| Alaus | |
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| Alaus oculatus | |
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| Alaus zunianus | |
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| Genus: | Alaus Eschscholtz, 1829 |
Alaus is a genus of click beetle belonging to the family Elateridae. Unlike many click beetles, Alaus larvae are completely predatory.
Elateridae or click beetles are a family of beetles. Other names include elaters, snapping beetles, spring beetles or skipjacks. This family was defined by William Elford Leach (1790–1836) in 1815. They are a cosmopolitan beetle family characterized by the unusual click mechanism they possess. There are a few other families of Elateroidea in which a few members have the same mechanism, but most elaterid subfamilies can click. A spine on the prosternum can be snapped into a corresponding notch on the mesosternum, producing a violent "click" that can bounce the beetle into the air. Clicking is mainly used to avoid predation, although it is also useful when the beetle is on its back and needs to right itself. There are about 9300 known species worldwide, and 965 valid species in North America.
The violet click beetle is a black beetle, 12 mm (0.5 in) long, with a faint blue/violet reflection. It gets its name from the family habit of springing upwards with an audible click if it falls on its back. It occurs in Europe.
Pyrophorus is a genus of click beetle. They are one of several genera in the tribe Pyrophorini, all of which are bioluminescent. Their bioluminescence is similar to that of another group of beetles, the fireflies, although click beetles do not flash, but remain constantly glowing. They have two luminescent spots at the posterior corners of the pronotum, and another brighter light organ on the most-anterior surface of the ventral abdomen. This light organ is even brighter and can only be seen when in flight. Bioluminescent click beetles are found throughout tropical, subtropical and temperate America. Species from Texas, Florida, Puerto Rico, and Cuba are now in different genera in the tribe Pyrophorini, such as Deilelater and Ignelater.
Abelater is a genus of click beetles, family Elateridae.
Alaus oculatus, commonly called the eastern eyed click beetle or eyed elater, is a species of click beetle.
Semiotus is a genus of beetle belonging to the family Elateridae. It includes about 85 large sized (14–48 mm) and colourful click beetles with bright integument. The colouration is usually yellow with longitudinal black, orange or reddish stripes. The Neotropical genus occurs from Mexico to Argentina and Chile.
Calais is a genus of click beetle belonging to the family Elateridae and the subfamily Agrypninae.
Pheletes is a genus of click beetle belonging to the family Elateridae.
Cardiophorus is a genus of click beetles.
Agrypnini is a tribe of click beetles in the family Elateridae.
Agrypninae is a subfamily of click beetles in the family Elateridae. There are at least 130 genera and more than 430 described species in Agrypninae.
The Pyrophorini are a New World taxonomic tribe within the Elateridae subfamily Agrypninae. Pyrophorini is a tribe of bioluminescent beetles, and includes such genera as Pyrophorus and Ignelater.
The Euplinthini form an accepted taxonomic tribe within the Elateridae subfamily Agrypninae.
The Oophorini form an accepted taxonomic tribe within the Elateridae subfamily Agrypninae.
Ampedus is a genus of click beetles in the family Elateridae. There are currently 461 recognized species of Ampedus beetles. It has a cosmopolitan distribution, but is found mostly in the Holarctic region, primarily in North America, Europe, and Asia. The oldest known fossil from this genus was found in Eocene Baltic amber, estimated to be from 38.0 to 33.9 million years ago.
Gambrinus is a genus of click beetles in the family Elateridae, most of which were formerly included in the genus Limonius.
Tetralimonius is a genus of click beetles in the family Elateridae, formerly included in the genus Limonius.
Drasterius sulcatulus, is a species of click beetle found in India, Nepal, Pakistan, Sri Lanka, UAE and Oman.
Dipropus is a genus of click beetles in the family Elateridae. There are around 150 described species in Dipropus, found in North, Central, and South America.
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