Carabidae
Guides
Pterostichus pumilus
woodland ground beetle
Pterostichus pumilus is a species of ground beetle in the family Carabidae, described by Thomas L. Casey in 1913. The species is found in North America, with records from Canada and the United States. Two subspecies are recognized: Pterostichus pumilus pumilus and Pterostichus pumilus willamettensis. As a member of the genus Pterostichus, it belongs to a large group of ground beetles commonly associated with woodland habitats.
Pterostichus pumilus pumilus
Pterostichus pumilus pumilus is a subspecies of ground beetle in the family Carabidae. It belongs to the large genus Pterostichus, a diverse group of predatory beetles found primarily in the Northern Hemisphere. The nominate subspecies P. p. pumilus was described by Casey in 1913.
Pterostichus pumilus willamettensis
Pterostichus pumilus willamettensis is a subspecies of ground beetle in the family Carabidae. It was described by Hacker in 1968. The subspecies belongs to the widespread genus Pterostichus, which contains numerous ground beetle species primarily distributed in the Northern Hemisphere. As a member of the subfamily Pterostichinae, it is likely adapted to ground-dwelling predatory habits typical of this group.
Pterostichus punctatissimus
Pterostichus punctatissimus is a species of woodland ground beetle in the family Carabidae. It is native to North America, with documented occurrence in Canada and the United States. The species was originally described as Feronia punctatissima by Randall in 1838. Its image has been widely reused in open access scientific publishing, with approximately 1400 uses on Wikimedia platforms, making it one of the most frequently reused beetle images from Pensoft publications.
Pterostichus putus
Pterostichus putus is a ground beetle species in the family Carabidae, described by Casey in 1913. It belongs to the large genus Pterostichus, which comprises numerous species of predatory beetles distributed primarily in the Northern Hemisphere. The species is known from the United States and is part of the diverse North American carabid fauna. Like other members of its genus, it is likely a ground-dwelling predator, though specific ecological details remain poorly documented.
Pterostichus relictus
Pterostichus relictus is a species of woodland ground beetle in the family Carabidae, native to North America. The species was described by Newman in 1838, though a later homonym by Aubry (1979) has been synonymized. As a member of the genus Pterostichus, it belongs to one of the largest and most diverse genera of ground beetles, often associated with forested habitats.
Pterostichus restrictus
Pterostichus restrictus is a species of ground beetle in the family Carabidae. It was described by Casey in 1918. The species is known from the United States, with records indicating presence in North America. Very little detailed information is available about its biology, habitat preferences, or ecology.
Pterostichus riparius
Pterostichus riparius is a species of ground beetle in the family Carabidae. It is classified within the genus Pterostichus, a large and diverse group of carabid beetles commonly known as woodland ground beetles. The species is found in North America, with records from Alaska, Canada, and the contiguous United States.
Pterostichus rostratus
woodland ground beetle
Pterostichus rostratus is a species of woodland ground beetle in the family Carabidae. It is found in North America, with records from Canada and the United States. The species was first described by Newman in 1838 under the basionym Feronia rostrata. Like other members of the genus Pterostichus, it is a ground-dwelling beetle associated with woodland habitats.
Pterostichus sayanus
Pterostichus sayanus is a species of ground beetle in the family Carabidae. It belongs to the genus Pterostichus, a large and diverse group of woodland ground beetles. The species is found in North America. Beyond its taxonomic placement and geographic distribution, detailed information about its biology and ecology appears limited in available sources.
Pterostichus sculptus
Pterostichus sculptus is a species of ground beetle in the family Carabidae. It is classified as a woodland ground beetle and is found in North America. The species was described by LeConte in 1853. It is currently recognized as a synonym of Abacidus sculptus in some taxonomic databases, though it remains listed under Pterostichus in other sources.
Pterostichus similis
Pterostichus similis is a species of woodland ground beetle in the family Carabidae. It occurs across a broad Holarctic distribution, spanning Europe, Northern Asia (excluding China), and North America. The species inhabits woodland environments and is part of the diverse Pterostichus genus, one of the largest genera of ground beetles.
Pterostichus sphodrinus
woodland ground beetle
Pterostichus sphodrinus is a species of ground beetle in the family Carabidae, described by LeConte in 1863. It belongs to the large genus Pterostichus, one of the most diverse genera of carabid beetles in North America. The species is documented from woodland habitats across North America.
Pterostichus strenuus
Rough-chested Blackclock
Pterostichus strenuus is a woodland ground beetle in the family Carabidae. The species has a Holarctic distribution, occurring in North America, Europe, and temperate Asia. It is one of many Pterostichus species adapted to forest floor habitats. Taxonomic authorities vary, with some sources listing Erichson (1837) and others Panzer (1796) or LeConte (1853).
