Beetles

The most characteristic feature of the beetle is the hardening of the forewings into so called elytra, protecting the hindwings underneath. About 40% of all described insect species are beetles totaling about 400,000 species, and it is estimated that millions more are still unrecorded. Beetles live in almost all types of habitats, although not in the sea or in the polar regions. The greatest number of species live in the tropics.