Diachromus germanus

Blue neck - high-speed

The blue neck - high speed, even Colorful high-speed ( Diachromus germanus ) is a beetle of the family of beetles and the subfamily of Harpalinae.

The genus name is Diachromus AltGr. διά diá " through " and χρῶμα chroma " color" derived. The species name germanus (Latin ) means " German " or " brother." On the meaning of the two names can only speculate. The part of the name " blue throat " refers to the blue-green pronotum, the name " high-speed " is often used for species of the subfamily Harpalinae.

Characteristics of the beetle

The beetle is eight to ten millimeters in size. He has a broad head with front-facing mouthparts, a heart-shaped pronotum and elytra striped. These widen back over two thirds of its length a little and then end rounded together semicircular. Shortly before the end of the sides of the elytra are slightly incised wavy. The top is covered with short stand-off. The coloring is unmistakable. Head, legs, sensor and most of the wing feathers are reddish yellow, on both elytra together is at the end a great dark, bluish stain. The pronotum is blue-green to intense on the fine margin.

Head and pronotum are dense medium strong, the elytra densely finely punctured. On the head only a bristle ( Supraorbitalseta ) sitting on each side slightly behind the middle of the upper edge of the dark eyes. These emerge as standard. The sensors are elfgliedrig, thready and from the second half of the third link hairy (Fig. 1)

The five-membered tarsi of the front legs and the middle pair of legs are enlarged in the males (Fig. 2) and hairy like a brush on the bottom. The first Hintertarsenglied is as long as the second and third composite.

Biology

The phytophagous beetles live, they preferably feed on immature grass seed. One can find the way in the plane and low mountain ranges, often gregarious under stones. The warmth-loving species is reported from forest edges, gardens, fields and ruderal areas, especially on sandy soil.

Dissemination

The species has its distribution center in the Mediterranean region, the northern limit of the distribution area extends through Germany, where since the beginning of the eighties an advance northward observed. In addition, the type from the Netherlands, Denmark, Great Britain, the Caucasus and West Asia is known.