Baranowskiella ehnstromi | |
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Species: | B. ehnstromi
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Binomial name | |
Baranowskiella ehnstromi Sörensson, 1997
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Baranowskiella ehnstromi is the smallest known beetle in Europe.[1] It lives only in the pores of the bracket fungus Phellinus conchatus, which grows on Salix caprea,[2] and Phellinus punctatus, which grows on various deciduous trees.[1] Its length is ca. 0.45–0.55 millimetres (0.018–0.022 in) and its width about 0.1 millimetres (0.0039 in).[2]
The beetle has been observed in Sweden, Finland, Austria,[2] Norway,[1] and the Czech Republic.[3] It was first described, along with the whole genus Baranowskiella, in 1997 by Ptiliidae specialist Mikael Sörensson and named after entomologists Rickard Baranowski and Bengt Ehnström. The beetle has a simple sound producing organ. It can fly and its diet consists of fungi spores.[2]