longhorn beetles may go on the attack, using their strong mandibles to forcibly persuade a predator to seek out easier prey. Others, such as bombardier beetles (within Carabidae) spray acidic gas from their abdomen to repel predators. Besides being abundant and varied, the Coleoptera are able to exploit the wide diversity of food sources available in their many habitats. Some are generalists, eating both plants and animals. Other beetles are highly specialised in their diet. Many species of leaf beetles, longhorn beetles, and weevils are very host specific, feeding on only a single species of plant. Ground beetles and rove beetles (family Staphylinidae), among others, are primarily carnivorous and will catch and consume many other arthropods and small prey such as earthworms and snails. While most predatory beetles are generalists, a few species have more specific prey requirements or preferences. Decaying organic matter is a primary diet for many species. This can range from dung, which is consumed by coprophagous species such as certain scarab beetles (family Scarabaeidae), to dead animals, which are eaten by necrophagous species such as the carrion beetles (family Silphidae). Some of the beetles found within dung and carrion are in fact predatory, such as the clown beetles, preying on the larvae of coprophagous and necrophagous insects. Aquatic beetles use several techniques for retaining air beneath the water's surface. Beetles of the family Dytiscidae hold air between the abdomen and the elytra when diving. Hydrophilidae have hairs on their under surface that retain a layer of air against their bodies. Adult crawling water beetles use both their elytra and their hind coxae (the basal segment of the back legs) in air retention while whirligig beetles simply carry an air bubble down with them whenever they dive. Sphaerius acaroides, a member of the small suborder Myxophaga While some authorities believe modern beetles began about 140 million years ago, research announced in 2007 showed that beetles may have entered the fossil record during the Lower Permian, about 265 to 300 million years ago. Modern Beetles Predate Dinosaurs, Dave Mosher, LiveScience.com, 26 December 2007. The four extant suborders of beetle are these: * Polyphaga is the largest suborder, containing more than 300,000 described species in more than 170 families, including rove beetles (Staphylinidae), scarab beetles (Scarabaeidae), blister beetles (Meloidae), stag beetles (Lucanidae) and true weevils (Curculionidae). These beetles can be identified by the cervical sclerites (hardened parts of the head used as points of attachment for muscles) absent in the other suborders. * Adephaga contains about 10 families of largely predatory beetles, includes ground beetles (Carabidae), Dytiscidae and whirligig beetles (Gyrinidae). In these beetles the testes are tubular and the first abdominal sternum (a plate of the exoskeleton) is divided by the hind coxae (the basal joints of the beetle's legs). * Archostemata contains four families of mainly wood-eating beetles, including reticulated beetles (Cupedidae) and the telephone-pole beetle. * Myxophaga contains about 100 described species in four families, mostly very small, including Hydroscaphidae and the genus Sphaerius. These suborders diverged in the Permian and Triassic. Their phylogenetic relationship is uncertain, with the most popular hypothesis being that Polyphaga and Myxophaga are most closely related, with Adephaga as the sister group to those two, and Archostemata as sister to the other three collectively. There are about 350,000 species of beetles. Such a large number of species poses special problems for classification, with some families consisting of thousands of species and needing further division into subfamilies and tribes. Colorado potato beetle (Leptinotarsa decemlineata) larvae Many agricultural, forestry, and household insect pests are beetles. These include the following: * The Colorado potato beetle, Leptinotarsa decemlineata, is a notorious pest of potato plants. Crops are destroyed and the beetle can only be treated by employing expensive pesticides, many of which it has begun to develop resistance to. As well as potatoes, suitable hosts can be a number of plants from the potato family (Solanaceae), such as nightshade, tomato, aubergine and capsicum. * The boll weevil, Anthonomus grandis, has cost cotton producers in the United States billions of dollars since it first entered that country. * The bark beetles Hylurgopinus rufipes and Scolytus multistriatus, the elm leaf beetle, Pyrrhalta luteola, and other beetles attack elm trees. The bark beetles are important elm pests because they carry Dutch elm disease as they move from infected breeding sites to feed on healthy elm trees. The spread of the fungus by the beetle has led to the devastation of elm trees in many parts of the Northern Hemisphere, notably in Europe and North America. * The death watch beetle, Xestobium rufovillosum, (family Anobiidae) is of considerable importance as a pest of older wooden buildings in Great Britain. It attacks hardwoods such as oak and chestnut, always where some fungal decay has taken or is taking place. It is thought that the actual introduction of the pest into buildings takes place at the time of construction. * Asian long-horned beetle * Citrus long-horned beetle * Western corn rootworm * Coconut hispine beetle or Brontispa longissima gestro feeds on young leaves and damages seedlings and mature coconut palms. On September 27, 2007, Philippines' Metro Manila and 26 provinces were quarantined due to having been infested with this pest (to save the $800-million Philippine coconut industry). Inquirer.net, Beetles infest coconuts in Manila, 26 provinces Coccinella septempunctata, a beneficial beetle * Both the larvae and adults of some ladybirds (family Coccinellidae) are found in aphid colonies. Other lady beetles feed on scale insects and mealybugs. If normal food sources are scarce they may feed on other things, such as small caterpillars, young plant bugs, honeydew and nectar. * Ground beetles (family Carabidae) are common predators of many different insects and other arthropods, including fly eggs, caterpillars, wireworms and others. * Plant-feeding beetles are often important beneficial insects, controlling problem weeds. Some flea beetles of the genus Aphthona feed on leafy spurge, a considerable weed of rangeland in western North America. Some farmers develop beetle banks to foster and provide cover for beneficial beetles. Beetles of the Dermestidae family are often used in taxidermy to clean bones of remaining flesh. Ancient Egyptian scene depicting a scarab beetle Several species of dung beetle, most notably Scarabaeus sacer (often referred to as "scarab"), enjoyed a sacred status among the ancient Egyptians, as the creatures were likened to the major god Khepri. Some scholars suggest that the Egyptians' practice of making mummies was inspired by the brooding process of the beetle. Many thousands of amulets and stamp seals have been excavated that depict the scarab. In many artifacts, the scarab is depicted pushing the sun along its course in the sky, much as scarabs push or roll balls of dung to their brood sites. During and following the New Kingdom, scarab amulets were often placed over the heart of the mummified deceased. Some tribal groups, particularly in tropical parts of the world, use the colourful, iridescent elytra of certain beetles, especially certain Scarabaeidae, in ceremonies and as adornment. Beetle collection at the Melbourne Museum, Australia The study of beetles is called coleopterology, and its practitioners are coleopterists. Coleopterists have formed organisations to facilitate the study of beetles. Among these is The Coleopterists Society, an international organisation based in the United States. Such organisations may have both professionals and amateurs interested in beetles as members. Research in this field is often published in peer-reviewed journals specific to the field of coleopterology, though journals dealing with general entomology also publish many papers on various aspects of beetle biology. Some of the journals specific to beetle research are: The Coleopterist (United Kingdom beetle fauna) The Coleopterists Bulletin (published by The Coleopterists Society) There is a thriving industry in the collection of beetle specimens for amateur and professional collectors. Many coleopterists prefer to collect beetle specimens for themselves, recording detailed information about each specimen and its habitat. Such collections add to the body of knowledge about the Coleoptera. Some countries have established laws governing or prohibiting the collection of certain rare (and often much sought after) species. One such beetle whose collection is illegal or restricted is the American burying beetle, Nicrophorus americanus. * Poul Beckmann, Living Jewels: The Natural Design of Beetles ISBN 3-7913-2528-0 * Arthur V. Evans, Charles Bellamy, and Lisa Charles Watson, An Inordinate Fondness for Beetles ISBN 0-520-22323-3 * Entomological Society of America, Beetle Larvae of the World ISBN 0-643-05506-1 * David Grimaldi, Michael S. Engel, Evolution of the Insects ISBN 0-521-82149-5 * Ross H. Arnett, Jr. and Michael C. Thomas, American Beetles (CRC Press, 2001-2). ISBN 0-8493-1925-0 * K. W. Harde, A Field Guide in Colour to Beetles ISBN 0-7064-1937-5 Pages 7-24 * White, R.E. 1983. Beetles. Houghton Mifflin Company, New York, NY. ISBN 0-395-91089-7 Heteroptera - insect suborder that is superficially similar to beetles - Coleoptera All what do you need to know about coleoptera, collecting and preparation * The Beetle Ring - A group of websites about beetles (Coleoptera). * List of major Beetle collections - worldwide * Entomology - online insect museum, entomology, tips and tricks, how to spread and pin insects, etc. * - Gallery of Central European beetles * Coleoptera from the Tree of Life * Australian borers species * Beetles and coleopterologists Russian site with English version, with information about biology, systematics and paleontology of beetles * North American Beetles from BugGuide * Bibliography on fossil insects * Coleoptera Families of the World * A digital collection of Southeast Asian beetles Related Wikipedia Articles coleopter Hylobius abietis weevil Animal Arthropod Insect Pterygota Neoptera Endopterygota Carolus Linnaeus Systema Naturae Suborder (biology) Adephaga Archostemata Myxophaga Polyphaga subgroups of the order Coleoptera insect species species animal polar region ecosystem plant fungus invertebrate Colorado potato beetle boll weevil coccinellidae aphid scale insect thrips Aristotle cockchafer Trogodendron fasciculatum monophyletic holometabolous prothorax coxa anatomy appendage pronotum insect wing segmentation (biology) exoskeleton elytron sclerite insect flight insect wing ground beetle Curculionidae glowworm Phengodidae Larviform female mouthparts grasshopper mandible (insect) #Defence appendage compound eye whirligig beetle longhorn beetle ocellus vertex (anatomy) antenna (biology) antenna (biology) Acilius sulcatus arthropod leg Dytiscidae Haliplidae Hydrophilidae fossorial clown beetle flea beetle Oxygen invertebrate trachea spiracle hemolymph blood open circulatory system Melolontha melolontha Endopterygota metamorphosis (biology) larva Colorado potato beetle larva Biological life cycle Buprestidae spiracle click beetle darkling beetle click beetle Scarabaeoidea instar ecdysis planidium hypermetamorphosis blister beetle Aleochara pupa imago San Francisco Flamboyant flower beetle burying beetle Spermatozoon fertilisation Scarabaeidae leaf roller Brachinus bombardier beetle parasitoid camouflage mimicry leaf beetle weevil longhorn beetle wasp Coccinellidae blister beetle aposematism ground beetle Mandible (insect) bombardier beetle Ground beetle rove beetle arthropod dung coprophagous dung beetle necrophagous carrion beetle clown beetle coxa Ross H. Arnett, Jr. Michael C. Thomas American Beetles CRC Press Boca Raton, Florida whirligig beetle Sphaerius Myxophaga fossil Permian Polyphaga rove beetle scarabaeidae blister beetle stag beetle Curculionidae sclerite Adephaga ground beetle Dytiscidae whirligig beetle testes exoskeleton coxa Archostemata reticulated beetle telephone-pole beetle Myxophaga Hydroscaphidae Sphaerius Triassic phylogenetics sister group Linnaean taxonomy Colorado potato beetle Colorado potato beetle potato pesticide pesticide resistance Solanaceae nightshade tomato aubergine capsicum boll weevil United States bark beetle elm leaf beetle elm Dutch elm disease Northern Hemisphere Europe North America death watch beetle Anobiidae Great Britain hardwood oak chestnut Asian long-horned beetle Citrus long-horned beetle Western corn rootworm Coconut leaves seedlings coconut palms September 27 Philippines Metro Manila provinces quarantined pest coconut industry Coccinella septempunctata ladybirds Coccinellidae aphid scale insect mealybug honeydew nectar Ground beetle caterpillar Aphthona leafy spurge beetle bank Dermestidae taxidermy Dung beetle Scarabaeus sacer Ancient Egyptian Khepri Mummy New Kingdom Elytron Melbourne Museum coleopterology list of coleopterists The Coleopterists Society international organisation scientific journal The Coleopterist The Coleopterists Bulletin Nicrophorus americanus Entomological Society of America David Grimaldi Michael S. Engel Ross H. Arnett, Jr. Michael C. Thomas American Beetles Heteroptera
beetle	Who or what vary greatly in form within the coleoptera?	Antennae.	data/set1/a8	beetle Beetles are a group of insects which have the largest number of species. They are placed in the order Coleoptera,which means "sheathed wing" and contains more described species than in any other order in the animal kingdom, constituting about twenty-five percent of all known life-forms. James K. Liebherr and Joseph V. McHugh in Resh, V. H. & R. T. CardÃ© (Editors) 2003. Encyclopedia of Insects. Academic Press. Forty percent of all described insect species are beetles (about 350,000 species ), and new species are frequently discovered. Estimates put the total number of species, described and undescribed, at between 5 and 8 million. Beetles can be found in almost all habitats, but are not known to occur in the sea or in the polar regions. They interact with their ecosystems in several ways. They often feed on plants and fungi, break down animal and plant debris, and eat other invertebrates. Some species are prey of various animals including birds and mammals. Certain species are agricultural pests, such as the Colorado potato beetle Leptinotarsa decemlineata, the boll weevil Anthonomus grandis, the red flour beetle Tribolium castaneum, and the mungbean or cowpea beetle Callosobruchus maculatus, while other species of beetles are important controls of agricultural pests. For example, coccinellidae ("ladybirds" or "ladybugs") consume aphids, scale insects, thrips, and other plant-sucking insects that damage crops. The name "Coleoptera" was given by Aristotle for the hardened shield like forewings (coleo = shield + ptera = wing). A cockchafer with its elytra raised, exposing the membranous flight wings, where the veins are visible Trogodendron fasciculatum, a clerid beetle with bright yellow antennae Other characters of this group which are believed to be monophyletic include a holometabolous life cycle; having a prothorax that is distinct from and freely articulating with the mesothorax; the meso- and meta-thoracic segments fusing to form a pterothorax; a depressed body shape with the legs on the ventral surface; the coxae of legs recessed into cavities formed by heavily sclerotized thoracic sclerites; the abdominal sternites more sclerotized than the tergites; antennae with 11 or fewer segments; and terminal genitalic appendages retracted into the abdomen and invisible at rest. The general anatomy of beetles is quite uniform, although specific organs and appendages may vary greatly in appearance and function between the many families in the order. Like all insects, beetles' bodies are divided into three sections: the head, the thorax, and the abdomen. When viewed from below, the thorax is that part from which all three pairs of legs and both pairs of wings arise. The abdomen is everything posterior to the thorax. When viewed from above, most beetles appear to have three clear sections, but this is deceptive: on the beetle's upper surface, the middle "section" is a hard plate called the pronotum, which is only the front part of the thorax; the back part of the thorax is concealed by the beetle's wings. Like all arthropods, beetles are segmented organisms, and all three of the major sections of the body are themselves composed of several further segments, although these are not always readily discernible. This further segmentation is usually best seen on the abdomen. Beetles are generally characterised by a particularly hard exoskeleton and hard forewings (elytra). The beetle's exoskeleton is made up of numerous plates called sclerites, separated by thin sutures. This design creates the armoured defences of the beetle while maintaining flexibility. The elytra are not used for flight, but tend to cover the hind part of the body and protect the second pair of wings (alae). The elytra must be raised in order to move the hind flight wings. A beetle's flight wings are crossed with veins and are folded after landing, often along these veins, and are stored below the elytra. In some beetles, the ability to fly has been lost. These include the ground beetles (family Carabidae) and some "true weevils" (family Curculionidae), but also some desert and cave-dwelling species of other families. Many of these species have the two elytra fused together, forming a solid shield over the abdomen. In a few families, both the ability to fly and the elytra have been lost, with the best known example being the glow-worms of the family Phengodidae, in which the females are larviform throughout their lives. Beetles have mouthparts similar to those of grasshoppers. Of these parts, the most commonly known are probably the mandibles, which appear as large pincers on the front of some beetles. The mandibles are a pair of hard, often tooth-like structures that move horizontally to grasp, crush, or cut food or enemies (see defence, below). Two pairs of finger-like appendages are found around the mouth in most beetles, serving to move food into the mouth. These are the maxillary and labial palpi. The eyes are compound and may display remarkable adaptability, as in the case of whirligig beetles (family Gyrinidae), in which the eyes are split to allow a view both above and below the waterline. Other species also have divided eyes â some longhorn beetles (family Cerambycidae) and weevils â while many beetles have eyes that are notched to some degree. A few beetle genera also possess ocelli, which are small, simple eyes usually situated farther back on the head (on the vertex). Beetles' antennae are primarily organs of smell, but may also be used to feel out a beetle's environment physically. They may also be used in some families during mating, or among a few beetles for defence. Antennae vary greatly in form within the Coleoptera, but are often similar within any given family. In some cases, males and females of the same species will have different antennal forms. Antennae may be clavate (flabellate and lamellate are sub-forms of clavate, or clubbed antennae), filiform, geniculate, moniliform, pectinate, or serrate. For images of these antennal forms see antenna (biology). Acilius sulcatus, a diving beetle showing hind legs adapted for life in water The legs, which are multi-segmented, end in two to five small segments called tarsi. Like many other insect orders beetles bear claws, usually one pair, on the end of the last tarsal segment of each leg. While most beetles use their legs for walking, legs may be variously modified and adapted for other uses. Among aquatic families â Dytiscidae, Haliplidae, many species of Hydrophilidae and others â the legs, most notably the last pair, are modified for swimming and often bear rows of long hairs to aid this purpose. Other beetles have fossorial legs that are widened and often spined for digging. Species with such adaptations are found among the scarabs, ground beetles, and clown beetles (family Histeridae). The hind legs of some beetles, such as flea beetles (within Chrysomelidae) and flea weevils (within Curculionidae), are enlarged and designed for jumping. Oxygen is obtained via a tracheal system. Air enters a series of tubes along the body through openings called spiracles, and is then taken into increasingly finer fibres. Pumping movements of the body force the air through the system. Beetles have haemolymph instead of blood, and the open circulatory system of the beetle is powered by a tube-like heart attached to the top inside of the thorax. Scarabaeiform larva of the cockchafer, Melolontha melolontha Beetles are endopterygotes with complete metamorphosis. A single female may lay from several dozen to several thousand eggs during her lifetime. Eggs are usually laid according to the substrate the larva will feed on upon hatching. Among others, they can be laid loose in the substrate (e.g. flour beetle), laid in clumps on leaves (e.g. Colorado potato beetle), or individually attached (e.g. mungbean beetle and other seed borers) or buried in the medium (e.g. carrot weevil). The larva is usually the principal feeding stage of the beetle life cycle. Larvae tend to feed voraciously once they emerge from their eggs. Some feed externally on plants, such as those of certain leaf beetles, while others feed within their food sources. Examples of internal feeders are most Buprestidae and longhorn beetles. The larvae of many beetle families are predatory like the adults (ground beetles, ladybirds, rove beetles). The larval period varies between species but can be as long as several years. Beetle larvae can be differentiated from other insect larvae by their hardened, often darkened head, the presence of chewing mouthparts, and spiracles along the sides of the body. Like adult beetles, the larvae are varied in appearance, particularly between beetle families. Beetles whose larvae are somewhat flattened and are highly mobile are the ground beetles, some rove beetles, and others; their larvae are described as campodeiform. Some beetle larvae resemble hardened worms with dark head capsules and minute legs. These are elateriform larvae, and are found in the click beetle (Elateridae) and darkling beetle (Tenebrionidae) families. Some elateriform larvae of click beetles are known as wireworms. Beetles in the families of the Scarabaeoidea have short, thick larvae described as scarabaeiform, but more commonly known as grubs. All beetle larvae go through several instars, which are the developmental stages between each moult. In many species the larvae simply increase in size with each successive instar as more food is consumed. In some cases, however, more dramatic changes occur. Among certain beetle families or genera, particularly those that exhibit parasitic lifestyles, the first instar (the planidium) is highly mobile in order to search out a host, while the following instars are more sedentary and remain on or within their host. This is known as hypermetamorphosis; examples include the blister beetles (family Meloidae) and some rove beetles, particularly those of the genus Aleochara. As with all endopterygotes, beetle larvae pupate, and from this pupa emerges a fully formed, sexually mature adult beetle, or imago. Adults have an extremely variable lifespan, from weeks to years, depending on the species. Beetles mating in San Francisco Flamboyant flower beetle, Eudicella gralli, from the forests of Central Africa. The iridescent elytra are used in marriage ceremonies. Beetles may display extremely intricate behaviour when mating. Smell is thought to be important in the location of a mate. Conflict can play a part in the mating rituals of species such as burying beetles (genus Nicrophorus) where conflicts between males and females rage until only one of each is left, thus ensuring reproduction by the strongest and fittest. Many beetles are territorial and will fiercely defend their small patch of territory from intruding males. Pairing is generally short but in some cases will last for several hours. During pairing sperm cells are transferred to the female to fertilise the egg. Parental care varies between species, ranging from the simple laying of eggs under a leaf to certain scarab beetles, which construct underground structures complete with a supply of dung to house and feed their young. Other beetles are leaf rollers, biting sections of leaves to cause them to curl inwards, then laying their eggs, thus protected, inside. Brachinus sp., a bombardier beetle Beetles and their larvae have a variety of strategies to avoid being attacked by predators or parasitoids. These include camouflage, mimicry, toxicity, and active defence. Camouflage involves the use of colouration or shape to blend into the surrounding environment. Among those that exhibit this defensive strategy are some of the leaf beetles (family Chysomelidae), having green colouring very similar to their habitat on plant leaves. More complex camouflage also occurs, as with some weevils, where various coloured scales or hairs cause the beetle to resemble bird dung. Another defence that often uses colour or shape to deceive potential enemies is mimicry. A number of longhorn beetles (family Cerambycidae) bear a striking resemblance to wasps, which fools predators into keeping their distance even though the beetles are in fact harmless. This defence can be found to a lesser extent in other beetle families, such as the scarab beetles. Beetles may combine their colour mimicry with behavioural mimicry, acting like the wasps they already closely resemble. Many beetle species, including ladybirds and blister beetles, can secrete distasteful or toxic substances to make them unpalatable or even poisonous. These same species often exhibit aposematism, where bright or contrasting colour patterns warn away potential predators. Large ground beetles and longhorn beetles may go on the attack, using their strong mandibles to forcibly persuade a predator to seek out easier prey. Others, such as bombardier beetles (within Carabidae) spray acidic gas from their abdomen to repel predators. Besides being abundant and varied, the Coleoptera are able to exploit the wide diversity of food sources available in their many habitats. Some are generalists, eating both plants and animals. Other beetles are highly specialised in their diet. Many species of leaf beetles, longhorn beetles, and weevils are very host specific, feeding on only a single species of plant. Ground beetles and rove beetles (family Staphylinidae), among others, are primarily carnivorous and will catch and consume many other arthropods and small prey such as earthworms and snails. While most predatory beetles are generalists, a few species have more specific prey requirements or preferences. Decaying organic matter is a primary diet for many species. This can range from dung, which is consumed by coprophagous species such as certain scarab beetles (family Scarabaeidae), to dead animals, which are eaten by necrophagous species such as the carrion beetles (family Silphidae). Some of the beetles found within dung and carrion are in fact predatory, such as the clown beetles, preying on the larvae of coprophagous and necrophagous insects. Aquatic beetles use several techniques for retaining air beneath the water's surface. Beetles of the family Dytiscidae hold air between the abdomen and the elytra when diving. Hydrophilidae have hairs on their under surface that retain a layer of air against their bodies. Adult crawling water beetles use both their elytra and their hind coxae (the basal segment of the back legs) in air retention while whirligig beetles simply carry an air bubble down with them whenever they dive. Sphaerius acaroides, a member of the small suborder Myxophaga While some authorities believe modern beetles began about 140 million years ago, research announced in 2007 showed that beetles may have entered the fossil record during the Lower Permian, about 265 to 300 million years ago. Modern Beetles Predate Dinosaurs, Dave Mosher, LiveScience.com, 26 December 2007. The four extant suborders of beetle are these: * Polyphaga is the largest suborder, containing more than 300,000 described species in more than 170 families, including rove beetles (Staphylinidae), scarab beetles (Scarabaeidae), blister beetles (Meloidae), stag beetles (Lucanidae) and true weevils (Curculionidae). These beetles can be identified by the cervical sclerites (hardened parts of the head used as points of attachment for muscles) absent in the other suborders. * Adephaga contains about 10 families of largely predatory beetles, includes ground beetles (Carabidae), Dytiscidae and whirligig beetles (Gyrinidae). In these beetles the testes are tubular and the first abdominal sternum (a plate of the exoskeleton) is divided by the hind coxae (the basal joints of the beetle's legs). * Archostemata contains four families of mainly wood-eating beetles, including reticulated beetles (Cupedidae) and the telephone-pole beetle. * Myxophaga contains about 100 described species in four families, mostly very small, including Hydroscaphidae and the genus Sphaerius. These suborders diverged in the Permian and Triassic. Their phylogenetic relationship is uncertain, with the most popular hypothesis being that Polyphaga and Myxophaga are most closely related, with Adephaga as the sister group to those two, and Archostemata as sister to the other three collectively. There are about 350,000 species of beetles. Such a large number of species poses special problems for classification, with some families consisting of thousands of species and needing further division into subfamilies and tribes. Colorado potato beetle (Leptinotarsa decemlineata) larvae Many agricultural, forestry, and household insect pests are beetles. These include the following: * The Colorado potato beetle, Leptinotarsa decemlineata, is a notorious pest of potato plants. Crops are destroyed and the beetle can only be treated by employing expensive pesticides, many of which it has begun to develop resistance to. As well as potatoes, suitable hosts can be a number of plants from the potato family (Solanaceae), such as nightshade, tomato, aubergine and capsicum. * The boll weevil, Anthonomus grandis, has cost cotton producers in the United States billions of dollars since it first entered that country. * The bark beetles Hylurgopinus rufipes and Scolytus multistriatus, the elm leaf beetle, Pyrrhalta luteola, and other beetles attack elm trees. The bark beetles are important elm pests because they carry Dutch elm disease as they move from infected breeding sites to feed on healthy elm trees. The spread of the fungus by the beetle has led to the devastation of elm trees in many parts of the Northern Hemisphere, notably in Europe and North America. * The death watch beetle, Xestobium rufovillosum, (family Anobiidae) is of considerable importance as a pest of older wooden buildings in Great Britain. It attacks hardwoods such as oak and chestnut, always where some fungal decay has taken or is taking place. It is thought that the actual introduction of the pest into buildings takes place at the time of construction. * Asian long-horned beetle * Citrus long-horned beetle * Western corn rootworm * Coconut hispine beetle or Brontispa longissima gestro feeds on young leaves and damages seedlings and mature coconut palms. On September 27, 2007, Philippines' Metro Manila and 26 provinces were quarantined due to having been infested with this pest (to save the $800-million Philippine coconut industry). Inquirer.net, Beetles infest coconuts in Manila, 26 provinces Coccinella septempunctata, a beneficial beetle * Both the larvae and adults of some ladybirds (family Coccinellidae) are found in aphid colonies. Other lady beetles feed on scale insects and mealybugs. If normal food sources are scarce they may feed on other things, such as small caterpillars, young plant bugs, honeydew and nectar. * Ground beetles (family Carabidae) are common predators of many different insects and other arthropods, including fly eggs, caterpillars, wireworms and others. * Plant-feeding beetles are often important beneficial insects, controlling problem weeds. Some flea beetles of the genus Aphthona feed on leafy spurge, a considerable weed of rangeland in western North America. Some farmers develop beetle banks to foster and provide cover for beneficial beetles. Beetles of the Dermestidae family are often used in taxidermy to clean bones of remaining flesh. Ancient Egyptian scene depicting a scarab beetle Several species of dung beetle, most notably Scarabaeus sacer (often referred to as "scarab"), enjoyed a sacred status among the ancient Egyptians, as the creatures were likened to the major god Khepri. Some scholars suggest that the Egyptians' practice of making mummies was inspired by the brooding process of the beetle. Many thousands of amulets and stamp seals have been excavated that depict the scarab. In many artifacts, the scarab is depicted pushing the sun along its course in the sky, much as scarabs push or roll balls of dung to their brood sites. During and following the New Kingdom, scarab amulets were often placed over the heart of the mummified deceased. Some tribal groups, particularly in tropical parts of the world, use the colourful, iridescent elytra of certain beetles, especially certain Scarabaeidae, in ceremonies and as adornment. Beetle collection at the Melbourne Museum, Australia The study of beetles is called coleopterology, and its practitioners are coleopterists. Coleopterists have formed organisations to facilitate the study of beetles. Among these is The Coleopterists Society, an international organisation based in the United States. Such organisations may have both professionals and amateurs interested in beetles as members. Research in this field is often published in peer-reviewed journals specific to the field of coleopterology, though journals dealing with general entomology also publish many papers on various aspects of beetle biology. Some of the journals specific to beetle research are: The Coleopterist (United Kingdom beetle fauna) The Coleopterists Bulletin (published by The Coleopterists Society) There is a thriving industry in the collection of beetle specimens for amateur and professional collectors. Many coleopterists prefer to collect beetle specimens for themselves, recording detailed information about each specimen and its habitat. Such collections add to the body of knowledge about the Coleoptera. Some countries have established laws governing or prohibiting the collection of certain rare (and often much sought after) species. One such beetle whose collection is illegal or restricted is the American burying beetle, Nicrophorus americanus. * Poul Beckmann, Living Jewels: The Natural Design of Beetles ISBN 3-7913-2528-0 * Arthur V. Evans, Charles Bellamy, and Lisa Charles Watson, An Inordinate Fondness for Beetles ISBN 0-520-22323-3 * Entomological Society of America, Beetle Larvae of the World ISBN 0-643-05506-1 * David Grimaldi, Michael S. Engel, Evolution of the Insects ISBN 0-521-82149-5 * Ross H. Arnett, Jr. and Michael C. Thomas, American Beetles (CRC Press, 2001-2). ISBN 0-8493-1925-0 * K. W. Harde, A Field Guide in Colour to Beetles ISBN 0-7064-1937-5 Pages 7-24 * White, R.E. 1983. Beetles. Houghton Mifflin Company, New York, NY. ISBN 0-395-91089-7 Heteroptera - insect suborder that is superficially similar to beetles - Coleoptera All what do you need to know about coleoptera, collecting and preparation * The Beetle Ring - A group of websites about beetles (Coleoptera). * List of major Beetle collections - worldwide * Entomology - online insect museum, entomology, tips and tricks, how to spread and pin insects, etc. * - Gallery of Central European beetles * Coleoptera from the Tree of Life * Australian borers species * Beetles and coleopterologists Russian site with English version, with information about biology, systematics and paleontology of beetles * North American Beetles from BugGuide * Bibliography on fossil insects * Coleoptera Families of the World * A digital collection of Southeast Asian beetles Related Wikipedia Articles coleopter Hylobius abietis weevil Animal Arthropod Insect Pterygota Neoptera Endopterygota Carolus Linnaeus Systema Naturae Suborder (biology) Adephaga Archostemata Myxophaga Polyphaga subgroups of the order Coleoptera insect species species animal polar region ecosystem plant fungus invertebrate Colorado potato beetle boll weevil coccinellidae aphid scale insect thrips Aristotle cockchafer Trogodendron fasciculatum monophyletic holometabolous prothorax coxa anatomy appendage pronotum insect wing segmentation (biology) exoskeleton elytron sclerite insect flight insect wing ground beetle Curculionidae glowworm Phengodidae Larviform female mouthparts grasshopper mandible (insect) #Defence appendage compound eye whirligig beetle longhorn beetle ocellus vertex (anatomy) antenna (biology) antenna (biology) Acilius sulcatus arthropod leg Dytiscidae Haliplidae Hydrophilidae fossorial clown beetle flea beetle Oxygen invertebrate trachea spiracle hemolymph blood open circulatory system Melolontha melolontha Endopterygota metamorphosis (biology) larva Colorado potato beetle larva Biological life cycle Buprestidae spiracle click beetle darkling beetle click beetle Scarabaeoidea instar ecdysis planidium hypermetamorphosis blister beetle Aleochara pupa imago San Francisco Flamboyant flower beetle burying beetle Spermatozoon fertilisation Scarabaeidae leaf roller Brachinus bombardier beetle parasitoid camouflage mimicry leaf beetle weevil longhorn beetle wasp Coccinellidae blister beetle aposematism ground beetle Mandible (insect) bombardier beetle Ground beetle rove beetle arthropod dung coprophagous dung beetle necrophagous carrion beetle clown beetle coxa Ross H. Arnett, Jr. Michael C. Thomas American Beetles CRC Press Boca Raton, Florida whirligig beetle Sphaerius Myxophaga fossil Permian Polyphaga rove beetle scarabaeidae blister beetle stag beetle Curculionidae sclerite Adephaga ground beetle Dytiscidae whirligig beetle testes exoskeleton coxa Archostemata reticulated beetle telephone-pole beetle Myxophaga Hydroscaphidae Sphaerius Triassic phylogenetics sister group Linnaean taxonomy Colorado potato beetle Colorado potato beetle potato pesticide pesticide resistance Solanaceae nightshade tomato aubergine capsicum boll weevil United States bark beetle elm leaf beetle elm Dutch elm disease Northern Hemisphere Europe North America death watch beetle Anobiidae Great Britain hardwood oak chestnut Asian long-horned beetle Citrus long-horned beetle Western corn rootworm Coconut leaves seedlings coconut palms September 27 Philippines Metro Manila provinces quarantined pest coconut industry Coccinella septempunctata ladybirds Coccinellidae aphid scale insect mealybug honeydew nectar Ground beetle caterpillar Aphthona leafy spurge beetle bank Dermestidae taxidermy Dung beetle Scarabaeus sacer Ancient Egyptian Khepri Mummy New Kingdom Elytron Melbourne Museum coleopterology list of coleopterists The Coleopterists Society international organisation scientific journal The Coleopterist The Coleopterists Bulletin Nicrophorus americanus Entomological Society of America David Grimaldi Michael S. Engel Ross H. Arnett, Jr. Michael C. Thomas American Beetles Heteroptera
