Diet

• Adults: Likely feed primarily on fungi, decaying plant material and other organic matter, although the feeding biology of many Talanus species is poorly documented.

• Larvae: Presumably develop in decaying wood, leaf litter or other decomposing organic material, as is typical of many Stenochiinae.

• Because the biology of the genus is not well studied, specific food plants or substrates should not be assumed.

Range

• Talanus is a genus of darkling beetles (Tenebrionidae) in the subfamily Stenochiinae, tribe Talanini.

• It is occasionally sighted in Zihua, particularly in wooded habitats where dead wood, leaf litter and decomposing vegetation are available.

Habitat

• Associated with tropical dry forest, tropical deciduous forest, woodland, forest edges and areas containing dead or decaying vegetation.

• Around Zihua, look around fallen branches, rotting wood, leaf litter and beneath loose bark.

• Adults may also climb onto tree trunks and vegetation, particularly during humid conditions.

• The rainy season is likely to provide the best opportunity to encounter them because moisture increases fungal growth and decomposition.

Size

• Adult length: generally approximately 5–12 mm (0.2–0.47 in), depending on species.

• Body elongated and somewhat cylindrical, with relatively long legs and antennae.

• Usually dark brown to black, although some species can have reddish-brown or subtly metallic surfaces.

• The elongated body and relatively narrow pronotum are characteristic of the tribe Talanini.