Diet

• Adults feed primarily on decaying plant material, fungi and lichens, and are associated with dead wood.

• The larvae develop in dead or decaying wood, where they contribute to the breakdown of woody material. The species is therefore part of the forest decomposition community.

Range

• Zopherus nodulosus occurs from southern Texas through Mexico, with its distribution extending into Central America.

• It is widespread in Mexico, including Guerrero, and it occurs in the Zihua area.

• Mexican populations tend to have considerably more black on the upper surface than the paler populations farther north.

Habitat

• This beetle is associated with wooded habitats containing dead trees, fallen branches and decaying wood.

• Adults may be encountered on tree trunks, particularly where lichens and other suitable food resources occur.

• In Guerrero, the species occurs across a range of forested environments, and individuals can be found on trunks and other woody surfaces.

Description

• Zopherus nodulosus is a robust, flattened beetle measuring approximately 14–29 mm in length.

• The body is heavily armoured, with a remarkably thick and strongly hardened exoskeleton. The elytra are fused together, so adults cannot fly and instead crawl over tree trunks and other surfaces.

• The upper surface is typically patterned in black and creamy white, although Mexican individuals can be much darker, with some specimens being almost entirely black.