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In residential landscapes, small neighborhood parks account for a considerable share of urban greenspaces. However, information on their significance for biodiversity conservation is limited. To determine the role of small neighborhood parks as habitat for ground-dwelling arthropods, we evaluated the effects of local and landscape factors on the diversity and traits of carabid beetles, spiders, and ants in small neighborhood parks in Niigata, Japan. Urbanization decreased carabid species richness and abundance, and it altered the species composition of carabids and spiders. The arthropods in urbanized sites were characterized by small-bodied, web-building, highly dispersive spiders, and possibly non-predatory carabids. In contrast, urbanization did not influence any diversity metrics of ants. At the local scale, ground cover, soil moisture, and park border permeability were the major drivers of arthropod diversity. Ground coverage with leaf litter was positively associated with ant occurrence. Soil moisture negatively affected carabid species richness and abundance, whereas it positively affected spider richness. Parks with humid soil conditions favored hunting, low-dispersive spiders. The low permeability of park borders decreased spider richness and altered community structure, which was characterized by highly dispersive, ballooning species. We conclude that small neighborhood parks support numerous species of habitat-generalist arthropods that are adapted to dry and open environments. These parks thus represent an important component of habitat networks in residential landscapes. Managing open environments, protecting litter layers, reducing artificial borders, and retaining other open greenspaces in the surrounding matrix can promote diverse arthropod communities. Such strategies are worth considering during urban planning. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Simple Summary: Ground beetle (Carabidae) spermatozoa are often aggregated in bundles of different sizes and are covered by a secretory material produced by the deferent duct epithelium. These secretions can have different shapes being either similar to a cap or to a rod (spermatostyle). Through a detailed study of the different regions of the male reproductive systems, we were able to describe the origin of this protective structure. We have obtained evidence that the secretions from the duct epithelium have initially an irregular shape, with the spermatozoa present in the duct lumen adhering to the structure with their heads on one side only. Later on, along their maturation, these structures bend, taking a cap shape. Hence, this process of secretion and successive evolution of the structures is very similar to that occurring in the spermatostyles. In conclusion, we obtained clear evidence that the two models of the sperm bundle protection share the same origin and thus they can be considered as homologous. The males of Carabus lefebvrei produce sperm bundles of quite variable size as a consequence of a sexual selection via sperm competition. The ultrastructural features of spermatogenesis of the species and the sequence of events leading to sperm bundle formation along the deferent duct lumen revealed the origin and evolution of the apical structure protecting the sperm bundles. Elongated layers of the electron-dense material of variable size and thickness are visible over the microvilli of the distal deferent duct epithelium. They likely correspond to sections through different levels of discoidal secretions. Then, the sperm present in the duct lumen attach to one side of such elongated secreted structures. Later on, these structures bent to take a cap shape and increase their size and thickness by apposition of additional secretions produced by the proximal deferent duct epithelium. These results reconcile the different opinions about the formation of the structures called the cap and the rod (spermatostyle). In our work, we in fact obtained evidence that both these structures have the same origin, even though at the end of their formation they exhibit a different appearance. The reported results indicate that, differently from the spermatostyle, in the initial stages of cap formation, the sperm adhere only to one side of the cap rather than around the whole structure, as it occurs instead along the spermatostyle rod. Under this aspect, the cap structure is similar to the protection present in the sperm of some whirligig beetle. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Promoting arthropods in agricultural landscapes can contribute substantially to stop their decline and enhance pest control. Higher soil moisture and the presence of field margins can increase the abundance of arthropods in agricultural landscapes and influence their distribution within crop fields. However, little is known about the influence of soil moisture and distance from field margins on the overwintering of arthropods in arable fields. We investigated the influence of soil moisture and distance from a field margin on the numbers of arthropods, ground beetles and spiders emerging from soil in winter wheat fields. We established transects in winter wheat fields away from two different types of field margins: (i) around small standing water bodies (kettle holes) to capture a wide range of soil moisture values and (ii) other semi-natural landscape elements. At three distances (1 m, 20 m, 50 m), we sampled arthropods with emergence traps and measured soil moisture between March and June. We found that soil moisture had a positive effect on the emergence numbers of arthropods in general and ground beetles and spiders in particular. Distance from field margins generally had negative effects on the emergence numbers of ground beetles, but positive effects on the emergence numbers of spiders. Emergence numbers and soil moisture content did not differ significantly between the two types of field margins. The high emergence numbers inside the fields indicate that arable fields are important overwintering habitats for beneficial arthropods. Proper management of arable soils to promote soil water holding capacity and soil moisture content may have the added benefit of promoting the production of beneficial natural enemies from local soils. