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Devil's coach horse beetle

Ocypus olens

Description:

It is a long-bodied beetle. At about 25–28 millimetres (1.0–1.1 in). Its wing covers (elytra) are short covering only its thorax, exposing the abdominal segments. The abdominal musculature is powerful and the abdominal segments are covered with sclerotized plates. It is capable of flight but its wings are rarely used. It is covered with fine black hairs. It is well known for its habit of raising its long and uncovered abdomen and opening its jaws, rather like a scorpion when threatened. This explains one of its alternative names, the cock-tail beetle. Although it has no sting, it can give a painful bite with its strong pincer-like jaws. It also emits a foul smelling odour, as a defensive secretion, from a pair of white glands at the end of its abdomen. (wikipedia)

1 Species ID Suggestions

Salvi
Salvi 12 years ago
Asnillo, The Devil's coach-horse beetle
Ocypus olens (Staphylinidae)


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2 Comments

Noe and Pili
Noe and Pili 12 years ago

Thanks for another ID, Salvi :)

AlexKonig
AlexKonig 12 years ago

much much better quality than mine: i suspect i have the same one ( http://www.projectnoah.org/spottings/718... ), had your also a defense-position/pose ?? tell me if you get an id , i know those bugs already longer but dont know the id.

Noe and Pili
Spotted by
Noe and Pili

Conil de la Frontera, Andalucía, Spain

Spotted on Nov 16, 2011
Submitted on Jan 29, 2012

Spotted for Mission

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http://it.wikipedia.org/wiki/Ocypus_olens Devil's coach horse beetle Rove beetle Head Devil's Coach-horse

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