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Beetle is a general term for insects of the order Coleoptera. There are known to be over 370,000 species of beetle, outnumbering all the known species of vascular plants, and six species of beetle for every one vertebrate, with an estimated five million more species yet to be discovered.
Beetles undergo a complete metamorphosis, with a distinct pupal stage intervening between life as a larva and a sexually mature adult. As with other insects of this type, the larvae stage represents the principal feeding stage. Most adult beetles have a robust, hard external skeleton (carapace) which acts like body-armour and a pair of horny wing-cases (elytra), which usually completely cover the hind part of the body including the abdomen.
Beetles display a wide variety of life-styles and behaviour, indeed an interest in beetles inspired Charles Darwin to study evolution.
 Research Beetle
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Abbreviations
Nature