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Wooded pastures combine trees and pastures in a land-use system resulting from traditional silvopastoral practices. With their sparse tree cover, wooded pastures represent an ecotone between open area pastures and forests with potentially high species diversity, although this is poorly tested for animal groups especially insects. In this study, we aimed to characterise and compare species communities in terms of species composition and diversity indices, biomass and ecological traits of ground beetles in wooded pastures, forests and non-wooded pastures. Pitfall traps were set up in 29 study sites located in the Swiss Jura mountains. Ground beetle communities in wooded pastures largely encompass those in open pastures and forests, although some species are found only in forests or open areas. Wooded pastures and open pastures have an equivalent species diversity level, which is significantly higher than the one in forests. Ground beetle diversity is positively correlated with the surfaces of Biodiversity Promotion Areas within a 100 m radius. Areas with high tree cover (70–100%) favour brachypterous and hygrophilic species, whereas areas with reduced tree cover (0–20%) favour xerophilic and winged species. Ground beetles' size and biomass increase with tree cover. Wooded pastures are an important ecotone, ensuring a gradual change of land-use systems between open areas and forests, where a wide range of species from both land-use systems are found. These semi-natural systems are important for the conservation of ground beetles. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Heavy metals are an important group of toxic substances harmful for many organisms. Of these, mercury is one of the most monitored in the environment. Several matrices are used for the monitoring of environmental load, including a range of organisms; bats, however, have only been examined rarely. Insectivorous bats are apex predators threatened by several human interventions in their natural environment, including heavy metal pollution. The aim of this study was to analyze the content of total mercury in the fur, flight membrane, and pectoral muscle of greater mouse-eared bats (Myotis myotis). Total mercury concentrations were also measured in carabid beetles from the catch locality Zastávka u Brna. Samples were obtained from 43 bat carcasses at two different localities in the Czech Republic (Zastávka u Brna, Malá Morávka). Total mercury content varied between 1.76–72.20 µg/g in fur, 0.04–0.14 µg/g in skin, and 0.05–0.20 µg/g in muscle. Total mercury values in the fur of some individuals from Malá Morávka exceeded the recognized toxicity limit. Furthermore, there was a significant difference (p < 0.001) in content of total mercury in fur between localities, and there was a clear effect of age on concentrations in fur, skin, and muscle, the concentrations being significantly correlated (fur and skin rs = 0.783; fur and muscle rs = 0.716; skin and muscle rs = 0.884). These findings confirm the usefulness of fur samples from living bats for biomonitoring mercury burden in the environment. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

We evaluated the richness, diversity, and assemblage of Carabidae in the Val Grande National Park. Monitoring, by pitfall-trapping, was performed in 2021–2022 in two sites (S1 and S2), and considering six vegetation habitats ("Terraced ferns", "Terraced grassland", "Wood", "Chestnut grove", "Ecotone", and "Grassland"). A total of 2707 carabids consisting of 34 species were collected. The assemblage displayed the dominance of Calathus fuscipes graecus (27%), followed by Carabus glabratus latior (15%), and Carabus problematicus problematicus (15%). Besides the species already known for the Park, seven further species have been recorded. While in S1 the carabid assemblage was unexpectedly poor, a rich biodiversity with an excellent balance among the numerous brachypterous, macropterous, and pteropolymorphous species was recorded in S2. The species recorded in the habitat "Terraced ferns" and in "Ecotone" constituted the dominant groups and they accounted for 51% and 41%, in S1 and S2, respectively. The awareness of the species composition, richness, and ecology can be a useful tool for the Park to address the management of the surfaces in order to avoid disturbing the carabid fauna, especially for carabids of conservation concern, to mitigate their potential decline. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Promoting arthropods in agricultural landscapes can contribute substantially to stop their decline and enhance pest control. Higher soil moisture and the presence of field margins can increase the abundance of arthropods in agricultural landscapes and influence their distribution within crop fields. However, little is known about the influence of soil moisture and distance from field margins on the overwintering of arthropods in arable fields. We investigated the influence of soil moisture and distance from a field margin on the numbers of arthropods, ground beetles and spiders emerging from soil in winter wheat fields. We established transects in winter wheat fields away from two different types of field margins: (i) around small standing water bodies (kettle holes) to capture a wide range of soil moisture values and (ii) other semi-natural landscape elements. At three distances (1 m, 20 m, 50 m), we sampled arthropods with emergence traps and measured soil moisture between March and June. We found that soil moisture had a positive effect on the emergence numbers of arthropods in general and ground beetles and spiders in particular. Distance from field margins generally had negative effects on the emergence numbers of ground beetles, but positive effects on the emergence numbers of spiders. Emergence numbers and soil moisture content did not differ significantly between the two types of field margins. The high emergence numbers inside the fields indicate that arable fields are important overwintering habitats for beneficial arthropods. Proper management of arable soils to promote soil water holding capacity and soil moisture content may have the added benefit of promoting the production of beneficial natural enemies from local soils.

Only 3 species have been recorded in the subtribe Masoreina from Cambodia. This study provides preliminary keys to the genera and species from the Oriental region and reports 3 newly recorded species of this group from Cambodia. Due to the inadequate descriptions of this group, all species examined in this study are provided with redescriptions, including the male genitalia.

