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| Carabus | |
|---|---|
 | |
| Carabus glabratus | |
Scientific classification  | |
| Kingdom: | Animalia |
| Phylum: | Arthropoda |
| Class: | Insecta |
| Order: | Coleoptera |
| Suborder: | Adephaga |
| Family: | Carabidae |
| Subfamily: | Carabinae |
| Tribe: | Carabini |
| Genus: | Carabus Linnaeus, 1758 |
| Synonyms [1] | |
Leptinocarabus Reitter, 1895 | |
Carabus is a genus of beetles in the family Carabidae, [2] and was first described in 1758 by Carl Linnaeus. [2] [3]
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The genus is highly diverse with 94 subgenera, over 900 species and 2300 subspecies, thus is the largest genus in the subfamily Carabinae. [4] [5] [6] The vast majority are native to the Palearctic, but 16 Nearctic species are also known. [4] [6] Carabus species are 12–50 mm (0.47–1.97 in) long, and most species are wingless and often very colourful. [4] These are nocturnal, predatory beetles that feed on snails, earthworms, and caterpillars. [4] [7] Most Carabus species were thought to have inhabited the Eurasian forest, but their low dispersal abilities altered the distribution of lineages within the genus. [4]
