Ground beetle

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iGround beetles

Golden ground beetle, Carabus auratus
with prey (an earthworm)

Scientific classification

Kingdom:	Animalia
Phylum:	Arthropoda
Subphylum:	Hexapoda
Class:	Insecta
Order:	Coleoptera
Suborder:	Adephaga
Family:	Carabidae Latreille, 1802

Genera

Many genera; see text.

Carabidae is a family within the insect order Coleoptera (beetles). Insects in this family are commonly known as ground beetles, after their preferred habitat.

Ground beetles make up one of the largest groups of beetles, with over 20 000 species worldwide ( more than 2200 of which reside in North America). Although there is some variation in their body shape and colouring, most are shiny, black (some are metallic), and have ridged elytra (wing covers). Ground beetles in the genus Brachinus are commonly known as bombardier beetles; they are noted for their defensive ability to squirt a jet of hot foul-smelling liquid from their abdomens. Ground beetles in the subfamily Cicindelinae are known as Tiger beetles. Unlike most of the other species of Carabidae, which are nocturnal, the Tiger beetles are active diurnal hunters.

Anthia sexguttata from India

Ground beetles are specialized predators of the millipede Harpaphe haydeniana, countering the Hydrogen Cyanide defense mechanism used by the millipede.

[edit] Classification

An incomplete list of subfamilies and genera:

Brachininae Bonelli, 1810 (certain tribes are Bombardier beetles)
- Brachinus Weber, 1801
Carabinae Latreille, 1802
- Calosoma Weber, 1801
- Carabus Linnaeus, 1758
- Cychrus Fabricius, 1794
- Leistus Frölich, 1799
- Nebria Latreille, 1802
- Notiophilus Dumeril, 1806
- Pelophila Dejean, 1821
Cicindelinae Latreille, 1802
- Cicindela Linnaeus, 1758
- Cylindera Westwood, 1831
Elaphrinae Latreille, 1802
- Blethisa Bonelli, 1810
- Diacheila Motschulsky, 1845
- Elaphrus Fabricius, 1775
Harpalinae Bonelli, 1810
- Abax Bonelli, 1810
- Acupalpus Dejean, 1829
- Agonum Bonelli, 1810
- Amara Bonelli, 1810
- Anchomenus Bonelli, 1810
- Anisodactylus Dejean, 1829
- Anthracus Motschulsky, 1850
- Badister Clairville, 1806
- Bradycellus Erichson, 1837
- Calathus Bonelli, 1810
- Callistus Bonelli, 1809
- Calodromius Reitter, 1905
- Chlaenius Bonelli, 1810
- Cymindis Latreille, 1806
- Demetrias Bonelli, 1810
- Diachromus Erichson, 1837
- Dicheirotrichus Jacqelin du Val, 1857
- Dolichus Bonelli, 1810
- Dromius Bonelli, 1810
- Harpalus Latreille, 1802
- Laemostenus Bonelli, 1810
- Lebia Latreille, 1802
- Licinus Latreille, 1802
- Lionychus Wissman, 1846
- Masoreus Dejean, 1821
- Microderes Faldermann, 1835
- Microlestes Schmidt-Goebel, 1846
- Odacantha Paykull, 1798
- Olisthopus Dejean, 1828
- Oodes Bonelli, 1810
- Ophonus Stephens, 1828
- Oxyselaphus Chaudoir, 1843
- Panagaeus Latreille, 1802
- Paradromius Fowler, 1887
- Paranchus Lindroth, 1974
- Pedius Motschulsky, 1850
- Perigona Laporte de Castelnau, 1835
- Philorhizus Hope, 1838
- Platyderus Stephens, 1828
- Platynus Bonelli, 1810
- Plochionus Wiedemann, 1823
- Poecilus Bonelli, 1810
- Pterostichus Bonelli, 1810
- Sericoda Kirby, 1837
- Sphodrus Clairville, 1806
- Stenolophus Dejean, 1821
- Stomis Clairville, 1806
- Syntomus Hope, 1838
- Synuchus Gyllenhal, 1810
- Zabrus Clairville, 1806
Loricerinae Bonelli, 1810
- Loricera Latreille, 1802
Omophroninae Bonelli, 1810
- Omophron Latreille, 1802
Scaritinae Bonelli, 1810
- Dyschirius Bonelli, 1810
Trechinae Bonelli, 1810
- Aepus Samouelle, 1819
- Asaphidion Des Gozis, 1886
- Bembidion Latreille, 1802
- Blemus Dejean, 1821
- Broscus Panzer, 1813
- Cillenus Leach, 1819
- Miscodera Eschscholtz, 1830
- Ocys Stephens, 1828
- Patrobus Dejean, 1821
- Perileptus Schaum, 1860
- Pogonus Dejean, 1821
- Porotachys Netolitzky, 1914
- Rhysodes Dejean, 1821
- Tachyra Motschulsky, 1862
- Tachys Dejean, 1821
- Tachyta Kirby, 1837
- Trechoblemus Ganglbauer, 1891
- Trechus Clairville, 1806
incertae sedis
- Acinopus Latreille
- Agatus Motschulsky
- Amblystomus Erichson
- Apotomus Ill.
- Apristus Chaudoir
- Aptinus Bonelli
- Callisthenes F.-W.
- Cardioderus Dejean
- Carterus Dejean
- Clivina Latreille
- Corsyra Dejean
- Cyhrus Fabricius
- Daptus F.-W.
- Deltomerus Motschulsky
- Diachila Motschulsky
- Dichirotrichus Duv.
- Ditomus Bonelli
- Drypta Latreille
- Duvaliopsis Jeann.
- Duvalius Delar.
- Eriotonus Pioch.
- Gynandromorphus Dejean
- Harpalobrachys Tschit.
- Hemiaulax Bat.
- Lasiotrechus Cglb.
- Limnastis Motschulsky
- Lorocera Latreille
- Mastax F.-W.
- Metabletus Schmidt-Goebel
- Molops Bonelli
- Odontonyx Stephens
- Omophoron Latreille
- Parophonus Cglb.
- Penthus Chaudoir
- Polystichus Bonelli
- Pseudaphaenops Winkl.
- Scarites Fabricius
- Taphoxenus Motschulsky
- Thalassophilus Woll.
- Trachypachys Motschulsky
- Trichocellus Cglb.
- Trichotichnus A. Mor.
- Zuphium Latreille

[edit] References

Edmund Reitter. Fauna Germanica. Käfer, 1908, I:67-201.
C. H. Lindroth. Svensk Insectenfauna 9, Coleoptera, Carabidae. Stockholm, 1942 : 1-260.
E. Csiki. Die Aäferfauna des Karpaten-Beckens. Budapest 1946, 1:71-546.
K. Kult. Klic k urcovani brouku celedi Carabidae Ceskoslovenske republiky. Praha 1947:1-198.