Carabidae | ||||
More than 350 spp. 2-30mm. Antennae 11 segmented, filiform, inserted laterally
between eyes and mandibles, variously setose and pubescent. Tarsi 5-5-5, usually simple although male often
with protarsi dilated basally (but see Demetrias.) Head, thorax and elytra usually with discrete sensory setae. Hind
trochanters are always large and project backwards behind the femurs, a character easily seen even with a card mounted specimen. A careful count of tarsal segments will eliminate most species likely to be confused with Carabids. Omaliine Staphylinids, where the elytra almost cover the abdomen and may do so completely in carded specimens, possess distinct ocelli. Pterostichus madidus (Fab.), very likely to be encountered almost immediately by anybody embarking upon a study of Coleoptera, is as typical a Carabid as any. Some idea of the range of variation is given below but there also specialised forms e.g. Omophron, Cicindela and Calosoma. Found in most situations; arable land and pasture, moors and heaths, many species under bark and logs in woodland and often huge numbers among waterside vegetation. At least two species, Oodes helopoides and Carabus clathratus live underwater among vegetation. Pitfall trapping is usually very productive, searching parkland pathways with a torch on warm spring and summer evenings can reveal large numbers. M.V. light on a vertical sheet and interception nets often give good results. For an excellent discussion of Carabid biology and ecology see Forsythe, 2000 |
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Omophroninae | ||||
Our only species, Omophron limbatum Fab.
(5-6mm) is quite unlike any other carabid; a medium sized yellowish brown beetle with
metallic green markings to pronotum and elytra, almost circular and with the scutellum hidden by the basal margin
of the pronotum. First recorded from Rye harbour, Sussex in 1969 (Farrow, 1971), it is now a very local insect of
flooded gravel pit margins around the Sussex and Kent borders, Norfolk and Suffolk. Farrow, R.A. and Lewis, E.S. 1971 Ent.Mon.Mag. (1970) 106:219-221 Images |
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Cicindelinae | ||||
Commonly known as Tiger beetles our five species are all of
distinctive appearance; medium sized (9-18mm) metallic species with long slender legs, large eyes and long, toothed mandibles
which are crossed when at rest. Unique among carabids in having the antennae inserted on the upper surface of the head
within the base of the mandibles. Identified by its elongate pronotum, Cylindera germanica L. is a local
coastal species of Dorset, Hampshire and the Isle of Wight. The species rarely flies. Our four species of Cicindela
run fast and fly readily in pursuit of prey. Only C. campestris L. is at all widespread. Images |
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Brachininae | ||||
Commonly known as Bombardier beetles due to their specialised
defence mechanism; they are able to direct a spray of corrosive liquid and vapour from the abdomen towards a
potential threat. Although charcterised by the number of visible abdominal sternites, seven in the female and
eight in the male as opposed to six in the carabininae, they are readily recognised on general appearance.
Brachinus crepitans (L.) (6-9mm), our only resident species, is light reddish brown but for the dark
metallic blue or green elytra and has the entire upper surface finely pubescent. It is a very local insect of
grassland and open wasteland throughout southern England and southern Wales. Our other species, B.sclopeta (Fab.),
is a very occasional immigrant with recent records (2005) from the London area. It is smaller than crepitans
with the base of the elytral suture broadly red.
Images |
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Carabininae | ||||
Carabininae includes the vast majority of our species and is divided into a number of tribes | ||||
Carabiini | ||||
Cychrini | ||||
Nebriini | ||||
Notiophilini | ||||
Elaphrini | ||||
Loricerini | ||||
Scaritini and Broscini | ||||
Two tribes of carabids have an unusual 'pedunculate' body form
where the pronotum and elytra are separated by a 'waist' upon which the scutellum is placed. Members
of the Scaratini have fossorial front tibiae while in our two species of Broscini they are unmodified.
Broscus cephalotes (L.)(17-22mm) is a widespread and sometimes abundant maritime species while
Miscodera arctica (Pk.)(6.5-8mm) is an upland species of southwest England, Wales, nortern England and Scotland.
