Notiophilus quadripunctatus Dejean, 1826 Notable B | |
Specimen kindly loaned by Dr.Martin Luff. VC18 |
A very local and scarce English species recorded mostly from Kent
and East Sussex although modern records extend from Yorkshire and Lancashire and there is a single Scottish
record from Mull (Luff, 1998). Older records are more extensive and include Wales (coastal), Cornwall and
Cumbria. There are no records from our south Herts area. Typically a species of open, sandy and well drained
habitats, adults occur from May to October. 5-5.5mm (Lindroth). Elongate and slender, upper surface dark with strong metallic golden bronze reflection. Frons with 7-10 fine and parallel straight or slightly sinuate ridges which converge gently towards base between two deep longitudinal furrows. Inside margin of eye with a strong setiferous puncture. Base finely and densely granulate, very finely punctate laterally. Clypeus with two strong setae and a transverse furrow near base, longitudinally wrinkled in front of these. Labrum granulate, front margin smooth and finely punctate. Antennae dark with segments 1-3 and base of fourth pale although usually dark dorsally. Pronotum smooth and finely punctured on disc otherwise strongly punctured, sometimes confluently so towards sides. Sides strongly bordered and almost straight from behind hind angles, weakly sinuate behind sharp, acute hind angles. Scutellum densely and finely granulate. Elytra slender, sinuate laterally before middle and with distinct pale mark apically. Second interstice at least as wide as 3-5 in middle, fourth wider than third or fifth. First stria weakly punctured to a deep subapical furrow, remaining striae strongly punctured to apex. Interstices smooth and shining although outer ones appear obscurely microsculptured at X20. Preapical area dull due to microsculpture. Fourth interstice with two strong punctures, exceptionally 1 or 3 on one side (Lindroth), often asymetrical. Two preapical punctures, one at apex of third and fifth striae. Femora and tarsi dark metallic, tibiae rufous in greater part, least so in front legs. May be confused with N.biguttatus but the more numerous carinae between the eyes are usually diagnostic. Description from 1 VC18 specimen at X20 See ID Aids for Key to all British Notiophilus |
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