Genus Amara - Seed-Eating Ground Beetles

Amara is pronounced with different vowel quantities (short or long a) and accents (in capital letters) depending on the authoritative source: ă-MĀ-ră (Classification of Insects by CT Brues, Dorland's Medical Dictionary, Cassell's Latin Dictionary); ĂM-ă-ră (The Century Dictionary); ă-MĂ-ră (spoken by some carabidologists). [PWM note]

Amara Bonelli 1810

Greek a- (privative) + mairo 'to shine'(1)

105 spp. in 11 subgenera in our area, ~600 spp. in 47 subgenera worldwide(1)

5-11 mm(2), usually 6-9 mm

Medium-sized, usually oval beetles, many with coppery reflection, though some are black or brown(3). Typically encountered running about in the open. Most fully winged (macropterous)(4).

Species-level identification is difficult, even with technical keys.

A key to the subgenera of North American Amara appeared in American Beetles (2001:52,89-90). An early manuscript version of that key is presented here. It still needs editing to separate the eleven subgenera known in North America.

XXXII. KEY TO THE NEARCTIC GENERA OF ZABRINI [PWM update 2021.VIII.07]

1. Labial palpomere 2 bisetose; maxillary palpomeres 3 and 4 with numerous long setae; head with frontal impressions transverse, shallow; elytron with plica small, not very evident. PSEUDAMARA - 1 sp.

- Labial palpomere 2 plurisetose; maxillary palpomeres 3 and 4 glabreous, or palpomere 3 with few short setae near apex; head with frontal impressions more or less linear, moderately deep; elytron with plica moderately prominent. (Key XXXIV) AMARA - 105 spp.

XXXIV. Key to the Nearctic Subgenera of Amara (After Lindroth, 1968, with modifications)

1. Front tibia with apical spur trifid. ZEZEA - 9 spp.

- Front tibia with apical spur simple, not forked. 2

2(1). Prosternum with intercoxal process not margined at apex. CURTONOTUS - 15 spp.

- Prosternum with intercoxal process margined at apex- 3

3(2). Prosternum with intercoxal process apically plurisetose. 4

- Prosternum with intercoxal process apically asetose, or bi- or quadri-setose . 5

4(3). Pronotum with posterolateral impression delimited laterally by a pronounced carina; geotraphical range transcontinental. PERCOSIA - 1 sp.

- Pronotum with posterolateral carina suggested. Range: OK, TX. NEOPERCOSIA - 1 sp.

5(4). Pronotum basally more or less constricted, sinuate or not anteriad posterolateral angles, or very narrow, with dense and pronounced punctation over entire basal area; dorsal surface dark (rufopiceous to black ), dull or shiny, not metallic. BRADYTUS - fulva group - 10 spp.

- Pronotum basally broad, lateral margins slightly curved or straight anteriad posterolateral angles, but not sinuate; dorsal surface dark, dull, to metallic. 6

6(5). Elytron with stria 7 preapically with four to five punctures; geographical range, California. BRADYTUS - insignus group - 2 spp.

- Elytron with stria 7 preapically without punctures, or with number of punctures less than four. AMARA s. str. (aurata group - 1 sp, cupreolata group - 5 spp, impuncticollis group - 6 spp, incertae sedis - 17 spp), CELIA - 12 spp, PARACELIA - 1 sp, AMAROCELIA - 12 spp, XENOCELIA - 12 spp.

mostly Holarctic; across NA(4)

Commonly found on wet sand/mud or beneath logs or rocks in damp areas(3), though tend to favor dry open areas in these habitats(4)

Most feed on seeds; a few (e.g., A. obesa), on grasshopper eggs(5)(3)

Some species overwinter as adults(5)