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Genus Elaphrus - Marsh Ground Beetles

Elaphrus - Elaphrus ruscarius Elaphrus sp. - Elaphrus ruscarius Marsh Ground Beetle - Elaphrus ruscarius Delta Green Ground Beetle - Elaphrus viridis Elaphrus Elaphrus sp - Elaphrus Marsh Ground Beetle - Elaphrus - female Elaphrus 2 - Elaphrus
Classification
Kingdom Animalia (Animals)
Phylum Arthropoda (Arthropods)
Subphylum Hexapoda (Hexapods)
Class Insecta (Insects)
Order Coleoptera (Beetles)
Suborder Adephaga
Family Carabidae (Ground Beetles)
Subfamily Elaphrinae
Genus Elaphrus (Marsh Ground Beetles)
Other Common Names
Bog Ground Beetles
Pronunciation
eh-LAFF-rus
Explanation of Names
Greek elaphro 'lightweight, nimble'(1)
Numbers
4 subgenera, with 19 spp. in our area and ~40 spp. total(2)
Identification
superficially resemble tiger beetles, but smaller and usually less brightly colored and with foveate (pitted) elytra; species identification difficult.
males (except in E. punctatus which lack secondary sexual characteristics) are recognized by enlarged foretarsi; in most species, males have a small tooth-like projection at the base of inner spur of the mid-tibia(3)
Range
holarctic, more diverse in colder areas; the most widespread species in e. US south of PA is E. ruscarius (ranges widely to the Gulf of Mexico)(3)(4)
Habitat
Shores, mud flats, marshes, bogs
See Also
Tiger Beetles, especially Cicindela, are usually larger and lack the circular pits on the elytra
Works Cited
1.Composition of scientific words
Brown R.W. 1956. Smithsonian Institution Press, Washington, DC. 882 pp.
2.American Beetles, Volume I: Archostemata, Myxophaga, Adephaga, Polyphaga: Staphyliniformia
Arnett, R.H., Jr., and M. C. Thomas. (eds.). 2000. CRC Press LLC, Boca Raton, FL.
3.The genera of Holarctic Elaphrini and species of Elaphrus Fabricius (Coleoptera:Carabidae)
Henri Goulet. 1983. Quaestiones Entomologicae, 19: 219-481.
4.Ground Beetles and Wrinkled Bark Beetles of South Carolina
Janet Ciegler. 2000. Clemson University.