{{Short description|Species of beetle}} {{Italic title}} {{Speciesbox | name = Wooly darkling beetle | image = Eleodes osculans Kern 2017-03-15.jpg | genus = Eleodes | species = osculans | authority = [[John Lawrence LeConte|LeConte]], 1851 | synonyms = {{Specieslist |Amphidora osculans| |Cratidus fuscipilosus| |Cratidus ovipennis| |Eleodes behrii| |Eleodes intermedia| }} | synonyms_ref = <ref name="zookeys.pensoft.net">{{Cite journal |last1=Bousquet |first1=Yves |last2=Thomas |first2=Donald B. |last3=Bouchard |first3=Patrice |last4=Smith |first4=Aaron D. |last5=Aalbu |first5=Rolf L. |last6=Johnston |first6=M. Andrew |last7=Jr |first7=Warren E. Steiner |date=2018-01-15 |title=Catalogue of Tenebrionidae (Coleoptera) of North America |url=https://zookeys.pensoft.net/article/20602/ |journal=ZooKeys |language=en |issue=728 |pages=1–455 |doi=10.3897/zookeys.728.20602 |issn=1313-2970 |pmc=5799738 |pmid=29416389|doi-access=free |bibcode=2018ZooK..728....1B }}</ref> }}

'''''Eleodes osculans''''', the '''wooly darkling beetle''' or '''woolly ground beetle''', is a common insect in coastal southern and central [[California]] in wooded areas or [[chaparral]], and in [[Baja California]].<ref name=":1" /><ref name="zookeys.pensoft.net">{{Cite journal |last1=Bousquet |first1=Yves |last2=Thomas |first2=Donald B. |last3=Bouchard |first3=Patrice |last4=Smith |first4=Aaron D. |last5=Aalbu |first5=Rolf L. |last6=Johnston |first6=M. Andrew |last7=Jr |first7=Warren E. Steiner |date=2018-01-15 |title=Catalogue of Tenebrionidae (Coleoptera) of North America |url=https://zookeys.pensoft.net/article/20602/ |journal=ZooKeys |language=en |issue=728 |pages=1–455 |doi=10.3897/zookeys.728.20602 |issn=1313-2970 |pmc=5799738 |pmid=29416389|doi-access=free |bibcode=2018ZooK..728....1B }}</ref> As a stink beetle of genus ''[[Eleodes]]'', its easily observed defensive posture is to raise its hind end and secrete an unpleasant odor. ''E. osculans'' has a length of 12–16&nbsp;mm and is the only known [[darkling beetle]] species with reddish-brown hair covering most of its black [[exoskeleton]].<ref name=":1">{{Cite book |last1=Will |first1=Kip |title=Field Guide to California Insects |last2=Gross |first2=Joyce |last3=Rubinoff |first3=Daniel |last4=Powell |first4=Jerry A. |publisher=[[University of California Press]] |year=2020 |isbn=9780520288744 |location=Oakland, California |pages=244}}</ref><ref name=":0">{{Cite web |title=Species Eleodes osculans - Wooly Darkling Beetle |url=https://bugguide.net/node/view/39453 |access-date=April 13, 2022 |website=BugGuide}}</ref> It is similar to ''[[Eleodes nigropilosa]]'' and ''[[Eleodes littoralis]]'', which have darker hair.<ref name=":0" />

==References== {{Reflist}}

==Further reading== * {{aut|Arnett, R.H., jr.}}; {{aut|Thomas, M.C.}}; {{aut|Skelley, P.E.}}; {{aut|Frank, J.H.}} (eds.) 2002: ''American beetles. Volume 2. Polyphaga: Scarabaeoidea through Curculionoidea''. CRC Press LLC, Boca Raton, Florida. [https://books.google.com/books?id=gmgA0uxYhL0C&q=%22American+beetles%22 limited preview]

==External links== *{{Commons category-inline|Eleodes osculans}} *{{Wikispecies-inline|Eleodes osculans}}

{{Taxonbar|from=Q5359231}}

[[Category:Eleodes|osculans]] [[Category:Beetles of North America]] [[Category:Beetles described in 1851]] [[Category:Taxa named by John Lawrence LeConte]]

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