Taxonomy
- Kingdom: Animalia
- Phylum: Arthropoda
- Class: Insecta
- Order: Coleoptera
- Family: Silphidae (carrion beetles)
- Subfamily: Nicrophorinae
- Genus: Nicrophorus – the burying beetles
- Species: Nicrophorus guttula
Authority: Described by Victor Motschulsky in 1845.
Synonyms (selected)
- Necrophorus guttula Motschulsky, 1845 (original spelling)
- Necrophorus auripilosus Eschscholtz, 1845 (nomen nudum)
- Necrophorus hecate Bland, 1865 (misapplied)
- Nicrophorus guttula punctostriatus Pierce, 1949
Common name: Burying beetle (no widely used vernacular name specific to this species).
Description
Nicrophorus guttula is a member of the burying beetles, a group that exploits small vertebrate carcasses for reproduction. Adult body length reaches approximately 20 mm. Like other Nicrophorus spp., it possesses distinctive elytral markings and clubbed antennae adapted for detecting carrion odors. Detailed morphological characters are recorded in taxonomic catalogues (Sikes, Madge & Newton 2002).
Distribution
The species is known from western North America:
- Canada: southwestern provinces (e.g., British Columbia)
- United States: western states, including Montana, California, Arizona, Utah, Washington, and other contiguous regions
- Mexico: Baja California
Geographic records are compiled in regional checklists (Blackwelder 1944; Bousquet et al. 2011). Occurrence data have been modelled for habitat suitability, indicating a preference for temperate habitats where carrion resources are available (Sikes et al., 2022 niche‑modelling study).
Ecology and behavior
As a burying beetle, N. guttula locates small dead vertebrates, removes fur or feathers, and buries the carcass to serve as a food source for its larvae. Both male and female provide parental care, feeding the developing offspring by regurgitation. The species is coprophagous (feeds on decaying organic matter) and can host phoretic mites that attach to adults during transport to carcasses.
Conservation status
No specific conservation assessment has been published for N. guttula; it is not listed on major threatened‑species inventories. Its presence across a broad western range suggests it is currently stable, though localized population data are limited.
References
- Motschulsky, V. (1845). “Remarques sur la collection de Coléoptères russes.” Bulletin de la Société Impériale des Naturalistes de Moscou 18(1).
- Sikes, D.S., Madge, R.B., & Newton, A.F. (2002). “A catalog of the Nicrophorinae (Coleoptera: Silphidae) of the world.” Zootaxa 65: 1‑304. DOI:10.11646/zootaxa.65.1.1.
- Blackwelder, R.E. (1944). “Checklist of the coleopterous insects of México, Central America, The West Indies, and South America.”
- Bousquet, Y., et al. (2011). “Family‑group names in Coleoptera (Insecta).” ZooKeys 88: 1‑972.
This entry reflects information available from peer‑reviewed taxonomic literature, biodiversity databases (e.g., ITIS, GBIF), and reputable regional entomological sources.