Ground-beetles
Guides
Abacetini
Abacetini is a tribe of ground beetles (family Carabidae) containing at least 3 genera and approximately 40 described species. Taxonomic treatment of this group has been revised: it was formerly recognized as a distinct tribe but is now often treated as the subtribe Abacetina within the tribe Pterostichini. Members of this group are part of the diverse ground beetle fauna, which are predominantly predatory and terrestrial.
Adephaga
Ground and Water Beetles, adephagans
Adephaga is the second-largest suborder of beetles, comprising over 40,000 species across 10 families. The suborder includes ground beetles (Carabidae), tiger beetles, predaceous diving beetles, and whirligig beetles. Members are characterized by specialized anatomical features including visible notopleural sutures and a first abdominal sternum separated by hind coxae. The vast majority of species belong to the family Carabidae.
Agonoleptus
Agonoleptus is a genus of ground beetles (Carabidae) comprising approximately eight described species. The genus was established by Casey in 1914 and is classified within the tribe Stenolophini, subfamily Harpalinae. Species in this genus are found in North America, with records from the United States including Vermont.
Amara
Sun Beetles
Amara is a large genus of ground beetles in the family Carabidae, commonly known as sun beetles. The genus has a primarily Holarctic distribution, with most species occurring in the Northern Hemisphere. A few species extend into the Neotropics and eastern Asia. Members of this genus are active predators and are frequently observed in open, sunny habitats.
Apenes
Apenes is a genus of ground beetles in the family Carabidae, established by LeConte in 1851. The genus comprises at least 80 described species, with a distribution centered in southern and neotropical regions of the New World. Only two species extend into northern regions. Members belong to the tribe Lebiini within the subfamily Lebiinae.
Apristus
Apristus is a genus of ground beetles in the family Carabidae, first described by Chaudoir in 1846. The genus comprises approximately 60 described species distributed across multiple continents including North America, Europe, Asia, and Africa. Members are classified within the subtribe Lionychina of the tribe Lebiini. The genus exhibits considerable diversity in body form and coloration, with many species showing metallic or iridescent integument.
Ardistomina
Ardistomina is a subtribe of ground beetles (Carabidae: Clivinini) containing three genera in North America: Aspidoglossa, Semiardistomis, and Ardistomis. Five species occur north of Mexico. Larval morphology has been described based on first-instar Semiardistomis viridis, representing the first larval character states documented for the subtribe. The subtribe was historically confused with related taxa, necessitating taxonomic revisions to clarify generic boundaries.
Ardistomis
Ardistomis is a genus of pedunculate ground beetles (Carabidae: Scaritinae) comprising more than 40 described species distributed across North, Central, and South America. Larval morphology supports classification of ardistomines (Ardistomis, Semiardistomis, and Aspidoglossa) as a subtribe (Ardistomina) within the tribe Clivinini. The genus includes species with documented range extensions, such as A. quixotei, which likely colonized Cuba from Mexico during the Quaternary Period.
Aspidoglossa
Aspidoglossa is a genus of ground beetles (family Carabidae) established by Putzeys in 1846. The genus comprises approximately 26 described species distributed primarily in the Neotropics, with a single species, Aspidoglossa subangulata, extending into the southern United States. These beetles belong to the subtribe Ardistomina within the tribe Clivinini, a group characterized by fossorial (burrowing) adaptations. The genus has been documented through 629 iNaturalist observations, indicating moderate levels of citizen science engagement.
Athrostictus
Athrostictus is a genus of ground beetles in the family Carabidae, established by Henry Walter Bates in 1878. The genus comprises 18 described species. As members of the tribe Harpalini within the subfamily Harpalinae, these beetles are part of a diverse group of predominantly ground-dwelling predatory beetles.
Atranus
Atranus is a genus of ground beetles in the family Carabidae, established by LeConte in 1847. The genus contains two described species: Atranus pubescens and Atranus ruficollis. These beetles are classified within the subfamily Platyninae and tribe Platynini. Very little is known about the biology or ecology of this genus.
Bembidiina
A large subtribe of ground beetles (Carabidae) comprising over 120 genera and more than 3,100 described species. Members are generally small to minute beetles with diverse morphologies across numerous subgenera. The subtribe has a cosmopolitan distribution with major centers of diversity in the Palaearctic and Afrotropical regions. Taxonomic revisions continue to refine species boundaries, synonymies, and subgeneric placements based on male genitalia and elytral microsculpture.
Bembidiini
Bembidiini is a large tribe of ground beetles (Carabidae) comprising over 120 genera and approximately 3,100 described species. Members are predominantly small to minute beetles, often found in riparian, intertidal, subterranean, and arboreal habitats. The tribe includes notable subtribes such as Xystosomina (arboreal tropical beetles) and Anillina (small litter-dwelling forms), as well as the subtribe Lovriciina containing highly specialized cave-dwelling species. Many species exhibit narrow habitat specificity, including intertidal gravel beaches and tropical forest canopy systems.