Intensive use of pesticides is among the main drivers of biodiversity loss, especially of insects. Here, field concentrations of chemical synthetic pesticides were measured in soil and carabid beetles in a vineyard (VP) and olive grove (OP), in two consecutive years. The aim was to determine if active ingredients in pesticides applied in the field accumulate in carabids and how this correlates with treatment intensity. Carabids and soil samples were collected at a vineyard and olive grove in Zadar County in Croatia, soil in 2018 and 2019 and carabids in 2019. Both were under integrated pest management (IPM), with a total of 34 pesticides applied, between January and August in the two years of this study. Using LC-MS/MS, a broad range of pesticides, mainly fungicides, was detected in the soil and carabids. In soil samples, boscalid (0.047 mg/kg), mandipropamid (0.08 mg/kg), fluopyram (0.09 mg/kg), cyprodinil (0.09 mg/kg) and tebuconazole (0.13 mg/kg) were detected in the highest amounts. In addition, nine substances were detected in carabids, with valiphenalate (0.048 mg/kg), difenoconazole (0.051 mg/kg) and azoxystrobin (0.064 mg/kg) in the highest concentrations. Bioaccumulation factor (BAF) indicated the accumulation of valiphenalate, metalaxyl-M, spiroxamine and difenoconazole in carabids. Data measured directly in the field revealed the accumulation of pesticides in carabids, which indicates they could be good bioindicators in IPM and contribute to a better understanding of the distribution of pesticides in Mediterranean agroecosystems.

Floodplains along rivers and streams are characterised by a high habitat heterogeneity and a large biodiversity. However, floodplains are highly threatened by anthropogenic activities such as channelisation and bank enforcement of watercourses. While floodplains along rivers are well known for their importance for riparian biodiversity, the conservation value of floodplains along small streams is less understood.We studied carabid beetles (Coleoptera: Carabidae) and ground‐dwelling spiders (Arachnida: Aranea) along forested small streams (~ up to 5 m width) in Rhineland‐Palatinate (Germany). We investigated 16 pairs of floodplains (natural stream sites with shallow bank and regular flooding events) and controls (deeply cut stream sites without regular flooding), where we sampled carabid beetles and spiders at different distances to the stream bank (0, 5 and 10 m).We found that floodplains along small streams had contrasting value for carabid beetles and ground‐dwelling spiders. For carabid beetles, we observed several typical floodplain species and distinct species assemblages and 2.7 times more individuals across species of conservation concern in floodplain sites. Moreover, species richness and total number of individuals of carabid beetles were highest directly at the stream bank (0 m distance) of floodplains compared with the more distant locations, while the opposite was found for the control stream sites. The spider composition also differed between floodplains and control steam sites, but only one typical floodplain species was detected. Species richness and number of individuals in ground‐dwelling spiders were lower in floodplains than in control stream sites.We conclude that the conservation value of floodplains of small streams is taxa‐dependent and that they appear less relevant for ground‐dwelling spiders but provide important habitats for riparian carabid beetles. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Although urbanisation is one of the greatest threats to biodiversity, its effect on particular invertebrate groups remains ambiguous on local and landscape scales.We aimed to analyse the effect of urban grassland management on spiders (Araneae) and carabids (Coleoptera: Carabidae), as well as other local and landscape parameters. We investigated 27 grasslands of two different management intensities ('extensive': one to two late cuts with removal of biomass [n = 18]; 'intensive': three to five mulching cuts [n = 9]) in the city of Karlsruhe, Germany. Pitfall trapping and sweep netting were performed to sample carabids and spiders.Results indicate that urban grasslands in Karlsruhe are inhabited by species‐rich assemblages, including several species of conservation concern (cc). Latter remain mostly restricted to dry grassland. The number of total specimens and of those belonging to species of cc were negatively affected by intensive management. The number of specimens of species of cc further decreased with increasing humidity and in spiders, additionally, by vegetation height. Landscape factors had limited effects, and only isolation of meadows negatively influenced the species richness of carabids (total and of species of cc).Our results demonstrate that conservation of dry grasslands in urban areas is crucial for sustaining local arthropod communities. Dry urban grassland may also act as a refugium for species of cc and mitigate the global insect crisis on a local and regional scale. In conclusion, biodiversity‐friendly mowing regimes should be applied on a broader scale in urban areas and target especially dry grassland plots. In addition, increasing connectivity and permeability of the urban matrix assist the colonisation by species of cc. