Harpalinae

Harpalinae is a huge subfamily of ground beetles. Among the more than 20,000 described species in this clade are the sun beetles (Amara) and the violin beetles (Mormolyce). The Harpalinae contain the most apomorphic ground beetles, displaying a wide range of forms and behaviors. Some are, rare among ground beetles, omnivores or even herbivores.

Systematics

{{ Many formerly independent families are now subordinate taxa of the Harpalinae. Among these are the Chlaeniinae, Cyclosominae, Dryptinae, Lebiinae, Licininae, Mormolycinae, Odacanthinae, Oodinae, Panagaeinae, Perigoninae, Platyninae, Pseudomorphinae, Pterostichinae and Zabrinae.

At least 4 large and a number of monotypic supertribes can be distinguished. The "Pterostichitae" on the other hand seem to be, as presently delimited, a paraphyletic assemblage, but probably also contains a number of tribes closer to each other than to other Harpalinae. Whether these form a clade around the type genus Pterostichus or whether the Pterostichitae need to be abandoned remains to be determined. In addition, there are a number of tribes of basal or uncertain position:^[1]

• Amorphomerini
• Geobaeini
• Ginemini
• Hexagononi
• Idiomorphini
• Omphreini
• Orthogoniini
• Pseudomorphini
• Sphodrini

Genera

Footnotes

References

• Carabidae of the World Database (CWD) (2008): Trees of family Carabidae. Retrieved 2008-JUL-24.