RhipiceridaeFeather-horned Beetle (Rhipicera carinata) Feather-horned Beetle (Rhipicera femorata)

The family Rhipiceridae include seven genera (at time of writing, May 2023), which contain two subfamilies Rhipicerinae and Sandalinae. Australian genera/species are in the subfamily Rhipicerinae. Whilst there are four genus, Atlas of Living Australia identify two of these (Oligorhipis and Rhipicera) include species found in Australia.3

Feather-horned Beetle (Rhipicera carinata), Carine bushland/wetland WA © Michelle Dreher
Feather-horned Beetle (Rhipicera carinata), Carine bushland/wetland WA © Michelle Dreher

CSIRO Entomology (at time of writing May 2023), say the following…

This small family has not been well studied in Australia and as a result little is known of their biology and ecology. There are only 6 species of Rhipiceridae in Australia and all belong to the genus Rhipicera. Adults range in size from 10 to 25 millimetres in length and can be recognised by their large fan-like antennae. The antennae of males are unusual in that they have more than 20 segments and arise from small knob-like prominences. Most species are grey-black in colour with white spots on the elytra and pronotum, formed by patches of hair.

Source: RHIPICERIDAE – CSIRO Entomology4
Feather-horned Beetle (Rhipicera femorata), Southern Fleurieu Peninsula SA © Nomes Naomi Betts
Feather-horned Beetle (Rhipicera femorata), Southern Fleurieu Peninsula SA © Nomes Naomi Betts
  • Scientific classification
  • Kingdom: Animalia
  • Phylum: Arthropoda
  • Subphylum: Hexapoda
  • Class: Insecta
  • Subclass: Pterygota
  • Order: Coleoptera
  • Suborder: Polyphaga
  • Infraorder: Elateriformia
  • Superfamily: Dascilloidea
  • Family: Rhipiceridae
  • Genus: Rhipicera Latreille, 1817
  • Subgenus:

Footnote & References

  1. Photographs © Michelle Dreher
  2. Photographs © Nomes Naomi Betts
  3. Rhipiceridae, Atlas of Living Australia, https://bie.ala.org.au/species/https://biodiversity.org.au/afd/taxa/af43b6eb-c5c7-4366-84d5-51d10d615546
  4. RHIPICERIDAE – CSIRO Entomology, https://www.ento.csiro.au/education/insects/coleoptera_families/rhipiceridae.html
  5. Australasian Beetles Only, Facebook group, https://www.facebook.com/groups/1180404322409639/
  6. Rhipicera Latreille, 1817, Atlas of Living Australia, https://bie.ala.org.au/species/https://biodiversity.org.au/afd/taxa/6c9af27e-1280-4158-96af-efac8e6ccbdf

RhipiceridaeFeather-horned Beetle (Rhipicera carinata) Feather-horned Beetle (Rhipicera femorata)

ColeopteraColeoptera Index Amarygmus sp Anoplognathus sp Christmas Beetle (Anoplognathus macleayi) Anoplognathus porosus Aphanestes gymnopleura Buprestidae More Buprestidae Jewel Beetles Astraeus Calodema plebeia Castiarina Cyrioides Diadoxus Diphucrania Julodimorpha saundersii Melobasis Merimna atrata Metaxymorpha gloriosa Stigmodera Temognatha Torresita cuprifera Carphurus Carphurus Index Carphurus cyaneipennis Carphurus fasciculatus Carphurus frenchi Carphurus longicollis Carphurus pravus Cerambycidae Didymocantha obliqua Pachydissus sp Rhytiphora Coleoptera (Beetles) Chrysomelidae (Leaf Beetles) Chrysomelidae Index Johannica gemellata (Pandorea Leaf Beetle) Pittosporum Leaf Beetle (Lamprolina impressicollis) Curculionidae Chrysolopus spectabilis (Botany Bay Diamond Weevil) Lixus Perperus lateralis (White-striped Weevil) Dung Beetle Eretes australis Helea scaphiformis Hydrophilus Ladybirds (Beetles) Australoneda bourgeoisi Coccinella transversalis Cryptolaemus montrouzieri Harmonia conformis Olla v-nigrum Orcus australasiae Lepidiota Lucanidae Lamprima aurata Prosopocoilus torresensis Neospades sp Lycidae Omorgus Paropsine Beetle Paropsis maculata Paropsis porosa Paropsis sospita Paropsisterna sp Paropsisterna beata Paropsisterna m-fuscum Paropsisterna pictipes Phorticosomus sp Protaetia fusca Pterohelaeus sp Rhipiceridae Feather-horned Beetle (Rhipicera carinata) Feather-horned Beetle (Rhipicera femorata) Scarabaeidae Scarabaeinae (Dung Beetles) Xylophilostenus octophyllus

InsectsBees Beetles Blattodea Butterflies Coleoptera Cicada Crabronidae Diptera Dragonflies & Damselflies Formicidae Hemiptera Heteroptera Moths Orthoptera Orthopteroid Processionary Caterpillar Stink Bugs, Shield Bugs and Allies Wasps Water Scorpion (Laccotrephes tristis) Witchetty Grub