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.
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.
The Adephaga, with more than 40,000 recorded species in 10 families, are a suborder of highly specialized beetles and the second-largest suborder of the order Coleoptera. Members of this suborder are collectively known as adephagans, and include ground beetles and a variety of aquatic beetles, such as predaceous diving beetles and whirligig beetles. Most of the species belong to the family Carabidae.
Anthia is a genus of the ground beetle family (Carabidae). Species of Anthia can spray a jet of formic acid up to 30 centimetres (12 in), which if not treated, can cause blindness in animals which harass the beetles.
Calathus is a genus of ground beetle native to the Palearctic, the Near East and North Africa. There are at least 190 described species in Calathus.
Zabrus is a genus of ground beetles. They are, unusually for ground beetles, omnivores or even herbivores, and Zabrus tenebrioides can become a pest in cereal fields.
Calosoma is a genus of large ground beetles that occur primarily throughout the Northern Hemisphere, and are referred to as caterpillar hunters or caterpillar searchers. Many of the 167 species are largely or entirely black, but some have bright metallic coloration. They produce a foul-smelling spray from glands near the tip of the abdomen. They are recognizable due to their large thorax, which is almost the size of their abdomen and much wider than their head.
Bembidion is the largest genus of beetles in the family Carabidae by number of species. All species are small and move very fast. Most of them live close to water. The genus has a biantitropical distribution, meaning they are found in both the Northern and Southern Hemispheres, but not in the tropics. In warmer regions it is substituted by closely related Tachys and other genera.
Dobodura armata is a species of beetle in the family Carabidae, the only species in the genus Dobodura.
Ant nest beetles or paussines, some members of which are known also as flanged bombardier beetles, are a large subfamily within the ground beetles (Carabidae). The tribes Metriini, Ozaenini, Paussini and Protopaussini are included in the subfamily.
Nebria is a genus of ground beetles native to the Palearctic, the Near East and North Africa.
Clivina is a genus of ground beetle native to the Palearctic, the Nearctic, the Near East and North Africa. There are at least 580 described species in Clivina.
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.
Eocarterus is a genus of beetles in the family Carabidae. It contains eight species divided into two subgenera, Eocarterus and Baeticocarus.
Platynus is a genus of ground beetles in the family Carabidae. There are at least 190 described species in Platynus.
Eudromus is a genus of beetles in the family Carabidae, containing the following species:
Omoglymmius is a genus of wrinkled bark beetles in the family Carabidae, found on every continent except Africa and Antarctica. There are at least 150 species in Omoglymmius.
Elaphropus is a genus of ground beetles in the family Carabidae. There are at least 370 described species in Elaphropus.
Tachys is a genus of ground beetles in the family Carabidae. There are at least 270 described species in Tachys.
