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Margarinotus (Paralister) ventralis and Poecilochirus carabi
Margarinotus (Paralister) ventralis is approx 6 mm long and 4 mm wide. This beetle has a rounded shape and is uniformly black with well separated lines of studded holes on the elytra. The shortened elytra leave two of the seven tergites exposed. The antennae are angled and clubbed. On the pictures especially on the 5th there a mite walking over that beetle. This mites ( Poecilochirus carabi ) develop a symbiotic carrier (Phoresy) with many other coleoptera species: Nicrophorus investigator, Nicrophorus vespillo, Agrilinus ater, Melinopterus consputus, Anotylus sculpturatus, Thinodromus arcuatus, Margarinotus ventralis, Agonum emarginatum, and feed on diptera egs.
Beetle can be found in many various habitats, but also in dung, carcases and decomposing fungi. I have spotted on the meadow. Same habitat is preferred by mites too.
Beetle is formerly known as Paralister carbonarius. ID with help of this site: http://coleoptera.ksib.pl/kfp/search.php... ; mites info more here: http://www.commanster.eu/commanster/Inve...
Spotted on Jun 3, 2013
Submitted on Jun 3, 2013
4 Comments
Tnx ;)
Good info.
Yes they are, but it lives somehow in a symbiotic relation with them (Phoresy), will add further info about it now ;)
Those mites are pretty big for that beetle.