Clambidae is a family of beetles. They are known commonly as the minute beetlesMajka, C. G., & Langor, D. (2009). Clambidae (Coleoptera) of Atlantic Canada. Journal of the Acadian Entomological Society 5(7), 32-40. or the fringe-winged beetles.Clambidae. Integrated Taxonomic Information System (ITIS). They are found worldwide on every continent except Antarctica.
These are tiny beetles with bodies measuring 0.7 to 2mm in length. They are flattened to convex in shape and some can roll into a ball. Some are hairless, while some are quite hairy or scaly.Lawrence, J.F., et al. 2000 onwards. Clambidae. Elateriformia (Coleoptera): descriptions, illustrations, identification, and information retrieval for families and subfamilies. Version 9 October 2005. The margins of the wings are lined with long hairs.
Clambids commonly feed on fungi.
The family is divided into 5 genera and about 70 described species. The largest and most widespread genus is Clambus, which occurs around the world. The genus Sphaerothorax is found in Australia and New Zealand.Endrödy-Younga, S. (1990). Clambidae of New Zealand (Coleoptera: Eucinetoidea). New Zealand Journal of Zoology 17(1), 119-36. Acalyptomerus is circumtropical.Endrödy-Younga, S. (1998). Acalyptomerus Crowson: the circumtropical genus of the family Clambidae (Coleoptera: Clambidae). Koleopterologische Rundschau 68, 199-203. The latter two genera have undergone long term morphological stasis, with fossils identifiable to both genera being known from the 99 million year old Burmese amber. The oldest records of the group are the extinct genera Eoclambus and Ptisma from the Barremian aged Lebanese amber.
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