beetle	Are many beetles territorial?	Yes.	data/set1/a8	beetle Beetles are a group of insects which have the largest number of species. They are placed in the order Coleoptera,which means "sheathed wing" and contains more described species than in any other order in the animal kingdom, constituting about twenty-five percent of all known life-forms. James K. Liebherr and Joseph V. McHugh in Resh, V. H. & R. T. CardÃ© (Editors) 2003. Encyclopedia of Insects. Academic Press. Forty percent of all described insect species are beetles (about 350,000 species ), and new species are frequently discovered. Estimates put the total number of species, described and undescribed, at between 5 and 8 million. Beetles can be found in almost all habitats, but are not known to occur in the sea or in the polar regions. They interact with their ecosystems in several ways. They often feed on plants and fungi, break down animal and plant debris, and eat other invertebrates. Some species are prey of various animals including birds and mammals. Certain species are agricultural pests, such as the Colorado potato beetle Leptinotarsa decemlineata, the boll weevil Anthonomus grandis, the red flour beetle Tribolium castaneum, and the mungbean or cowpea beetle Callosobruchus maculatus, while other species of beetles are important controls of agricultural pests. For example, coccinellidae ("ladybirds" or "ladybugs") consume aphids, scale insects, thrips, and other plant-sucking insects that damage crops. The name "Coleoptera" was given by Aristotle for the hardened shield like forewings (coleo = shield + ptera = wing). A cockchafer with its elytra raised, exposing the membranous flight wings, where the veins are visible Trogodendron fasciculatum, a clerid beetle with bright yellow antennae Other characters of this group which are believed to be monophyletic include a holometabolous life cycle; having a prothorax that is distinct from and freely articulating with the mesothorax; the meso- and meta-thoracic segments fusing to form a pterothorax; a depressed body shape with the legs on the ventral surface; the coxae of legs recessed into cavities formed by heavily sclerotized thoracic sclerites; the abdominal sternites more sclerotized than the tergites; antennae with 11 or fewer segments; and terminal genitalic appendages retracted into the abdomen and invisible at rest. The general anatomy of beetles is quite uniform, although specific organs and appendages may vary greatly in appearance and function between the many families in the order. Like all insects, beetles' bodies are divided into three sections: the head, the thorax, and the abdomen. When viewed from below, the thorax is that part from which all three pairs of legs and both pairs of wings arise. The abdomen is everything posterior to the thorax. When viewed from above, most beetles appear to have three clear sections, but this is deceptive: on the beetle's upper surface, the middle "section" is a hard plate called the pronotum, which is only the front part of the thorax; the back part of the thorax is concealed by the beetle's wings. Like all arthropods, beetles are segmented organisms, and all three of the major sections of the body are themselves composed of several further segments, although these are not always readily discernible. This further segmentation is usually best seen on the abdomen. Beetles are generally characterised by a particularly hard exoskeleton and hard forewings (elytra). The beetle's exoskeleton is made up of numerous plates called sclerites, separated by thin sutures. This design creates the armoured defences of the beetle while maintaining flexibility. The elytra are not used for flight, but tend to cover the hind part of the body and protect the second pair of wings (alae). The elytra must be raised in order to move the hind flight wings. A beetle's flight wings are crossed with veins and are folded after landing, often along these veins, and are stored below the elytra. In some beetles, the ability to fly has been lost. These include the ground beetles (family Carabidae) and some "true weevils" (family Curculionidae), but also some desert and cave-dwelling species of other families. Many of these species have the two elytra fused together, forming a solid shield over the abdomen. In a few families, both the ability to fly and the elytra have been lost, with the best known example being the glow-worms of the family Phengodidae, in which the females are larviform throughout their lives. Beetles have mouthparts similar to those of grasshoppers. Of these parts, the most commonly known are probably the mandibles, which appear as large pincers on the front of some beetles. The mandibles are a pair of hard, often tooth-like structures that move horizontally to grasp, crush, or cut food or enemies (see defence, below). Two pairs of finger-like appendages are found around the mouth in most beetles, serving to move food into the mouth. These are the maxillary and labial palpi. The eyes are compound and may display remarkable adaptability, as in the case of whirligig beetles (family Gyrinidae), in which the eyes are split to allow a view both above and below the waterline. Other species also have divided eyes â some longhorn beetles (family Cerambycidae) and weevils â while many beetles have eyes that are notched to some degree. A few beetle genera also possess ocelli, which are small, simple eyes usually situated farther back on the head (on the vertex). Beetles' antennae are primarily organs of smell, but may also be used to feel out a beetle's environment physically. They may also be used in some families during mating, or among a few beetles for defence. Antennae vary greatly in form within the Coleoptera, but are often similar within any given family. In some cases, males and females of the same species will have different antennal forms. Antennae may be clavate (flabellate and lamellate are sub-forms of clavate, or clubbed antennae), filiform, geniculate, moniliform, pectinate, or serrate. For images of these antennal forms see antenna (biology). Acilius sulcatus, a diving beetle showing hind legs adapted for life in water The legs, which are multi-segmented, end in two to five small segments called tarsi. Like many other insect orders beetles bear claws, usually one pair, on the end of the last tarsal segment of each leg. While most beetles use their legs for walking, legs may be variously modified and adapted for other uses. Among aquatic families â Dytiscidae, Haliplidae, many species of Hydrophilidae and others â the legs, most notably the last pair, are modified for swimming and often bear rows of long hairs to aid this purpose. Other beetles have fossorial legs that are widened and often spined for digging. Species with such adaptations are found among the scarabs, ground beetles, and clown beetles (family Histeridae). The hind legs of some beetles, such as flea beetles (within Chrysomelidae) and flea weevils (within Curculionidae), are enlarged and designed for jumping. Oxygen is obtained via a tracheal system. Air enters a series of tubes along the body through openings called spiracles, and is then taken into increasingly finer fibres. Pumping movements of the body force the air through the system. Beetles have haemolymph instead of blood, and the open circulatory system of the beetle is powered by a tube-like heart attached to the top inside of the thorax. Scarabaeiform larva of the cockchafer, Melolontha melolontha Beetles are endopterygotes with complete metamorphosis. A single female may lay from several dozen to several thousand eggs during her lifetime. Eggs are usually laid according to the substrate the larva will feed on upon hatching. Among others, they can be laid loose in the substrate (e.g. flour beetle), laid in clumps on leaves (e.g. Colorado potato beetle), or individually attached (e.g. mungbean beetle and other seed borers) or buried in the medium (e.g. carrot weevil). The larva is usually the principal feeding stage of the beetle life cycle. Larvae tend to feed voraciously once they emerge from their eggs. Some feed externally on plants, such as those of certain leaf beetles, while others feed within their food sources. Examples of internal feeders are most Buprestidae and longhorn beetles. The larvae of many beetle families are predatory like the adults (ground beetles, ladybirds, rove beetles). The larval period varies between species but can be as long as several years. Beetle larvae can be differentiated from other insect larvae by their hardened, often darkened head, the presence of chewing mouthparts, and spiracles along the sides of the body. Like adult beetles, the larvae are varied in appearance, particularly between beetle families. Beetles whose larvae are somewhat flattened and are highly mobile are the ground beetles, some rove beetles, and others; their larvae are described as campodeiform. Some beetle larvae resemble hardened worms with dark head capsules and minute legs. These are elateriform larvae, and are found in the click beetle (Elateridae) and darkling beetle (Tenebrionidae) families. Some elateriform larvae of click beetles are known as wireworms. Beetles in the families of the Scarabaeoidea have short, thick larvae described as scarabaeiform, but more commonly known as grubs. All beetle larvae go through several instars, which are the developmental stages between each moult. In many species the larvae simply increase in size with each successive instar as more food is consumed. In some cases, however, more dramatic changes occur. Among certain beetle families or genera, particularly those that exhibit parasitic lifestyles, the first instar (the planidium) is highly mobile in order to search out a host, while the following instars are more sedentary and remain on or within their host. This is known as hypermetamorphosis; examples include the blister beetles (family Meloidae) and some rove beetles, particularly those of the genus Aleochara. As with all endopterygotes, beetle larvae pupate, and from this pupa emerges a fully formed, sexually mature adult beetle, or imago. Adults have an extremely variable lifespan, from weeks to years, depending on the species. Beetles mating in San Francisco Flamboyant flower beetle, Eudicella gralli, from the forests of Central Africa. The iridescent elytra are used in marriage ceremonies. Beetles may display extremely intricate behaviour when mating. Smell is thought to be important in the location of a mate. Conflict can play a part in the mating rituals of species such as burying beetles (genus Nicrophorus) where conflicts between males and females rage until only one of each is left, thus ensuring reproduction by the strongest and fittest. Many beetles are territorial and will fiercely defend their small patch of territory from intruding males. Pairing is generally short but in some cases will last for several hours. During pairing sperm cells are transferred to the female to fertilise the egg. Parental care varies between species, ranging from the simple laying of eggs under a leaf to certain scarab beetles, which construct underground structures complete with a supply of dung to house and feed their young. Other beetles are leaf rollers, biting sections of leaves to cause them to curl inwards, then laying their eggs, thus protected, inside. Brachinus sp., a bombardier beetle Beetles and their larvae have a variety of strategies to avoid being attacked by predators or parasitoids. These include camouflage, mimicry, toxicity, and active defence. Camouflage involves the use of colouration or shape to blend into the surrounding environment. Among those that exhibit this defensive strategy are some of the leaf beetles (family Chysomelidae), having green colouring very similar to their habitat on plant leaves. More complex camouflage also occurs, as with some weevils, where various coloured scales or hairs cause the beetle to resemble bird dung. Another defence that often uses colour or shape to deceive potential enemies is mimicry. A number of longhorn beetles (family Cerambycidae) bear a striking resemblance to wasps, which fools predators into keeping their distance even though the beetles are in fact harmless. This defence can be found to a lesser extent in other beetle families, such as the scarab beetles. Beetles may combine their colour mimicry with behavioural mimicry, acting like the wasps they already closely resemble. Many beetle species, including ladybirds and blister beetles, can secrete distasteful or toxic substances to make them unpalatable or even poisonous. These same species often exhibit aposematism, where bright or contrasting colour patterns warn away potential predators. Large ground beetles and longhorn beetles may go on the attack, using their strong mandibles to forcibly persuade a predator to seek out easier prey. Others, such as bombardier beetles (within Carabidae) spray acidic gas from their abdomen to repel predators. Besides being abundant and varied, the Coleoptera are able to exploit the wide diversity of food sources available in their many habitats. Some are generalists, eating both plants and animals. Other beetles are highly specialised in their diet. Many species of leaf beetles, longhorn beetles, and weevils are very host specific, feeding on only a single species of plant. Ground beetles and rove beetles (family Staphylinidae), among others, are primarily carnivorous and will catch and consume many other arthropods and small prey such as earthworms and snails. While most predatory beetles are generalists, a few species have more specific prey requirements or preferences. Decaying organic matter is a primary diet for many species. This can range from dung, which is consumed by coprophagous species such as certain scarab beetles (family Scarabaeidae), to dead animals, which are eaten by necrophagous species such as the carrion beetles (family Silphidae). Some of the beetles found within dung and carrion are in fact predatory, such as the clown beetles, preying on the larvae of coprophagous and necrophagous insects. Aquatic beetles use several techniques for retaining air beneath the water's surface. Beetles of the family Dytiscidae hold air between the abdomen and the elytra when diving. Hydrophilidae have hairs on their under surface that retain a layer of air against their bodies. Adult crawling water beetles use both their elytra and their hind coxae (the basal segment of the back legs) in air retention while whirligig beetles simply carry an air bubble down with them whenever they dive. Sphaerius acaroides, a member of the small suborder Myxophaga While some authorities believe modern beetles began about 140 million years ago, research announced in 2007 showed that beetles may have entered the fossil record during the Lower Permian, about 265 to 300 million years ago. Modern Beetles Predate Dinosaurs, Dave Mosher, LiveScience.com, 26 December 2007. The four extant suborders of beetle are these: * Polyphaga is the largest suborder, containing more than 300,000 described species in more than 170 families, including rove beetles (Staphylinidae), scarab beetles (Scarabaeidae), blister beetles (Meloidae), stag beetles (Lucanidae) and true weevils (Curculionidae). These beetles can be identified by the cervical sclerites (hardened parts of the head used as points of attachment for muscles) absent in the other suborders. * Adephaga contains about 10 families of largely predatory beetles, includes ground beetles (Carabidae), Dytiscidae and whirligig beetles (Gyrinidae). In these beetles the testes are tubular and the first abdominal sternum (a plate of the exoskeleton) is divided by the hind coxae (the basal joints of the beetle's legs). * Archostemata contains four families of mainly wood-eating beetles, including reticulated beetles (Cupedidae) and the telephone-pole beetle. * Myxophaga contains about 100 described species in four families, mostly very small, including Hydroscaphidae and the genus Sphaerius. These suborders diverged in the Permian and Triassic. Their phylogenetic relationship is uncertain, with the most popular hypothesis being that Polyphaga and Myxophaga are most closely related, with Adephaga as the sister group to those two, and Archostemata as sister to the other three collectively. There are about 350,000 species of beetles. Such a large number of species poses special problems for classification, with some families consisting of thousands of species and needing further division into subfamilies and tribes. Colorado potato beetle (Leptinotarsa decemlineata) larvae Many agricultural, forestry, and household insect pests are beetles. These include the following: * The Colorado potato beetle, Leptinotarsa decemlineata, is a notorious pest of potato plants. Crops are destroyed and the beetle can only be treated by employing expensive pesticides, many of which it has begun to develop resistance to. As well as potatoes, suitable hosts can be a number of plants from the potato family (Solanaceae), such as nightshade, tomato, aubergine and capsicum. * The boll weevil, Anthonomus grandis, has cost cotton producers in the United States billions of dollars since it first entered that country. * The bark beetles Hylurgopinus rufipes and Scolytus multistriatus, the elm leaf beetle, Pyrrhalta luteola, and other beetles attack elm trees. The bark beetles are important elm pests because they carry Dutch elm disease as they move from infected breeding sites to feed on healthy elm trees. The spread of the fungus by the beetle has led to the devastation of elm trees in many parts of the Northern Hemisphere, notably in Europe and North America. * The death watch beetle, Xestobium rufovillosum, (family Anobiidae) is of considerable importance as a pest of older wooden buildings in Great Britain. It attacks hardwoods such as oak and chestnut, always where some fungal decay has taken or is taking place. It is thought that the actual introduction of the pest into buildings takes place at the time of construction. * Asian long-horned beetle * Citrus long-horned beetle * Western corn rootworm * Coconut hispine beetle or Brontispa longissima gestro feeds on young leaves and damages seedlings and mature coconut palms. On September 27, 2007, Philippines' Metro Manila and 26 provinces were quarantined due to having been infested with this pest (to save the $800-million Philippine coconut industry). Inquirer.net, Beetles infest coconuts in Manila, 26 provinces Coccinella septempunctata, a beneficial beetle * Both the larvae and adults of some ladybirds (family Coccinellidae) are found in aphid colonies. Other lady beetles feed on scale insects and mealybugs. If normal food sources are scarce they may feed on other things, such as small caterpillars, young plant bugs, honeydew and nectar. * Ground beetles (family Carabidae) are common predators of many different insects and other arthropods, including fly eggs, caterpillars, wireworms and others. * Plant-feeding beetles are often important beneficial insects, controlling problem weeds. Some flea beetles of the genus Aphthona feed on leafy spurge, a considerable weed of rangeland in western North America. Some farmers develop beetle banks to foster and provide cover for beneficial beetles. Beetles of the Dermestidae family are often used in taxidermy to clean bones of remaining flesh. Ancient Egyptian scene depicting a scarab beetle Several species of dung beetle, most notably Scarabaeus sacer (often referred to as "scarab"), enjoyed a sacred status among the ancient Egyptians, as the creatures were likened to the major god Khepri. Some scholars suggest that the Egyptians' practice of making mummies was inspired by the brooding process of the beetle. Many thousands of amulets and stamp seals have been excavated that depict the scarab. In many artifacts, the scarab is depicted pushing the sun along its course in the sky, much as scarabs push or roll balls of dung to their brood sites. During and following the New Kingdom, scarab amulets were often placed over the heart of the mummified deceased. Some tribal groups, particularly in tropical parts of the world, use the colourful, iridescent elytra of certain beetles, especially certain Scarabaeidae, in ceremonies and as adornment. Beetle collection at the Melbourne Museum, Australia The study of beetles is called coleopterology, and its practitioners are coleopterists. Coleopterists have formed organisations to facilitate the study of beetles. Among these is The Coleopterists Society, an international organisation based in the United States. Such organisations may have both professionals and amateurs interested in beetles as members. Research in this field is often published in peer-reviewed journals specific to the field of coleopterology, though journals dealing with general entomology also publish many papers on various aspects of beetle biology. Some of the journals specific to beetle research are: The Coleopterist (United Kingdom beetle fauna) The Coleopterists Bulletin (published by The Coleopterists Society) There is a thriving industry in the collection of beetle specimens for amateur and professional collectors. Many coleopterists prefer to collect beetle specimens for themselves, recording detailed information about each specimen and its habitat. Such collections add to the body of knowledge about the Coleoptera. Some countries have established laws governing or prohibiting the collection of certain rare (and often much sought after) species. One such beetle whose collection is illegal or restricted is the American burying beetle, Nicrophorus americanus. * Poul Beckmann, Living Jewels: The Natural Design of Beetles ISBN 3-7913-2528-0 * Arthur V. Evans, Charles Bellamy, and Lisa Charles Watson, An Inordinate Fondness for Beetles ISBN 0-520-22323-3 * Entomological Society of America, Beetle Larvae of the World ISBN 0-643-05506-1 * David Grimaldi, Michael S. Engel, Evolution of the Insects ISBN 0-521-82149-5 * Ross H. Arnett, Jr. and Michael C. Thomas, American Beetles (CRC Press, 2001-2). ISBN 0-8493-1925-0 * K. W. Harde, A Field Guide in Colour to Beetles ISBN 0-7064-1937-5 Pages 7-24 * White, R.E. 1983. Beetles. Houghton Mifflin Company, New York, NY. ISBN 0-395-91089-7 Heteroptera - insect suborder that is superficially similar to beetles - Coleoptera All what do you need to know about coleoptera, collecting and preparation * The Beetle Ring - A group of websites about beetles (Coleoptera). * List of major Beetle collections - worldwide * Entomology - online insect museum, entomology, tips and tricks, how to spread and pin insects, etc. * - Gallery of Central European beetles * Coleoptera from the Tree of Life * Australian borers species * Beetles and coleopterologists Russian site with English version, with information about biology, systematics and paleontology of beetles * North American Beetles from BugGuide * Bibliography on fossil insects * Coleoptera Families of the World * A digital collection of Southeast Asian beetles Related Wikipedia Articles coleopter Hylobius abietis weevil Animal Arthropod Insect Pterygota Neoptera Endopterygota Carolus Linnaeus Systema Naturae Suborder (biology) Adephaga Archostemata Myxophaga Polyphaga subgroups of the order Coleoptera insect species species animal polar region ecosystem plant fungus invertebrate Colorado potato beetle boll weevil coccinellidae aphid scale insect thrips Aristotle cockchafer Trogodendron fasciculatum monophyletic holometabolous prothorax coxa anatomy appendage pronotum insect wing segmentation (biology) exoskeleton elytron sclerite insect flight insect wing ground beetle Curculionidae glowworm Phengodidae Larviform female mouthparts grasshopper mandible (insect) #Defence appendage compound eye whirligig beetle longhorn beetle ocellus vertex (anatomy) antenna (biology) antenna (biology) Acilius sulcatus arthropod leg Dytiscidae Haliplidae Hydrophilidae fossorial clown beetle flea beetle Oxygen invertebrate trachea spiracle hemolymph blood open circulatory system Melolontha melolontha Endopterygota metamorphosis (biology) larva Colorado potato beetle larva Biological life cycle Buprestidae spiracle click beetle darkling beetle click beetle Scarabaeoidea instar ecdysis planidium hypermetamorphosis blister beetle Aleochara pupa imago San Francisco Flamboyant flower beetle burying beetle Spermatozoon fertilisation Scarabaeidae leaf roller Brachinus bombardier beetle parasitoid camouflage mimicry leaf beetle weevil longhorn beetle wasp Coccinellidae blister beetle aposematism ground beetle Mandible (insect) bombardier beetle Ground beetle rove beetle arthropod dung coprophagous dung beetle necrophagous carrion beetle clown beetle coxa Ross H. Arnett, Jr. Michael C. Thomas American Beetles CRC Press Boca Raton, Florida whirligig beetle Sphaerius Myxophaga fossil Permian Polyphaga rove beetle scarabaeidae blister beetle stag beetle Curculionidae sclerite Adephaga ground beetle Dytiscidae whirligig beetle testes exoskeleton coxa Archostemata reticulated beetle telephone-pole beetle Myxophaga Hydroscaphidae Sphaerius Triassic phylogenetics sister group Linnaean taxonomy Colorado potato beetle Colorado potato beetle potato pesticide pesticide resistance Solanaceae nightshade tomato aubergine capsicum boll weevil United States bark beetle elm leaf beetle elm Dutch elm disease Northern Hemisphere Europe North America death watch beetle Anobiidae Great Britain hardwood oak chestnut Asian long-horned beetle Citrus long-horned beetle Western corn rootworm Coconut leaves seedlings coconut palms September 27 Philippines Metro Manila provinces quarantined pest coconut industry Coccinella septempunctata ladybirds Coccinellidae aphid scale insect mealybug honeydew nectar Ground beetle caterpillar Aphthona leafy spurge beetle bank Dermestidae taxidermy Dung beetle Scarabaeus sacer Ancient Egyptian Khepri Mummy New Kingdom Elytron Melbourne Museum coleopterology list of coleopterists The Coleopterists Society international organisation scientific journal The Coleopterist The Coleopterists Bulletin Nicrophorus americanus Entomological Society of America David Grimaldi Michael S. Engel Ross H. Arnett, Jr. Michael C. Thomas American Beetles Heteroptera