Scaratini includes two British genera, Clivina (5-6.8mm) and Dyschirius. Eleven species of Dyschirius
occur in Britain, mostly smaller than Clivina and separated by the form of the last elytral interstice, in Clivina
it is punctured along its length, in Dyschirius it is mostly smooth. Many are local insects of wetland and
saltmarshes, most have very resticted distribution and several are associated with species of Bledius (Staphylinidae). Images |
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Trechini | ||||
Bembidiini | ||||
Pogonini | ||||
Patrobini | ||||
Pterostichini | ||||
Sphodrini | ||||
Platynini | ||||
Zabrini | ||||
Harpalini | ||||
Chlaenini | ||||
Oodini | ||||
Licinini | ||||
Panagaeini | ||||
Perigonini | ||||
Masoreini | ||||
Lebiini | ||||
Odacanthini | ||||
Dryptini | ||||
Zuphiini | ||||
Omophroninae | ||||
Omophron limbatum |
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Cicindelinae | ||||
Cicindela campestris |
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Cylindera germanica |
Cylindera germanica |
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Brachininae | ||||
Brachinus |
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Carabiini | ||||
Carabus granulatus |
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Carabus nemoralis |
Carabus nemoralis |
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Carabus problematicus |
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Carabus violaceus |
Carabus violaceus |
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Cychrini | ||||
Cychrus caraboides |
Cychrus caraboides |
Cychrus caraboides |
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Nebriini | ||||
Leistus fulvibarbis |
Leistus spinibarbis |
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Nebria brevicollis |
![]() Nebria brevicollis |
Nebria brevicollis |
Nebria brevicollis |
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Nebria salina |
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Notiophilini | ||||
![]() Notiophilus aesthuans |
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![]() Notiophilus aquaticus |
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![]() Notiophilus biguttatus |
Notiophilus biguttatus |
Notiophilus biguttatus |
Notiophilus biguttatus |
Notiophilus biguttatus |
![]() Notiophilus germinyi |
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![]() Notiophilus palustris |
Notiophilus palustris |
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![]() Notiophilus quadripunctatus |
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![]() Notiophilus rufipes |
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![]() Notiophilus substriatus |
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Elaphrini | ||||
![]() Elaphrus cupreus |
Elaphrus cupreus |
Elaphrus cupreus |
Elaphrus cupreus |
Elaphrus cupreus |
![]() Elaphrus lapponicus |
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Elaphrus riparius |
Elaphrus riparius |
Elaphrus riparius |
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![]() Elaphrus uliginosus |
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Loricerini | ||||
Loricera pilicornis |
Loricera pilicornis |
Loricera pilicornis |
Loricera pilicornis |
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Scaritini | ||||
Clivina fossor |
Clivina fossor |
Clivina fossor |
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Broscini | ||||
Broscus |
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Trechini | ||||
Trechus quadristriatus |
Trechus quadristriatus |
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Perileptus |
Thalassophilus |
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Bembidiini | ||||
Asaphidion curtum |
Asaphidion curtum |
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Bembidion articulatum |
Bembidion articulatum |
Bembidion articulatum |
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Bembidion biguttatum |
Bembidion biguttatum |
Bembidion biguttatum |
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Bembidion dentellum |
Bembidion dentellum |
Bembidion dentellum |
Bembidion dentellum |
Bembidion dentellum |
Bembidion doris |
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Bembidion guttula |
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Bembidion lampros |
Bembidion lampros |
Bembidion lampros |
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Bembidion lunulatum |
Bembidion lunulatum |
Bembidion lunulatum |
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Bembidion obtusum |
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Bembidion quadrimaculatum |
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Bembidion tetracolum |
Bembidion tetracolum |
Bembidion tetracolum |
Bembidion tetracolum |
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Bembidion varium |
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Ocys harpaloides |
Ocys harpaloides |
Ocys harpaloides |
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Pogonini | ||||
Pogonus |
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Patrobini | ||||
Patrobus atrorufus |
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Pterostichini | ||||
Abax parallelepipedus |
Abax parallelepipedus |