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Although most carabids are carnivorous generalists, some species show dietary specializations such as malacophagy, which is characterized by two main strategies of snail predation: entering the shell or breaking it. The shell‐breaking strategy has been well studied in the malacophagous specialists of the tribe Licinini. However, little is known about the ability of other carabids to feed on snails and, in particular, to use the shell‐breaking strategy. Therefore, the main objective of this study was to investigate the ability of various generalist carabid species to feed on snails under laboratory conditions. We recorded 723 instances of predation in 89 of 180 carabid individuals (representing 23 of 33 species); all of them were exclusively shell‐breaking attacks. While carabids mostly favoured individuals <8 mm as prey, they showed no preference for shell shape. Using a subset of 14 carabid species with a high frequency of snail predation, we found significant differences between the predation rates of carabid species depending on their body size using GLMMs. This study revealed that many generalist carabids can indeed feed on snails by breaking the shell, but predation rates were highly inconsistent among individual species. Shell‐breaking patterns of generalists differed markedly from those of malacophagous specialists reported in the literature, as damage parallel to the shell coiling axis occurred more frequently than spiral damage. Our results show that the shell‐breaking predation patterns of carabids are closely related to their degree of dietary specialization on snails and that many generalist carabids frequently accept snails as their prey. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

It is widely recognized that heterogeneous environments promote biodiversity. Consequently, we investigated whether heterogeneous environments influence the diversity of ground‐dwelling beetles within a well‐managed conifer plantation forest. We collected carabid beetles, and necrophagous silphid and dung beetles (necrophagous beetles) using pitfall traps at 37 sites with or without fish meat bait. The result of a two‐dimensional principal component analysis (PCA) utilizing environmental indices measured at each site suggested that the environmental heterogeneity depended on the survival density of planted conifers, serving as an indicator of historical gap formation levels. Gaps populated by invading broadleaved trees exhibited low canopy opening percentages and understory cover degrees, while those filled by the growth of planted conifers displayed the opposite conditions. The presence of bait had a negligible impact on carabid beetles but significantly influenced necrophagous beetles. No significant relationships were found between the scores of PCA components and the beetle species richness, suggesting that a heterogeneous environment does not increase the beetle species diversities. However, significant relationships were observed with the scores on nonmetric multidimensional scaling axes, indicating that a heterogeneous environment contributes to the complexity of beetle assemblages. The most dominant carabid, Synuchus cycloderus, was abundant in areas where historical gap formation was thought to be more prevalent. Among necrophagous beetles, Pherotrupes laevistriatus and Panelus parvulus preferred habitats with darker environments, in contrast to Onthophagus fodiens and O. nitidus. This study will aid in developing forestry practices aimed at conserving specific ground‐dwelling beetle species within conifer plantations. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Among gastrointestinal nematodes, Haemonchus contortus (Rudolphi) Cobb (order Strongylidae; family Trichostrongylidae) is one of pathogenic and economic importance in domestic and wild ruminants, including the European bison, Bison bonasus Linnaeus (order Cetartiodactyla; family Bovidae); a species on the International Union for Conservation of Nature's Red List of Threatened Species. Carabus granulatus Linnaeus (order Coleoptera; family Carabidae) is one of the most prevalent species of ground beetle, inhabiting a wide range of terrestrial ecosystems in Poland. Twenty‐six ground beetles of this species inhabiting the Białowieża Primeval Forest in eastern Poland were screened for the presence of DNA of pathogenic gastrointestinal nematodes of ruminants. Extracted DNA was sequenced and compared to reference sequences. In six insects, the presence of H. contortus DNA was detected. The obtained nucleotide sequences were homologous to each other and to the majority of the published DNA sequences of H. contortus isolates. The sequences were also identical to a sequence of H. contortus isolated from European bison in Poland. The study provides the first molecular evidence of the presence of H. contortus DNA in C. granulatus. The finding suggests that ground beetles may play a role in the transmission dynamics of this parasite. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Urbanization profoundly alters environmental conditions for organisms, particularly through the urban heat island (UHI) effect, which elevates temperatures in city centers. This study examines the influence of urban environmental variables on rove and ground beetle communities. We sampled 36 grasslands in Rennes (northwestern France), yielding 3317 and 505 staphylinid and carabid adult individuals, respectively, belonging to 121 and 60 species, respectively. Staphylinid and carabid communities are not primarily affected by temperature-related variables. Staphylinids, often overlooked in urban ecology, showed species composition variation to be influenced by habitat and temperature, whereas their functional diversity was positively correlated with herbaceous vegetation height only. In contrast, carabid communities exhibited no significant relationship with the tested environmental variables. This study underscores the taxon-dependent nature of ectotherm's responses to thermal environments. Although a further investigation into species-specific traits, and particularly dispersal capacities in staphylinids, is needed to advance our understanding of urbanization's impact, our results indicate that functional diversity in staphylinid assemblages can be favored by locally reducing the mowing frequency or increasing the cutting height within urban green spaces. