Opisthius richardsoni
Kirby, 1837
Opisthius richardsoni is a ground beetle in the Carabidae, native to northern North America. It is frequently mistaken for tiger beetles (Cicindelinae) due to its superficial resemblance, a common identification error among collectors. The occurs across Alaska, Canada, and the northern United States.
Pronunciation
How to pronounce Opisthius richardsoni: /oʊˈpɪsθiəs rɪˈtʃɑrdsoʊnaɪ/
These audio files are automatically generated. While they are not always 100% accurate, they are a good starting point.
Identification
Superficially resembles tiger beetles (Cicindelinae) in general body form, leading to frequent misidentification. Distinguished from true tiger beetles by characters of the Nebriinae: differs in structure, shape, and other subtle morphological features not detailed in available sources. Distinguished from the similarly confusing ground beetle Elaphrus by characters that allow separation of Opisthiini from Elaphrini.
Images
Distribution
Alaska; Canada; United States (northern regions). Present in North America.
Human Relevance
Known primarily as a that causes identification confusion among entomologists and collectors, who frequently mislabel specimens as Elaphrus or mistake it for tiger beetles.
Similar Taxa
- ElaphrusBoth are ground beetles frequently confused with tiger beetles; specimens of Opisthius richardsoni have been mislabeled as Elaphrus by collectors.
- Cicindelinae (tiger beetles)Superficial resemblance in body form leads to frequent misidentification; true tiger beetles differ in structure, , and other diagnostic characters.