Poecilus cupreus |
Poecilus cupreus |
Poecilus versicolor |
Pterostichus cristatus |
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Pterostichus madidus |
Pterostichus madidus |
Pterostichus madidus |
Pterostichus madidus |
Pterostichus madidus |
Pterostichus melanarius |
Pterostichus melanarius |
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Pterostichus minor |
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Pterostichus niger |
Pterostichus niger |
Pterostichus niger |
Pterostichus niger |
Pterostichus niger |
Pterostichus nigrita |
Pterostichus nigrita |
Pterostichus nigrita |
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Pterostichus oblongopunctatus |
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Pterostichus strenuus |
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Stomis pumicatus |
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Sphodrini | ||||
Calathus fuscipes |
Calathus fuscipes |
Calathus fuscipes |
Calathus fuscipes |
Calathus fuscipes |
Calathus melanocephalus |
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Calathus rotundicollis |
Calathus rotundicollis |
Calathus rotundicollis |
Calathus rotundicollis |
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Platyderus depressus |
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Platynini | ||||
Agonum marginatum |
Agonum muelleri |
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Agonum thoreyi |
Agonum thoreyi |
Agonum thoreyi |
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Anchomenus dorsalis |
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Paranchus albipes |
Paranchus albipes |
Paranchus albipes |
Paranchus albipes |
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Platynus assimilis |
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Zabrini | ||||
Amara aenea |
Amara aenea |
Amara aenea |
Amara aenea |
Amara aenea |
Amara apricaria |
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Amara bifrons |
Amara bifrons |
Amara bifrons |
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Amara communis |
Amara communis |
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Amara convexior |
Amara convexior |
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Amara familiaris |
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Amara lunicollis |
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![]() Amara ovata |
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Amara plebeja |
Amara plebeja |
Amara plebeja |
Amara plebeja |
Amara plebeja |
Amara similata |
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Curtonotus aulicus |
Curtonotus aulicus |
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Zabrus tenebrioides |
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Harpalini | ||||
Acupalpus dubius |
Acupalpus dubius |
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Acupalpus exiguus |
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Acupalpus meridianus |
Acupalpus meridianus |
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Acupalpus parvulus |
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Anthracus consputus |
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Bradycellus verbasci |
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Harpalus affinis |
Harpalus affinis |
Harpalus affinis |
Harpalus affinis |
Harpalus affinis |
Harpalus latus |
Harpalus rubripes |
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Harpalus rufipes |
Harpalus rufipes |
Harpalus rufipes |
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Ophonus ardosiacus |
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Ophonus puncticeps |
Ophonus puncticeps |
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Ophonus rufibarbis |
Ophonus rufibarbis |
Ophonus rufibarbis |
Ophonus rufibarbis |
Ophonus rufibarbis |
Stenolophus mixtus |
Trichocellus placidus |
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Chlaeniini | ||||
Chlaenius vestitus |
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Oodini | ||||
Oodes helopioides |
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Licinini | ||||
Badister bullatus |
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Panagaeini | ||||
Panagaeus bipustulatus |
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Perigonini | ||||
Masoreini | ||||
Lebiini | ||||
Demetrias atricapillus |
Demetrias atricapillus |
Demetrias atricapillus |
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Dromius quadrimaculatus |
Dromius quadrimaculatus |
Dromius quadrimaculatus |
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Lebia chlorocephala |
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Microlestes minutulus |
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Paradromius linearis |
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Syntomus foveatus |
Syntomus foveatus |
Syntomus foveatus |
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Syntomus obscuroguttatus |
Syntomus obscuroguttatus |
Syntomus obscuroguttatus |
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Odacanthini | ||||
Odacantha |
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Dryptini | ||||
Zuphiini | ||||
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