Frigate Island Giant Tenebrionid Beetle vs Round Sand Beetle

Side-by-side species comparison

Attribute Frigate Island Giant Tenebrionid Beetle Round Sand Beetle
Scientific Name Polposipus herculeanus Omophron limbatum
Order Coleoptera Coleoptera
Family Tenebrionidae Carabidae
Size 2-3.5 cm 5-7 mm
Habitat Woodlands Ponds & Lakes
Diet Wood Feeders Predators
Regions Seychelles Europe, North Africa, western Asia
Conservation Critically Endangered Least Concern

Frigate Island Giant Tenebrionid Beetle

A large flightless darkling beetle endemic to Frigate Island in the Seychelles. It shelters under bark and in dead wood during the day.

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Did You Know?

Its entire wild population is restricted to a single island less than 2 square kilometers in size.

Round Sand Beetle

A highly distinctive, nearly circular ground beetle with a domed shape and striking pattern of pale yellow with dark green bands. It burrows in wet sand near water.

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Did You Know?

Its nearly spherical body shape is unique among ground beetles and allows it to burrow rapidly into wet sand to escape predators or floods.