and detritus feeders. Some species can be found in

very large numbers in habitats such as riverbank

vegetation, reed litter, refuse under haystacks, or

the housing of domestic animals such as chickens

and pigs. Several, such as Stricticomus tobias,

Omonadus formicarius, and Omonadus floralis, are

“tramp species” that have been shipped around

much of the world with human trade. Other

species such as Anthicus watarasensis and Cyclodinus

salinus are rare or endangered in parts of their

range, being associated with scattered and

declining seaside habitats such as shingle banks

and salt marshes. The subfamily Notoxinae are

characterized by a hornlike projection of the

can be attracted in large

numbers to dead Meloidae adults

or artificial cantharidin sources,

and they have also been observed

harassing adults of Oedemeridae to

make them produce droplets of defensive

cantharidin, which the anthicids then

quickly consume. It is thought the anthicids

use the chemical in their own mating,

passing it to the females as a “nuptial

gift” and defense for the eggs

right | Anthelephila cyanea

An abundant species in

the Asian tropics, on a

forest leaf in Singapore.

thorax that covers the head from above.

In the tropics, Anthicidae can be larger, but still

rarely exceed 1 cm. Some tropical species live in the

rainforest canopy and are brightly colored. Some

of the largest Anthicidae relatives are in the genus

Ischalia, which is now usually placed in a family of

its own, the Ischaliidae, or at least as the subfamily

Ischaliinae within anthicids. Ischalia are flattened

beetles distributed, rather strangely, in Asia and

North America. Many are metallic blue, and

several, especially in east Asia, have lost the ability

to fly. A new flightless species, Ischalia akaishi, was

recently described from high in the Akaishi

Mountains of Honshu, Japan.