Fiddleback beetle

Description:	Beetles belong to the largest order in the animal kingdom. These insects can be recognized by their armorlike wings, called elytra. Beetles are found almost everywhere and feed on all sorts of plant and animal material. They are known to eat leaves, bark, dung, wool, and other fabrics. Some beetles are considered serious pests, but others are valuable because they prey upon and help control harmful insects. Due to the unique shape of its body this beetle is known as a fiddleback beetle. There are many different types of beetle in the world. In fact, the biological order called Coleoptera, which contains beetles, is the largest group in the animal kingdom. If someone were to place every single type of animal and plant in a line, every fifth one would be a beetle. The naturalist J.B.S. Haldane was once asked what he might infer about the Creator, based on his wide ranging study of life on earth. Haldane replied the creator must have had “an inordinate fondness for beetles” based on the sheer number and variety of these creatures.
Source:	http://www.digitalindy.org/cdm/ref/collection/tcm/id/2109
Collection:	The Children's Museum of Indianapolis
Rights:	https://creativecommons.org/licenses/by-sa/3.0/;
Copyright:	Creative Commons (CC By-SA 3.0);
Subjects:	Insects Beetles

Further information on this record can be found at its source.