Amerizus wingatei
(Bland, 1864)
Wingate's riverbank ground beetle
Amerizus wingatei is a small in the , commonly known as Wingate's riverbank ground beetle. The was originally described as Bembidion wingatei by Bland in 1864 and later transferred to the Amerizus. It is primarily associated with riparian in eastern North America. Reports of its presence in Europe and northern Asia are disputed and not supported by recent taxonomic reviews.
Pronunciation
How to pronounce Amerizus wingatei: /ˈæmərɪˌzʌs wɪŋˈɡeɪtaɪ/
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Identification
Amerizus wingatei can be distinguished from other small carabids by its placement in the Amerizus, which is characterized by specific genitalic and elytral features. As a member of Bembidiinae, it is small-bodied with thread-like . Accurate identification to level requires examination of male and comparison with closely related species in the genus Amerizus.
Images
Habitat
Riverbank and riparian environments, particularly along streams and water margins.
Distribution
Confirmed records from eastern North America, including the United States and Canada. Reports from Europe and northern Asia (excluding China) appear in some databases but are not substantiated by authoritative sources such as Bousquet (2012) and the Carabcat database (2021).
Similar Taxa
- Other Amerizus speciesShare -level characteristics including small size and riparian preferences; require genitalic examination for definitive separation.
- Small Bembidion speciesFormerly classified within Bembidion and share superficial morphological similarities; differ in genitalic structure and elytral microsculpture.
Misconceptions
The has been erroneously reported as present in Europe and northern Asia in databases such as ITIS and GBIF. These records are not supported by taxonomic reviews and likely represent data entry errors or misidentifications.
More Details
Taxonomic history
Originally described as Bembidion wingatei by Bland in 1864, later transferred to Amerizus. Authority sometimes cited as (Bland, 1863) in some sources, but 1864 is the accepted date.
Data quality concerns
Distribution data in aggregate databases should be treated cautiously; primary literature and specialized carabid databases (Carabcat) provide more reliable information.