Ground beetles are a large, cosmopolitan family of beetles, the Carabidae, with more than 40,000 species worldwide, around 2,000 of which are found in North America and 2,700 in Europe. As of 2015, it is one of the 10 most species-rich animal families. They belong to the Adephaga. Members of the family are primarily carnivorous, but some members are herbivorous or omnivorous.
The Adephaga are a suborder of beetles, and with more than 40,000 recorded species in 10 families, the second-largest of the four beetle suborders. Members of this suborder are collectively known as adephagans. The largest family is Carabidae which comprises most of the suborder with over 40,000 species. Adephaga also includes a variety of aquatic beetles, such as predaceous diving beetles and whirligig beetles.
Amara aenea is a ground beetle common in almost the whole of Europe and Northern Asia. Its range covers also parts of Northern Africa. It is known as the common sun beetle.
Chlaenius is a large and diverse genus of ground beetle. It is native to the Palearctic realm, Afrotropical realm, and Nearctic realm. Worldwide, roughly 1,000 species are currently recognized with the majority of known species occurring in the Oriental and Afrotropical regions. The genus is divided into many subgenera.
Phobophorus was a genus of beetle in the family Carabidae with a single species, Phobophorus paccatus. It is now considered a synonym of the genus Amara, subgenus Amathitis.
Chlaenius sericeus is a species in the beetle family Carabidae. It is found in the United States and Canada.
Chlaenius tricolor is a species of vivid metallic ground beetle in the family Carabidae. It is found from southern Canada south to Guatemala.
Epomis is a subgenus of ground beetle genus Chlaenius. The larvae of this subgenus are notable for being obligate role-reversal predators. Amphibians such as frogs are normally predators of beetles; however, Epomis larvae feed exclusively on amphibians.
Chlaenius circumscriptus is a species of ground beetle native to the Palearctic, the Near East, and North Africa.
Anthia sexmaculata, common name Egyptian predator beetle, is a species of beetles of the family Carabidae.
Predator–prey reversal is a biological interaction where an organism that is typically prey in the predation interaction instead acts as the predator. A variety of interactions are considered a role reversal. One type is where the prey confronts its predator and the interaction ends with no feeding. Two competing predators may interact and the larger predator will prey on the smaller. Smaller organisms may prey on larger organisms. Changing population densities may trigger a role reversal. In addition, adult prey may attack juvenile predators.
Chlaenius dejeanii is a species of ground beetle native to the Palearctic and the Middle East. It is known from Bosnia and Herzegovina, Greece, Hungary, Israel, Italy, Russia, Syria, Turkey, and Ukraine.
Chlaenius nigricans is a species of ground beetle native to the Palearctic. It is known from Borneo, China, India, Indonesia, Japan, Myanmar, North Korea, South Korea, Sri Lanka, and Taiwan.
Pterostichus permundus is a species of woodland ground beetle in the family Carabidae. It is found in North America.
Chlaenius pimalicus is a species of ground beetle in the family Carabidae. It is found in North America.
Chlaenius obsoletus is a species of ground beetle in the family Carabidae. It is found in North America.
Chlaenius oxygonus is a species of ground beetle in the family Carabidae. It is found in North America.
Chlaenius flaccidus is a species of ground beetle in the family Carabidae. It is found in North America.
Chlaenius vafer is a species of ground beetle in the family Carabidae. It is found in North America.
Chlaeniini is a tribe of ground beetles in the family Carabidae. There are more than 20 genera and 1,000 described species in Chlaeniini, found worldwide. The genus Chlaenius has more than 900 species.