beetle	Are beetles endopterygotes with complete metamorphosis?	Yes.	data/set1/a8	beetle Beetles are a group of insects which have the largest number of species. They are placed in the order Coleoptera,which means "sheathed wing" and contains more described species than in any other order in the animal kingdom, constituting about twenty-five percent of all known life-forms. James K. Liebherr and Joseph V. McHugh in Resh, V. H. & R. T. CardÃ© (Editors) 2003. Encyclopedia of Insects. Academic Press. Forty percent of all described insect species are beetles (about 350,000 species ), and new species are frequently discovered. Estimates put the total number of species, described and undescribed, at between 5 and 8 million. Beetles can be found in almost all habitats, but are not known to occur in the sea or in the polar regions. They interact with their ecosystems in several ways. They often feed on plants and fungi, break down animal and plant debris, and eat other invertebrates. Some species are prey of various animals including birds and mammals. Certain species are agricultural pests, such as the Colorado potato beetle Leptinotarsa decemlineata, the boll weevil Anthonomus grandis, the red flour beetle Tribolium castaneum, and the mungbean or cowpea beetle Callosobruchus maculatus, while other species of beetles are important controls of agricultural pests. For example, coccinellidae ("ladybirds" or "ladybugs") consume aphids, scale insects, thrips, and other plant-sucking insects that damage crops. The name "Coleoptera" was given by Aristotle for the hardened shield like forewings (coleo = shield + ptera = wing). A cockchafer with its elytra raised, exposing the membranous flight wings, where the veins are visible Trogodendron fasciculatum, a clerid beetle with bright yellow antennae Other characters of this group which are believed to be monophyletic include a holometabolous life cycle; having a prothorax that is distinct from and freely articulating with the mesothorax; the meso- and meta-thoracic segments fusing to form a pterothorax; a depressed body shape with the legs on the ventral surface; the coxae of legs recessed into cavities formed by heavily sclerotized thoracic sclerites; the abdominal sternites more sclerotized than the tergites; antennae with 11 or fewer segments; and terminal genitalic appendages retracted into the abdomen and invisible at rest. The general anatomy of beetles is quite uniform, although specific organs and appendages may vary greatly in appearance and function between the many families in the order. Like all insects, beetles' bodies are divided into three sections: the head, the thorax, and the abdomen. When viewed from below, the thorax is that part from which all three pairs of legs and both pairs of wings arise. The abdomen is everything posterior to the thorax. When viewed from above, most beetles appear to have three clear sections, but this is deceptive: on the beetle's upper surface, the middle "section" is a hard plate called the pronotum, which is only the front part of the thorax; the back part of the thorax is concealed by the beetle's wings. Like all arthropods, beetles are segmented organisms, and all three of the major sections of the body are themselves composed of several further segments, although these are not always readily discernible. This further segmentation is usually best seen on the abdomen. Beetles are generally characterised by a particularly hard exoskeleton and hard forewings (elytra). The beetle's exoskeleton is made up of numerous plates called sclerites, separated by thin sutures. This design creates the armoured defences of the beetle while maintaining flexibility. The elytra are not used for flight, but tend to cover the hind part of the body and protect the second pair of wings (alae). The elytra must be raised in order to move the hind flight wings. A beetle's flight wings are crossed with veins and are folded after landing, often along these veins, and are stored below the elytra. In some beetles, the ability to fly has been lost. These include the ground beetles (family Carabidae) and some "true weevils" (family Curculionidae), but also some desert and cave-dwelling species of other families. Many of these species have the two elytra fused together, forming a solid shield over the abdomen. In a few families, both the ability to fly and the elytra have been lost, with the best known example being the glow-worms of the family Phengodidae, in which the females are larviform throughout their lives. Beetles have mouthparts similar to those of grasshoppers. Of these parts, the most commonly known are probably the mandibles, which appear as large pincers on the front of some beetles. The mandibles are a pair of hard, often tooth-like structures that move horizontally to grasp, crush, or cut food or enemies (see defence, below). Two pairs of finger-like appendages are found around the mouth in most beetles, serving to move food into the mouth. These are the maxillary and labial palpi. The eyes are compound and may display remarkable adaptability, as in the case of whirligig beetles (family Gyrinidae), in which the eyes are split to allow a view both above and below the waterline. Other species also have divided eyes â some longhorn beetles (family Cerambycidae) and weevils â while many beetles have eyes that are notched to some degree. A few beetle genera also possess ocelli, which are small, simple eyes usually situated farther back on the head (on the vertex). Beetles' antennae are primarily organs of smell, but may also be used to feel out a beetle's environment physically. They may also be used in some families during mating, or among a few beetles for defence. Antennae vary greatly in form within the Coleoptera, but are often similar within any given family. In some cases, males and females of the same species will have different antennal forms. Antennae may be clavate (flabellate and lamellate are sub-forms of clavate, or clubbed antennae), filiform, geniculate, moniliform, pectinate, or serrate. For images of these antennal forms see antenna (biology). Acilius sulcatus, a diving beetle showing hind legs adapted for life in water The legs, which are multi-segmented, end in two to five small segments called tarsi. Like many other insect orders beetles bear claws, usually one pair, on the end of the last tarsal segment of each leg. While most beetles use their legs for walking, legs may be variously modified and adapted for other uses. Among aquatic families â Dytiscidae, Haliplidae, many species of Hydrophilidae and others â the legs, most notably the last pair, are modified for swimming and often bear rows of long hairs to aid this purpose. Other beetles have fossorial legs that are widened and often spined for digging. Species with such adaptations are found among the scarabs, ground beetles, and clown beetles (family Histeridae). The hind legs of some beetles, such as flea beetles (within Chrysomelidae) and flea weevils (within Curculionidae), are enlarged and designed for jumping. Oxygen is obtained via a tracheal system. Air enters a series of tubes along the body through openings called spiracles, and is then taken into increasingly finer fibres. Pumping movements of the body force the air through the system. Beetles have haemolymph instead of blood, and the open circulatory system of the beetle is powered by a tube-like heart attached to the top inside of the thorax. Scarabaeiform larva of the cockchafer, Melolontha melolontha Beetles are endopterygotes with complete metamorphosis. A single female may lay from several dozen to several thousand eggs during her lifetime. Eggs are usually laid according to the substrate the larva will feed on upon hatching. Among others, they can be laid loose in the substrate (e.g. flour beetle), laid in clumps on leaves (e.g. Colorado potato beetle), or individually attached (e.g. mungbean beetle and other seed borers) or buried in the medium (e.g. carrot weevil). The larva is usually the principal feeding stage of the beetle life cycle. Larvae tend to feed voraciously once they emerge from their eggs. Some feed externally on plants, such as those of certain leaf beetles, while others feed within their food sources. Examples of internal feeders are most Buprestidae and longhorn beetles. The larvae of many beetle families are predatory like the adults (ground beetles, ladybirds, rove beetles). The larval period varies between species but can be as long as several years. Beetle larvae can be differentiated from other insect larvae by their hardened, often darkened head, the presence of chewing mouthparts, and spiracles along the sides of the body. Like adult beetles, the larvae are varied in appearance, particularly between beetle families. Beetles whose larvae are somewhat flattened and are highly mobile are the ground beetles, some rove beetles, and others; their larvae are described as campodeiform. Some beetle larvae resemble hardened worms with dark head capsules and minute legs. These are elateriform larvae, and are found in the click beetle (Elateridae) and darkling beetle (Tenebrionidae) families. Some elateriform larvae of click beetles are known as wireworms. Beetles in the families of the Scarabaeoidea have short, thick larvae described as scarabaeiform, but more commonly known as grubs. All beetle larvae go through several instars, which are the developmental stages between each moult. In many species the larvae simply increase in size with each successive instar as more food is consumed. In some cases, however, more dramatic changes occur. Among certain beetle families or genera, particularly those that exhibit parasitic lifestyles, the first instar (the planidium) is highly mobile in order to search out a host, while the following instars are more sedentary and remain on or within their host. This is known as hypermetamorphosis; examples include the blister beetles (family Meloidae) and some rove beetles, particularly those of the genus Aleochara. As with all endopterygotes, beetle larvae pupate, and from this pupa emerges a fully formed, sexually mature adult beetle, or imago. Adults have an extremely variable lifespan, from weeks to years, depending on the species. Beetles mating in San Francisco Flamboyant flower beetle, Eudicella gralli, from the forests of Central Africa. The iridescent elytra are used in marriage ceremonies. Beetles may display extremely intricate behaviour when mating. Smell is thought to be important in the location of a mate. Conflict can play a part in the mating rituals of species such as burying beetles (genus Nicrophorus) where conflicts between males and females rage until only one of each is left, thus ensuring reproduction by the strongest and fittest. Many beetles are territorial and will fiercely defend their small patch of territory from intruding males. Pairing is generally short but in some cases will last for several hours. During pairing sperm cells are transferred to the female to fertilise the egg. Parental care varies between species, ranging from the simple laying of eggs under a leaf to certain scarab beetles, which construct underground structures complete with a supply of dung to house and feed their young. Other beetles are leaf rollers, biting sections of leaves to cause them to curl inwards, then laying their eggs, thus protected, inside. Brachinus sp., a bombardier beetle Beetles and their larvae have a variety of strategies to avoid being attacked by predators or parasitoids. These include camouflage, mimicry, toxicity, and active defence. Camouflage involves the use of colouration or shape to blend into the surrounding environment. Among those that exhibit this defensive strategy are some of the leaf beetles (family Chysomelidae), having green colouring very similar to their habitat on plant leaves. More complex camouflage also occurs, as with some weevils, where various coloured scales or hairs cause the beetle to resemble bird dung. Another defence that often uses colour or shape to deceive potential enemies is mimicry. A number of longhorn beetles (family Cerambycidae) bear a striking resemblance to wasps, which fools predators into keeping their distance even though the beetles are in fact harmless. This defence can be found to a lesser extent in other beetle families, such as the scarab beetles. Beetles may combine their colour mimicry with behavioural mimicry, acting like the wasps they already closely resemble. Many beetle species, including ladybirds and blister beetles, can secrete distasteful or toxic substances to make them unpalatable or even poisonous. These same species often exhibit aposematism, where bright or contrasting colour patterns warn away potential predators. Large ground beetles and longhorn beetles may go on the attack, using their strong mandibles to forcibly persuade a predator to seek out easier prey. Others, such as bombardier beetles (within Carabidae) spray acidic gas from their abdomen to repel predators. Besides being abundant and varied, the Coleoptera are able to exploit the wide diversity of food sources available in their many habitats. Some are generalists, eating both plants and animals. Other beetles are highly specialised in their diet. Many species of leaf beetles, longhorn beetles, and weevils are very host specific, feeding on only a single species of plant. Ground beetles and rove beetles (family Staphylinidae), among others, are primarily carnivorous and will catch and consume many other arthropods and small prey such as earthworms and snails. While most predatory beetles are generalists, a few species have more specific prey requirements or preferences. Decaying organic matter is a primary diet for many species. This can range from dung, which is consumed by coprophagous species such as certain scarab beetles (family Scarabaeidae), to dead animals, which are eaten by necrophagous species such as the carrion beetles (family Silphidae). Some of the beetles found within dung and carrion are in fact predatory, such as the clown beetles, preying on the larvae of coprophagous and necrophagous insects. Aquatic beetles use several techniques for retaining air beneath the water's surface. Beetles of the family Dytiscidae hold air between the abdomen and the elytra when diving. Hydrophilidae have hairs on their under surface that retain a layer of air against their bodies. Adult crawling water beetles use both their elytra and their hind coxae (the basal segment of the back legs) in air retention while whirligig beetles simply carry an air bubble down with them whenever they dive. Sphaerius acaroides, a member of the small suborder Myxophaga While some authorities believe modern beetles began about 140 million years ago, research announced in 2007 showed that beetles may have entered the fossil record during the Lower Permian, about 265 to 300 million years ago. Modern Beetles Predate Dinosaurs, Dave Mosher, LiveScience.com, 26 December 2007. The four extant suborders of beetle are these: * Polyphaga is the largest suborder, containing more than 300,000 described species in more than 170 families, including rove beetles (Staphylinidae), scarab beetles (Scarabaeidae), blister beetles (Meloidae), stag beetles (Lucanidae) and true weevils (Curculionidae). These beetles can be identified by the cervical sclerites (hardened parts of the head used as points of attachment for muscles) absent in the other suborders. * Adephaga contains about 10 families of largely predatory beetles, includes ground beetles (Carabidae), Dytiscidae and whirligig beetles (Gyrinidae). In these beetles the testes are tubular and the first abdominal sternum (a plate of the exoskeleton) is divided by the hind coxae (the basal joints of the beetle's legs). * Archostemata contains four families of mainly wood-eating beetles, including reticulated beetles (Cupedidae) and the telephone-pole beetle. * Myxophaga contains about 100 described species in four families, mostly very small, including Hydroscaphidae and the genus Sphaerius. These suborders diverged in the Permian and Triassic. Their phylogenetic relationship is uncertain, with the most popular hypothesis being that Polyphaga and Myxophaga are most closely related, with Adephaga as the sister group to those two, and Archostemata as sister to the other three collectively. There are about 350,000 species of beetles. Such a large number of species poses special problems for classification, with some families consisting of thousands of species and needing further division into subfamilies and tribes. Colorado potato beetle (Leptinotarsa decemlineata) larvae Many agricultural, forestry, and household insect pests are beetles. These include the following: * The Colorado potato beetle, Leptinotarsa decemlineata, is a notorious pest of potato plants. Crops are destroyed and the beetle can only be treated by employing expensive pesticides, many of which it has begun to develop resistance to. As well as potatoes, suitable hosts can be a number of plants from the potato family (Solanaceae), such as nightshade, tomato, aubergine and capsicum. * The boll weevil, Anthonomus grandis, has cost cotton producers in the United States billions of dollars since it first entered that country. * The bark beetles Hylurgopinus rufipes and Scolytus multistriatus, the elm leaf beetle, Pyrrhalta luteola, and other beetles attack elm trees. The bark beetles are important elm pests because they carry Dutch elm disease as they move from infected breeding sites to feed on healthy elm trees. The spread of the fungus by the beetle has led to the devastation of elm trees in many parts of the Northern Hemisphere, notably in Europe and North America. * The death watch beetle, Xestobium rufovillosum, (family Anobiidae) is of considerable importance as a pest of older wooden buildings in Great Britain. It attacks hardwoods such as oak and chestnut, always where some fungal decay has taken or is taking place. It is thought that the actual introduction of the pest into buildings takes place at the time of construction. * Asian long-horned beetle * Citrus long-horned beetle * Western corn rootworm * Coconut hispine beetle or Brontispa longissima gestro feeds on young leaves and damages seedlings and mature coconut palms. On September 27, 2007, Philippines' Metro Manila and 26 provinces were quarantined due to having been infested with this pest (to save the $800-million Philippine coconut industry). Inquirer.net, Beetles infest coconuts in Manila, 26 provinces Coccinella septempunctata, a beneficial beetle * Both the larvae and adults of some ladybirds (family Coccinellidae) are found in aphid colonies. Other lady beetles feed on scale insects and mealybugs. If normal food sources are scarce they may feed on other things, such as small caterpillars, young plant bugs, honeydew and nectar. * Ground beetles (family Carabidae) are common predators of many different insects and other arthropods, including fly eggs, caterpillars, wireworms and others. * Plant-feeding beetles are often important beneficial insects, controlling problem weeds. Some flea beetles of the genus Aphthona feed on leafy spurge, a considerable weed of rangeland in western North America. Some farmers develop beetle banks to foster and provide cover for beneficial beetles. Beetles of the Dermestidae family are often used in taxidermy to clean bones of remaining flesh. Ancient Egyptian scene depicting a scarab beetle Several species of dung beetle, most notably Scarabaeus sacer (often referred to as "scarab"), enjoyed a sacred status among the ancient