Tooth-necked Fungus Beetles of Berrien County, Michigan

The tooth-necked fungus beetles (Family Derodontidae) are a small family of minute beetles (Order Coleoptera) that are, as the common name implies, closely associate with fungi. Of the 4 genera and approximately 10-19 species known worldwide, 3 genera and 7-8 species are found in the U.S. and Canada, including 2 genera (and species) known from Ontario. Two genera are likely to occur in Berkeley County (see below).

In the following list of genera thought likely to occur in Berrien County, numerical notations in parentheses are used to indicate the known geographic distribution of each genus, where (0) denotes widespread distribution and (1a) denotes distribution throughout the northeastern U.S. from Maine to Illinois and Wisconsin (following Arnett 1993), and (4) denotes occurrence in Ontario (following Bright in Bousquet 1991). Numbers in brackets are the number of known North American genera and species (within families) and species (within genera).

Family Derodontidae (tooth-necked fungus beetles) [3 & 7]:

Derodontus sp. (0,4) [2]

D. maculatus (1a)

Laricobius sp. (1,4) [4]

Last revised 03/17/09.