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Zophobas
Genus of beetles From Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia
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Zophobas is a genus of beetles in the family Tenebrionidae, the darkling beetles.[1][2] They occur in the Americas, from the Neotropics into southernmost United States.[2] In Cuba beetles of this genus are known as blind click-beetles.[3]
Perhaps the best known species is Zophobas morio, synonymously known as Zophobas atratus, a beetle whose larvae are robust mealworms sold as food for pets[4] such as lizards. The larvae are known commonly as "superworms".[5] Superworms should not be confused with darkling beetle mealworms sprayed with juvenile hormone.[6] Studies have found that in the wild the larvae sometimes live in bat guano, and they tend to cannibalize the pupae of their own species.[7] Researchers have discovered that the larvae can subsist on a diet solely of polystyrene (Styrofoam).[8]
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Species
Species include:[3]
- Zophobas morio
- Zophobas batavorum
- Zophobas laticollis
- Zophobas rugipes
References
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