Nicrophorus vestigator

Nicrophorus vestigator is a species of beetle belonging to the family Silphidae.

Nicrophorus vestigator
Nicrophorus vestigator. Museum specimen
Scientific classification
Kingdom:
Animalia
Phylum:
Arthropoda
Class:
Insecta
Order:
Coleoptera
Family:
Silphidae
Subfamily:
Nicrophorinae
Tribe:
Nicrophorini
Genus:
Nicrophorus
Species:
N. vestigator
Binomial name
Nicrophorus vestigator
Herschel, 1807
Synonyms
  • Necrophorus [sic] Vestigator Herschel, 1807
  • Necrophorus [sic] sepultor Gyllenhal, 1827 (Preocc.)
  • Necrophorus [sic] anglicus Samouelle, 1833 (Unav.)
  • Necrophorus [sic] interruptus Brullé, 1832 (Preocc.)
  • Necrophorus [sic] sepultor cadaverinus Mareuse, 1840 (Preocc.)
  • Necrophorus [sic] olfactor Gistel, 1848
  • Necrophorus [sic] vestigator v. Rauterbergi Reitter, 1900
  • Necrophorus [sic] vestigator v. degener Carret, 1901
  • Necrophorus [sic] vestigator v. brullei Jacobson, 1910
  • Necrophorus [sic] vestigator v. bipunctatus Portevin, 1914 (Preocc.)
  • Necrophorus [sic] vestigator v. obscuripennis Portevin, 1914
  • Necrophorus [sic] vestigator v. Viturati Pic, 1917
  • Necrophorus [sic] vestigator v. Carreti Pic, 1933

Description
Illustration of Nicrophorus vestigator from G.G. Yakobson "Beetles of Russia"

Nicrophorus vestigator can reach a length of about 14–22 millimetres (0.55–0.87 in). The basic color of the body is black, with two wide transversal orange stripes on the elytra. These beetles have large club-like antennae equipped with black and yellow tips. The legs are strong. The last three abdominal segments protrude beyond the elytra.[1]

Like other burying beetles they bury the carcasses of small vertebrates such as birds and mice as a food source for their larvae. Larval development takes place during the summer, and the fully formed individuals can be found mainly in May–June and in August.[1]

Distribution

This species is present in most of Europe, in the eastern Palearctic realm and in the Near East.[2]

Bibliography
  • Sikes, Derek S., Ronald B. Madge, and Alfred F. Newton (2002) A catalog of the Nicrophorinae (Coleoptera: Silphidae) of the world, Zootaxa, no. 65
  • Baranowski, R. 1982. Intressanta skalbaggsfynd 6. Ent. Tidskr.103: 130–136.
  • Hansen, V. 1968. Biller XXV. Adselbiller, stumpbiller m.fl. Danmarks Fauna 77.
  • Fabre, J.-H. 1925 Souvenirs Entomologiques Volume 6 Chapitre VII

References
  1. Artfacta
  2. Fauna europaea


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