ORDER COLEOPTERA

• Animals (Kingdom Animalia)

• Arthropods (Phylum Arthropoda)

• Hexapods (Subphylum Hexapoda)

• Insects (Class Insecta)

• Winged and Once-winged Insects (Subclass Pterygota)

• Beetles (Order Coleoptera​​)

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Order Coleoptera, commonly known as the beetles, is the largest order of insects and the most species-rich order of animals on Earth, comprising more than 400,000 described species and likely many more yet to be discovered. Beetles are characterized by their hardened forewings, called elytra, which protect the membranous hind wings and abdomen. Members of Coleoptera occupy virtually every terrestrial and freshwater habitat worldwide, ranging from forests, grasslands, and deserts to wetlands, caves, and aquatic environments.