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Florissant, but only a single species of the
related Lampyridae (fireflies). The fossil
firefly would be the oldest of this family,
but its identity is uncertain (Grimaldi and
Engel, 2005). The remaining beetle
families are principally phytophagous
(plant-feeding), but make up nearly half
of all living beetle species. Some are
brightly colored, like the Coccinellidae
(ladybirds), of which a handful of
species occur at Florissant, and the leaf
beetles (Chrysomelidae), with a few
dozen Florissant species. The weevils
(Curculioinidae), with their distinctive
long snouts, occur in great profusion at
Florissant; they would have actively
chewed their way through the plants of
the Florissant forest. Distinctive, large
beetles of the forest, whose larvae bore
into wood are the long-horned beetles
(Cerambycidae,
240
). A couple of dozen
species have been described.
239
240
240 Long-horned beetle Coleoptera:
Cerambycidae; cerambycid larvae bore
into wood to feed NHM. Body length
21 mm 0.8 in.
239 The rove beetle Staphylinus vetulus
Coleoptera: Staphylinidae; note the short
elytra and long abdomen YPM. Length
22 mm 0.9 in.
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