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Animal profile

Diabolical Ironclad Beetle

Nosoderma diabolicum

InsectaOak and other woodland, under bark and in fungus-infested wood

Field profile

The diabolical ironclad beetle is a flightless, dull-coloured beetle with an exceptionally hard exoskeleton. It feeds on fungi under bark and relies on crypsis and toughness rather than flight or speed. Its crush resistance has made it a subject of materials research.

Scope note

This is an editorial profile, not a diagnostic field-identification guide or a substitute for current conservation assessments. Follow the cited sources on each fact for the evidence trail.

Published field notes

2023-09-01

Diabolical Ironclad Beetle

This beetle survives being run over by a car

The diabolical ironclad beetle withstands compressive forces around 39,000 times its own body weight. The strength comes not from a thicker shell but from a jigsaw-shaped suture that fails gradually instead of snapping.

Read with evidence →

Diabolical Ironclad Beetle | Daily Animal Facts