Overview
Belid larvae are known to bore into wood, and some are relatively common in the branches and twigs of
Acacia
. Adults fly actively during the day, and species of
Rhinotia
are mimics of Lycidae.
Description
Elongate, usually more or less parallel-sided beetles, clothed with decumbent hairs. Rostrum usually moderately long (rarely short and broad); antennae straight, lacking distinct club (rarely with weak, 4-segmented club), inserted at middle of or near base of rostrum; labrum not visible; palps more or less rigid; gular sutures short and separate; pronotum without lateral carinae; tibiae usually with row of small granules along outer edge and fore tibiae often with teeth on inner edge; pygidium concealed.
Larvae broad, slightly flattened, ventrally curved, lightly sclerotised and hairy, with enlarged, strongly declivous prothorax. Head elongate with indistinct median endocarina; frons sometimes with median spine; labral rods absent; mala simple and rounded; maxillary palpifer well developed; protergum with sclerotised, keeled plate on posterior half; abdominal terga with 2 indistinct transverse folds.
Distribution
The subfamily Belinae includes the large genus
Belus
, which extends into New Guinea, and
Rhinotia
, which also occurs in New Zealand. Australian genera of Pachyurinae include
Pachyura
(also in New Zealand),
Agnesiotis
,
Cyrotyphus
and
Leba
. [Kuschel 1959; Vanin 1976.]