histerid

plural histerids

1. biologyAny of the numerous beetles in the family Histeridae; a clown beetle.

   Histerids are scavengers and predators in decomposing organic material such as animal carcasses.

   2004, David P. Rees, Insects of Stored Products, CSIRO Publishing, page 72

   2 more examples

   Later, mostly in the 1950s, eight more histerid species were imported into Hawaii to attack the horn fly, of which four became established, including Pachylister caffer (Erichson) (Legner, 1978; Funasaki et al, 1988).

   1999, K. S. Hagen, N. J. Mills, G. Gordh, J. A. McMurtry, “16. Terrestrial Arthropod Predators of Insect and Mite Pests”, in T. W. Fisher, Thomas S. Bellows, L. E. Caltagirone, D. L. Dahlsten, Carl B. Huffaker, G. Gordh, editors, Handbook of Biological Control, Academic Press, page 447

   Histerids are mainly predators of soft-bodied insect larvae and eggs, particularly those of cyclorraphan^([sic – meaning cyclorrhaphan]) Diptera.

   2001, Peter W. Kovarik, Michael S. Caterino, “Family 15. HISTERIDAE Gyllenhal, 1808”, in Ross H. Arnett Jr., Michael C. Thomas, editors, American Beetles, Volume 1, CRC Press, page 216

   Synonyms: clown beetle, hister beetle