Pterostichus stygicus
Woodland ground beetle
Pterostichus stygicus is a species of ground beetle in the family Carabidae, native to North America. It inhabits deciduous forest floor environments where it functions as a generalist predator. The species has been studied for its competitive interactions and intraguild predation relationships with centipedes, particularly Scolopocryptops sexspinosus.
Pterostichus subacutus
Pterostichus subacutus is a species of ground beetle in the family Carabidae. It is found in North America. The species belongs to the large genus Pterostichus, which comprises numerous woodland-dwelling carabid beetles.
Pterostichus superciliosus
Pterostichus superciliosus is a species of woodland ground beetle in the family Carabidae. It is found in North America. The species was described by Thomas Say in 1823. As a member of the genus Pterostichus, it belongs to a diverse group of ground beetles commonly encountered in forested habitats.
Pterostichus surgens
Pterostichus surgens is a ground beetle in the family Carabidae, described by LeConte in 1878. The species belongs to the large genus Pterostichus, which is part of the diverse carabid beetle fauna of North America. Like other members of its genus, it is a predatory beetle. The species has been recorded in Canada and the United States.
Pterostichus tarsalis
woodland ground beetle
Pterostichus tarsalis is a species of ground beetle in the family Carabidae. It is classified as a woodland ground beetle and occurs in North America. The species was described by LeConte in 1873. As a member of the genus Pterostichus, it belongs to a large and diverse group of carabid beetles commonly found in forested habitats.
Pterostichus trinarius
Pterostichus trinarius is a species of ground beetle in the family Carabidae. It is native to North America, with distribution records from the United States. The species is classified as a woodland ground beetle, indicating association with forested habitats. As a member of the genus Pterostichus, it belongs to a diverse group of carabid beetles commonly known as woodland ground beetles.
Pterostichus tumescens
Pterostichus tumescens is a species of ground beetle in the family Carabidae, described by John Lawrence LeConte in 1863. It belongs to the large genus Pterostichus, which comprises numerous species of predatory beetles distributed primarily in the Northern Hemisphere. The species is known from the United States and is part of the diverse North American carabid fauna.
Pterostichus ventralis
Pterostichus ventralis is a species of woodland ground beetle in the family Carabidae. It occurs in North America, with records from the United States. Like other members of the genus Pterostichus, it is a ground-dwelling beetle typically associated with forested habitats. The species was described by Thomas Say in 1823.
Pterostichus ventricosus
Pterostichus ventricosus is a species of woodland ground beetle in the family Carabidae. It is found in North America, with distribution records from Alaska, Canada, and the contiguous United States. The species was described by Eschscholtz in 1823. It belongs to the subgenus Cryobius within the genus Pterostichus, a diverse group of ground beetles.
Pterostichus vermiculosus
Pterostichus vermiculosus is a ground beetle species in the family Carabidae with a Holarctic distribution spanning Europe, Northern Asia, and North America. In Russia, it has been documented in tundra habitats including lichen moss tundra, shrub tundra, and tundra lowlands. The species was described by Ménétriés in 1851.
Pterostichus vicinus
A species of ground beetle in the family Carabidae, native to western North America. Records indicate presence in the USA, with observations documented in the western United States. As a member of the genus Pterostichus, it belongs to a diverse group of carabid beetles commonly found in forested and montane habitats. The species was described by Mannerheim in 1843.
Rhadine austinica
Rhadine austinica is a species of ground beetle in the family Carabidae, described by Barr in 1974. It belongs to the genus Rhadine, which includes several cave-dwelling species found in North America. The genus is notable for containing endangered species that inhabit karst cave systems in Texas.
Rhadine babcocki
Rhadine babcocki is a species of ground beetle in the family Carabidae. It is part of a genus containing cave-dwelling species found in North America. The genus Rhadine includes several federally listed endangered species that inhabit cave systems in central Texas.
Rhadine howdeni
Rhadine howdeni is a species of ground beetle in the family Carabidae, first described by Barr and Lawrence in 1960. It is found in North America, with distribution records from the United States. Like other members of the genus Rhadine, it is likely associated with subterranean or cave habitats, though specific ecological details for this species remain poorly documented. The genus Rhadine includes several federally endangered cave-dwelling species that serve as important indicators of cave ecosystem health.
Rhadine jejuna
Rhadine jejuna is a species of ground beetle in the family Carabidae. It is found in North America. The genus Rhadine includes several cave-dwelling species that are highly specialized for subterranean environments.
