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Photo#2069237
light brown carabid - Philodes alternans

light brown carabid - Philodes alternans
Lenexa, Johnson County, Kansas, USA
August 28, 2020
Came to blacklight/MVL setup in a woodland area by a remnant tallgrass prairie.
Struggled trying to find an ID, but alas gave up.

I think it must be Philodes alternans
Pale due to being teneral, I reckon. I can see suggestions of the rows of setae on the elytra. I can't think of anything else with this habitus.
A new state record for KS, if so.
Moved from Ground Beetles.

 
Philodes alternans - Kansas rec. n.
Thank you Betsy for providing this specimen and thank you Curt for your usual uncanny ability to do tele-identifications. I personally need the specimen under scope to feel comfortable about taxonomic placements. This wonderful new Kansas state record is added to the post-2012 Caraboid Registry. My one reference specimen (Arkansas) of this species matches the posted image. Mine is equally pale and has ABL ~ 4 mm. I was struck by the very flat elytra (difficult to appreciate in this photo).

Here are anatomic insights that prevent potential confusion with the selenophorines (Messer & Raber 2021, page 18): "Within the tribe Harpalini, the stenolophine beetle Philodes alternans (LeConte) of eastern USA and Canada exhibits series of setigerous punctures associated with elytral striae 2, 5, and 7. This species is readily distinguished from the selenophorines by its depressed habitus, reduced eyes, and much longer seriate setae."

These punctures and associated setae are best viewed from an oblique angle as they are often lost in a perpendicular dorsal view.

Small eyes and pale body struck me.
Could this be a little-known subterraneous carabid? I hope Curt Hartden looks at this one! Are you able to measure body length in millimeters?

 
So,
Is this a subterranean carabid? I googled it with no luck. Certainly happy that I photographed it!

 
Not well known
This is a pretty rarely collected species, and not much has been published on its natural history. Its morphology suggests it inhabits interstitial habitats, and it is found along streams. The one time I found one it was on a gravel bank, under a basketball-shaped rock that was deeply embedded in the gravel.

 
Rather exciting for me!
Naturally, I thought not much of it at the time and only took one photo🙂

 
size
About 4 mm.

 
Wow!
That would be cool. I will need get back on the computer to get the size based on the fabric weave.

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