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Thanatophilus dispar · neporinis maitvabalis

ukbeetles.co.uk/thanatophilus-dispar

A widespread Palaearctic species extending east through Russia to Central Asia, Siberia and China; it occurs sporadically in Central and Northern Europe but is absent from the Iberian Peninsula and much of the Mediterranean region although it is present in Northern Italy. Through most of the European range it is very local and rare, becoming locally common only in the Baltic region where it extends to the far north of Norway and Sweden.

The typical habitat is wetland margins with patchy vegetation, often beside larger ponds and lakes on light sandy, gravelly or limestone substrates, in northern Europe also on beaches, salt marshes and maritime grassland. The species develops in carrion, often dead fish washed up onto the shore, but also on mammal and bird carcasses, otherwise the adults, which are mostly nocturnal, occur under stones or matted vegetation etc. Adults are active between March and October and peak in abundance during June; it is also likely they overwinter as they have been recorded from moss and leaf-litter during January and February. They are mostly nocturnal.

Elytra with extensive pubescence and without a small shoulder. tooth.