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The head and thorax of the larva are of dark red to dark brown color. Its abdomen is of a dirty gray to brown color (Voris, 1939). A mature larva is about 20 to 25mm in length and 3.5mm in width (Voris, 1939). Larvae are cylindrical and stout (Voris, 1939). The adult C. maxillosus is a large rove beetle with a size varying between 12 and 23mm (Arnett and Thomas, 2000). This shiny black species is characterized by the presence of yellow-gray setae on the posterior angles of the head and anterior angle of the pronotum (Arnett and Thomas, 2000). The yellow-gray setae are more obviously found on the 2nd and 3rd (sometime 4th) abdominal segments and on the elytra where they form wide variable bands encircling the body. Like the other species of the genus Creophilus, the disk of the pronotum and most of the disc on the neck are nearly free of punctures or setae (Smetana and Davies, 2000). The tarsal formula is 5-5-5 and the legs are entirely black. The antennae are composed of 11 segments.

Total duration of development of C. maxillosus from the deposition of the egg to the emergence of the adult is approximately 37 days (Kramer, 1955). The milky white colored eggs are about 2 to 3 mm in length and hatch after approximately 3 days depending on temperature (Voris, 1939). Emergence of the adult from the obtect pupa (length=11mm, width=4mm) takes approximately 13 days (Voris, 1939). The adult C. maxillosus flies well and possesses a chemical defense mechanism (Jefson et al, 1983). Its movable abdomen is used to bring the eversible gland (containing the chemical) in contact with the enemy. The principal ingredient of the chemical defense is called dihydronepetalactone (Jefson et al, 1983).