Bembidion
Bembidion is the largest genus of ground beetles in the family Carabidae by number of species. All species are small, measuring less than 7.5 mm, and are characterized by rapid movement. The genus exhibits a biantitropical distribution pattern, occurring in temperate regions of both the Northern and Southern Hemispheres but absent from tropical zones. Taxonomic subdivision of the genus remains unresolved, with multiple attempts to split it into smaller genera failing to achieve general acceptance.
Bembidion dejectum
Bembidion idoneum
A small ground beetle in the family Carabidae, described by Casey in 1918. The species is recognized as valid but remains poorly documented in modern literature. Available sources confirm its taxonomic placement but provide minimal ecological or biological information.
Bembidion pseudocautum
Pseudocautum Bembidion Beetle
Bembidion pseudocautum is a ground beetle species in the family Carabidae, described by Lindroth in 1963. It is found in North America, with records from Canada and the United States. No observations have been recorded in iNaturalist.
Calleidina
Calleidina is a subtribe of ground beetles in the family Carabidae, established by Chaudoir in 1873. It is currently treated as a synonym within the tribe Lebiini (subfamily Lebiinae). The subtribe historically grouped certain genera of small to medium-sized carabid beetles, though modern taxonomic revisions have reassigned its constituent taxa. As a synonym, it no longer represents a valid grouping in contemporary classifications but persists in older literature and databases.
Carabinae
ground beetles
Carabinae is a subfamily of ground beetles in the family Carabidae, comprising approximately 1,400 described species across ten genera. The subfamily is divided into two tribes: Cychrini and Carabini, with the latter further subdivided into subtribes Carabina and Ceroglossina. Notable genera include Carabus, Calosoma, and Ceroglossus. The group has been extensively studied phylogenetically, with molecular data covering over 90% of carabid genera.
Cicindelinae
tiger beetles
Cicindelinae is a subfamily of predatory beetles commonly known as tiger beetles. Adults are characterized by large eyes, long slender legs, and powerful mandibles adapted for capturing fast-moving prey. They exhibit a distinctive run-stop-run hunting pattern necessitated by their visual processing limitations at high speeds. The subfamily contains approximately 2,822 species in 120 genera distributed worldwide, though they are most diverse in tropical and subtropical regions. Many species show strong habitat specificity, with some restricted to particular sand dune systems, riparian zones, or rock outcrops.
Clivinina
Clivinina is a subtribe of ground beetles within the family Carabidae, tribe Clivinini, and subfamily Scaritinae. These beetles are primarily fossorial, adapted for burrowing in soil and sandy substrates. The subtribe contains multiple genera distributed across temperate and tropical regions worldwide. Members are characterized by specialized morphological adaptations for subterranean life.
Clivinini
Clivinini is a tribe of ground beetles (Carabidae: Scaritinae) containing over 70 genera and more than 1,200 described species. Members are predominantly soil-dwelling or subterranean, with many species adapted to endogean (buried soil) or troglobitic (cave) habitats. The tribe includes several subtribes, most notably Ardistomina (containing Aspidoglossa, Semiardistomis, and Ardistomis) and Reicheiina. Species occur across all major biogeographic regions, with significant radiations in tropical and subtropical karst systems.
Colliuris
Long-necked Ground Beetles
A genus of ground beetles in the family Carabidae, tribe Odacanthini, containing more than 90 described species. Species exhibit wing dimorphism as an adaptive trait. Some species resemble tiger beetles in appearance, which can lead to misidentification by collectors.
Coptodera
Coptodera is a genus of small ground beetles in the family Carabidae, comprising approximately 105 described species. The genus exhibits a broad geographic distribution spanning North and South America, Africa, Oceania, and eastern Asia. A single fossil species, Coptodera elektra, is known from Eocene Baltic amber, representing the only European record for the genus.
Cyclosomini
Cyclosomini is a tribe of ground beetles (Carabidae: Lebiinae) containing approximately 18 genera and over 490 described species. Members are distributed across multiple continents, with documented occurrences in Africa, the Neotropics, and other regions. The tribe includes genera such as Graphipterus and Tetragonoderus, for which some larval morphology and limited natural history information has been described.
Cymindis
Cymindis is a genus of ground beetles in the family Carabidae, established by Latreille in 1805. The genus comprises over 50 described species distributed across the Palearctic region, with particularly high diversity in Central Asia and the Near East. Many species are associated with arid and semi-arid habitats. The genus is divided into numerous subgenera, reflecting substantial morphological and ecological variation among its constituent species.