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Carabidae, or carabids, commonly known as "ground beetles", are found in numerous natural and cultivated habitats and are recognized for their beneficial role in controlling phytophagous pests in various temperate agroecosystems. However, the crop type and agricultural practices used in management areas significantly affect the structure of the carabid communities. The aim of this study was to investigate the abundance and diversity of ground beetles in hazelnut agroecosystems characterized by different agricultural methods in Calabria, Southern Italy. The carabids were collected from 2017 to 2018 in three hazelnut groves referred to in this study as AZ1, AZ2 and AZ3. Carabids were sampled using pitfall traps inspected every two weeks over a period of 24 months. A total of 4665 specimens belonging to 48 taxa were collected within the sampled sites. Many taxa were found to be widely distributed across the three selected hazelnut groves. Among these, Calathus spp., Harpalus dimidiatus (P. Rossi, 1790), Nebria spp., Platyderus neapolitanus jannonei (Binaghi in Magistretti, 1955), Poecilus cupreus (Linnaeus, 1758), Pterostichus melas italicus (Dejean, 1828), and Syntomus obscuroguttatus (Duftschmid, 1812) were the most abundant ones associated with all sampled areas. Concerning trophic preference, among the collected taxa, the most abundant ones were zoophagous and zoospermophagous. Additionally, taxa uncommon in agroecosystems but with ecological relevance, such as Carabus lefebvrei lefebvrei Dejean, 1826, Carabus preslii neumeyeri Schaum, 1856, and Carabus rossii Dejean, 1826, were also collected. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Among the methods aimed at assessing carabid beetle diversity, pitfall trapping (PFT) is currently much more widely used than hand searching (HS). However, few studies have evaluated the effectiveness of these two methods based on the same sampling effort, none in mountain areas. Here, we compared PFT and HS in terms of accuracy of the species richness estimate, detection of threatened species and cost-effectiveness, based on equal time spent in the field. The study was conducted along an elevational gradient in the alpine zone of the French Pyrenees. Our results showed that recorded species richness was significantly greater when sampling was performed using HS, suggesting that PFT only detected a subset of the ground beetle assemblage existing at each sampling plot. HS was more effective at characterizing rare species, especially microendemic species threatened by climate change. HS also enabled better detection of small species and of winged species. Additionally, HS involves fewer logistical constraints in performing field work and prevents overkilling in fragile alpine populations. However, some of the benefits we have highlighted in favour of HS may be specific to the studied habitat type, calling for more studies in different mountain habitats. Implications for insect conservation: Our results show that PFT alone does not allow for an accurate assessment of the conservation status of highly specialised alpine species, if they are small in size. Moreover, HS has a lower lethal impact on local insect populations. HS should therefore be recommended, whenever it is practically feasible, in the most sensitive and threatened high-alpine environments. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Introduction: Historic museum collections hold a wealth of biodiversity data that are essential to our understanding of the rapidly changing natural world. Novel curatorial practices are needed to extract and digitise these data, especially for the innumerable pinned insects whose collecting information is held on small labels. Methods: We piloted semi-automated specimen imaging and digitisation of specimen labels for a collection of ~29,000 pinned insects of ground beetles (Carabidae: Lebiinae) held at the Natural History Museum, London. Raw transcription data were curated against literature sources and non-digital collection records. The primary data were subjected to statistical analyses to infer trends in collection activities and descriptive taxonomy over the past two centuries. Results: This work produced research-ready digitised records for 2,546 species (40% of known species of Lebiinae). Label information was available on geography in 91% of identified specimens, and the time of collection in 39.8% of specimens and could be approximated for nearly all specimens. Label data revealed the great age of this collection (average age 91.4 years) and the peak period of specimen acquisition between 1880 and 1930, with little differences among continents. Specimen acquisition declined greatly after about 1950. Early detected species generally were present in numerous specimens but were missing records from recent decades, while more recently acquired species (after 1950) were represented mostly by singleton specimens only. The slowing collection growth was mirrored by the decreasing rate of species description, which was affected by huge time lags of several decades to formal description after the initial specimen acquisition. Discussion: Historic label information provides a unique resource for assessing the state of biodiversity backwards to pre-industrial times. Many species held in historical collections especially from tropical super-diverse areas may not be discovered ever again, and if they do, their recognition requires access to digital resources and more complete levels of species description. A final challenge is to link the historical specimens to contemporary collections that are mostly conducted with mechanical trapping of specimens and DNA-based species recognition. