ELATERIDAE - CLICK BEETLES
A cosmopolitan family united by the unique jumping mechanism which they all possess. A spine on the prosternum is clicked violently into a notch on the mesosternum firing the beetle into the air - this process being used to escape predation but also to turn the beetle back onto its feet when it finds itself on its back. Most are nocturnal plant eaters and though the majority are dull-coloured, some species are extremely attractive.
Click the images to enlarge them.
Many thanks to Peter Cate for identifying the species on this page.
Designed by Paul Smith 2006. This website is copyrighted by law.
Material contained herewith may not be used without the prior written permission of FAUNA Paraguay.
Photographs on this page were taken by Paul Smith, Alberto Esquivel, Chris Elder, David Gill, Peter Cate and Jeni Oborn and are used with their permission.
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FIGURE 1a

FIGURE 1a
FIGURE 1b

FIGURE 1b
FIGURE 1c

FIGURE 1c
FIGURE 1d

FIGURE 1d
FIGURE 1e

FIGURE 1e
FIGURE 1f

FIGURE 1f
FIGURE 1g

FIGURE 1g
FIGURE 1h

FIGURE 1h
FIGURE 1i

FIGURE 1i
FIGURE 1j

FIGURE 1j
FIGURE 1k

FIGURE 1k
FIGURE 1l

FIGURE 1l
Gallery 1
FIGURE 1a - Anchastus sp. - Hotel Tirol, Departamento Itapúa (Paul Smith October 2007).
FIGURE 1b - Chalcolepidus limbatus (Subfamily Agrypninae) - Pilar, Departamento Ñeembucú (Paul Smith December 2007).
FIGURE 1c - Chalcolepidus zonatus (Subfamily Agrypninae) - Encarnación, Departamento Itapúa (Paul Smith July 2008).
FIGURE 1d - Conoderus sp. - PROCOSARA, PN San Rafael (Paul Smith February 2008 - ECOSARA Biodiversity Database).
FIGURE 1e - Hemirhipus lineatus - PROCOSARA, PN San Rafael (left Chris Elder, others Alberto Esquivel November 2007).
FIGURE 1f - Pyrophorus sp. probably punctatissimus - PROCOSARA, PN San Rafael (Upper left Chris Elder, others Paul Smith November 2007).
FIGURE 1g - Semiotus serraticornis - Mbaracayú Forest Reserve, Departamento Canindeyú (Paul Smith April 2005).
FIGURE 1h - Semiotus serraticornis - PROCOSARA, PN San Rafael (Jeni Oborn May 2008).
FIGURE 1i - Unidentified sp. - Estancia Laguna Blanca, Departamento San Pedro (Paul Smith October 2008).
FIGURE 1j - Unidentified sp. - Encarnación, Departamento Itapúa (Paul Smith November 2009).
FIGURE 1k - Unidentified sp. - Encarnación, Departamento Itapúa (Paul Smith November 2009).
FIGURE 1l - Unidentified sp. larva - PROCOSARA, PN San Rafael (David Gill March 2008).
FIGURE 2a

FIGURE 2a
FIGURE 2b

FIGURE 2b
FIGURE 2c

FIGURE 2c
FIGURE 2d

FIGURE 2d
Gallery 2 - Photos of Paraguayan specimens provided by Peter Cate with collection data
FIGURE 2a - Chalcolepidus limbatus - Departamento Caaguazú, SE J.R.Chavez, 14.2.2008.
FIGURE 2b - Cyathodera longicollis - Departamento Concepción, 120 km ENE Concepcion, 2.2.2008.
FIGURE 2c - Fulgeochlizus germari - Departamento Presidente Hayes, 90 km SE Filadelfia, 17.1.2008.
FIGURE 2d - Semiotus serraticornis - Departamento San Pedro, 5 km NW Nva. Germania, 8.2.2008