Pterostichinae

Pterostichinae is a subfamily of ground beetles (family Carabidae). It belongs to the advanced harpaline assemblage, and if these are circumscribed sensu lato as a single subfamily, Pterostichinae are downranked to a tribe Pterostichini. However, as the former Pterostichitae supertribe of the Harpalinae as loosely circumscribed does seem to constitute a lineage rather distinct from Harpalus, its core group is here considered to be the present subfamily and the Harpalinae are defined more narrowly.

Pterostichinae
Image of the common Eurasian species
Poecilus cupreus (Pterostichini)
Scientific classification
Kingdom:
Animalia
Phylum:
Arthropoda
Class:
Insecta
Order:
Coleoptera
Family:
Carabidae
Subfamily:
Pterostichinae (but see text)

Bonelli, 1810
Synonyms

Pterostichini Bonelli, 1810
Pterostichitae

They are usually mid-sized and rather stout ground beetles. Coloration is typically dark and without conspicuous patterns, but often with a strong sheen like polished metal. They are widely distributed and inhabit a wide range of terrestrial habitats. Unlike the more basal ground beetles which only eat small animals, the Pterostichinae include a large proportion of omnivorous or even herbivorous taxa.

Systematics

This group includes the following tribes and genera:[1]

Tribe Abacetini Chaudoir, 1872

Tribe Catapieseini Bates, 1882

Tribe Chaetodactylini Tschitscherine, 1903

Tribe Cnemalobini Germain, 1911

Tribe Cratocerini Lacordaire, 1854

Tribe Drimostomatini Chaudoir, 1872

Tribe Microcheilini Jeannel, 1948

Tribe Morionini Brulle, 1835

Tribe Pterostichini Bonelli, 1810 (including Metiini)

Tribe Zabrini Bonelli, 1810

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References
  1. "Pterostichinae Bonelli, 1810". Carabidae of the World. 2011. Retrieved 28 Mar 2012.
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