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Genus Omus - Night-stalking Tiger Beetles

Representative Images

Omus submetallicus G. Horn, 1868 - Omus submetallicus - male Omus submetallicus G. Horn, 1868 - Omus submetallicus - female Greater Night-stalking Tiger Beetles Mating - Omus dejeanii - male - female Beetle - Omus dejeanii Omus californicus angustocylindricus (W. Horn) - Omus californicus - male On the beach - Omus dejeanii - male - female Omus - Omus dejeanii O. c. subcylindricus - Omus californicus - male

Classification

Kingdom Animalia (Animals)
Phylum Arthropoda (Arthropods)
Subphylum Hexapoda (Hexapods)
Class Insecta (Insects)
Order Coleoptera (Beetles)
Suborder Adephaga
Family Carabidae (Ground Beetles)
Subfamily Cicindelinae (Tiger Beetles)
Tribe Amblycheilini (Blunt-lipped Tiger Beetles)
Genus Omus (Night-stalking Tiger Beetles)

Explanation of Names

Omus Eschscholtz 1829
Probably from Greek ωμος 'fierce, cruel'

Numbers

5‒15 spp. recognized by various workers, and varying numbers of ill-defined subspecies(1); just 5 spp. treated in(1)
Species in BG:
O. audouini Reiche
O. californicus W. Horn
O. cazieri van den Berghe
O. dejeanii Reiche
O. laevis LeConte
O. sequoiarum Crotch
O. submetallicus G. Horn

Size

12‒21 mm(1)

Identification

Mandibular scrobe without setae. Inflexed part of elytron impunctate. Male sternum 7 with posterior margin deeply emarginate.

Range

w. NA (so.BC‒CA)(1)(2)

Habitat

Usually transition zone between forests and meadows; found during the day under leaf litter or in/under fallen tree trunks. Under cover in fields and open forests during the day.(2)

Life Cycle

in most species, at least 3 years(1)

Remarks

flightless; primarily nocturnal (occasionally active on overcast days)(1)

Works Cited

1.A field guide to the tiger beetles of the United States and Canada: identification, natural history, and distribution... 2nd Ed.
Pearson D.L., Knisley C.B., Duran D.P., Kazilek C.J. 2015. Oxford University Press. 328 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.
Contributed by Chris Wirth on 5 November, 2005 - 10:17am
Additional contributions by Bbarnd, Chuck Entz, Mike Quinn, v belov, KenW, Arturo Santos
Last updated 24 January, 2024 - 11:50pm

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