Mordellidae

Mordellidae
Temporal range: Middle Jurassic–Recent
Mordella aculeata; note the "pintail"
Scientific classification Edit this classification
Domain: Eukaryota
Kingdom: Animalia
Phylum: Arthropoda
Class: Insecta
Order: Coleoptera
Suborder: Polyphaga
Infraorder: Cucujiformia
Superfamily: Tenebrionoidea
Family: Mordellidae
Latreille, 1802
Subfamilies
Synonyms

Liaoximordellidae

The Mordellidae are a family of beetles commonly known as tumbling flower beetles for the typical irregular movements they make when escaping predators, or as pintail beetles due to their abdominal tip which aids them in performing these tumbling movements.[citation needed] Worldwide, there are about 1500 species.[1]

  1. ^ Michael A. Ivie (2002). "Mordellidae". In Ross H. Arnett & Michael Charles Thomas (ed.). Polyphaga: Scarabaeoidea through Curculionoidea. American Beetles. Vol. 2. CRC Press. ISBN 978-0-8493-0954-0.