Diacheila
Diacheila is a genus of ground beetles in the family Carabidae, subfamily Elaphrinae. The genus comprises at least four described species, including one extinct species. Members are distributed across Holarctic regions, with some species restricted to Central Asia. The genus is notable for its Arctic and Subarctic specialization, particularly the well-studied D. polita, which exhibits photoperiod-driven life cycle timing.
Dicaelina
Dicaelina is a subtribe of ground beetles (Carabidae: Licininae: Licinini) established by Laporte in 1834. Members of this subtribe are included within the tribe Licinini, a group of predatory beetles characterized by elongated bodies and relatively long legs adapted for running. The subtribe contains multiple genera of moderate to large-sized carabids distributed across various regions. iNaturalist records indicate substantial observational data (4,358 observations), suggesting these beetles are moderately well-documented by naturalists.
Dicaelus
Notched-mouthed Ground Beetles
Dicaelus is a genus of ground beetles in the family Carabidae, containing approximately 18 described species restricted to North America. Members of this genus are commonly known as notched-mouthed ground beetles, a name referencing a distinctive morphological feature of the group. These beetles are primarily active predators found in terrestrial habitats across the continent.
Dicheirus
Dicheirus is a genus of ground beetles in the family Carabidae, tribe Anisodactylini. The genus contains five described species distributed in North America, including D. dilatatus, D. obtusus, D. piceus, D. pilosus, and D. strenuus. Members of this genus are part of the diverse ground beetle fauna, with adults and larvae occupying terrestrial habitats.
Diplochaetus
Diplochaetus is a genus of ground beetles in the family Carabidae, established by Chaudoir in 1872. The genus contains at least four described species distributed across North, Central, and South America. Members of this genus belong to the tribe Pogonini within the subfamily Trechinae. These beetles are part of the diverse ground beetle fauna inhabiting various terrestrial environments in the Americas.
Diplocheila
Diplocheila is a genus of ground beetles in the family Carabidae, tribe Licinini, containing over 30 described species. The genus was established by Brullé in 1835 and is distributed primarily in North America. Species-level taxonomy within this genus has been studied for diagnostic morphological characters, particularly for distinguishing closely related North American species.
Discoderus
Discoderus is a genus of ground beetles in the family Carabidae, established by LeConte in 1853. The genus contains more than 30 described species. Members of this genus belong to the tribe Harpalini within the subfamily Harpalinae.
Dyschirius
Dyschirius is a genus of small ground beetles in the family Carabidae, tribe Dyschiriini. Species occur across the Northern Hemisphere with documented records from Europe, North America, and other regions. The genus is taxonomically well-established but individual species often require detailed examination for identification.
Elaphrinae
Elaphrinae is a subfamily of ground beetles (Carabidae) established by Latreille in 1802. The subfamily comprises at least four extant genera—Blethisa, Diacheila, Elaphrus, and the fossil genus †Elaphrotites—with more than 50 described species. Elaphrinae is one of several Carabidae subfamilies documented in meadow-steppe habitats of western Ukraine, where six species have been recorded.
Elaphropus
Elaphropus is a genus of ground beetles in the family Carabidae, containing at least 370 described species. These small beetles belong to the tribe Bembidiini and are part of the diverse carabid fauna found across multiple continents. The genus was established by Motschulsky in 1839 and represents a significant component of global ground beetle diversity.
Eucaerus
Eucaerus is a genus of ground beetles (Carabidae) in the tribe Lachnophorini, subfamily Lebiinae. Established by John Lawrence LeConte in 1853, this genus belongs to a group of small carabid beetles characterized by pubescent (hairy) dorsal surfaces. Species in this genus are found in North America. The genus name is homonymous with the nickname of the Seleucid king Demetrius III (Eucaerus), though this is coincidental and unrelated to the beetle taxonomy.
Euphorticus
Euphorticus is a genus of ground beetles in the family Carabidae, established by G.Horn in 1881. It belongs to the tribe Lachnophorini within the subfamily Lebiinae. The genus contains five described species distributed across the Americas, from the United States to South America.
Gehringiinae
Gehringiinae is a small subfamily of ground beetles (Carabidae) containing approximately 20 described species across two genera: Gehringia and Zuphioides. Members are minute to small beetles, generally less than 3 mm in length, adapted to specialized microhabitats. The subfamily was established to accommodate taxa with distinctive morphological features that separate them from other carabid lineages. They are among the smallest carabid beetles and are rarely encountered due to their cryptic habits.