Rhadine lanei
Rhadine lanei is a species of ground beetle in the family Carabidae, first described by B.Gray in 1937. It belongs to the genus Rhadine, which contains multiple cave-dwelling species found in Texas. The genus includes several federally endangered species that are ecologically dependent on cave cricket populations.
Rhadine larvalis
Rhadine larvalis is a ground beetle in the family Carabidae, described by LeConte in 1846. It is one of several species in the genus Rhadine, a group that includes both surface-dwelling and cave-adapted beetles. The species is recorded from the United States and North America. Unlike some congeners such as R. exilis and R. infernalis, it is not currently listed as federally endangered.
Rhadine lindrothi
Rhadine lindrothi is a species of ground beetle in the family Carabidae, described by Barr in 1965. It is found in North America, with records from Canada and the United States. The genus Rhadine includes several cave-dwelling species that are ecologically specialized, though specific details about R. lindrothi's biology remain poorly documented.
Rhadine nivalis
Rhadine nivalis is a ground beetle species in the family Carabidae, first described by George Henry Horn in 1881. It is found in North America, with distribution records from the United States. The species belongs to the genus Rhadine, which includes several cave-dwelling beetles, some of which are federally listed as endangered. However, specific ecological details for R. nivalis remain poorly documented in available sources.
Rhadine perlevis
Rhadine perlevis is a ground beetle in the family Carabidae, described by Casey in 1913. The species is known from Mexico and the southwestern United States. It belongs to a genus containing several cave-dwelling species, though R. perlevis itself is not documented as a cave obligate. The genus Rhadine includes federally endangered species such as R. exilis and R. infernalis, which are restricted to cave systems in central Texas and depend on cave crickets as a food source.
Rhadine umbra
Rhadine umbra is a ground beetle species in the family Carabidae, described by Casey in 1913. It is a member of the genus Rhadine, which contains several troglobitic (cave-dwelling) species, though the specific ecology of R. umbra remains poorly documented. The species is recorded from the United States.
Scaphinotus
Snail-eating Beetles
Scaphinotus is a genus of flightless ground beetles in the family Carabidae, comprising approximately 55-60 species native exclusively to North America. These beetles are specialized snail predators, with their distribution and habitat use tightly linked to moist environments where their gastropod prey occur. The genus is notable for its large body size among carabids (typically 15-25 mm), elongated mandibles adapted for extracting snails from shells, and complete absence of flight capability due to reduced hindwings. Research on Scaphinotus angusticollis in managed forests of British Columbia indicates that 30-meter riparian reserves effectively maintain population sizes and movement patterns comparable to unharvested forests.
Scaphinotus aeneicollis
Coppery-collared Snail-eating Beetle
Scaphinotus aeneicollis, commonly known as the coppery-collared snail-eating beetle, is a species of ground beetle in the family Carabidae. It is a member of the Carabinae subfamily, which includes large predatory beetles often called 'snail hunters' or 'caterpillar hunters.' The species is restricted to the southern Appalachian region of North America, specifically in coniferous forest habitats in North Carolina. Adults are brachypterous (short-winged) and nocturnal.
Scaphinotus andrewsii
Andrew's Snail-eating Beetle
Scaphinotus andrewsii is a ground beetle in the family Carabidae, commonly known as Andrew's Snail-eating Beetle. It is found in North America, where it inhabits moist areas and preys primarily on snails. The species exhibits a dark, black exoskeleton with a somewhat elongated head and thorax. Seven subspecies are recognized, distributed across the Appalachian region from Pennsylvania south to Georgia.
Scaphinotus angulatus
Angular Snail-eating Beetle, Angulate Snail-eating Beetle
Scaphinotus angulatus is a large ground beetle in the subfamily Carabinae, commonly known as the angular snail-eating beetle. It is a specialist predator of snails, possessing elongated mandibles adapted for extracting prey from shells. Adults are brachypterous (short-winged) and nocturnal. The species is restricted to temperate coniferous rainforests of the Pacific Northwest.
Scaphinotus angusticollis
Narrow-collared Snail-eating Beetle
Scaphinotus angusticollis is a large ground beetle in the family Carabidae, commonly known as the narrow-collared snail-eating beetle. Adults are brachypterous (short-winged), gregarious, and nocturnal. The species exhibits regional color polymorphism, with individuals appearing in dark black or deep red morphs. It has been observed preying on snails, slugs, earthworms, and spiders.