Egyptians, as the creatures were likened to the major god Khepri. Some scholars suggest that the Egyptians' practice of making mummies was inspired by the brooding process of the beetle. Many thousands of amulets and stamp seals have been excavated that depict the scarab. In many artifacts, the scarab is depicted pushing the sun along its course in the sky, much as scarabs push or roll balls of dung to their brood sites. During and following the New Kingdom, scarab amulets were often placed over the heart of the mummified deceased. Some tribal groups, particularly in tropical parts of the world, use the colourful, iridescent elytra of certain beetles, especially certain Scarabaeidae, in ceremonies and as adornment. Beetle collection at the Melbourne Museum, Australia The study of beetles is called coleopterology, and its practitioners are coleopterists. Coleopterists have formed organisations to facilitate the study of beetles. Among these is The Coleopterists Society, an international organisation based in the United States. Such organisations may have both professionals and amateurs interested in beetles as members. Research in this field is often published in peer-reviewed journals specific to the field of coleopterology, though journals dealing with general entomology also publish many papers on various aspects of beetle biology. Some of the journals specific to beetle research are: The Coleopterist (United Kingdom beetle fauna) The Coleopterists Bulletin (published by The Coleopterists Society) There is a thriving industry in the collection of beetle specimens for amateur and professional collectors. Many coleopterists prefer to collect beetle specimens for themselves, recording detailed information about each specimen and its habitat. Such collections add to the body of knowledge about the Coleoptera. Some countries have established laws governing or prohibiting the collection of certain rare (and often much sought after) species. One such beetle whose collection is illegal or restricted is the American burying beetle, Nicrophorus americanus. * Poul Beckmann, Living Jewels: The Natural Design of Beetles ISBN 3-7913-2528-0 * Arthur V. Evans, Charles Bellamy, and Lisa Charles Watson, An Inordinate Fondness for Beetles ISBN 0-520-22323-3 * Entomological Society of America, Beetle Larvae of the World ISBN 0-643-05506-1 * David Grimaldi, Michael S. Engel, Evolution of the Insects ISBN 0-521-82149-5 * Ross H. Arnett, Jr. and Michael C. Thomas, American Beetles (CRC Press, 2001-2). ISBN 0-8493-1925-0 * K. W. Harde, A Field Guide in Colour to Beetles ISBN 0-7064-1937-5 Pages 7-24 * White, R.E. 1983. Beetles. Houghton Mifflin Company, New York, NY. ISBN 0-395-91089-7 Heteroptera - insect suborder that is superficially similar to beetles - Coleoptera All what do you need to know about coleoptera, collecting and preparation * The Beetle Ring - A group of websites about beetles (Coleoptera). * List of major Beetle collections - worldwide * Entomology - online insect museum, entomology, tips and tricks, how to spread and pin insects, etc. * - Gallery of Central European beetles * Coleoptera from the Tree of Life * Australian borers species * Beetles and coleopterologists Russian site with English version, with information about biology, systematics and paleontology of beetles * North American Beetles from BugGuide * Bibliography on fossil insects * Coleoptera Families of the World * A digital collection of Southeast Asian beetles Related Wikipedia Articles coleopter Hylobius abietis weevil Animal Arthropod Insect Pterygota Neoptera Endopterygota Carolus Linnaeus Systema Naturae Suborder (biology) Adephaga Archostemata Myxophaga Polyphaga subgroups of the order Coleoptera insect species species animal polar region ecosystem plant fungus invertebrate Colorado potato beetle boll weevil coccinellidae aphid scale insect thrips Aristotle cockchafer Trogodendron fasciculatum monophyletic holometabolous prothorax coxa anatomy appendage pronotum insect wing segmentation (biology) exoskeleton elytron sclerite insect flight insect wing ground beetle Curculionidae glowworm Phengodidae Larviform female mouthparts grasshopper mandible (insect) #Defence appendage compound eye whirligig beetle longhorn beetle ocellus vertex (anatomy) antenna (biology) antenna (biology) Acilius sulcatus arthropod leg Dytiscidae Haliplidae Hydrophilidae fossorial clown beetle flea beetle Oxygen invertebrate trachea spiracle hemolymph blood open circulatory system Melolontha melolontha Endopterygota metamorphosis (biology) larva Colorado potato beetle larva Biological life cycle Buprestidae spiracle click beetle darkling beetle click beetle Scarabaeoidea instar ecdysis planidium hypermetamorphosis blister beetle Aleochara pupa imago San Francisco Flamboyant flower beetle burying beetle Spermatozoon fertilisation Scarabaeidae leaf roller Brachinus bombardier beetle parasitoid camouflage mimicry leaf beetle weevil longhorn beetle wasp Coccinellidae blister beetle aposematism ground beetle Mandible (insect) bombardier beetle Ground beetle rove beetle arthropod dung coprophagous dung beetle necrophagous carrion beetle clown beetle coxa Ross H. Arnett, Jr. Michael C. Thomas American Beetles CRC Press Boca Raton, Florida whirligig beetle Sphaerius Myxophaga fossil Permian Polyphaga rove beetle scarabaeidae blister beetle stag beetle Curculionidae sclerite Adephaga ground beetle Dytiscidae whirligig beetle testes exoskeleton coxa Archostemata reticulated beetle telephone-pole beetle Myxophaga Hydroscaphidae Sphaerius Triassic phylogenetics sister group Linnaean taxonomy Colorado potato beetle Colorado potato beetle potato pesticide pesticide resistance Solanaceae nightshade tomato aubergine capsicum boll weevil United States bark beetle elm leaf beetle elm Dutch elm disease Northern Hemisphere Europe North America death watch beetle Anobiidae Great Britain hardwood oak chestnut Asian long-horned beetle Citrus long-horned beetle Western corn rootworm Coconut leaves seedlings coconut palms September 27 Philippines Metro Manila provinces quarantined pest coconut industry Coccinella septempunctata ladybirds Coccinellidae aphid scale insect mealybug honeydew nectar Ground beetle caterpillar Aphthona leafy spurge beetle bank Dermestidae taxidermy Dung beetle Scarabaeus sacer Ancient Egyptian Khepri Mummy New Kingdom Elytron Melbourne Museum coleopterology list of coleopterists The Coleopterists Society international organisation scientific journal The Coleopterist The Coleopterists Bulletin Nicrophorus americanus Entomological Society of America David Grimaldi Michael S. Engel Ross H. Arnett, Jr. Michael C. Thomas American Beetles Heteroptera
beetle	Oxygen is what?	One kind of gas obtained via a tracheal system.	data/set1/a8	beetle Beetles are a group of insects which have the largest number of species. They are placed in the order Coleoptera,which means "sheathed wing" and contains more described species than in any other order in the animal kingdom, constituting about twenty-five percent of all known life-forms. James K. Liebherr and Joseph V. McHugh in Resh, V. H. & R. T. CardÃ© (Editors) 2003. Encyclopedia of Insects. Academic Press. Forty percent of all described insect species are beetles (about 350,000 species ), and new species are frequently discovered. Estimates put the total number of species, described and undescribed, at between 5 and 8 million. Beetles can be found in almost all habitats, but are not known to occur in the sea or in the polar regions. They interact with their ecosystems in several ways. They often feed on plants and fungi, break down animal and plant debris, and eat other invertebrates. Some species are prey of various animals including birds and mammals. Certain species are agricultural pests, such as the Colorado potato beetle Leptinotarsa decemlineata, the boll weevil Anthonomus grandis, the red flour beetle Tribolium castaneum, and the mungbean or cowpea beetle Callosobruchus maculatus, while other species of beetles are important controls of agricultural pests. For example, coccinellidae ("ladybirds" or "ladybugs") consume aphids, scale insects, thrips, and other plant-sucking insects that damage crops. The name "Coleoptera" was given by Aristotle for the hardened shield like forewings (coleo = shield + ptera = wing). A cockchafer with its elytra raised, exposing the membranous flight wings, where the veins are visible Trogodendron fasciculatum, a clerid beetle with bright yellow antennae Other characters of this group which are believed to be monophyletic include a holometabolous life cycle; having a prothorax that is distinct from and freely articulating with the mesothorax; the meso- and meta-thoracic segments fusing to form a pterothorax; a depressed body shape with the legs on the ventral surface; the coxae of legs recessed into cavities formed by heavily sclerotized thoracic sclerites; the abdominal sternites more sclerotized than the tergites; antennae with 11 or fewer segments; and terminal genitalic appendages retracted into the abdomen and invisible at rest. The general anatomy of beetles is quite uniform, although specific organs and appendages may vary greatly in appearance and function between the many families in the order. Like all insects, beetles' bodies are divided into three sections: the head, the thorax, and the abdomen. When viewed from below, the thorax is that part from which all three pairs of legs and both pairs of wings arise. The abdomen is everything posterior to the thorax. When viewed from above, most beetles appear to have three clear sections, but this is deceptive: on the beetle's upper surface, the middle "section" is a hard plate called the pronotum, which is only the front part of the thorax; the back part of the thorax is concealed by the beetle's wings. Like all arthropods, beetles are segmented organisms, and all three of the major sections of the body are themselves composed of several further segments, although these are not always readily discernible. This further segmentation is usually best seen on the abdomen. Beetles are generally characterised by a particularly hard exoskeleton and hard forewings (elytra). The beetle's exoskeleton is made up of numerous plates called sclerites, separated by thin sutures. This design creates the armoured defences of the beetle while maintaining flexibility. The elytra are not used for flight, but tend to cover the hind part of the body and protect the second pair of wings (alae). The elytra must be raised in order to move the hind flight wings. A beetle's flight wings are crossed with veins and are folded after landing, often along these veins, and are stored below the elytra. In some beetles, the ability to fly has been lost. These include the ground beetles (family Carabidae) and some "true weevils" (family Curculionidae), but also some desert and cave-dwelling species of other families. Many of these species have the two elytra fused together, forming a solid shield over the abdomen. In a few families, both the ability to fly and the elytra have been lost, with the best known example being the glow-worms of the family Phengodidae, in which the females are larviform throughout their lives. Beetles have mouthparts similar to those of grasshoppers. Of these parts, the most commonly known are probably the mandibles, which appear as large pincers on the front of some beetles. The mandibles are a pair of hard, often tooth-like structures that move horizontally to grasp, crush, or cut food or enemies (see defence, below). Two pairs of finger-like appendages are found around the mouth in most beetles, serving to move food into the mouth. These are the maxillary and labial palpi. The eyes are compound and may display remarkable adaptability, as in the case of whirligig beetles (family Gyrinidae), in which the eyes are split to allow a view both above and below the waterline. Other species also have divided eyes â some longhorn beetles (family Cerambycidae) and weevils â while many beetles have eyes that are notched to some degree. A few beetle genera also possess ocelli, which are small, simple eyes usually situated farther back on the head (on the vertex). Beetles' antennae are primarily organs of smell, but may also be used to feel out a beetle's environment physically. They may also be used in some families during mating, or among a few beetles for defence. Antennae vary greatly in form within the Coleoptera, but are often similar within any given family. In some cases, males and females of the same species will have different antennal forms. Antennae may be clavate (flabellate and lamellate are sub-forms of clavate, or clubbed antennae), filiform, geniculate, moniliform, pectinate, or serrate. For images of these antennal forms see antenna (biology). Acilius sulcatus, a diving beetle showing hind legs adapted for life in water The legs, which are multi-segmented, end in two to five small segments called tarsi. Like many other insect orders beetles bear claws, usually one pair, on the end of the last tarsal segment of each leg. While most beetles use their legs for walking, legs may be variously modified and adapted for other uses. Among aquatic families â Dytiscidae, Haliplidae, many species of Hydrophilidae and others â the legs, most notably the last pair, are modified for swimming and often bear rows of long hairs to aid this purpose. Other beetles have fossorial legs that are widened and often spined for digging. Species with such adaptations are found among the scarabs, ground beetles, and clown beetles (family Histeridae). The hind legs of some beetles, such as flea beetles (within Chrysomelidae) and flea weevils (within Curculionidae), are enlarged and designed for jumping. Oxygen is obtained via a tracheal system. Air enters a series of tubes along the body through openings called spiracles, and is then taken into increasingly finer fibres. Pumping movements of the body force the air through the system. Beetles have haemolymph instead of blood, and the open circulatory system of the beetle is powered by a tube-like heart attached to the top inside of the thorax. Scarabaeiform larva of the cockchafer, Melolontha melolontha Beetles are endopterygotes with complete metamorphosis. A single female may lay from several dozen to several thousand eggs during her lifetime. Eggs are usually laid according to the substrate the larva will feed on upon hatching. Among others, they can be laid loose in the substrate (e.g. flour beetle), laid in clumps on leaves (e.g. Colorado potato beetle), or individually attached (e.g. mungbean beetle and other seed borers) or buried in the medium (e.g. carrot weevil). The larva is usually the principal feeding stage of the beetle life cycle. Larvae tend to feed voraciously once they emerge from their eggs. Some feed externally on plants, such as those of certain leaf beetles, while others feed within their food sources. Examples of internal feeders are most Buprestidae and longhorn beetles. The larvae of many beetle families are predatory like the adults (ground beetles, ladybirds, rove beetles). The larval period varies between species but can be as long as several years. Beetle larvae can be differentiated from other insect larvae by their hardened, often darkened head, the presence of chewing mouthparts, and spiracles along the sides of the body. Like adult beetles, the larvae are varied in appearance, particularly between beetle families. Beetles whose larvae are somewhat flattened and are highly mobile are the ground beetles, some rove beetles, and others; their larvae are described as campodeiform. Some beetle larvae resemble hardened worms with dark head capsules and minute legs. These are elateriform larvae, and are found in the click beetle (Elateridae) and darkling beetle (Tenebrionidae) families. Some elateriform larvae of click beetles are known as wireworms. Beetles in the families of the Scarabaeoidea have short, thick larvae described as scarabaeiform, but more commonly known as grubs. All beetle larvae go through several instars, which are the developmental stages between each moult. In many species the larvae simply increase in size with each successive instar as more food is consumed. In some cases, however, more dramatic changes occur. Among certain beetle families or genera, particularly those that exhibit parasitic lifestyles, the first instar (the planidium) is highly mobile in order to search out a host, while the following instars are more sedentary and remain on or within their host. This is known as hypermetamorphosis; examples include the blister beetles (family Meloidae) and some rove beetles, particularly those of the genus Aleochara. As with all endopterygotes, beetle larvae pupate, and from this pupa emerges a fully formed, sexually mature adult beetle, or imago. Adults have an extremely variable lifespan, from weeks to years, depending on the species. Beetles mating in San Francisco Flamboyant flower beetle, Eudicella gralli, from the forests of Central Africa. The iridescent elytra are used in marriage ceremonies. Beetles may display extremely intricate behaviour when mating. Smell is thought to be important in the location of a mate. Conflict can play a part in the mating rituals of species such as burying beetles (genus Nicrophorus) where conflicts between males and females rage until only one of each is left, thus ensuring reproduction by the strongest and fittest. Many beetles are territorial and will fiercely defend their small patch of territory from intruding males. Pairing is generally short but in some cases will last for several hours. During pairing sperm cells are transferred to the female to fertilise the egg. Parental care varies between species, ranging from the simple laying of eggs under a leaf to certain scarab beetles, which construct underground structures complete with a supply of dung to house and feed their young. Other beetles are leaf rollers, biting sections of leaves to cause them to curl inwards, then laying their eggs, thus protected, inside. Brachinus sp., a bombardier beetle Beetles and their larvae have a variety of strategies to avoid being attacked by predators or parasitoids. These include camouflage, mimicry, toxicity, and active defence. Camouflage involves the use of colouration or shape to blend into the surrounding environment. Among those that exhibit this defensive strategy are some of the leaf beetles (family Chysomelidae), having green colouring very similar to their habitat on plant leaves. More complex camouflage also occurs, as with some weevils, where various coloured scales or hairs cause the beetle to resemble bird dung. Another defence that often uses colour or shape to deceive potential enemies is mimicry. A number of longhorn beetles (family Cerambycidae) bear a striking resemblance to wasps, which fools predators into keeping their distance even though the beetles are in fact harmless. This defence can be found to a lesser extent in other beetle families, such as the scarab beetles. Beetles may combine their colour mimicry with behavioural mimicry, acting like the wasps they already closely resemble. Many beetle species, including ladybirds and blister beetles, can secrete distasteful or toxic substances to make them unpalatable or even poisonous. These same species often exhibit aposematism, where bright or contrasting colour patterns warn away potential predators. Large ground beetles and longhorn beetles may go on the attack, using their strong mandibles to forcibly persuade a predator to seek out easier prey. Others, such as bombardier beetles (within Carabidae) spray acidic gas from their abdomen to repel predators. Besides being abundant and varied, the Coleoptera are able to exploit the wide diversity of food sources available in their many habitats. Some are generalists, eating both plants and animals. Other beetles are highly specialised in their diet. Many species of leaf beetles, longhorn beetles, and weevils are very host specific, feeding on only a single species of plant. Ground beetles and rove beetles (family Staphylinidae), among others, are primarily carnivorous and will catch and consume many other arthropods and small prey such as earthworms and snails. While most predatory beetles are generalists, a few species have more specific prey requirements or preferences. Decaying organic matter is a primary diet for many species. This can range from dung, which is consumed by coprophagous species such as certain scarab beetles (family Scarabaeidae), to dead animals, which are eaten by necrophagous species such as the carrion beetles (family Silphidae). Some of the beetles found within dung and carrion are in fact predatory, such as the clown beetles, preying on the larvae of coprophagous and necrophagous insects. Aquatic beetles use several techniques for retaining air beneath the water's surface. Beetles of the family Dytiscidae hold air between the abdomen and the elytra when diving. Hydrophilidae have hairs on their under surface that retain a layer of air against their bodies. Adult crawling water beetles use both their elytra and their hind coxae (the basal segment of the back legs) in air retention while whirligig beetles simply carry an air bubble down with them whenever they dive. Sphaerius acaroides, a member of the small suborder Myxophaga While some authorities believe modern beetles began about 140 