Phylum Arthropoda (Arthropods) ➔ Subphylum Hexapoda (Hexapods) ➔ Class Insecta (Insects) ➔ Order Coleoptera (Beetles) ➔ Family Silphidae (Carrion beetles)

Thanatophilus sinuatus (Fabricius, 1775)

Gerippter Totenfreund

Synonyms and other combinations:

Oiceoptoma producta Motschulsky, 1860 | Silpha appendiculata Füessly, 1775 | Silpha pelaeocephalos Bergsträsser, J. A. B., 1778 | Silpha sinuata Fabricius, 1775 | Silpha (Thanatophilus) erythrura Semenov, A. P., 1891 | Silpha (Thanatophilus) unicostata Laporte de Castelnau, 1832 | Thanatophilus auripilosus Portevin, 1905 | Thanatophilus cyanescens Portevin, 1943 | Thanatophilus cypriotus Portevin, 1943 | Thanatophilus obscurior Portevin, 1926 | Thanatophilus rufino Sahlberg, J., 1889 ? | Thanatophilus rufobasalis Roubal, 1938 | Thanatophilus scutellatus Portevin, 1926 |
(?: ambiguous synonym)

  • Thanatophilus sinuatus, female 8688
    Thanatophilus sinuatus (Fabricius, 1775)  Gerippter Totenfreund   
    Thanatophilus sinuatus, female
    DE, Chemnitz, Zeisigwald; 2019-05-18 12:52:13
    Image number: 8688
    female
    DE, Chemnitz, Zeisigwald
    2019-05-18 12:52:13
  • Thanatophilus sinuatus, female 8689
    Thanatophilus sinuatus (Fabricius, 1775)  Gerippter Totenfreund   
    Thanatophilus sinuatus, female, conf. Christoph Benisch
    DE, Chemnitz, Zeisigwald; 2019-05-18 12:52:23
    Image number: 8689
    female
    DE, Chemnitz, Zeisigwald
    2019-05-18 12:52:23
    conf. Christoph Benisch
  • Thanatophilus sinuatus, female 8690
    Thanatophilus sinuatus (Fabricius, 1775)  Gerippter Totenfreund   
    Thanatophilus sinuatus, female, conf. Christoph Benisch
    DE, Chemnitz, Zeisigwald; 2019-05-18 12:52:46
    Image number: 8690
    female
    DE, Chemnitz, Zeisigwald
    2019-05-18 12:52:46
    conf. Christoph Benisch
  • Thanatophilus sinuatus, female 8691
    Thanatophilus sinuatus (Fabricius, 1775)  Gerippter Totenfreund   
    Thanatophilus sinuatus, female
    DE, Chemnitz, Zeisigwald; 2019-05-18 12:53:28
    Image number: 8691
    female
    DE, Chemnitz, Zeisigwald
    2019-05-18 12:53:28
  • Thanatophilus sinuatus, male 3177
    Thanatophilus sinuatus (Fabricius, 1775)  Gerippter Totenfreund   
    Thanatophilus sinuatus, male
    DE, Chemnitz, Zeisigwald; 2010-04-24 13:40:34
    Image number: 3177
    male
    DE, Chemnitz, Zeisigwald
    2010-04-24 13:40:34
  • Thanatophilus sinuatus 9959
    Thanatophilus sinuatus (Fabricius, 1775)  Gerippter Totenfreund   
    Thanatophilus sinuatus, conf. Christoph Benisch
    DE, Chemnitz, Hutholz; 2021-05-24 14:20:38
    Image number: 9959

    DE, Chemnitz, Hutholz
    2021-05-24 14:20:38
    conf. Christoph Benisch
  • Thanatophilus sinuatus 9960
    Thanatophilus sinuatus (Fabricius, 1775)  Gerippter Totenfreund   
    Thanatophilus sinuatus, conf. Christoph Benisch
    DE, Chemnitz, Hutholz; 2021-05-24 14:20:53
    Image number: 9960

    DE, Chemnitz, Hutholz
    2021-05-24 14:20:53
    conf. Christoph Benisch
  • Thanatophilus sinuatus 10786
    Thanatophilus sinuatus (Fabricius, 1775)  Gerippter Totenfreund   
    Thanatophilus sinuatus, conf. Christoph Benisch
    DE, Chemnitz, Harthwald; 2022-07-09 16:37:08
    Image number: 10786

    DE, Chemnitz, Harthwald
    2022-07-09 16:37:08
    conf. Christoph Benisch

Classification:
Thanatophilus sinuatus belongs to the subfamily Silphinae.
Distribution:
Palearctic, everywhere in Central Europe.
Habitat:
Forest, forest edges, parks, ... - frequently on carrion.
Description:
Body length 9 - 12 mm; black beetle with hammered looking pronotum; underside with golden yellow, upper side with yellowish grey hair; antennae with 3 enlarged, dull distal segments; wing covers with 3 longitudinal ribs and a transverse bulge in the posterior area; shoulder rib extending over the preapical bulge; spaces between the ribs dull and finely punctured; seam angle of the wing covers in males rounded or truncated at the back, in females lobed extended.
Biology:
Thanatophilus sinuatus is a diurnal species.
Both the adult beetles and the larvae are scavengers. They feed on the carcasses of mammals, birds, reptiles and invertebrates.
After mating, the females begin with the oviposition. A female produces about 400 to 500 eggs. These are laid in small clutches in previously dug burrows. The larvae pass through 3 larval stages. The fully grown larvae dig themselves into the ground and pupate. After about 10 days the beetles of the new generation hatch. These carry out a maturation-feeding at first. For hibernation the beetles dig themselves up to 15 cm deep into the ground.
Thanatophilus sinuatus probably forms 2 generations per year in Central Europe.

References, further reading, links:
  1. Arved Lompe: Die Käfer Europas - Ein Bestimmungswerk im Internet
  2. Harde, Severa: Der Kosmos Käferführer: Die Käfer Mitteleuropas, Franckh-Kosmos Verlags-GmbH & KG, Stuttgart, ISBN 3-440-07682-2.
  3. Wikipedia