Bostrichidae

The Bostrichidae are a family of beetles with more than 700 described species. They are commonly called auger beetles, false powderpost beetles, or horned powderpost beetles.

Anatomy

The head of most auger beetles cannot be seen from above, as it is downwardly directed and hidden by the thorax. Exceptions are the powderpost beetles, and members of the subfamily Psoinae. Bostrychoplites cornutus has large, distinctive thoracic horns, and is found in parts of Africa and Arabia; it is often imported to Europe as larvae in African wooden bowls .

Fossils

The fossil record of the family extends to the Cretaceous, with the oldest records being from the Cenomanian aged Charentese and Burmese ambers, belonging to the extant genus Stephanopachys and the extant subfamilies Dinoderinae and Polycaoninae.

Selected species

This list is incomplete:

Amphicerus cornutus
Apate terebrans
Lichenophanes bicornis
Prostephanus truncatus
Xylobiops basilaris

;Species found in Australia

Dinoderus minutus
Lyctus brunneus
Lyctus discedens Blackburn
Lyctus parallelocollis Blackburn
Mesoxylion collaris
Mesoxylion cylindricus
Minthea rugicollis
Rhyzopertha dominica - lesser grain borer
Sinoxylon anale
Xylion cylindricus Macleay
Xylobosca bispinosa
Xylodeleis obsipa Germar
Xylopsocus gibbicollis
Xylothrips religiosus
Xylotillus lindi

Species found in New Zealand

Euderia squamosa Broun, 1880
Dinoderus minutus
Rhyzopertha sp.
Lyctus brunneus

;Species found in the United Kingdom

Bostrichus capucinus
Bostrychoplites cornutus
Lyctus cavicollis
Lyctus linearis
Lyctus planicollis
Lyctus sinensis
Stephanopachys substriatus
Trogoxylon parallelopipedum

;Fossil species

†Discoclavata dominicana Poinar Jr., 2013