Loading AI tools
Genus of beetles From Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia
Zophobas is a genus of beetles in the family Tenebrionidae, the darkling beetles.[1][2] They occur in the Americas, from the Neotropics into southernmost United States.[2] In Cuba beetles of this genus are known as blind click-beetles.[3]
Zophobas | |
---|---|
Zophobas morio | |
Scientific classification | |
Domain: | Eukaryota |
Kingdom: | Animalia |
Phylum: | Arthropoda |
Class: | Insecta |
Order: | Coleoptera |
Family: | Tenebrionidae |
Tribe: | Tenebrionini |
Genus: | Zophobas Blanchard, 1845 |
Species | |
See text |
Perhaps the best known species is Zophobas morio, synonymously known as Zophobas atratus, a beetle whose larvae are robust mealworms sold as food for pets[4] such as lizards. The larvae are known commonly as "superworms".[5] Superworms should not be confused with darkling beetle mealworms sprayed with juvenile hormone.[6] Studies have found that in the wild the larvae sometimes live in bat guano, and they tend to cannibalize the pupae of their own species.[7] Researchers have discovered that the larvae can subsist on a diet solely of polystyrene (Styrofoam).[8]
Species include:[3]
Seamless Wikipedia browsing. On steroids.
Every time you click a link to Wikipedia, Wiktionary or Wikiquote in your browser's search results, it will show the modern Wikiwand interface.
Wikiwand extension is a five stars, simple, with minimum permission required to keep your browsing private, safe and transparent.