Carabus hispanus

Carabus hispanus

Carabus hispanus or Chrysocarabus hispanus is a beetle of the family of ground beetles ( Carabidae ). Its scientific name is sometimes erroneously Germanized with "Spanish beetle ", but the species name " hispanus " does not refer to Spain, but to the French resort Ispagnac. The beetle is found only in France. Under beetle breeders the type often operates under Chrysotribax hispanus, on the Internet you will find the name " Cevennes beetles ".

The beetle has a natural tendency to form hybrids with related species. Because of its metallic bright colors of the beetle is therefore of breeders crossed with other colorful beetles to achieve new colors.

Features

Carabus hispanus shows the typical form of the species-rich genus Carabus. It reaches a body length of 23-34 millimeters. The head and mouthparts are directed forward. The strong upper jaw are curved inward and are provided on the inner edge in the middle with a blunt tooth. Of the two pairs of jaws buttons, the front two, the rear four members. The labial palpi are tripartite. The end members of the rear jaw probe and the labial palpi are strongly broadened and flattened forward. The antennae are filiform and elfgliedrig the last seven limbs are finely hairy. They are turned in behind the maxillary base and in front of the compound eyes.

The pronotum is wider than the head and narrower than the elytra. It widens in the first third and is easily constricted in the second third. As the head he is bright metallic blue and slightly confused frown.

The elytra are elongate oval, slightly curved and flattened form of a channel before the outer edge. Along keels are only indicated and covered by the flat coarse wrinkling. The elytra are golden with red and greenish shades depending on the light, the edges are purple to violet. The turning of the colors in appropriate lighting, which is known by some butterflies, is rare in beetles. In the box on the right above and in Figure 1, the same animal is shown. At Chrysocarabus the color due to the thickness of the transparent exocuticle, their refractive index and the absorbance of the endocuticle for light. Due to the abrasion of the exocuticle an age-related change in color is possible. This is possibly the explanation why numerous color variants are described.

The underside is black brown. The legs are made of typical walking legs, with strong limbs and claws. The rear hips are bent backwards and project beyond the posterior margin of the first visible abdominal segment addition. The tarsi are five-membered. In the males, they are widened ( Figure 1 and Figure 2) to ensure a better grip on the Kopulationsstellung.

Subspecies

C. hispanus occurs in different subspecies. C. hispanus hispanus is the most widespread. He is probably a hybrid of C. hispanus latissimus, the Languedoc has its center of spread, and C. hispanus boudeti with its spreading center in Provence. Phenotypically he stands between these two subspecies and is less uniform than they.

Dissemination

The species is found exclusively in southwestern France. The northern boundary is located in the Massif Central. In cool forests of chestnut and pine vegetation of the beetle is on north facing slopes usually not uncommon. It can be found at altitudes up to 1200 m and occurs depending on the height at different times. In 700 m you will find active animals between late April to mid-September. The beetles preferred steeper slopes; where they pass into gentle hills, the species is increasingly being replaced by other species of beetles. In valleys of the beetle is often found only on one side of the valley.

Way of life

The larvae and the adult animals are predators. They are perennial. Hibernation takes place on calcareous soil with Pinus sylvestris under rocks or under the bark of dead trees due to wind breakage. On slate floors with chestnut, the animal hibernates under thick moss beds in humus -lined caves or even often in small colonies in the mounds that form around old tree stumps.

Swell

• Carl Gustav Calw and Gustav Jäger (Editor): CG Calw beetle 's book. K. Thienemanns, Stuttgart 1876, 3rd Edition
• J. Carriere: Carabofaune de la Lozère: Présentation et iconographie pour Chrysocarabus hispanus F. Première note de terrain. . ( Col. Carabidae ) 487 in " Lambillionea " Tome II ( septembre 2004) numéro du 3e