Typhaea stercorea

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Typhaea stercorea
Scientific classification
Kingdom:
Animalia
Phylum:
Arthropoda
Class:
Insecta
Order:
Coleoptera
Family:
Mycetophagidae
Genus:
Typhaea
Species:
T. stercorea
Binomial name
Typhaea stercorea

Typhaea stercorea is a cosmopolitan species of beetle of the family Mycetophagidae, known by the common name hairy fungus beetle.

Description

Adult T. stercorea are 2.2–3.0 mm long, oval, brown, flattened, and have hairy

fungi that grow on damp food.[3] This species has been found in grain storages dating all the way back to the Iron Age.[4]

Habitat

The species can be found on ripening hay and grain crops before

tropical areas.[1]

Disease vector

It was discovered in 1994 that this species can carry Salmonella enterica serovar Infantis. The species carried the bacterium into a Danish broiler house that infected 39,900 newly hatched chicks. The chicks were infected by eating the beetles.[5] A study of species of beetles in broiler houses, including this species, showed that the beetles that are in broiler houses are likely to carry salmonella. The research also showed that the species can carry Salmonella enterica and Campylobacter spp.[6]

References

  1. ^
    ISBN 978-0-643-06903-9
    .
  2. ISBN 978-0-643-06758-5
    .
  3. ^ "Hairy Fungus Beetle (Typhaea stercorea)". OzAnimals. Retrieved 2010-02-03.
  4. ISBN 978-0-8247-8983-1
    .
  5. PMID 9650515
    .
  6. PMID 15077793
    .
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