Scaphinotus bullatus
Inflated Snail-eating Beetle
Scaphinotus bullatus, commonly known as the inflated snail-eating beetle, is a species of ground beetle in the family Carabidae. It is endemic to California, where it inhabits coniferous and mixed forests. Adults are brachypterous (short-winged), a trait associated with its forest floor habitat. The species belongs to the tribe Cychrini, whose members are specialized predators of snails and slugs.
Scaphinotus cavicollis
Concave-collared Snail-eating Beetle
Scaphinotus cavicollis is a ground beetle in the family Carabidae, commonly known as the concave-collared snail-eating beetle. It is a member of the Cychrini tribe, a group of large, nocturnal carabids specialized for snail predation. Adults are brachypterous (short-winged) and flightless, and have been observed to be nocturnally active. The species occurs in coniferous forest habitats in the south-central United States.
Scaphinotus cordatus
Heart-shaped Thorax Snail-eating Beetle
Scaphinotus cordatus is a species of ground beetle in the family Carabidae, commonly known as the Heart-shaped Thorax Snail-eating Beetle. It is found in North America, specifically in California, where it inhabits coastal mixed forests. Adults are brachypterous (short-winged), a trait common in the genus Scaphinotus. The species belongs to the tribe Cychrini, a group of large ground beetles often referred to as "snail hunters" due to their specialized diet.
Scaphinotus crenatus
Notched Snail-eating Beetle
Scaphinotus crenatus, commonly known as the notched snail-eating beetle, is a species of ground beetle in the family Carabidae. It is a member of the subfamily Carabinae, which includes the so-called "caterpillar hunters" and "snail hunters." This species is endemic to California, where it inhabits forested environments. Adults are brachypterous (short-winged) and nocturnal in their activity patterns.
Scaphinotus cristatus
ridged thorax snail-eating beetle, ridged snail-eating beetle
Scaphinotus cristatus is a flightless ground beetle in the family Carabidae, commonly known as the ridged thorax snail-eating beetle. It is restricted to western North America, occurring in California and Oregon. The species inhabits mixed and coniferous forests and is specialized for feeding on snails. Adults possess brachypterous (shortened) wings that render them incapable of flight.
Scaphinotus debilis
weakly thorax snail-eating beetle
Scaphinotus debilis is a ground beetle in the family Carabidae, placed in the tribe Cychrini. The species is endemic to the southeastern United States, with records from Georgia, North Carolina, and South Carolina. Two subspecies are recognized: the nominate S. d. debilis and S. d. alpinus, the latter restricted to high-elevation areas of North Carolina. Like other members of its genus, it is a specialized predator of land snails.
Scaphinotus elevatus
eastern snail eater, Large-thoraxed Snail-eating Beetle, elevated thorax snail-eating beetle
Scaphinotus elevatus is a species of ground beetle in the family Carabidae, commonly known as the eastern snail eater. It is one of the larger carabid beetles in North America, with most individuals measuring at least 15 mm in length. The species belongs to the Carabinae subfamily, which includes the so-called 'caterpillar hunters' and 'snail hunters'—giant ground beetles closely related to tiger beetles. Six subspecies are recognized, distributed across eastern, central, and southwestern North America.
Scaphinotus elevatus coloradensis
Scaphinotus elevatus coloradensis is a subspecies of ground beetle in the family Carabidae, first described by Van Dyke in 1907. It belongs to the subfamily Carabinae, which includes the so-called "caterpillar hunters" and "snail hunters"—large, charismatic beetles known for their prominent mandibles. The subspecies epithet "coloradensis" indicates its association with Colorado, and records indicate it occurs in the western United States and Canada. Like other members of the genus Scaphinotus, it is likely a nocturnal predator adapted to montane or foothill habitats.
Scaphinotus elevatus flammeus
Scaphinotus elevatus flammeus is a subspecies of ground beetle in the family Carabidae. It belongs to the tribe Cychrini, a group of carabid beetles commonly known as snail-eating beetles due to their specialized feeding habits. The subspecies was described by Haldeman in 1844 and is distributed in North America, with records from Canada and the United States. Like other members of the genus Scaphinotus, it is likely adapted to moist forest habitats where its prey is abundant.
Scaphinotus fissicollis
Cleft-collared Snail-eating Beetle
Scaphinotus fissicollis is a species of ground beetle in the family Carabidae, commonly known as the cleft-collared snail-eating beetle. It belongs to the tribe Cychrini, a group of large, specialized ground beetles often referred to as "snail hunters" due to their elongated head and mandibles adapted for extracting snails from their shells. Adults are brachypterous (short-winged), a trait common in this genus that reflects their ground-dwelling, non-flying lifestyle. The species occurs in the central United States.