The Scaphidiinae have a distinctive body shape, oval in outline and highly convex (Fig. 1.2.1), with long elytra that conceal half of the abdomen or more (dead specimens often have very little abdomen visible dorsally) (Fig. 1.2.2). Other distinguishing features include the head, which is partially concealed dorsally (Fig. 1.2.1) and the antennae that arise between the eyes (Fig. 1.2.3).

Scaphidiines are widely distributed in North America and inhabit decaying wood and fungi, especially fungus-covered logs. They also occur generally in leaf litter, under bark, and in compost. This subfamily may be profitably collected by gathering leaf litter and fungi beside and under old rotting logs or stumps, sifting the coarse material, and finally processing the siftate in a Berlese funnel. Larger species can be collected easily by hand as they are slow to escape. Some species can be collected by lightly tapping on the fruiting bodies of polypore fungi and mushrooms (Fig. 9.17.1). All scaphidiines feed on fungi and/or slime moulds (Newton 1984) (Fig. 9.17.2).