Tenebrio obscurus

Life-forms

Superregnum: Eukaryota
Cladus: Unikonta
Cladus: Opisthokonta
Cladus: Holozoa
Regnum: Animalia
Subregnum: Eumetazoa
Cladus: Bilateria
Cladus: Nephrozoa
Cladus: Protostomia
Cladus: Ecdysozoa
Cladus: Panarthropoda
Phylum: Arthropoda
Subphylum: Hexapoda
Classis: Insecta
Cladus: Dicondylia
Subclassis: Pterygota
Cladus: Metapterygota
Infraclassis: Neoptera
Cladus: Eumetabola
Cladus: Endopterygota
Superordo: Coleopterida
Ordo: Coleoptera
Subordo: Polyphaga
Infraordo: Cucujiformia
Superfamilia: Tenebrionoidea

Familia: Tenebrionidae
Subfamilia: Tenebrioninae
Tribus: Tenebrionini
Genus: Tenebrio
Species: Tenebrio obscurus
Name

Tenebrio obscurus Fabricius, 1792
Vernacular names
čeština: Potemník tmavý
English: Dark Mealworm
한국어: 곡물거저리
References

A photo of an adult Tenebrio obscurus by Josef Hlasek

Tenebrio obscurus, or the dark mealworm beetle, is a species of darkling beetle.[1][2] The larvae, when used as feeder insects for reptile and amphibian pets, are known as mini mealworm. These insects should not be confused with younger mealworms (Tenebrio molitor) or with the confused flour beetle (Tribolium confusum), which is also occasionally used as a reptile feeder insect.

Mini mealworms would probably remain largely unknown, if not for the reptile pet industry. In the search for easy to raise insects to use as food for captive reptiles and amphibians, mini mealworms have recently attracted interest as an ideal food item for smaller species.

The larvae resemble very small mealworms, about ½ to ¾ inch (12 to 19 mm) in size. Once they reach adult size, the larvae pupate, and later emerge as small, black beetles.
References

"Tenebrio obscurus Fabricius, 1792". Integrated Taxonomic Information System. Retrieved 4 January 2017.
Rees, David (21 July 2004). Insects of Stored Products. CSIRO Publishing. pp. 112–113. ISBN 978-0-643-10263-7.