Zopherus nodulosus
Zopherus nodulosus
Their exoskeleton is so incredibly dense and tough that entomologists often have to use a heavy-duty drill to penetrate the shell when preparing specimens for museum collections.
- Scientific name
- Zopherus nodulosus
- Taxonomy
- Animalia › Arthropoda › Insecta › Coleoptera › Zopheridae › Zopherus
- IUCN Red List status
- Least Concern
- Population trend
- stable
- Biome
- forest
- Habitat
- Oak woodlands, hardwood forests, and areas with abundant dead or decaying timber.
- Diet
- Lichens, fungi, and decaying wood matter.
- Range
- United States, Texas, Mexico
- Size
- 1.5 to 2.5 cm (0.6 to 1.0 inches) in length
- Lifespan
- 1 to 2 years
- Active
- nocturnal
- Threats
- Habitat fragmentation, widespread removal of dead standing trees (snags), and heavy pesticide applications in wooded areas.
- Safe to approach?
- Harmless. The Texas ironclad beetle cannot bite, sting, or spray toxins. If handled or threatened, it will perform thanatosis (playing dead) by tucking in its legs and remaining perfectly still. You can safely observe or gently hold this beetle. Do not attempt to squeeze or step on it; while its shell is incredibly tough, unnecessary pressure can still harm its internal organs.
Zopherus is a genus of beetles comprising 19 species. They live in the Americas and are adapted to wood-boring. Some species are used as living brooches.
Photo: Matt Muir, CC-BY, via iNaturalist
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