Elaphrus cicatricosus
LeConte, 1848
Elaphrus cicatricosus is a of ground beetle in the Elaphrinae, described by John Lawrence LeConte in 1848. It is native to North America, with records from Canada and the United States. The Elaphrus comprises beetles that are frequently mistaken for tiger beetles (Cicindelinae) due to their similar appearance and ground-dwelling habits.
Pronunciation
How to pronounce Elaphrus cicatricosus: //ɛˈlæfrəs sɪˌkætrɪˈkoʊsəs//
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Identification
Members of Elaphrus are distinguished from true tiger beetles by their more rounded pronotum and less prominent . The specific epithet 'cicatricosus' refers to scar-like markings, though detailed diagnostic features for this relative to are not well documented in available sources.
Images
Distribution
Canada and the United States (North America).
Similar Taxa
- Cicindela speciesElaphrus are frequently confused with tiger beetles due to convergent body shape, coloration, and ground-dwelling . Elaphrus lacks the enlarged and more streamlined pronotum characteristic of Cicindela.
- Opisthius richardsoniAnother ground beetle that has been misidentified as Elaphrus by collectors; both share somewhat similar body proportions that can lead to identification errors.