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Intensive use of pesticides is among the main drivers of biodiversity loss, especially of insects. Here, field concentrations of chemical synthetic pesticides were measured in soil and carabid beetles in a vineyard (VP) and olive grove (OP), in two consecutive years. The aim was to determine if active ingredients in pesticides applied in the field accumulate in carabids and how this correlates with treatment intensity. Carabids and soil samples were collected at a vineyard and olive grove in Zadar County in Croatia, soil in 2018 and 2019 and carabids in 2019. Both were under integrated pest management (IPM), with a total of 34 pesticides applied, between January and August in the two years of this study. Using LC-MS/MS, a broad range of pesticides, mainly fungicides, was detected in the soil and carabids. In soil samples, boscalid (0.047 mg/kg), mandipropamid (0.08 mg/kg), fluopyram (0.09 mg/kg), cyprodinil (0.09 mg/kg) and tebuconazole (0.13 mg/kg) were detected in the highest amounts. In addition, nine substances were detected in carabids, with valiphenalate (0.048 mg/kg), difenoconazole (0.051 mg/kg) and azoxystrobin (0.064 mg/kg) in the highest concentrations. Bioaccumulation factor (BAF) indicated the accumulation of valiphenalate, metalaxyl-M, spiroxamine and difenoconazole in carabids. Data measured directly in the field revealed the accumulation of pesticides in carabids, which indicates they could be good bioindicators in IPM and contribute to a better understanding of the distribution of pesticides in Mediterranean agroecosystems. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

During a comprehensive survey of heterostigmatic mites associated with ground beetles and soil samples in northern and northeastern Iran, several colonies of caroboacarid mites, including three species of the genus Caraboacarus Krczal, 1959, C. stammeri Krczal, 1959, C. karenae Nickel & Elzinga, 1969, and C. krczali Eidelberg, 1994 as well as Minicaraboacarus quadridiscalis Hajiqanbar & Khaustov, 2008 and Intercaraboacarus clivinus Katlav & Hajiqanbar, 2015, were extracted from soil samples and ground beetles of the genera Calosoma Weber, Harpalus Latreille, Amara Bonelli and Scarites Fabricius in the sampling area. The world distribution and host specificity are examined. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Species recovery following anthropogenic disturbances will depend on adaptations in survivorship and fecundity. Life‐history theory predicts increased environmental stress will result in (1) shifts in resource allocation from fecundity to body growth/maintenance and (2) increased provisioning among offspring at the cost of reproductive output. For remnant populations that persist after forest harvesting, selection mediated through anthropogenic disturbances may affect resilience to additional stressors such as climate change. We tested how rapid changes in environmental conditions affected maternal investment strategies in two ground beetle species, Pterostichus pensylvanicus and Pterostichus coracinus, by comparing fecundity and survivorship in populations from recently clear‐cut and uncut habitats. Using parents drawn from clear‐cut or uncut stands, we reared progeny in both common garden and reciprocal transplant experiments. In P. pensylvanicus, we found that neither lineage nor rearing habitat affected the number of eggs laid per female or survivorship of offspring. However, eggs laid by females from clear‐cuts were more likely to hatch and offspring reached maturity more quickly, suggesting increased provisioning per offspring. In P. coracinus, females from clear‐cuts laid more eggs, and their eggs hatched more rapidly and had greater hatching success, suggesting increased investment in overall reproductive output and increased offspring provisioning. In the reciprocal transplant, we observed significant habitat by lineage interactions on survival in P. coracinus, with survivorship increasing when progeny were reared in novel habitats. In both species, increased maternal investment among offspring was not associated with a reduction in overall reproductive output, as anticipated. However, maternal investment among offspring declined with increasing female size, implying trade‐offs between increased metabolic demand and fecundity. Taken together, our work suggests that females from more stressful, clear‐cut habitats increased investment in fecundity, compared to females from uncut habitats, and may compensate for larval mortality. These changes were driven by smaller individuals, suggesting that increased environmental stress can influence the relationship between female size and maternal investment strategy. Additionally, reciprocal increases in offspring survivorship in habitats other than the parents suggest that adjacent areas between unharvested and clear‐cut habitat may be useful in maintaining biodiversity under future climate stressors. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Two new species belonging to the tribe Panagaeini (Coleoptera, Carabidae) are described. Namely Adischissus samarensis sp. nov. from Samar Island, Philippines and Microcosmodes tamilicus sp. nov. from Tamil Nadu, India. The newly described species are compared with related known taxa and their position in the species groups is discussed. Some taxonomical notes on the Craspedophorus microspilotus group of species sensu Kirschenhofer 2000 and Fedorenko 2016 are added. C. freudei Jedlička, 1966, C. denbickyi, C. molossus, C. maculatus, C. pacholatkoi (all four taxa described by Kirschenhofer 2000 and C. bretschneideri Kirschnhofer, 2011) are synonymised with C. geniculatus (Wiedemann, 1825). C. kiwlomensis Häckel et Kirschenhofer, 2014 is synonymised with C. chiangdaoensis Häckel et Kirschenhofer, 2014. Other taxa previously and erroneously synonymised with different species are synonymised with C. geniculatus including Craspedophorus louangnamthaensis Kirschenhofer, 2011, C. mandarinellus attapeuensis and C. mandarinellus malayensis (both Häckel et Kirschenhofer, 2014), and C. batesi Häckel, 2016 is synonymised with C. mandarinellus (Bates, 1892). C. punensis Häckel et Kirschenhofer, 2014 is revalidated as a species. C. kathmanduensis Kirschenhofer, 2004, C. gracilipes (Bates, 1892), provisionally C. obesus Louwerens, 1953 and C. halyi Andrewesa, 1923 are included in the C. microspilotus group sensu Fedorenko 2016. C. maharahstraensis Kirschenhofer, 2011 is excluded from the C. microspilotus group. