Calathus sp ? - Anisodactylus binotatus

Moved

… v belov, 4 January, 2015 - 3:24pm

K.V. Makarov's opinion:

"Might be binotatus just as well, for all i know. Around here [e.Europe/w.Russia] binotatus are almost all red-legged in the south, while nemorivagus are not always red-legged. Because of that the two get often confused, so cases of misidentification abound in both literature and web resources. In A. nemorivagus, the humeral denticle is prominent; male tarsi are less dilated; and body in average smaller and wider, although the aedeagal differences are the most reliable. With just a picture I can only guess, but most likely this is not nemorivagus."

… v belov, 4 January, 2015 - 2:15pm

Estimated length 13mm

Unfortunately we didn't keep the beetle and only have this one photo. Rick got out the original, retrieved the metadata on Photoshop, then took a shot of a scale with the same lens and under the same conditions. Superimposing the two photos, body length looks to be exactly 13mm which I guess would also imply binotatus, based on Peter Messer's comment.
Photo was taken in our yard, so if we see one again, we'll be sure to keep it this time.

… Libby & Rick Avis, 4 January, 2015 - 3:08pm

excellent, thanks

good to know you placed it correctly from the start, and may feel vindicated!

… v belov, 4 January, 2015 - 3:27pm

Actually...

....my original guess, (not knowing anything much about beetles) was Calathus, so I wasn't right either. This has certainly been interesting!

… Libby & Rick Avis, 4 January, 2015 - 3:31pm

Moved tentatively

Moved from Harpalini.

… v belov, 4 January, 2015 - 2:46am

you know what? this must be A. nemorivagus (Duft.)

...a widespread (tho not awfully common) European species not yet recorded, as far as i know, on this continent [so pls keep an eye or two out for it]
compare

will show around

… v belov, 4 January, 2015 - 2:29am

An interesting proposal for new North American record,

however we need to first rule out similar Anisodactylus binotatus "ab. spurcaticornis Dejean" mentioned by Lindroth (1968:852) as a unique variant with rufous legs known in parts of BC, including specifically the Vancouver area. Lindroth (1974:109) in his handbook book for identifying British Carabidae easily separates A. nemorivagus from A. binotatus using key characters best appreciated under microscopy. However, the simplest distinction from afar is that the former has body length less than 10 mm and the latter has it greater than 10 mm. So I ask, what is the body length of this specimen and was it saved for further study?

Pure speculation for now: What if Lindroth's designation "Anisodactylus binotatus ab. spurcaticornis" for the red-legged individuals of the Pacific Northwest turns out to be really large A. nemorivagus?

… Peter W. Messer, 4 January, 2015 - 8:00am

Moved

Moved from Anisodactylus binotatus.

… v belov, 24 November, 2014 - 8:39am

Moved

Moved from Ground Beetles.

… Libby & Rick Avis, 30 January, 2014 - 3:56pm

Nice one

if this is an Anisodactylus, it is not the nonnative binotatus. Save it for me if you have kept it.

… Tim Loh, 30 January, 2014 - 1:39pm

Thanks

for your help with this one and all the others. Unfortunately didn't keep it. Will try to remember to look out for it again this year!

… Libby & Rick Avis, 30 January, 2014 - 3:50pm

male ?Anisodactylus

hmmm...

… v belov, 29 January, 2014 - 10:54am