million years ago, research announced in 2007 showed that beetles may have entered the fossil record during the Lower Permian, about 265 to 300 million years ago. Modern Beetles Predate Dinosaurs, Dave Mosher, LiveScience.com, 26 December 2007. The four extant suborders of beetle are these: * Polyphaga is the largest suborder, containing more than 300,000 described species in more than 170 families, including rove beetles (Staphylinidae), scarab beetles (Scarabaeidae), blister beetles (Meloidae), stag beetles (Lucanidae) and true weevils (Curculionidae). These beetles can be identified by the cervical sclerites (hardened parts of the head used as points of attachment for muscles) absent in the other suborders. * Adephaga contains about 10 families of largely predatory beetles, includes ground beetles (Carabidae), Dytiscidae and whirligig beetles (Gyrinidae). In these beetles the testes are tubular and the first abdominal sternum (a plate of the exoskeleton) is divided by the hind coxae (the basal joints of the beetle's legs). * Archostemata contains four families of mainly wood-eating beetles, including reticulated beetles (Cupedidae) and the telephone-pole beetle. * Myxophaga contains about 100 described species in four families, mostly very small, including Hydroscaphidae and the genus Sphaerius. These suborders diverged in the Permian and Triassic. Their phylogenetic relationship is uncertain, with the most popular hypothesis being that Polyphaga and Myxophaga are most closely related, with Adephaga as the sister group to those two, and Archostemata as sister to the other three collectively. There are about 350,000 species of beetles. Such a large number of species poses special problems for classification, with some families consisting of thousands of species and needing further division into subfamilies and tribes. Colorado potato beetle (Leptinotarsa decemlineata) larvae Many agricultural, forestry, and household insect pests are beetles. These include the following: * The Colorado potato beetle, Leptinotarsa decemlineata, is a notorious pest of potato plants. Crops are destroyed and the beetle can only be treated by employing expensive pesticides, many of which it has begun to develop resistance to. As well as potatoes, suitable hosts can be a number of plants from the potato family (Solanaceae), such as nightshade, tomato, aubergine and capsicum. * The boll weevil, Anthonomus grandis, has cost cotton producers in the United States billions of dollars since it first entered that country. * The bark beetles Hylurgopinus rufipes and Scolytus multistriatus, the elm leaf beetle, Pyrrhalta luteola, and other beetles attack elm trees. The bark beetles are important elm pests because they carry Dutch elm disease as they move from infected breeding sites to feed on healthy elm trees. The spread of the fungus by the beetle has led to the devastation of elm trees in many parts of the Northern Hemisphere, notably in Europe and North America. * The death watch beetle, Xestobium rufovillosum, (family Anobiidae) is of considerable importance as a pest of older wooden buildings in Great Britain. It attacks hardwoods such as oak and chestnut, always where some fungal decay has taken or is taking place. It is thought that the actual introduction of the pest into buildings takes place at the time of construction. * Asian long-horned beetle * Citrus long-horned beetle * Western corn rootworm * Coconut hispine beetle or Brontispa longissima gestro feeds on young leaves and damages seedlings and mature coconut palms. On September 27, 2007, Philippines' Metro Manila and 26 provinces were quarantined due to having been infested with this pest (to save the $800-million Philippine coconut industry). Inquirer.net, Beetles infest coconuts in Manila, 26 provinces Coccinella septempunctata, a beneficial beetle * Both the larvae and adults of some ladybirds (family Coccinellidae) are found in aphid colonies. Other lady beetles feed on scale insects and mealybugs. If normal food sources are scarce they may feed on other things, such as small caterpillars, young plant bugs, honeydew and nectar. * Ground beetles (family Carabidae) are common predators of many different insects and other arthropods, including fly eggs, caterpillars, wireworms and others. * Plant-feeding beetles are often important beneficial insects, controlling problem weeds. Some flea beetles of the genus Aphthona feed on leafy spurge, a considerable weed of rangeland in western North America. Some farmers develop beetle banks to foster and provide cover for beneficial beetles. Beetles of the Dermestidae family are often used in taxidermy to clean bones of remaining flesh. Ancient Egyptian scene depicting a scarab beetle Several species of dung beetle, most notably Scarabaeus sacer (often referred to as "scarab"), enjoyed a sacred status among the ancient Egyptians, as the creatures were likened to the major god Khepri. Some scholars suggest that the Egyptians' practice of making mummies was inspired by the brooding process of the beetle. Many thousands of amulets and stamp seals have been excavated that depict the scarab. In many artifacts, the scarab is depicted pushing the sun along its course in the sky, much as scarabs push or roll balls of dung to their brood sites. During and following the New Kingdom, scarab amulets were often placed over the heart of the mummified deceased. Some tribal groups, particularly in tropical parts of the world, use the colourful, iridescent elytra of certain beetles, especially certain Scarabaeidae, in ceremonies and as adornment. Beetle collection at the Melbourne Museum, Australia The study of beetles is called coleopterology, and its practitioners are coleopterists. Coleopterists have formed organisations to facilitate the study of beetles. Among these is The Coleopterists Society, an international organisation based in the United States. Such organisations may have both professionals and amateurs interested in beetles as members. Research in this field is often published in peer-reviewed journals specific to the field of coleopterology, though journals dealing with general entomology also publish many papers on various aspects of beetle biology. Some of the journals specific to beetle research are: The Coleopterist (United Kingdom beetle fauna) The Coleopterists Bulletin (published by The Coleopterists Society) There is a thriving industry in the collection of beetle specimens for amateur and professional collectors. Many coleopterists prefer to collect beetle specimens for themselves, recording detailed information about each specimen and its habitat. Such collections add to the body of knowledge about the Coleoptera. Some countries have established laws governing or prohibiting the collection of certain rare (and often much sought after) species. One such beetle whose collection is illegal or restricted is the American burying beetle, Nicrophorus americanus. * Poul Beckmann, Living Jewels: The Natural Design of Beetles ISBN 3-7913-2528-0 * Arthur V. Evans, Charles Bellamy, and Lisa Charles Watson, An Inordinate Fondness for Beetles ISBN 0-520-22323-3 * Entomological Society of America, Beetle Larvae of the World ISBN 0-643-05506-1 * David Grimaldi, Michael S. Engel, Evolution of the Insects ISBN 0-521-82149-5 * Ross H. Arnett, Jr. and Michael C. Thomas, American Beetles (CRC Press, 2001-2). ISBN 0-8493-1925-0 * K. W. Harde, A Field Guide in Colour to Beetles ISBN 0-7064-1937-5 Pages 7-24 * White, R.E. 1983. Beetles. Houghton Mifflin Company, New York, NY. ISBN 0-395-91089-7 Heteroptera - insect suborder that is superficially similar to beetles - Coleoptera All what do you need to know about coleoptera, collecting and preparation * The Beetle Ring - A group of websites about beetles (Coleoptera). * List of major Beetle collections - worldwide * Entomology - online insect museum, entomology, tips and tricks, how to spread and pin insects, etc. * - Gallery of Central European beetles * Coleoptera from the Tree of Life * Australian borers species * Beetles and coleopterologists Russian site with English version, with information about biology, systematics and paleontology of beetles * North American Beetles from BugGuide * Bibliography on fossil insects * Coleoptera Families of the World * A digital collection of Southeast Asian beetles Related Wikipedia Articles coleopter Hylobius abietis weevil Animal Arthropod Insect Pterygota Neoptera Endopterygota Carolus Linnaeus Systema Naturae Suborder (biology) Adephaga Archostemata Myxophaga Polyphaga subgroups of the order Coleoptera insect species species animal polar region ecosystem plant fungus invertebrate Colorado potato beetle boll weevil coccinellidae aphid scale insect thrips Aristotle cockchafer Trogodendron fasciculatum monophyletic holometabolous prothorax coxa anatomy appendage pronotum insect wing segmentation (biology) exoskeleton elytron sclerite insect flight insect wing ground beetle Curculionidae glowworm Phengodidae Larviform female mouthparts grasshopper mandible (insect) #Defence appendage compound eye whirligig beetle longhorn beetle ocellus vertex (anatomy) antenna (biology) antenna (biology) Acilius sulcatus arthropod leg Dytiscidae Haliplidae Hydrophilidae fossorial clown beetle flea beetle Oxygen invertebrate trachea spiracle hemolymph blood open circulatory system Melolontha melolontha Endopterygota metamorphosis (biology) larva Colorado potato beetle larva Biological life cycle Buprestidae spiracle click beetle darkling beetle click beetle Scarabaeoidea instar ecdysis planidium hypermetamorphosis blister beetle Aleochara pupa imago San Francisco Flamboyant flower beetle burying beetle Spermatozoon fertilisation Scarabaeidae leaf roller Brachinus bombardier beetle parasitoid camouflage mimicry leaf beetle weevil longhorn beetle wasp Coccinellidae blister beetle aposematism ground beetle Mandible (insect) bombardier beetle Ground beetle rove beetle arthropod dung coprophagous dung beetle necrophagous carrion beetle clown beetle coxa Ross H. Arnett, Jr. Michael C. Thomas American Beetles CRC Press Boca Raton, Florida whirligig beetle Sphaerius Myxophaga fossil Permian Polyphaga rove beetle scarabaeidae blister beetle stag beetle Curculionidae sclerite Adephaga ground beetle Dytiscidae whirligig beetle testes exoskeleton coxa Archostemata reticulated beetle telephone-pole beetle Myxophaga Hydroscaphidae Sphaerius Triassic phylogenetics sister group Linnaean taxonomy Colorado potato beetle Colorado potato beetle potato pesticide pesticide resistance Solanaceae nightshade tomato aubergine capsicum boll weevil United States bark beetle elm leaf beetle elm Dutch elm disease Northern Hemisphere Europe North America death watch beetle Anobiidae Great Britain hardwood oak chestnut Asian long-horned beetle Citrus long-horned beetle Western corn rootworm Coconut leaves seedlings coconut palms September 27 Philippines Metro Manila provinces quarantined pest coconut industry Coccinella septempunctata ladybirds Coccinellidae aphid scale insect mealybug honeydew nectar Ground beetle caterpillar Aphthona leafy spurge beetle bank Dermestidae taxidermy Dung beetle Scarabaeus sacer Ancient Egyptian Khepri Mummy New Kingdom Elytron Melbourne Museum coleopterology list of coleopterists The Coleopterists Society international organisation scientific journal The Coleopterist The Coleopterists Bulletin Nicrophorus americanus Entomological Society of America David Grimaldi Michael S. Engel Ross H. Arnett, Jr. Michael C. Thomas American Beetles Heteroptera
beetle	Is there a thriving industry in the collection of beetle specimens for amateur and professional collectors ?	Yes.	data/set1/a8	beetle Beetles are a group of insects which have the largest number of species. They are placed in the order Coleoptera,which means "sheathed wing" and contains more described species than in any other order in the animal kingdom, constituting about twenty-five percent of all known life-forms. James K. Liebherr and Joseph V. McHugh in Resh, V. H. & R. T. CardÃ© (Editors) 2003. Encyclopedia of Insects. Academic Press. Forty percent of all described insect species are beetles (about 350,000 species ), and new species are frequently discovered. Estimates put the total number of species, described and undescribed, at between 5 and 8 million. Beetles can be found in almost all habitats, but are not known to occur in the sea or in the polar regions. They interact with their ecosystems in several ways. They often feed on plants and fungi, break down animal and plant debris, and eat other invertebrates. Some species are prey of various animals including birds and mammals. Certain species are agricultural pests, such as the Colorado potato beetle Leptinotarsa decemlineata, the boll weevil Anthonomus grandis, the red flour beetle Tribolium castaneum, and the mungbean or cowpea beetle Callosobruchus maculatus, while other species of beetles are important controls of agricultural pests. For example, coccinellidae ("ladybirds" or "ladybugs") consume aphids, scale insects, thrips, and other plant-sucking insects that damage crops. The name "Coleoptera" was given by Aristotle for the hardened shield like forewings (coleo = shield + ptera = wing). A cockchafer with its elytra raised, exposing the membranous flight wings, where the veins are visible Trogodendron fasciculatum, a clerid beetle with bright yellow antennae Other characters of this group which are believed to be monophyletic include a holometabolous life cycle; having a prothorax that is distinct from and freely articulating with the mesothorax; the meso- and meta-thoracic segments fusing to form a pterothorax; a depressed body shape with the legs on the ventral surface; the coxae of legs recessed into cavities formed by heavily sclerotized thoracic sclerites; the abdominal sternites more sclerotized than the tergites; antennae with 11 or fewer segments; and terminal genitalic appendages retracted into the abdomen and invisible at rest. The general anatomy of beetles is quite uniform, although specific organs and appendages may vary greatly in appearance and function between the many families in the order. Like all insects, beetles' bodies are divided into three sections: the head, the thorax, and the abdomen. When viewed from below, the thorax is that part from which all three pairs of legs and both pairs of wings arise. The abdomen is everything posterior to the thorax. When viewed from above, most beetles appear to have three clear sections, but this is deceptive: on the beetle's upper surface, the middle "section" is a hard plate called the pronotum, which is only the front part of the thorax; the back part of the thorax is concealed by the beetle's wings. Like all arthropods, beetles are segmented organisms, and all three of the major sections of the body are themselves composed of several further segments, although these are not always readily discernible. This further segmentation is usually best seen on the abdomen. Beetles are generally characterised by a particularly hard exoskeleton and hard forewings (elytra). The beetle's exoskeleton is made up of numerous plates called sclerites, separated by thin sutures. This design creates the armoured defences of the beetle while maintaining flexibility. The elytra are not used for flight, but tend to cover the hind part of the body and protect the second pair of wings (alae). The elytra must be raised in order to move the hind flight wings. A beetle's flight wings are crossed with veins and are folded after landing, often along these veins, and are stored below the elytra. In some beetles, the ability to fly has been lost. These include the ground beetles (family Carabidae) and some "true weevils" (family Curculionidae), but also some desert and cave-dwelling species of other families. Many of these species have the two elytra fused together, forming a solid shield over the abdomen. In a few families, both the ability to fly and the elytra have been lost, with the best known example being the glow-worms of the family Phengodidae, in which the females are larviform throughout their lives. Beetles have mouthparts similar to those of grasshoppers. Of these parts, the most commonly known are probably the mandibles, which appear as large pincers on the front of some beetles. The mandibles are a pair of hard, often tooth-like structures that move horizontally to grasp, crush, or cut food or enemies (see defence, below). Two pairs of finger-like appendages are found around the mouth in most beetles, serving to move food into the mouth. These are the maxillary and labial palpi. The eyes are compound and may display remarkable adaptability, as in the case of whirligig beetles (family Gyrinidae), in which the eyes are split to allow a view both above and below the waterline. Other species also have divided eyes â some longhorn beetles (family Cerambycidae) and weevils â while many beetles have eyes that are notched to some degree. A few beetle genera also possess ocelli, which are small, simple eyes usually situated farther back on the head (on the vertex). Beetles' antennae are primarily organs of smell, but may also be used to feel out a beetle's environment physically. They may also be used in some families during mating, or among a few beetles for defence. Antennae vary greatly in form within the Coleoptera, but are often similar within any given family. In some cases, males and females of the same species will have different antennal forms. Antennae may be clavate (flabellate and lamellate are sub-forms of clavate, or clubbed antennae), filiform, geniculate, moniliform, pectinate, or serrate. For images of these antennal forms see antenna (biology). Acilius sulcatus, a diving beetle showing hind legs adapted for life in water The legs, which are multi-segmented, end in two to five small segments called tarsi. Like many other insect orders beetles bear claws, usually one pair, on the end of the last tarsal segment of each leg. While most beetles use their legs for walking, legs may be variously modified and adapted for other uses. Among aquatic families â Dytiscidae, Haliplidae, many species of Hydrophilidae and others â the legs, most notably the last pair, are modified for swimming and often bear rows of long hairs to aid this purpose. Other beetles have fossorial legs that are widened and often spined for digging. Species with such adaptations are found among the scarabs, ground beetles, and clown beetles (family Histeridae). The hind legs of some beetles, such as flea beetles (within Chrysomelidae) and flea weevils (within Curculionidae), are enlarged and designed for jumping. Oxygen is obtained via a tracheal system. Air enters a series of tubes along the body through openings called spiracles, and is then taken into increasingly finer fibres. Pumping movements of the body force the air through the system. Beetles have haemolymph instead of blood, and the open circulatory system of the beetle is powered by a tube-like heart attached to the top inside of the thorax. Scarabaeiform larva of the cockchafer, Melolontha melolontha Beetles are endopterygotes with complete metamorphosis. A single female may lay from several dozen to several thousand eggs during her lifetime. Eggs are usually laid according to the substrate the larva will feed on upon hatching. Among others, they can be laid loose in the substrate (e.g. flour beetle), laid in clumps on leaves (e.g. Colorado potato beetle), or individually attached (e.g. mungbean beetle and other seed borers) or buried in the medium (e.g. carrot weevil). The larva is usually the principal feeding stage of the beetle life cycle. Larvae tend to feed voraciously once they emerge from their eggs. Some feed externally on plants, such as those of certain leaf beetles, while others feed within their food sources. Examples of internal feeders are most Buprestidae and longhorn beetles. The larvae of many beetle families are predatory like the adults (ground beetles, ladybirds, rove beetles). The larval period varies between species but can be as long as several years. Beetle larvae can be differentiated from other insect larvae by their hardened, often darkened head, the presence of chewing mouthparts, and spiracles along the sides of the body. Like adult beetles, the larvae are varied in appearance, particularly between beetle families. Beetles whose larvae are somewhat flattened and are highly mobile are the ground beetles, some rove beetles, and others; their larvae are described as campodeiform. Some beetle larvae resemble hardened worms with dark head capsules and minute legs. These are elateriform larvae, and are found in the click beetle (Elateridae) and darkling beetle (Tenebrionidae) families. Some elateriform larvae of click beetles are known as wireworms. Beetles in the families of the Scarabaeoidea have short, thick larvae described as scarabaeiform, but more commonly known as grubs. All beetle larvae go through several instars, which are the developmental stages between each moult. In many species the larvae simply increase in size with each successive instar as more food is consumed. In some cases, however, more dramatic changes occur. Among certain beetle families or genera, particularly those that exhibit parasitic lifestyles, the first instar (the planidium) is highly mobile in order to search out a host, while the following instars are more