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Ardistomis allegroi sp. nov. from Ecuador is described, figured including its male and female genitalia and is differentiated from the nearest species. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The distribution of wild boar (Sus scrofa L.) on almost all continents brings with it a number of negative impacts, the intensity of which depend on the local population density. One of these impacts is the rooting of the soil surface as part of their foraging behavior, which represents an ecologically valuable disturbance to the forest ecosystem. In this study, conducted in 2022 and 2023, we placed 50 pitfall traps across 10 plots at 10 model sites to compare epigeic arthropod communities in areas affected by wild boar rooting with those unaffected by rooting activity. Our findings demonstrate the presence or absence of rooting is a highly significant factor in shaping arthropod epigeic community assemblies. Rooted plots predominantly hosted species from the taxons Araneae, Carabidae, Elateridae, and Diplopoda, whereas plots without rooting were significantly associated with the taxons Tenebrionidae, Opiliones, Gryllidae, and Geotrupidae. Diptera, and Staphylinidae were not affected by wild boar rooting activity. Throughout the study, a decreasing trend in species diversity was observed. Wild boar rooting notably impacted the composition of epigeic assemblages. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The arthropod communities are important component in grassland ecosystems and are largely affected by management. However, the information on the effects of different grassland management on ground-dwelling predatory arthropods are very limited, especially for the natural steppe grasslands in semi-arid regions. Here we investigated the dynamic patterns of predatory arthropod communities (Carabidae and Araneida) using the Pitfall-trap method in the grasslands subject to 6 management treatments of full-season grazing, spring-summer grazing, summer grazing, summer-autumn grazing, autumn mowing, and unused grassland in a natural steppe grassland in central Inner Mongolia; each management treatment was replicated by three experimental paddocks. The results showed that (i) a total of 305 ground-dwelling predatory arthropods were captured, belonging to 31 genera, 11 families, 2 orders and 2 classes; and the dominant genera were Craspedonotus, Harpalus, Pardosa and Gnaphosa, accounting for 14.75%, 12.79%, 11.15% and 15.74% of the total genera, respectively. (ii) Compared to unused grassland, grazing significantly reduced the individual number, biomass and genus diversity of ground-dwelling predatory arthropods, and these inverse impacts were smaller under summer-autumn grazing than other grazing; while autumn mowing increased the biomass of the arthropods in summer. (iii) Grazing and mowing had bigger effects on the large than small ground-dwelling predatory arthropods. Our results deepen the understanding of the dynamic patterns of ground-dwelling predatory arthropods in grasslands subject to different management, and it is important to take these dynamic patterns in evaluating management effects on grassland ecosystems, especially for the development of sustainable grassland management systems.

In the landscape of the Dolomites, within the protected area of the Paneveggio - Pale di S. Martino Park in the Eastern Alps of Italy, a study was conducted to explore the distribution of carabid beetles. To achieve this, pitfall traps were placed along a 1000-m elevation gradient, following the bioclimatic gradient from spruce forests to the resilient pioneer vegetation in the extreme high-altitude environments. The research revealed that both community diversity and biogeographic diversity exhibited a clear correlation with the bioclimatic gradient. As one ascended to higher altitudes, the composition and distribution of carabid beetle communities shifted, reflecting the bioclimatic gradient. The chorological spectrum of the communities showed that Pleistocene paleoclimatic events provided the triggering factors affecting the postglacial recolonization of alpine ecosystems of the Dolomites region. Most of the sampled species displayed specific life strategies that enabled them to thrive in this harsh setting, responding to the selective pressures imposed by ecological factors. An extensive dataset encompassing the diversity of carabid beetles in these high-altitude domains was created. Given that the studied environments are widely distributed along the Italian Eastern Alps, the dataset serves a crucial purpose as it can be used as a reference for other research campaigns conducted in similar environments. Furthermore, it could act as a temporal benchmark for future researches on insects living in extreme environments, e.g. the Dolomites, or for comparing changes in climate that may be detected by future studies in the same geographic area.

Ground beetles of the Genus Mimocolliuris Liebke, 1933 (Coleoptera: Carabidae: Lebiinae) are represented by 17 species globally within the three subgenera (Essora Liebke 1933, Paramimocolliuris Habu 1979, and Mimocolliuris s.str) with an exclusive distribution in the Asia-Pacific region (India, Sri Lanka, Indonesia, Philippines, Cambodia, Vietnam, Thailand, Laos, Myanmar, Nepal, China, Taiwan, and Japan). This study provides additional information regarding the Asia-Pacific genus Mimocolliuris by offering a supplementary note for the genus and a revised identification key to the species of the genus Mimocolliuris by including subgenera Essora Liebke, 1933, and Paramimocolliuris Habu, 1979. Additionally, this study provides the first report of the species Mimocolliuris bicoloripes Baehr, 2016 from the Oriental region (India) and also presents a modified description of the species Mimocolliuris pilifera (Nietner, 1858).

