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.
Noctuoidea is the superfamily of noctuid or "owlet" moths, and has more than 70,000 described species, the largest number of any Lepidopteran superfamily. Its classification has not yet reached a satisfactory or stable state. Since the end of the 20th century, increasing availability of molecular phylogenetic data for this hugely successful radiation has led to several competing proposals for a taxonomic arrangement that correctly represents the relationships between the major lineages.
Pterostichus is a very large genus of ground beetles with a Holarctic distribution in the subfamily Harpalinae. It has over 1,200 species. The beetles are predatory, but sometimes feed on strawberries. They can be found under rocks and prefer slightly moist, sandy soil although preferences differ between species.
Anthiinae is a subfamily of beetles in the family Carabidae, containing the following genera:
Licininae is a subfamily of in the beetle family Cicindelidae. There are more than 80 genera and 1,800 described species in Licininae.
Platyninae is a subfamily of ground beetles.
Scaritinae is a large subfamily of beetles in the family Carabidae, containing more than 2400 species in over 140 genera. They are found worldwide.
Chinapenetretus is a genus of ground beetles in the family Carabidae. There are about nine described species in Chinapenetretus, found in China.
Deltomerus is a genus of ground beetles in the family Carabidae. There are more than 70 described species in Deltomerus.
Diplous is a genus of ground beetles in the family Carabidae. There are more than 20 described species in Diplous.
Parapenetretus is a genus of ground beetles in the family Carabidae. There are at least 20 described species in Parapenetretus, found mainly in China.
Silphinae is a subfamily of burying beetles or carrion beetles. There are 113 extant species of this subfamily, in two tribe and in 14 genera. It contains the following tribes and genera:
Bembidiini is a tribe of ground beetles in the family Carabidae. There are more than 120 genera and 3,100 described species in Bembidiini.
Harpalini is a tribe of a diverse group of ground beetles belonging to the subfamily Harpalinae within the broader family Carabidae. The tribe contains more than 1,900 species.
Pterostichini is a tribe of ground beetles in the subfamily Harpalinae. There are about 180 genera and more than 3,800 described species in Pterostichini.
Licinini is a tribe of ground beetles in the family Carabidae. There are more than 20 genera and 240 described species in Licinini.
Trechini is a large tribe of ground beetles in the family Carabidae. There are more than 270 genera and over 2,400 described species in Trechini, found throughout the world.
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.