sedentary and remain on or within their host. This is known as hypermetamorphosis; examples include the blister beetles (family Meloidae) and some rove beetles, particularly those of the genus Aleochara. As with all endopterygotes, beetle larvae pupate, and from this pupa emerges a fully formed, sexually mature adult beetle, or imago. Adults have an extremely variable lifespan, from weeks to years, depending on the species. Beetles mating in San Francisco Flamboyant flower beetle, Eudicella gralli, from the forests of Central Africa. The iridescent elytra are used in marriage ceremonies. Beetles may display extremely intricate behaviour when mating. Smell is thought to be important in the location of a mate. Conflict can play a part in the mating rituals of species such as burying beetles (genus Nicrophorus) where conflicts between males and females rage until only one of each is left, thus ensuring reproduction by the strongest and fittest. Many beetles are territorial and will fiercely defend their small patch of territory from intruding males. Pairing is generally short but in some cases will last for several hours. During pairing sperm cells are transferred to the female to fertilise the egg. Parental care varies between species, ranging from the simple laying of eggs under a leaf to certain scarab beetles, which construct underground structures complete with a supply of dung to house and feed their young. Other beetles are leaf rollers, biting sections of leaves to cause them to curl inwards, then laying their eggs, thus protected, inside. Brachinus sp., a bombardier beetle Beetles and their larvae have a variety of strategies to avoid being attacked by predators or parasitoids. These include camouflage, mimicry, toxicity, and active defence. Camouflage involves the use of colouration or shape to blend into the surrounding environment. Among those that exhibit this defensive strategy are some of the leaf beetles (family Chysomelidae), having green colouring very similar to their habitat on plant leaves. More complex camouflage also occurs, as with some weevils, where various coloured scales or hairs cause the beetle to resemble bird dung. Another defence that often uses colour or shape to deceive potential enemies is mimicry. A number of longhorn beetles (family Cerambycidae) bear a striking resemblance to wasps, which fools predators into keeping their distance even though the beetles are in fact harmless. This defence can be found to a lesser extent in other beetle families, such as the scarab beetles. Beetles may combine their colour mimicry with behavioural mimicry, acting like the wasps they already closely resemble. Many beetle species, including ladybirds and blister beetles, can secrete distasteful or toxic substances to make them unpalatable or even poisonous. These same species often exhibit aposematism, where bright or contrasting colour patterns warn away potential predators. Large ground beetles and longhorn beetles may go on the attack, using their strong mandibles to forcibly persuade a predator to seek out easier prey. Others, such as bombardier beetles (within Carabidae) spray acidic gas from their abdomen to repel predators. Besides being abundant and varied, the Coleoptera are able to exploit the wide diversity of food sources available in their many habitats. Some are generalists, eating both plants and animals. Other beetles are highly specialised in their diet. Many species of leaf beetles, longhorn beetles, and weevils are very host specific, feeding on only a single species of plant. Ground beetles and rove beetles (family Staphylinidae), among others, are primarily carnivorous and will catch and consume many other arthropods and small prey such as earthworms and snails. While most predatory beetles are generalists, a few species have more specific prey requirements or preferences. Decaying organic matter is a primary diet for many species. This can range from dung, which is consumed by coprophagous species such as certain scarab beetles (family Scarabaeidae), to dead animals, which are eaten by necrophagous species such as the carrion beetles (family Silphidae). Some of the beetles found within dung and carrion are in fact predatory, such as the clown beetles, preying on the larvae of coprophagous and necrophagous insects. Aquatic beetles use several techniques for retaining air beneath the water's surface. Beetles of the family Dytiscidae hold air between the abdomen and the elytra when diving. Hydrophilidae have hairs on their under surface that retain a layer of air against their bodies. Adult crawling water beetles use both their elytra and their hind coxae (the basal segment of the back legs) in air retention while whirligig beetles simply carry an air bubble down with them whenever they dive. Sphaerius acaroides, a member of the small suborder Myxophaga While some authorities believe modern beetles began about 140 million years ago, research announced in 2007 showed that beetles may have entered the fossil record during the Lower Permian, about 265 to 300 million years ago. Modern Beetles Predate Dinosaurs, Dave Mosher, LiveScience.com, 26 December 2007. The four extant suborders of beetle are these: * Polyphaga is the largest suborder, containing more than 300,000 described species in more than 170 families, including rove beetles (Staphylinidae), scarab beetles (Scarabaeidae), blister beetles (Meloidae), stag beetles (Lucanidae) and true weevils (Curculionidae). These beetles can be identified by the cervical sclerites (hardened parts of the head used as points of attachment for muscles) absent in the other suborders. * Adephaga contains about 10 families of largely predatory beetles, includes ground beetles (Carabidae), Dytiscidae and whirligig beetles (Gyrinidae). In these beetles the testes are tubular and the first abdominal sternum (a plate of the exoskeleton) is divided by the hind coxae (the basal joints of the beetle's legs). * Archostemata contains four families of mainly wood-eating beetles, including reticulated beetles (Cupedidae) and the telephone-pole beetle. * Myxophaga contains about 100 described species in four families, mostly very small, including Hydroscaphidae and the genus Sphaerius. These suborders diverged in the Permian and Triassic. Their phylogenetic relationship is uncertain, with the most popular hypothesis being that Polyphaga and Myxophaga are most closely related, with Adephaga as the sister group to those two, and Archostemata as sister to the other three collectively. There are about 350,000 species of beetles. Such a large number of species poses special problems for classification, with some families consisting of thousands of species and needing further division into subfamilies and tribes. Colorado potato beetle (Leptinotarsa decemlineata) larvae Many agricultural, forestry, and household insect pests are beetles. These include the following: * The Colorado potato beetle, Leptinotarsa decemlineata, is a notorious pest of potato plants. Crops are destroyed and the beetle can only be treated by employing expensive pesticides, many of which it has begun to develop resistance to. As well as potatoes, suitable hosts can be a number of plants from the potato family (Solanaceae), such as nightshade, tomato, aubergine and capsicum. * The boll weevil, Anthonomus grandis, has cost cotton producers in the United States billions of dollars since it first entered that country. * The bark beetles Hylurgopinus rufipes and Scolytus multistriatus, the elm leaf beetle, Pyrrhalta luteola, and other beetles attack elm trees. The bark beetles are important elm pests because they carry Dutch elm disease as they move from infected breeding sites to feed on healthy elm trees. The spread of the fungus by the beetle has led to the devastation of elm trees in many parts of the Northern Hemisphere, notably in Europe and North America. * The death watch beetle, Xestobium rufovillosum, (family Anobiidae) is of considerable importance as a pest of older wooden buildings in Great Britain. It attacks hardwoods such as oak and chestnut, always where some fungal decay has taken or is taking place. It is thought that the actual introduction of the pest into buildings takes place at the time of construction. * Asian long-horned beetle * Citrus long-horned beetle * Western corn rootworm * Coconut hispine beetle or Brontispa longissima gestro feeds on young leaves and damages seedlings and mature coconut palms. On September 27, 2007, Philippines' Metro Manila and 26 provinces were quarantined due to having been infested with this pest (to save the $800-million Philippine coconut industry). Inquirer.net, Beetles infest coconuts in Manila, 26 provinces Coccinella septempunctata, a beneficial beetle * Both the larvae and adults of some ladybirds (family Coccinellidae) are found in aphid colonies. Other lady beetles feed on scale insects and mealybugs. If normal food sources are scarce they may feed on other things, such as small caterpillars, young plant bugs, honeydew and nectar. * Ground beetles (family Carabidae) are common predators of many different insects and other arthropods, including fly eggs, caterpillars, wireworms and others. * Plant-feeding beetles are often important beneficial insects, controlling problem weeds. Some flea beetles of the genus Aphthona feed on leafy spurge, a considerable weed of rangeland in western North America. Some farmers develop beetle banks to foster and provide cover for beneficial beetles. Beetles of the Dermestidae family are often used in taxidermy to clean bones of remaining flesh. Ancient Egyptian scene depicting a scarab beetle Several species of dung beetle, most notably Scarabaeus sacer (often referred to as "scarab"), enjoyed a sacred status among the ancient Egyptians, as the creatures were likened to the major god Khepri. Some scholars suggest that the Egyptians' practice of making mummies was inspired by the brooding process of the beetle. Many thousands of amulets and stamp seals have been excavated that depict the scarab. In many artifacts, the scarab is depicted pushing the sun along its course in the sky, much as scarabs push or roll balls of dung to their brood sites. During and following the New Kingdom, scarab amulets were often placed over the heart of the mummified deceased. Some tribal groups, particularly in tropical parts of the world, use the colourful, iridescent elytra of certain beetles, especially certain Scarabaeidae, in ceremonies and as adornment. Beetle collection at the Melbourne Museum, Australia The study of beetles is called coleopterology, and its practitioners are coleopterists. Coleopterists have formed organisations to facilitate the study of beetles. Among these is The Coleopterists Society, an international organisation based in the United States. Such organisations may have both professionals and amateurs interested in beetles as members. Research in this field is often published in peer-reviewed journals specific to the field of coleopterology, though journals dealing with general entomology also publish many papers on various aspects of beetle biology. Some of the journals specific to beetle research are: The Coleopterist (United Kingdom beetle fauna) The Coleopterists Bulletin (published by The Coleopterists Society) There is a thriving industry in the collection of beetle specimens for amateur and professional collectors. Many coleopterists prefer to collect beetle specimens for themselves, recording detailed information about each specimen and its habitat. Such collections add to the body of knowledge about the Coleoptera. Some countries have established laws governing or prohibiting the collection of certain rare (and often much sought after) species. One such beetle whose collection is illegal or restricted is the American burying beetle, Nicrophorus americanus. * Poul Beckmann, Living Jewels: The Natural Design of Beetles ISBN 3-7913-2528-0 * Arthur V. Evans, Charles Bellamy, and Lisa Charles Watson, An Inordinate Fondness for Beetles ISBN 0-520-22323-3 * Entomological Society of America, Beetle Larvae of the World ISBN 0-643-05506-1 * David Grimaldi, Michael S. Engel, Evolution of the Insects ISBN 0-521-82149-5 * Ross H. Arnett, Jr. and Michael C. Thomas, American Beetles (CRC Press, 2001-2). ISBN 0-8493-1925-0 * K. W. Harde, A Field Guide in Colour to Beetles ISBN 0-7064-1937-5 Pages 7-24 * White, R.E. 1983. Beetles. Houghton Mifflin Company, New York, NY. ISBN 0-395-91089-7 Heteroptera - insect suborder that is superficially similar to beetles - Coleoptera All what do you need to know about coleoptera, collecting and preparation * The Beetle Ring - A group of websites about beetles (Coleoptera). * List of major Beetle collections - worldwide * Entomology - online insect museum, entomology, tips and tricks, how to spread and pin insects, etc. * - Gallery of Central European beetles * Coleoptera from the Tree of Life * Australian borers species * Beetles and coleopterologists Russian site with English version, with information about biology, systematics and paleontology of beetles * North American Beetles from BugGuide * Bibliography on fossil insects * Coleoptera Families of the World * A digital collection of Southeast Asian beetles Related Wikipedia Articles coleopter Hylobius abietis weevil Animal Arthropod Insect Pterygota Neoptera Endopterygota Carolus Linnaeus Systema Naturae Suborder (biology) Adephaga Archostemata Myxophaga Polyphaga subgroups of the order Coleoptera insect species species animal polar region ecosystem plant fungus invertebrate Colorado potato beetle boll weevil coccinellidae aphid scale insect thrips Aristotle cockchafer Trogodendron fasciculatum monophyletic holometabolous prothorax coxa anatomy appendage pronotum insect wing segmentation (biology) exoskeleton elytron sclerite insect flight insect wing ground beetle Curculionidae glowworm Phengodidae Larviform female mouthparts grasshopper mandible (insect) #Defence appendage compound eye whirligig beetle longhorn beetle ocellus vertex (anatomy) antenna (biology) antenna (biology) Acilius sulcatus arthropod leg Dytiscidae Haliplidae Hydrophilidae fossorial clown beetle flea beetle Oxygen invertebrate trachea spiracle hemolymph blood open circulatory system Melolontha melolontha Endopterygota metamorphosis (biology) larva Colorado potato beetle larva Biological life cycle Buprestidae spiracle click beetle darkling beetle click beetle Scarabaeoidea instar ecdysis planidium hypermetamorphosis blister beetle Aleochara pupa imago San Francisco Flamboyant flower beetle burying beetle Spermatozoon fertilisation Scarabaeidae leaf roller Brachinus bombardier beetle parasitoid camouflage mimicry leaf beetle weevil longhorn beetle wasp Coccinellidae blister beetle aposematism ground beetle Mandible (insect) bombardier beetle Ground beetle rove beetle arthropod dung coprophagous dung beetle necrophagous carrion beetle clown beetle coxa Ross H. Arnett, Jr. Michael C. Thomas American Beetles CRC Press Boca Raton, Florida whirligig beetle Sphaerius Myxophaga fossil Permian Polyphaga rove beetle scarabaeidae blister beetle stag beetle Curculionidae sclerite Adephaga ground beetle Dytiscidae whirligig beetle testes exoskeleton coxa Archostemata reticulated beetle telephone-pole beetle Myxophaga Hydroscaphidae Sphaerius Triassic phylogenetics sister group Linnaean taxonomy Colorado potato beetle Colorado potato beetle potato pesticide pesticide resistance Solanaceae nightshade tomato aubergine capsicum boll weevil United States bark beetle elm leaf beetle elm Dutch elm disease Northern Hemisphere Europe North America death watch beetle Anobiidae Great Britain hardwood oak chestnut Asian long-horned beetle Citrus long-horned beetle Western corn rootworm Coconut leaves seedlings coconut palms September 27 Philippines Metro Manila provinces quarantined pest coconut industry Coccinella septempunctata ladybirds Coccinellidae aphid scale insect mealybug honeydew nectar Ground beetle caterpillar Aphthona leafy spurge beetle bank Dermestidae taxidermy Dung beetle Scarabaeus sacer Ancient Egyptian Khepri Mummy New Kingdom Elytron Melbourne Museum coleopterology list of coleopterists The Coleopterists Society international organisation scientific journal The Coleopterist The Coleopterists Bulletin Nicrophorus americanus Entomological Society of America David Grimaldi Michael S. Engel Ross H. Arnett, Jr. Michael C. Thomas American Beetles Heteroptera
beetle	Have coleopterists formed organisations to facilitate the study of beetles ?	Yes.	data/set1/a8	beetle Beetles are a group of insects which have the largest number of species. They are placed in the order Coleoptera,which means "sheathed wing" and contains more described species than in any other order in the animal kingdom, constituting about twenty-five percent of all known life-forms. James K. Liebherr and Joseph V. McHugh in Resh, V. H. & R. T. CardÃ© (Editors) 2003. Encyclopedia of Insects. Academic Press. Forty percent of all described insect species are beetles (about 350,000 species ), and new species are frequently discovered. Estimates put the total number of species, described and undescribed, at between 5 and 8 million. Beetles can be found in almost all habitats, but are not known to occur in the sea or in the polar regions. They interact with their ecosystems in several ways. They often feed on plants and fungi, break down animal and plant debris, and eat other invertebrates. Some species are prey of various animals including birds and mammals. Certain species are agricultural pests, such as the Colorado potato beetle Leptinotarsa decemlineata, the boll weevil Anthonomus grandis, the red flour beetle Tribolium castaneum, and the mungbean or cowpea beetle Callosobruchus maculatus, while other species of beetles are important controls of agricultural pests. For example, coccinellidae ("ladybirds" or "ladybugs") consume aphids, scale insects, thrips, and other plant-sucking insects that damage crops. The name "Coleoptera" was given by Aristotle for the hardened shield like forewings (coleo = shield + ptera = wing). A cockchafer with its elytra raised, exposing the membranous flight wings, where the veins are visible Trogodendron fasciculatum, a clerid beetle with bright yellow antennae Other characters of this group which are believed to be monophyletic include a holometabolous life cycle; having a prothorax that is distinct from and freely articulating with the mesothorax; the meso- and meta-thoracic segments fusing to form a pterothorax; a depressed body shape with the legs on the ventral surface; the coxae of legs recessed into cavities formed by heavily sclerotized thoracic sclerites; the abdominal sternites more sclerotized than the tergites; antennae with 11 or fewer segments; and terminal genitalic appendages retracted into the abdomen and invisible at rest. The general anatomy of beetles is quite uniform, although specific organs and appendages may vary greatly in appearance and function between the many families in the order. Like all insects, beetles' bodies are divided into three sections: the head, the thorax, and the abdomen. When viewed from below, the thorax is that part from which all three pairs of legs and both pairs of wings arise. The abdomen is everything posterior to the thorax. When viewed from above, most beetles appear to have three clear sections, but this is deceptive: on the beetle's upper surface, the middle "section" is a hard plate called the pronotum, which is only the front part of the thorax; the back part of the thorax is concealed by the beetle's wings. Like all arthropods, beetles are segmented organisms, and all three of the major sections of the body are themselves composed of several further segments, although these are not always readily discernible. This further segmentation is usually best seen on the abdomen. Beetles are generally characterised by a particularly hard exoskeleton and hard forewings (elytra). The beetle's exoskeleton is made up of numerous plates called sclerites, separated by thin sutures. This design creates the armoured defences of the beetle while maintaining flexibility. The elytra are not used for flight, but tend to cover the hind part of the body and protect the second pair of wings (alae). The elytra must be raised in order to move the hind flight wings. A beetle's flight wings are crossed with veins and are folded after landing, often along these veins, and are stored below the elytra. In some beetles, the ability to fly has been lost. These include the ground beetles (family Carabidae) and some "true weevils" (family Curculionidae), but also some desert and cave-dwelling species of other families. Many of these species have the two elytra fused together, forming a solid shield over the abdomen. In a few families, both the ability to fly and the elytra have been lost, with the best known example being the glow-worms of the family Phengodidae, in which the females are larviform throughout their lives. Beetles have mouthparts similar to those of grasshoppers. Of these parts, the most commonly known are probably the mandibles, which appear as large pincers on the front of some beetles. The mandibles are a pair of hard, often tooth-like structures that move horizontally to grasp, crush, or cut food or enemies (see defence, below). Two pairs of finger-like appendages are found around the mouth