Calosoma tepidum
LeConte, 1852
lukewarm beautiful black searcher
Calosoma tepidum is a large in the , Carabinae, first described by LeConte in 1851. It belongs to the ' hunter' group within the Calosoma, characterized by large size and predatory habits. The is flightless despite possessing fully developed , a condition attributed to thoracic muscle reduction. It has been the subject of recent genomic research as part of a model system for studying wing evolution in .
Pronunciation
How to pronounce Calosoma tepidum: /ˌkaləˈsoʊmə ˈtɛpɪdəm/
These audio files are automatically generated. While they are not always 100% accurate, they are a good starting point.
Habitat
Inhabits areas with open dry ground and sparse low vegetation. In British Columbia, found in forested paths near Lake at 841 m elevation in the South Okanagan Grasslands Protected Area.
Distribution
Western North America. Documented from British Columbia, Arizona, California, Colorado, Idaho, Montana, North Dakota, Nebraska, Nevada, Oregon, Utah, Washington, and Wyoming. Specific collection locality in British Columbia: 49°02′23.4″N 119°33′26.1″W.
Diet
on and .
Behavior
Active hunter, observed with headlamps at night. Attracted to baited with red wine vinegar. (fully winged) but -unfit due to reduced thoracic flight muscles. When captured live, requires humid conditions (maintained with damp cotton).
Similar Taxa
- Calosoma wilkesiiSister from same region (British Columbia), similar and collection locality, both subject of same genomic study. Distinguished by genetic divergence estimated at 25-30 million years and minor chromosomal rearrangements.
- Calosoma scrutatorAnother large Calosoma ' hunter' with similar hunting on caterpillars, but distinguished by larger size (25+ mm), more elongated and , and more intense purple coloration on .
- Calosoma wilcoxiSmaller (about one-third the size of C. scrutator) with similar -hunting , but C. tepidum is flightless with reduced muscles while C. wilcoxi is capable of flight and known for ascending trees to hunt caterpillars.
More Details
Genomic Resources
- assembly available: 1,243 scaffolds totaling 273 Mb, N50 = 6.5 Mb, 99.3% BUSCO completeness. Annotation includes 21,976 genes with 91.0% BUSCO completeness. Belongs to subgenus Chrysostigma. Used as model for studying genomic basis of evolution in .
Wing Evolution Significance
Part of emerging model system for studying flightlessness in . Despite having fully developed (macroptery), the cannot due to thoracic muscle reduction—a condition found in about half of Calosoma species, typically associated with of remote including highlands, oceanic islands, and deserts.
Sources and further reading
- BugGuide
- Wikipedia
- GBIF taxonomy match
- iNaturalist taxon
- NCBI Taxonomy
- Ground beetles up in the air: Calosoma wilcoxi and Calosoma scrutator — Bug of the Week
- Feasting on the bounty | Beetles In The Bush
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- Bug Eric: ID Tip: Ground Beetle or Darkling Beetle?
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- Chromosome-Scale Genomes of the Flightless Caterpillar Hunter Beetles Calosoma tepidum and Calosoma wilkesii From British Columbia (Coleoptera: Carabidae)