Australian Biological Resources Study

Australian Faunal Directory

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Family SILPHIDAE


Compiler and date details

W.W.K. Houston, Australian Biological Resources Study, Canberra, Australian Capital Territory, Australia

Introduction

The Silphidae, a family of fairly large beetles up to 30 mm long, are commonly known as the large carrion beetles or burying beetles. The adults bury corpses of small animals by excavating the soil beneath them. The females lay the eggs in the tunnels and larvae may be fed by the female on carrion or associated fly larvae. Some species may feed on snails and others on caterpillars and crops.

The world fauna, which is predominantly Holarctic in distribution and abundance, comprises some 175 species in 15 genera. The world fauna was last reviewed by Portevin (1926), the Australian fauna by Lawrence & Britton (1994) and the Australasian fauna by Peck (2001). There are two Australasian subfamilies: the Nicrophorinae which is not known from Australia, and the Silphinae which includes three species in two genera known from Australia. Little is known of the biology of the three Australian species but most specimens are found in the moist forest regions of Australia within 300 km of the coast.

 

History of changes

Note that this list may be incomplete for dates prior to September 2013.
Published As part of group Action Date Action Type Compiler(s)
01-Jul-2020 07-May-2015 MODIFIED
12-Feb-2010 (import)