Red and Black Rove Beetle vs North American Eosentomid

Side-by-side species comparison

Attribute Red and Black Rove Beetle North American Eosentomid
Scientific Name Paederus riparius Eosentomon vermiforme
Order Coleoptera Protura
Family Staphylinidae Eosentomidae
Size 7-10 mm 0.8-1.4 mm
Habitat Rivers & Streams Forests
Diet Omnivores Omnivores
Regions Europe, Asia, Africa North America
Conservation Least Concern Not Evaluated

Red and Black Rove Beetle

A small but notorious rove beetle with a red thorax and abdomen and blue-black elytra. Its hemolymph contains pederin, a potent blistering toxin.

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Did You Know?

Crushing this beetle on skin causes painful blistering dermatitis known as Paederus dermatitis.

North American Eosentomid

A worm-like proturan found in forest soils of eastern North America. It has a slender elongate body and no trace of eyes.

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Did You Know?

Its species name vermiforme means worm-shaped, reflecting the extremely elongate body plan shared by all proturans.