Thanatophilus truncatus (Say)

Description: This beetle is small (10.5 to 15.9 mm in length) and completely black. The elytra and pronotum are smooth and lack costae and tubercles.

Similar Species: The smooth elytra of this species make it unlikely to be confused with any other.

Range: Mostly a southwestern species, occurring from Arizona and much of Mexico to Texas, Colorado, and Nebraska. It appears to be limited to the southern two-thirds of Nebraska and is scarce in the eastern third of the state.

Notes: This beetle tends to occur in the wide-open habitats of Kansas’ grasslands. In Nebraska, T. truncatus becomes seasonally active in March and remains active through October.