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Genus Pasimachus
Classification Kingdom Animalia (Animals)
Phylum Arthropoda (Arthropods)
Class Insecta (Insects)
Order Coleoptera (Beetles)
Suborder Adephaga (Ground and Water Beetles)
Family Carabidae (Ground Beetles)
Subfamily Scaritinae
Tribe Scaritini
Genus Pasimachus
Other Common Names Pedunculate Ground Beetle, Blue-margined Ground Beetle--P. elongatus, Fierce Ground Beetle--P. depressus Explanation of Names Author of genus is Bonelli, 1813. The genus name appears to come from (?) passim, Latin, indiscriminately, plus machus, Latin, fighter. (Latin Dictionary) The Ohio Coleopterist--Volume II, no. 1, quoting Blatchley, An Illustrated Descriptive Catalogue of the Coleoptera or Beetles Known to Occur in Indiana (1910), says the name means "all-fighter". Numbers Nearctica.com lists 11 species. Identification Large, extra-robust ground beetles. Huge jaws, head, pronotum. Rather flattened. Some species have blue margins. Typically run about under or on leaf litter in forests. See Ciegler for a key to 5 southeastern species. (1) Some (or all?) species flightless--elytra fused into rigid shell. Range Several widespread species, more species in southeast. See Internet references for some regional checklists. Habitat Woodlands, forests. Food Predatory on caterpillars, other larval insects. See Also Male Stag Beetles of genus Lucanus, such as Giant Stag Beetle, Lucanus elaphus and Reddish-brown Stage Beetle, Lucanus capreolus, are superficially similar in form. Note the clubbed antennae of Lucanus and the thread-like or beaded antennae of Pasimachus. Print References Ciegler, pp. 36-38, gives key to 5 spp. in South Carolina (1)
Dillon p. 70, plate VI--P. depressus (2)
Arnett et al., pp. 76-77, fig. 201--P. punctulatus (3)
White, pp. 87-89, figs. 27, 28 (6)
Salsbury, p. 165--photo P. elongatus (7)
Deyrup, p. 90, has two photos of an unspecified member of this genus. (8)Internet References Clemson Univ.--P. depressus
Beetles of Florida lists: marginatus (widespread SE US), punctulatus (Central Southern US), strenuus (FL endemic), sublaevis (widespread E US), subsulcatus (SE US)
Manual for id. Florida Ground Beetles--pdf file, illustrates Florida species.
North Carolina State University lists for that state, with number pinned: depressus (71), elongatus (4), marginatus (40), punctulatus (8), sublaevis (15), subsulcatus (4).
Carabidae of Great Smoky Mountains National Park lists: depressus, marginatus, punctulatus, sublaevis. Works Cited | 3. | How to Know the Beetles
By Ross H. Arnett, N. M. Downie, H. E. Jaques | |
| 4. | A Field Guide to Common Texas Insects
By Bastiaan M. Drees, John A. Jackman |  |
| 7. | Insects in Kansas
By Glenn A. Salsbury and Stephan C. White | |
| 8. | Florida's Fabulous Insects
By Mark Deyrup, Brian Kenney, Thomas C. Emmel |  |
Contributed by Cotinis on 10 January, 2005 - 2:53pm Last updated 21 November, 2005 - 11:21am |
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