Histeridae is a family of beetles with about 3,900 identified beetles belonging to it. They have shortened elytra, elbowed antennae with clubbed ends, and two exposed tergites
They are found across the world, but each species has its own habitat niche. Habitat niches include: dung, carrion, dead vegetation, sand, tree bark, mammal burrows, and ant or termite colonies. They are shaped differently according to their habitat, flat beetles live under bark, cylindrical beetles do not. Unlike most other beetles they notably live alongside termites and ants, and neither species kills the other.
Histeridae are predacious beetles. They eat dung, carrion, decomposing vegetation, other insects, larvae, and pupae. The Histeridae species that live on carrion, dung, and dead vegetation do not actually primarily feed on the habitat, but rather the fly larvae that also live in these habitats. When they live in ant habitats, some are actually just fed by the ants, but others just eat left over larvae that aren't actually viable ants.