Ground beetle

Template:Taxobox begin Template:Taxobox image Template:Taxobox begin placement Template:Taxobox regnum entry Template:Taxobox phylum entry Template:Taxobox subphylum entry Template:Taxobox classis entry Template:Taxobox ordo entry Template:Taxobox subordo entry Template:Taxobox familia entry
Latreille, 1802 Template:Taxobox end placement Template:Taxobox section subdivision Many genera; see text. Template:Taxobox end The ground beetles are a large family (Carabidae) of common and widespread beetles.

The family is among the largest of the animal kingdom, with about 40,000 species and considerable variation among them. Common features include a generally dark appearance, possibly iridescent, large head and mandibles, a pronounced marginal ridge on the pronotum, and striate elytra. Sizes range from 0.7 mm (0.03 inches) up to 66 mm (2.6 inches).

Ground beetles are found in all habitats and at up to 5,300 m (17,400 ft) in the Himalayas. Most are nocturnal predators and scavengers, but some, such as the tiger beetles are active in the daytime, using their eyesight to capture small arthropods.

Several types of ground beetles, in particular the bombardier beetles, are notable for being able to squirt a jet of hot foul-smelling liquid from their abdomens.

When the life cycle is known, it is one year, with adults living for two to four years.

They often feed on soft-bodied creatures and are sought after to control ant populations.

Classification

This is a very incomplete list of subfamilies and genera.

• Brachininae Bonelli, 1810
  • 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
  • Zyras

References

• E. 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