Occasionally, males have tarsal formula reduced to 4-4-4, 3-3-3 or 3-4-4.

[2] Larval Tenebrionoidea can be distinguished by various features of the head: a posteriorly diverging gula with well developed gular ridges, posterior tentorial arms being shifted anteriorly, asymmetric mandibles, the M. craniocardinalis vestigial or absent, and the M. tentoriopharyngalis posterior subdivided into several bundles.

[1] Many tenebrionoid families are fungus feeders, but there are a wide range of other feeding strategies including feeding on wood or on decaying plant material, pollen-feeding (by many Oedemeridae and Anthicidae), and acting as ectoparasitoids of other insects (Ripiphoridae).

A small number of species are predators or feed on living plant tissue.

[2] One adaptation shown by some (e.g. Onymacris unguicularis) is the ability to gather water from fog in order to drink.