Maltese Freshwater Crab Spider Beetle vs Malaysian Trilobite Beetle

Side-by-side species comparison

Attribute Maltese Freshwater Crab Spider Beetle Malaysian Trilobite Beetle
Scientific Name Akis spinosa Platerodrilus ruficollis
Order Coleoptera Coleoptera
Family Tenebrionidae Lycidae
Size 18-25 mm 40-80 mm females, 8-10 mm males
Habitat Underground Woodlands
Diet Herbivores Wood Feeders
Regions Malta, Mediterranean Islands Southeast Asia (Malaysia, Borneo, Sumatra, Indonesia)
Conservation Not Evaluated Least Concern

Maltese Freshwater Crab Spider Beetle

A spiny darkling beetle found on Malta and other Mediterranean islands. It has prominent ridges and spines along its elytra.

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Did You Know?

Its spiny armor and habit of playing dead make it unappealing to most predators.

Malaysian Trilobite Beetle

A bizarre beetle whose larviform females retain a flat, segmented larval appearance throughout life, resembling ancient trilobites. Males are small, winged, and conventionally beetle-shaped.

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Did You Know?

The flat, armored female looks so unlike a typical beetle that it was originally described as a separate species from the male.