Family overview
Very short elytra exposing most of the long, flexible abdomen — often raised when alarmed, scorpion-like. Predatory.
Second largest beetle family. Predators in leaf litter — important decomposer-community regulators.
At a glance
Family facts.
Distribution
Worldwide
Habitat
Terrestrial · Soil
Approx. species
64,000
Notable members
Devil's coach horse beetle, hairy rove beetle