Carabinae
Smooth ground beetle ( Carabus glabratus )
The carabinae are a subfamily of the family of ground beetles ( Carabidae ). In Europe, 460 species and subspecies are known. The group is probably para- or polyphyletic. It includes the Cicindini one of the strangest and most mysterious tribes of beetles.
- 4.1 Notes and references
- 4.2 Literature
Features
Beetle
The four tribes Carabini, Ceroglossini, Pamborini and Cychrini include large and colorful species. Many species of the family, especially their largest genus, the Real beetle ( Carabus ) are colored metallic luster and have a distinctive pattern on the wing covers ( elytra ). The beetles are small (eg, genus Notophilus ) to very large (eg, genera Carabus and procerus ). Almost all species are wingless. The spurs of the tibiae ( rails ) of the front legs and the cleaning of the sensor organs are terminally with the tribes Opisthiini, Carabini and Cychrini. Otherwise, a spur is subterminal and the cleaning organs are easily extended proximally. The extension of the Prosternums ranges significantly behind the rear edge of the back legs hips and tapering to the tip. The indentations of the front hips are open. The Mesoventrit is typical of the subfamily, the Metepimeron is covered.
Larvae
The larvae of carabinae are very diverse in their appearance. No feature that characterizes the group as a whole, is an autapomorphy: the cervical and ocular pits missing, a Hypodon ( central rack ) is mostly trained and lacking only in the genus Opisthius, the muscles of the sensors are not crossed with carrying mandibles usually a Penicillium, the hypopharynx is clear beaded and has a präoralen filter musculus tentoriohypopharyngalis medialis is usually present ( in the genus Nebria is the bridge of the tentorium interrupted and the muscle is absent) and the musculi verticopharyngalis and tentoriopharyngalis are well developed.
The larvae of Ceroglossini, Carabini, Pamborini and Cychrini are highly sclerotized, have a reduced number of bristles on the tergites and sternites and a significantly increased number of pores. On the third antennal segment of appendage to sense perception is reduced. The larvae of Nebriini, Opisthiini and Notiophilini have reduced bristles on TE6 ( tergite ), PR8 ( pronotum ) and ME2 ( meso-and metanotum ) and have coarse-grained microstructures on all tergites.
Way of life
Most of the species, as well as the genera Carabus and Ceroglossus live on the ground and feed more or less specialized than predators. The adults and larvae of Cychrini specialize in snails. The genus Calosoma eat caterpillars, some species climb in the hunt on trees. In mass occurrence of caterpillars occur in many species, eg Calosoma frigidum, in large numbers. The larvae of the genus Notophilus specialize in hunting springtails.
System
The carabinae include nine tribes:
- Carabini
- Ceroglossini
- Pamborini
- Cychrini
- Notiokasiini with only one type, Notiokasis chaudoiri Kavanaugh & Negre 1983
- Cicindini
- Opisthiini
- Notiophilini
- Nebriini