| Sun beetles | |
|---|---|
 | |
| Amara aenea | |
Scientific classification  | |
| Kingdom: | Animalia |
| Phylum: | Arthropoda |
| Class: | Insecta |
| Order: | Coleoptera |
| Suborder: | Adephaga |
| Family: | Carabidae |
| Subfamily: | Pterostichinae |
| Tribe: | Zabrini |
| Subtribe: | Amarina Zimmermann, 1832 |
| Genus: | Amara Bonelli, 1810 [1] |
| Type species | |
| Carabus vulgaris (= Amara lunicollis Schiødte, 1837) [2] | |
| Subgenera | |
See text | |
| Synonyms [2] [3] | |
| |
Amara is a large genus of carabid beetles, commonly called the sun beetles. Many are holarctic, but a few species are neotropical or occur in eastern Asia. [4]
Contents
These ground beetles are mostly black or bronze-colored, and many species have a characteristic "bullet-shaped" habitus, as shown in the photos, making them taxonomically difficult for a beginner. They are predominantly herbivorous, with some species known to climb ripening grasses to feed on the seeds. Other species are used as weed control agents. Numerous species are adventive in non-native habitats, particularly species that thrive in synanthropic settings.