Geodromicus
Geodromicus is a genus of rove beetles (Coleoptera: Staphylinidae: Omaliinae: Anthophagini) established by Redtenbacher in 1857. The genus is distributed across the Palaearctic region, with species occurring from Western Europe through Central Asia to East Asia. Taxonomic research has organized species into multiple species groups including the bodemeyeri, convexicollis, brevicollis, plagiatus, major, lestevoides, crassipalpis, aokii, and sinuatus groups. The genus has been subject to extensive revision, with numerous synonymies established and several new species described in recent years.
Goniotropis
Goniotropis is a genus of ground beetles in the family Carabidae, subfamily Paussinae, containing at least 40 described species. Adults are large, parallel-sided beetles found in the New World tropics. Larvae are burrow-dwelling predators with a distinctive terminal disk composed of modified urogomphi and dorsal plates. The genus ranges from southern Arizona to northern Argentina.
Harpalini
ground beetles
Harpalini is a large tribe of ground beetles (family Carabidae, subfamily Harpalalinae) containing over 1,900 described species across approximately 103 genera. Members are predominantly nocturnal ground beetles distributed across all major biogeographic regions including the Palaearctic, Oriental, Afrotropical, Neotropical, Nearctic, and Australian regions. The tribe includes economically significant genera such as Harpalus, a diverse group with numerous Palaearctic species, and Trichotichnus, which comprises over 260 species worldwide. Taxonomic research on Harpalini focuses heavily on species descriptions, distribution records, and generic revisions, with recent work describing new species from China, Brazil, India, and Australia.
Helluomorphoides
Flat-horned Ground Beetles
Helluomorphoides is a genus of ground beetles in the family Carabidae, established by Ball in 1951. The genus contains more than 20 described species and is classified within the subfamily Anthiinae and tribe Helluonini. These beetles are commonly referred to as Flat-horned Ground Beetles, a name reflecting a distinctive morphological feature of the group.
Helluonini
Flat-horned Ground Beetles
Helluonini is a tribe of ground beetles within the subfamily Anthiinae, containing more than 20 genera and approximately 190 described species. Members are distributed across tropical and subtropical regions including the Oriental, Ethiopian, and Palaearctic realms. The tribe includes medium-sized beetles (8–17 mm) with characteristic elongate bodies, coarse punctation, and pubescence. The genus Macrocheilus, the most speciose in the tribe with 56 species, exemplifies the group's morphological diversity across Africa, Asia, and Madagascar.
Hyboptera
Hyboptera is a genus of ground beetles in the family Carabidae, established by Chaudoir in 1873. The genus comprises fourteen described species distributed primarily in the Neotropical region. Several species have been described relatively recently, with seven named between 2004 and 2017, indicating ongoing taxonomic work. Members of this genus are classified within the subtribe Agrina of the tribe Lebiini.
Ilopina
Ilopina is a genus of small ground beetles in the family Carabidae. These beetles are part of the diverse Bembidiinae subfamily, which contains many species adapted to riparian and moist habitats. The genus is characterized by its compact body form and association with wet environments.
Lachnocrepis
Lachnocrepis is a subgenus of ground beetles within the genus Oodes (family Carabidae), established by LeConte in 1853. It was historically treated as a full genus but was downgraded to subgenus status within Oodes based on morphological character analysis. The subgenus currently contains two recognized species: Oodes (Lachnocrepis) desertus and Oodes (Lachnocrepis) japonicus. These species occur in the Palaearctic and Oriental regions, including China and Taiwan. Members of this subgenus share high morphological similarity with other Oodini, contributing to historical taxonomic confusion.
Lachnophorini
Lachnophorini is a tribe of ground beetles (family Carabidae) comprising approximately 18 genera and more than 190 described species. The tribe exhibits remarkable morphological diversity and divergent ecological habits, with most species being very small (less than 3.74 mm in adult body length). A 2014 taxonomic synopsis added a new genus (Peruphorticus) and 24 new species, significantly expanding known diversity. The tribe shows distinct biogeographic patterns, with Neotropical species in the Amazon Basin and Middle and South America, and additional representatives in the Paleotropics and Australia. Recent research indicates local ecological adaptation and morphological convergence related to habitat use within the Amazon Basin radiation.
Laemostenus
Laemostenus is a genus of ground beetles (Carabidae) comprising nearly 200 species distributed across all continents except Antarctica. Species range from 8 to 28 mm in length. Many exhibit dark coloration with blue or purple metallic sheen, while subterranean and cave-dwelling species show depigmentation, reduced eyes, and lighter coloration. The genus includes both surface-dwelling and hypogean (subterranean) species, with several subgenera recognized.
Lebiini
Lebiini is a tribe of ground beetles within the family Carabidae, containing over 250 genera and approximately 4,800 described species. Members exhibit considerable morphological diversity and occupy a wide range of habitats across tropical and subtropical regions worldwide. The tribe includes several subtribes such as Agrina, Dromiusina, Metallicina, Pericalina, and Physoderina.