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Photo#614904
Close second to a tiger beetle - Opisthius richardsoni

Close second to a tiger beetle - Opisthius richardsoni
Santiam River/Rest Area on Interstate 5, Linn County, Oregon, USA
July 12, 2011
Size: 14mm (approx)
Is this Elaphrus americanus or Opisthius richardson? I thought it was a species of Tiger beetle all along. I caught 8 of them last summer (2011), and have been rearing them in 10 gal aquarium w/native sand (from site on Santiam river) and have been feeding them tiny termites and flightless fruit flies. They love the termites! At present(winter Feb 2012), I'm hoping they are still alive and maybe just in diapause, because they "went to ground" in the fall. (They buried themselves in the sand). I have them in garage, temp. is about the same as outside, so when weather warms up and daylight hours extend,I'm hoping they will make an appearance.

opisthius richardsoni
They are a lot easier to catch than tiger beetles!

I haven't seen a published common name for these
nor for the similar genus Elaphrus. I think I would opt for something like "Dwarf Pitted Tiger Beetle" or simply "Pitted Tiger Beetle", or something to do with their metallic appearance (sort of like metal beaten with a hammer - for which I do not know a name).

The "Tiger Beetle" thing may not go over with beetle specialists, since they are not technically Tiger Beetles, but they look and act like Tiger Beetles much more than like most other Ground Beetles (and Tiger Beetles are a subset of Ground Beetles now anyway).

Sorry for not having a real answer.

Opisthius richardsoni
Does this beetle have a "common name"? Like Cicindela/Common Tiger Beetle..

I always thought they were more like Tiger Beetles
than other Ground Beetles (at least they look and act more like Tigers). Elaphrus too.

Moved from ID Request.

Opisthius richardsoni, yes