Helops bachei
LeConte, 1861
Helops bachei is a darkling beetle in the Tenebrionidae, described by John Lawrence LeConte in 1861. The Helops contains that can be challenging to distinguish from ground beetles (Carabidae) due to some shared morphological features. Like other Helops species, H. bachei possesses with segments longer than wide, resembling the filamentous antennae of ground beetles rather than the bead-like antennae typical of many darkling beetles. However, it can be identified as a tenebrionid by its concealed . The species is native to North America.
Pronunciation
How to pronounce Helops bachei: /ˈhɛloʊps ˈbæki.aɪ/
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Identification
Helops bachei can be distinguished from ground beetles (Carabidae) by its concealed , which are hidden beneath the rather than exposed and directed forward. While the of H. bachei have segments longer than wide—resembling the filamentous antennae typical of ground beetles—this trait alone is not diagnostic. The combination of filamentous-appearing antennae with concealed mandibles separates Helops from both ground beetles (exposed mandibles, filamentous antennae) and typical darkling beetles (concealed mandibles, bead-like antennae).
Distribution
North America.
Similar Taxa
- Ground beetles (Carabidae)Share filamentous-appearing with long segments, but have exposed, forward-directed and typically rapid running .
- Eleodes and related darkling beetlesShare concealed and slow movement, but have distinctly bead-like segments and often exhibit -standing defensive .
- Other Helops speciesShare the diagnostic combination of concealed with long segments; -level identification requires additional characters.