Trilobite beetles are not prehistoric. They merely resemble the extinct trilobite and adopted the name due to the visual similarity. However, that didn't stop some passionate photographers from calling it the "Jurassic bug" when they (we) first saw it in the wild!
This page consists of a personal checklist of all Trilobite Beetles (Platerodrilus sp.) that I've encountered over the years. Most are not identified, so any assistance on identification will be appreciated! Note that Duliticola is an obsolete junior synonym of Platerodrilus. Also, P. hoiseni is a junior synonym of P. ruficollis based on Masek & Bocak, 2014. The females in this genus remain in larval form and I don't think I've seen the male before.
All photos are of live subjects shot in the field, with the dorsal view selected where available. Click on individual photos for larger views and views from other angles. As specimens were not collected, identifications were done purely based on photographs and may not be 100% accurate. Thanks to Alvin Wong for suggestions on some of the IDs.
This page will be updated regularly, please let me know if you spot any mistakes.
View my complete Flickr photo set: Platerodrilus - Trilobite Beetles.
Genus: Platerodrilus Pic, 1921
 Singapore: Platerodrilus ruficollis (Pic, 1942) | |
 Singapore: Platerodrilus ruficollis (Pic, 1942) |  West Malaysia: Platerodrilus sp. DSC_4215 |
 East Malaysia: Platerodrilus foliaceus Masek & Bocak, 2014 |  East Malaysia: Platerodrilus sp. DSC_2983 |
 Singapore: Platerodrilus ngi Masek & Bocak, 2014 | |
 West Malaysia: Platerodrilus sp. DSC_6050 |  East Malaysia: Platerodrilus sp. DSC_3018 |
Early Stages or Other Lycids
 Singapore: Unidentified DSC_9972 |  West Malaysia: Unidentified DSC_8952 |
 Singapore: Unidentified DSC_2430 |
Trilobite Beetle Close-Ups and Alternate Angles
 Singapore: Platerodrilus ngi Masek & Bocak, 2014 | |
 Singapore: Platerodrilus ngi Masek & Bocak, 2014 |  Singapore: Platerodrilus ngi Masek & Bocak, 2014 |
 Singapore: Platerodrilus ruficollis (Pic, 1942) |  Singapore: Platerodrilus ruficollis (Pic, 1942) |
 East Malaysia: Platerodrilus foliaceus Masek & Bocak, 2014 - Playing dead | |
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