| Austrospirachtha carrijoi | |
|---|---|
Scientific classification  | |
| Kingdom: | Animalia |
| Phylum: | Arthropoda |
| Class: | Insecta |
| Order: | Coleoptera |
| Suborder: | Polyphaga |
| Infraorder: | Staphyliniformia |
| Family: | Staphylinidae |
| Genus: | Austrospirachtha |
| Species: | A. carrijoi |
| Binomial name | |
| Austrospirachtha carrijoi Zilberman & Pires-Silva, 2023 | |
Austrospirachtha carrijoi is a species of rove beetle that is native to northern Australia. It has an enlarged abdomen that extends over its entire body and that appears remarkably like a termite, and uses that disguise to steal food from true termites. [1] [2]
The type species of the genus, A. mimetes, also has an elongated abdomen that is bent over the body with appendages that give it a termite like appearance. They are thought to live within the nests of termites of the genus Nasutitermes. [3]
