European Glow-Worm Click Beetle vs Paroster Subterranean Beetle

Side-by-side species comparison

Attribute European Glow-Worm Click Beetle Paroster Subterranean Beetle
Scientific Name Phosphaenus hemipterus Paroster macrosturtensis
Order Coleoptera Coleoptera
Family Lampyridae Dytiscidae
Size 6-10 mm 2-3 mm
Habitat Underground Deserts & Drylands
Diet Predators Omnivores
Regions Europe Australia
Conservation Least Concern Data Deficient

European Glow-Worm Click Beetle

A small European firefly with reduced wings in the male and completely wingless females. Both sexes produce faint bioluminescence.

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Did You Know?

Males walk along the ground rather than flying, making them one of the few fireflies where males cannot fly at all.

Paroster Subterranean Beetle

A blind subterranean diving beetle from groundwater calcretes in the Western Australian arid zone. It is completely depigmented and lacks functional eyes.

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Did You Know?

Multiple species of subterranean Paroster have evolved independently in isolated aquifers.