Helops rufipes
(LeConte, 1851)
Helops rufipes is a in the , first described by LeConte in 1851. The epithet "rufipes" refers to its reddish legs. As a member of the Helops, it belongs to a group of darkling beetles that can be challenging to distinguish from () due to superficial similarities. The genus Helops includes species that exhibit resembling those of ground beetles, with longer than wide, unlike the bead-like antennae typical of many other darkling beetles.
Pronunciation
How to pronounce Helops rufipes: //ˈhɛl.ɒps ˈruː.fɪˌpiːz//
These audio files are automatically generated. While they are not always 100% accurate, they are a good starting point.
Images
Similar Taxa
- Carabidae (ground beetles)Helops possess with longer than wide, superficially resembling . However, Helops rufipes has concealed beneath the (unlike the exposed, forward-directed mandibles of ), lacks the rapid running characteristic of ground beetles, and does not exhibit the predatory of carabids.
- Other Helops speciesSpecific distinguishing characters for H. rufipes from are not documented in available sources; identification likely requires examination of male and other subtle morphological features.
Sources and further reading
- BugGuide
- GBIF taxonomy match
- Vanquished vanishing columbines: Columbine sawfly, Pristiphora rufipes — Bug of the Week
- Bug Eric: ID Tip: Ground Beetle or Darkling Beetle?
- Cicindelidae | Beetles In The Bush | Page 7
- Fungus Manipulates Ants to Die Near their Nests, Ensuring New Hosts
- Bug Eric: More Beetles from Bones
- Working with Cerceris fumipennis—Part 2 | Beetles In The Bush