in most beetles, serving to move food into the mouth. These are the maxillary and labial palpi. The eyes are compound and may display remarkable adaptability, as in the case of whirligig beetles (family Gyrinidae), in which the eyes are split to allow a view both above and below the waterline. Other species also have divided eyes â some longhorn beetles (family Cerambycidae) and weevils â while many beetles have eyes that are notched to some degree. A few beetle genera also possess ocelli, which are small, simple eyes usually situated farther back on the head (on the vertex). Beetles' antennae are primarily organs of smell, but may also be used to feel out a beetle's environment physically. They may also be used in some families during mating, or among a few beetles for defence. Antennae vary greatly in form within the Coleoptera, but are often similar within any given family. In some cases, males and females of the same species will have different antennal forms. Antennae may be clavate (flabellate and lamellate are sub-forms of clavate, or clubbed antennae), filiform, geniculate, moniliform, pectinate, or serrate. For images of these antennal forms see antenna (biology). Acilius sulcatus, a diving beetle showing hind legs adapted for life in water The legs, which are multi-segmented, end in two to five small segments called tarsi. Like many other insect orders beetles bear claws, usually one pair, on the end of the last tarsal segment of each leg. While most beetles use their legs for walking, legs may be variously modified and adapted for other uses. Among aquatic families â Dytiscidae, Haliplidae, many species of Hydrophilidae and others â the legs, most notably the last pair, are modified for swimming and often bear rows of long hairs to aid this purpose. Other beetles have fossorial legs that are widened and often spined for digging. Species with such adaptations are found among the scarabs, ground beetles, and clown beetles (family Histeridae). The hind legs of some beetles, such as flea beetles (within Chrysomelidae) and flea weevils (within Curculionidae), are enlarged and designed for jumping. Oxygen is obtained via a tracheal system. Air enters a series of tubes along the body through openings called spiracles, and is then taken into increasingly finer fibres. Pumping movements of the body force the air through the system. Beetles have haemolymph instead of blood, and the open circulatory system of the beetle is powered by a tube-like heart attached to the top inside of the thorax. Scarabaeiform larva of the cockchafer, Melolontha melolontha Beetles are endopterygotes with complete metamorphosis. A single female may lay from several dozen to several thousand eggs during her lifetime. Eggs are usually laid according to the substrate the larva will feed on upon hatching. Among others, they can be laid loose in the substrate (e.g. flour beetle), laid in clumps on leaves (e.g. Colorado potato beetle), or individually attached (e.g. mungbean beetle and other seed borers) or buried in the medium (e.g. carrot weevil). The larva is usually the principal feeding stage of the beetle life cycle. Larvae tend to feed voraciously once they emerge from their eggs. Some feed externally on plants, such as those of certain leaf beetles, while others feed within their food sources. Examples of internal feeders are most Buprestidae and longhorn beetles. The larvae of many beetle families are predatory like the adults (ground beetles, ladybirds, rove beetles). The larval period varies between species but can be as long as several years. Beetle larvae can be differentiated from other insect larvae by their hardened, often darkened head, the presence of chewing mouthparts, and spiracles along the sides of the body. Like adult beetles, the larvae are varied in appearance, particularly between beetle families. Beetles whose larvae are somewhat flattened and are highly mobile are the ground beetles, some rove beetles, and others; their larvae are described as campodeiform. Some beetle larvae resemble hardened worms with dark head capsules and minute legs. These are elateriform larvae, and are found in the click beetle (Elateridae) and darkling beetle (Tenebrionidae) families. Some elateriform larvae of click beetles are known as wireworms. Beetles in the families of the Scarabaeoidea have short, thick larvae described as scarabaeiform, but more commonly known as grubs. All beetle larvae go through several instars, which are the developmental stages between each moult. In many species the larvae simply increase in size with each successive instar as more food is consumed. In some cases, however, more dramatic changes occur. Among certain beetle families or genera, particularly those that exhibit parasitic lifestyles, the first instar (the planidium) is highly mobile in order to search out a host, while the following instars are more sedentary and remain on or within their host. This is known as hypermetamorphosis; examples include the blister beetles (family Meloidae) and some rove beetles, particularly those of the genus Aleochara. As with all endopterygotes, beetle larvae pupate, and from this pupa emerges a fully formed, sexually mature adult beetle, or imago. Adults have an extremely variable lifespan, from weeks to years, depending on the species. Beetles mating in San Francisco Flamboyant flower beetle, Eudicella gralli, from the forests of Central Africa. The iridescent elytra are used in marriage ceremonies. Beetles may display extremely intricate behaviour when mating. Smell is thought to be important in the location of a mate. Conflict can play a part in the mating rituals of species such as burying beetles (genus Nicrophorus) where conflicts between males and females rage until only one of each is left, thus ensuring reproduction by the strongest and fittest. Many beetles are territorial and will fiercely defend their small patch of territory from intruding males. Pairing is generally short but in some cases will last for several hours. During pairing sperm cells are transferred to the female to fertilise the egg. Parental care varies between species, ranging from the simple laying of eggs under a leaf to certain scarab beetles, which construct underground structures complete with a supply of dung to house and feed their young. Other beetles are leaf rollers, biting sections of leaves to cause them to curl inwards, then laying their eggs, thus protected, inside. Brachinus sp., a bombardier beetle Beetles and their larvae have a variety of strategies to avoid being attacked by predators or parasitoids. These include camouflage, mimicry, toxicity, and active defence. Camouflage involves the use of colouration or shape to blend into the surrounding environment. Among those that exhibit this defensive strategy are some of the leaf beetles (family Chysomelidae), having green colouring very similar to their habitat on plant leaves. More complex camouflage also occurs, as with some weevils, where various coloured scales or hairs cause the beetle to resemble bird dung. Another defence that often uses colour or shape to deceive potential enemies is mimicry. A number of longhorn beetles (family Cerambycidae) bear a striking resemblance to wasps, which fools predators into keeping their distance even though the beetles are in fact harmless. This defence can be found to a lesser extent in other beetle families, such as the scarab beetles. Beetles may combine their colour mimicry with behavioural mimicry, acting like the wasps they already closely resemble. Many beetle species, including ladybirds and blister beetles, can secrete distasteful or toxic substances to make them unpalatable or even poisonous. These same species often exhibit aposematism, where bright or contrasting colour patterns warn away potential predators. Large ground beetles and longhorn beetles may go on the attack, using their strong mandibles to forcibly persuade a predator to seek out easier prey. Others, such as bombardier beetles (within Carabidae) spray acidic gas from their abdomen to repel predators. Besides being abundant and varied, the Coleoptera are able to exploit the wide diversity of food sources available in their many habitats. Some are generalists, eating both plants and animals. Other beetles are highly specialised in their diet. Many species of leaf beetles, longhorn beetles, and weevils are very host specific, feeding on only a single species of plant. Ground beetles and rove beetles (family Staphylinidae), among others, are primarily carnivorous and will catch and consume many other arthropods and small prey such as earthworms and snails. While most predatory beetles are generalists, a few species have more specific prey requirements or preferences. Decaying organic matter is a primary diet for many species. This can range from dung, which is consumed by coprophagous species such as certain scarab beetles (family Scarabaeidae), to dead animals, which are eaten by necrophagous species such as the carrion beetles (family Silphidae). Some of the beetles found within dung and carrion are in fact predatory, such as the clown beetles, preying on the larvae of coprophagous and necrophagous insects. Aquatic beetles use several techniques for retaining air beneath the water's surface. Beetles of the family Dytiscidae hold air between the abdomen and the elytra when diving. Hydrophilidae have hairs on their under surface that retain a layer of air against their bodies. Adult crawling water beetles use both their elytra and their hind coxae (the basal segment of the back legs) in air retention while whirligig beetles simply carry an air bubble down with them whenever they dive. Sphaerius acaroides, a member of the small suborder Myxophaga While some authorities believe modern beetles began about 140 million years ago, research announced in 2007 showed that beetles may have entered the fossil record during the Lower Permian, about 265 to 300 million years ago. Modern Beetles Predate Dinosaurs, Dave Mosher, LiveScience.com, 26 December 2007. The four extant suborders of beetle are these: * Polyphaga is the largest suborder, containing more than 300,000 described species in more than 170 families, including rove beetles (Staphylinidae), scarab beetles (Scarabaeidae), blister beetles (Meloidae), stag beetles (Lucanidae) and true weevils (Curculionidae). These beetles can be identified by the cervical sclerites (hardened parts of the head used as points of attachment for muscles) absent in the other suborders. * Adephaga contains about 10 families of largely predatory beetles, includes ground beetles (Carabidae), Dytiscidae and whirligig beetles (Gyrinidae). In these beetles the testes are tubular and the first abdominal sternum (a plate of the exoskeleton) is divided by the hind coxae (the basal joints of the beetle's legs). * Archostemata contains four families of mainly wood-eating beetles, including reticulated beetles (Cupedidae) and the telephone-pole beetle. * Myxophaga contains about 100 described species in four families, mostly very small, including Hydroscaphidae and the genus Sphaerius. These suborders diverged in the Permian and Triassic. Their phylogenetic relationship is uncertain, with the most popular hypothesis being that Polyphaga and Myxophaga are most closely related, with Adephaga as the sister group to those two, and Archostemata as sister to the other three collectively. There are about 350,000 species of beetles. Such a large number of species poses special problems for classification, with some families consisting of thousands of species and needing further division into subfamilies and tribes. Colorado potato beetle (Leptinotarsa decemlineata) larvae Many agricultural, forestry, and household insect pests are beetles. These include the following: * The Colorado potato beetle, Leptinotarsa decemlineata, is a notorious pest of potato plants. Crops are destroyed and the beetle can only be treated by employing expensive pesticides, many of which it has begun to develop resistance to. As well as potatoes, suitable hosts can be a number of plants from the potato family (Solanaceae), such as nightshade, tomato, aubergine and capsicum. * The boll weevil, Anthonomus grandis, has cost cotton producers in the United States billions of dollars since it first entered that country. * The bark beetles Hylurgopinus rufipes and Scolytus multistriatus, the elm leaf beetle, Pyrrhalta luteola, and other beetles attack elm trees. The bark beetles are important elm pests because they carry Dutch elm disease as they move from infected breeding sites to feed on healthy elm trees. The spread of the fungus by the beetle has led to the devastation of elm trees in many parts of the Northern Hemisphere, notably in Europe and North America. * The death watch beetle, Xestobium rufovillosum, (family Anobiidae) is of considerable importance as a pest of older wooden buildings in Great Britain. It attacks hardwoods such as oak and chestnut, always where some fungal decay has taken or is taking place. It is thought that the actual introduction of the pest into buildings takes place at the time of construction. * Asian long-horned beetle * Citrus long-horned beetle * Western corn rootworm * Coconut hispine beetle or Brontispa longissima gestro feeds on young leaves and damages seedlings and mature coconut palms. On September 27, 2007, Philippines' Metro Manila and 26 provinces were quarantined due to having been infested with this pest (to save the $800-million Philippine coconut industry). Inquirer.net, Beetles infest coconuts in Manila, 26 provinces Coccinella septempunctata, a beneficial beetle * Both the larvae and adults of some ladybirds (family Coccinellidae) are found in aphid colonies. Other lady beetles feed on scale insects and mealybugs. If normal food sources are scarce they may feed on other things, such as small caterpillars, young plant bugs, honeydew and nectar. * Ground beetles (family Carabidae) are common predators of many different insects and other arthropods, including fly eggs, caterpillars, wireworms and others. * Plant-feeding beetles are often important beneficial insects, controlling problem weeds. Some flea beetles of the genus Aphthona feed on leafy spurge, a considerable weed of rangeland in western North America. Some farmers develop beetle banks to foster and provide cover for beneficial beetles. Beetles of the Dermestidae family are often used in taxidermy to clean bones of remaining flesh. Ancient Egyptian scene depicting a scarab beetle Several species of dung beetle, most notably Scarabaeus sacer (often referred to as "scarab"), enjoyed a sacred status among the ancient Egyptians, as the creatures were likened to the major god Khepri. Some scholars suggest that the Egyptians' practice of making mummies was inspired by the brooding process of the beetle. Many thousands of amulets and stamp seals have been excavated that depict the scarab. In many artifacts, the scarab is depicted pushing the sun along its course in the sky, much as scarabs push or roll balls of dung to their brood sites. During and following the New Kingdom, scarab amulets were often placed over the heart of the mummified deceased. Some tribal groups, particularly in tropical parts of the world, use the colourful, iridescent elytra of certain beetles, especially certain Scarabaeidae, in ceremonies and as adornment. Beetle collection at the Melbourne Museum, Australia The study of beetles is called coleopterology, and its practitioners are coleopterists. Coleopterists have formed organisations to facilitate the study of beetles. Among these is The Coleopterists Society, an international organisation based in the United States. Such organisations may have both professionals and amateurs interested in beetles as members. Research in this field is often published in peer-reviewed journals specific to the field of coleopterology, though journals dealing with general entomology also publish many papers on various aspects of beetle biology. Some of the journals specific to beetle research are: The Coleopterist (United Kingdom beetle fauna) The Coleopterists Bulletin (published by The Coleopterists Society) There is a thriving industry in the collection of beetle specimens for amateur and professional collectors. Many coleopterists prefer to collect beetle specimens for themselves, recording detailed information about each specimen and its habitat. Such collections add to the body of knowledge about the Coleoptera. Some countries have established laws governing or prohibiting the collection of certain rare (and often much sought after) species. One such beetle whose collection is illegal or restricted is the American burying beetle, Nicrophorus americanus. * Poul Beckmann, Living Jewels: The Natural Design of Beetles ISBN 3-7913-2528-0 * Arthur V. Evans, Charles Bellamy, and Lisa Charles Watson, An Inordinate Fondness for Beetles ISBN 0-520-22323-3 * Entomological Society of America, Beetle Larvae of the World ISBN 0-643-05506-1 * David Grimaldi, Michael S. Engel, Evolution of the Insects ISBN 0-521-82149-5 * Ross H. Arnett, Jr. and Michael C. Thomas, American Beetles (CRC Press, 2001-2). ISBN 0-8493-1925-0 * K. W. Harde, A Field Guide in Colour to Beetles ISBN 0-7064-1937-5 Pages 7-24 * White, R.E. 1983. Beetles. Houghton Mifflin Company, New York, NY. ISBN 0-395-91089-7 Heteroptera - insect suborder that is superficially similar to beetles - Coleoptera All what do you need to know about coleoptera, collecting and preparation * The Beetle Ring - A group of websites about beetles (Coleoptera). * List of major Beetle collections - worldwide * Entomology - online insect museum, entomology, tips and tricks, how to spread and pin insects, etc. * - Gallery of Central European beetles * Coleoptera from the Tree of Life * Australian borers species * Beetles and coleopterologists Russian site with English version, with information about biology, systematics and paleontology of beetles * North American Beetles from BugGuide * Bibliography on fossil insects * Coleoptera Families of the World * A digital collection of Southeast Asian beetles Related Wikipedia Articles coleopter Hylobius abietis weevil Animal Arthropod Insect Pterygota Neoptera Endopterygota Carolus Linnaeus Systema Naturae Suborder (biology) Adephaga Archostemata Myxophaga Polyphaga subgroups of the order Coleoptera insect species species animal polar region ecosystem plant fungus invertebrate Colorado potato beetle boll weevil coccinellidae aphid scale insect thrips Aristotle cockchafer Trogodendron fasciculatum monophyletic holometabolous prothorax coxa anatomy appendage pronotum insect wing segmentation (biology) exoskeleton elytron sclerite insect flight insect wing ground beetle Curculionidae glowworm Phengodidae Larviform female mouthparts grasshopper mandible (insect) #Defence appendage compound eye whirligig beetle longhorn beetle ocellus vertex (anatomy) antenna (biology) antenna (biology) Acilius sulcatus arthropod leg Dytiscidae Haliplidae Hydrophilidae fossorial clown beetle flea beetle Oxygen invertebrate trachea spiracle hemolymph blood open circulatory system Melolontha melolontha Endopterygota metamorphosis (biology) larva Colorado potato beetle larva Biological life cycle Buprestidae spiracle click beetle darkling beetle click beetle Scarabaeoidea instar ecdysis planidium hypermetamorphosis blister beetle Aleochara pupa imago San Francisco Flamboyant flower beetle burying beetle Spermatozoon fertilisation Scarabaeidae leaf roller Brachinus bombardier beetle parasitoid camouflage mimicry leaf beetle weevil longhorn beetle wasp Coccinellidae blister beetle aposematism ground beetle Mandible (insect) bombardier beetle Ground beetle rove beetle arthropod dung coprophagous dung beetle necrophagous carrion beetle clown beetle coxa Ross H. Arnett, Jr. Michael C. Thomas American Beetles CRC Press Boca Raton, Florida whirligig beetle Sphaerius Myxophaga fossil Permian Polyphaga rove beetle scarabaeidae blister beetle stag beetle Curculionidae sclerite Adephaga ground beetle Dytiscidae whirligig beetle testes exoskeleton coxa Archostemata reticulated beetle telephone-pole beetle Myxophaga Hydroscaphidae Sphaerius Triassic phylogenetics sister group Linnaean taxonomy Colorado potato beetle Colorado potato beetle potato pesticide pesticide resistance Solanaceae nightshade tomato aubergine capsicum boll weevil United States bark beetle elm leaf beetle elm Dutch elm disease Northern Hemisphere Europe North America death watch beetle Anobiidae Great Britain hardwood oak chestnut Asian long-horned beetle Citrus long-horned beetle Western corn rootworm Coconut leaves seedlings coconut palms September 27 Philippines Metro Manila provinces quarantined pest coconut industry Coccinella septempunctata ladybirds Coccinellidae aphid scale insect mealybug honeydew nectar Ground beetle caterpillar Aphthona leafy spurge beetle bank Dermestidae taxidermy Dung beetle Scarabaeus sacer Ancient Egyptian Khepri Mummy New Kingdom Elytron Melbourne Museum coleopterology list of coleopterists The Coleopterists Society international organisation scientific journal The Coleopterist The Coleopterists Bulletin Nicrophorus americanus Entomological Society of America David Grimaldi Michael S. Engel Ross H. Arnett, Jr. Michael C. Thomas American Beetles Heteroptera

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