Carabus gigas

Giant beetles ( Procerus gigas)

The giant ground beetles ( Procerus gigas - which can be translated from Lat.-Gr. with " Slim giant" ) is a species of beetle in the family of ground beetles ( Carabidae ).

Features

The giant beetle is 40 to 70 millimeters groß.Die shape of the beetle is oval and plump. The pronotum narrowed to cordate base. The edge of the throat plate is bent. The elytra are very convex. The structure is composed of about 15 rows of heavily embossed and short tubercles. The top is shiny black.

Occurrence and life

The species occurs in South-Eastern Europe, Central Europe extends the distribution area into Styria and Carinthia. The habitat of the giant ground beetle are humid highlands to the subalpine regions.

Find running movements (unlike the genus Carabus ) without haste instead, the kind roams during the day slowly. The Imago reached the age of 3 years and more. As a dietary primarily serve snails.

Subspecies

• Procerus g duponcheli, Dejean 1831: Southern Greece
• Procerus g parnassicus, Kraatz 1884: Greece, Macedonia, southern Albania

Documents

• C. L. Blumenthal: Procerus. In: Heinz joy, Karl Wilhelm Harde, Gustav Adolf Lohse: The beetles of Central Europe. Volume 2 Adephaga 1, Goecke & Evers Verlag, Krefeld 1976, ISBN 3-87263-025-3.