Omophron
Green Striped Ground Beetle
The ground beetles ( Omophron ) are the only genus within the beetle subfamily Omophroninae. Because of their highly divergent from the other beetles characteristics of this subfamily was formerly regarded by some authors as a separate family. Worldwide 60 species are known, the two subgenera ( Omophron and Phrator ) are shared. They are widespread in the Holarctic, Oriental, Afrotropical and also in Central America. In Europe, two species occur.
- 4.1 Notes and references
- 4.2 Literature
Features
Beetle
The ground beetles have an oval to almost circular body outline. The body is bulged hemispherically. Your antennae and legs are long and slender. They have a pale ground color and an unusual colorful pattern that is dark and often metallic and shiny. The head is short. The elytra each bear 14 to 15 longitudinal grooves, but do not have shorter groove on the elytra seam. The membranous flights ( alae ) are well developed.
Larvae
The larvae are adapted to a life in the soil. Your body tapers to the front. The head capsule is relatively large and wedge-shaped. The simple eyes ( ocelli ) are great. The mandibles have a single cutting edge. The prothorax is broad basally and tapers to the head. The legs are relatively long, the rails ( tibiae ) are shortened. Have leg ring ( trochanter ), legs ( femurs ) and rails ( tibia ) at the top of tufts with short hair. The abdominal segments bear numerous long hair.
Lifestyle and deposits
All types are water- loving and live only in the immediate vicinity of water. The adults are nocturnal and are very fast hunter. They hide as well as the larvae during the day in cavities under sand or clay.
Types (selection)
Within each species, there is often a large variability of the drawing on the wing covers. This sometimes led to different interpretations of the definition of individual species and subspecies. Currently, about 60 species have been described. These are in the subgenera Omophron (sensu stricto ) and Phrator shared. Some authors Phrator is regarded as a separate genus.
Subgenus Omophron ( Omophron ) Latreille, 1802:
- Omophron amandae Valainis, 2010 (Madagascar)
- Omophron americanum Dejean, 1831 (Canada, USA)
- Omophron brettinghamae Pascoe, 1860 ( India)
- Omophron congoense Deleve, 1924 ( Congo )
- Omophron distinctum Banninger, 1918 ( Congo )
- Omophron guttatum Chaudoir, 1868 (India)
- Omophron labiatum (Fabricius, 1801) (Canada, USA)
- Green Striped Ground Beetle ( Omophron limbatum Fabricius, 1777) ( Europe to central Asia)
- Omophron lunate Banninger, 1918 ( India)
- Omophron madagascariense Chaudoir, 1850 ( Madagascar)
- Omophron mexicanum Dupuis, 1912 (Mexico)
- Omophron ovalis G. Horn, 1870 ( Canada, USA )
- Omophron robustum G. Horn, 1870 ( Canada, USA )
- Omophron solidum Casey, 1897 (USA)
- Omophron stictum Andrewes, 1933 (Vietnam)
- Omophron tesselatum Say, 1823 (Canada, USA)
- Omophron testudo Andrewes, 1919 ( Vietnam)
Subgenus Omophron ( Phrator ) Semenov, 1922
- Omophron depressum Klug, 1853 (East Africa)
- Omophron grandidieri ( Alluaud, 1899) (Madagascar)
- Omophron multiguttatum Chaudoir, 1850 ( Egypt, East Africa )
- Omophron Rothschildi Alluaud, 1918 ( East Africa)
- Omophron schoutedeni Deleve, 1924 ( East Africa)
- Omophron variegatum variegatum ( Olivier, 1811) (Spain, Portugal, Greece)
- Omophron variegatum sardoum Reitter, 1907 (Italy ( Sardinia) )
- Omophron vittulatum Fairmaire, 1894 (Sudan, East Africa )