Baranowskiella ehnstromi
From Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia
| Baranowskiella ehnstromi | |
|---|---|
| Scientific classification | |
| Domain: | Eukaryota |
| Kingdom: | Animalia |
| Phylum: | Arthropoda |
| Class: | Insecta |
| Order: | Coleoptera |
| Suborder: | Polyphaga |
| Infraorder: | Staphyliniformia |
| Family: | Ptiliidae |
| Genus: | Baranowskiella |
| Species: | B. ehnstromi |
| Binomial name | |
| Baranowskiella ehnstromi Sörensson, 1997 | |
Baranowskiella ehnstromi is the smallest known beetle in Europe.[1] It lives only in the pores of the bracket fungus Phellinus conchatus, which grows on Salix caprea,[2] and Phellinus punctatus, which grows on various deciduous trees.[1] Its length is ca. 0.45–0.55 millimetres (0.018–0.022 in) and its width about 0.1 millimetres (0.0039 in).[2]
The beetle has been observed in Sweden, Finland, Austria,[2] Norway,[1] and the Czech Republic.[3] It was first described, along with the whole genus Baranowskiella, in 1997 by Ptiliidae specialist Mikael Sörensson and named after entomologists Rickard Baranowski and Bengt Ehnström. The beetle has a simple sound producing organ. It can fly and its diet consists of fungi spores.[2]