Zopherinae

Zopherinae is a subfamily of beetles, commonly known as ironclad beetles. Together with the subfamily Usechinae, they have been treated historically as a family, but have recently been joined by several additional taxa, making the Zopheridae a much larger composite family, and the Zopherinae are now only a small component within it, consisting of seven genera in the tribe Zopherini and one, Phellopsis in its own tribe (Phellopsini).

Ironclad beetles
Ironclad beetle, Zopherus nodulosus haldemani
Scientific classification
Domain:	Eukaryota
Kingdom:	Animalia
Phylum:	Arthropoda
Class:	Insecta
Order:	Coleoptera
Suborder:	Polyphaga
Infraorder:	Cucujiformia
Family:	Zopheridae
Subfamily:	Zopherinae Solier, 1834
Tribes[1]
Latometini Ślipiński and Lawrence, 1999 Monommatini Blanchard, 1845 Phellopsini Ślipiński and Lawrence, 1999 Pycnomerini Erichson, 1845 Usechini Horn, 1867 Zopherini Solier, 1834

These beetles are apparently fungivores and associated with rotting wood, and as the common name implies, have one of the hardest of all arthropod exoskeletons; in some species, it is almost impossible to drive an insect pin through their bodies without using a small drill to make a hole first.

When disturbed, ironclad beetles play dead.

Some species in the genus Zopherus in Mexico are decorated with costume jewelry glued to their bodies, and sold as living brooches, known as ma'kech.^[2]

Selected species

• Genus Phellopsis LeConte, 1862

Phellopsis montana Casey, 1907

Phellopsis obcordata (Kirby, 1837)

Phellopsis porcata

Phellopsis robustula Casey, 1907

• Genus Nosoderma Solier, 1841

Nosoderma aequale

Nosoderma diabolicum (LeConte, 1851)

Nosoderma exsculptum

Nosoderma guatemalense

Nosoderma inaequale

Nosoderma plicatum (LeConte, 1859)

Nosoderma sylvaticum

Nosoderma zunilense

• Genus Zopherus Laporte, 1840

Zopherus championi Triplehorn, 1972

Zopherus chilensis

Zopherus concolor LeConte, 1851

Zopherus elegans Horn, 1870

Zopherus gracilis Horn, 1867

Zopherus granicollis Horn, 1885

Zopherus jansoni

Zopherus jourdani

Zopherus laevicollis

Zopherus nervosus

Zopherus nodulosus Solier, 1841

Zopherus opacus Horn, 1867

Zopherus sanctaehelenae (Blaisdell, 1931)

Zopherus tristis LeConte, 1851

Zopherus uteanus (Casey, 1907)

Zopherus xestus Triplehorn, 1972