Tropical Flat Bark Tiger Beetle vs Flat Oak Borer
Side-by-side species comparison
| Attribute | Tropical Flat Bark Tiger Beetle | Flat Oak Borer |
|---|---|---|
| Scientific Name | Tricondyla aptera | Smodicum cucujiforme |
| Order | Coleoptera | Coleoptera |
| Family | Carabidae | Cerambycidae |
| Size | 12-18 mm | 7-12 mm |
| Habitat | Forests | Woodlands |
| Diet | Predators | Wood Feeders |
| Regions | Southeast Asia (Philippines, Indonesia, Malaysia) | Eastern North America |
| Conservation | Least Concern | Least Concern |
Tropical Flat Bark Tiger Beetle
A bizarre, ant-like tiger beetle with an extremely elongated body, narrow waist, and long legs. It hunts on tree bark in Southeast Asian rainforests and is completely flightless.
Did You Know?
Its ant-like body shape with a constricted waist is thought to be Batesian mimicry of large ants, allowing it to approach ant prey without being recognized as a predator.
Flat Oak Borer
An unusually flat, reddish-brown cerambycid that breeds under the bark of dead oaks in North America. Its flattened body allows it to navigate the tight spaces between bark and sapwood. Adults are nocturnal and attracted to lights.
Did You Know?
Its body is so flat that it was originally described as a member of Cucujidae, the flat bark beetle family.