Ground beetles (Coleoptera: Carabidae) stand out as one of the most diverse families not just among insects but also among all living organisms on Earth. They have emerged as essential bioindicators of environmental disturbance, reflecting changes in ecosystems due to agricultural, forestry, and urbanization practices. The presence, abundance, and species composition of carabid communities serve as reliable indicators of habitat quality and ecosystem health. We conducted a comprehensive study of the meadow-steppe habitats, utilizing ground beetles as sensitive ecological indicators. We delineated four distinct groups of species based on ecological preferences and habitat affinities: I) steppe xerothermophilic stenobionts; II) steppe and ruderal xero- and mesophilic eurybionts; III) meadow and ruderal meso- and hygrophilous eurybionts; and IV) forest meso- and hygrophilous steno- and eurybionts. Our findings elucidate a distinct response of ground beetle species groups to transformation processes occurring within meadow steppes. Species belonging to group I (Brachinus crepitans, Ophonus rupicola, O. puncticollis, Leistus ferrugineus) expanded notably in distribution under conditions characterized by xerophilization and elevated temperatures. Conversely, species within group II (Harpalus atratus, H. caspius, H. hospes, H. solitaris, Ophonus azureus) and group III (Amara aenea, A. familiaris, Calathus fuscipes, Carabus cancellatus, C. convexus, Cylindera germanica, Harpalus affinis, H. latus, H. rubripes, H. xanthopus, Pterostichus atrorufus, P. cupreus, P. strenuus) showed a comparable response to the habitat, with a preference for higher soil mois­ture. Species within group IV (Abax carinatus, A. parallelepipedus, A. parallelus, Carabus arvensis, C. glabratus, C. linnei, C. nemoralis, C. ulrichii, C. variolosus, Cychrus caraboides, C. semigranosus, Leistus piceus, Limodromus assimilis, Molops piceus, Pterostichus melanarius, P. niger, P. oblongopunctatus) demonstrated an association with markedly different environmental condi­tions, characterized by significant moisture levels and relatively lower soil temperatures conducive to their existence. Steppe species (group I) were observed in only 12 out of 27 sample plots of meadow steppes, while a significant presence of species from groups II and III was evident in most cases, indicating mesophilization due to shrub and tree vegetation expansion. Forest species of ground beetles (group IV) were prevalent in the majority of meadow steppe sample plots, reflecting disruption of plagioclimax likely re­sulting from the cessation of traditional economic practices. Despite the presence of the meadow-steppe vegetation, steppe species of ground beetles were entirely absent, suggesting their potential as early indicators of ongoing changes in the meadow-steppe habitats.

The holotype of Abax sexualis Fairmaire, 1881 has been studied from the only specimen collected by Fairmaire and its synonymy with Abax pyrenaeus spp. pyrenaeus Dejean, 1828 is established. The typical series of Abax pyrenaeus v. montserratensis Mas de Xaxars, 1915 has been located, and its consideration as a variety of the typical subspecies is reaffirmed. Likewise, the lectotype ♂ and the parallelectotypes ♂ and ♀ are designated. All specimens of both taxa are deposited in the collection of the Museum of Natural Sciences of Barcelona. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The carabid beetle Cnemalobus Guérin-Ménéville, 1838 inhabits high- and lowland grasslands of southern South America. The highest diversity is found in the Patagonian Steppe, where distribution patterns are associated with latitude and elevation. Northern Patagonia, a large volcanic region with a complex geoclimatic history, exhibits elevated grades of endemism. However, a great deal remains unknown regarding diversification and biogeographical patterns for most of the endemic groups. We describe new Cnemalobus species restricted to isolated volcanoes from these extra-Andean mountain systems. We assess the phylogenetic relationships by updating the phylogeny of the genus and conduct a Bayesian binary Markov chain-Monte Carlo (MCMC) analysis on the resulting phylogenetic tree to discuss the biogeographical distribution patterns. We also provide a taxonomic key to all currently known species of Cnemalobus from the Patagonian Steppe. Our phylogenetic analysis supports the monophyly of the new species Cnemalobus tromen sp. nov., Cnemalobus silviae sp. nov., Cnemalobus aucamahuida sp. nov. and Cnemalobus domuyo sp. nov. grouped with C. diamante and C. nevado, referred to as the 'Extra-Andean' mountain lineage. Biogeographical analysis recognises vicariant events as the most plausible explanation for the allopatric distributions of the new species. We hypothesise that these vicariant events could be related to climatic barriers that likely promoted speciation processes by generating geographical isolation in ancestral populations. Our findings contribute significantly to the biogeographical understanding of the Patagonian volcanic region, prompting new inquiries to unravel the speciation processes of the endemic biota in extra-Andean mountain systems. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

This study, conducted in 2020–2022, was designed to determine the impact of livestock grazing on habitat biodiversity and Carabidae beetles. Two research plots (a meadow and a pasture) were established on a farm in the village of Otapy, located in the agricultural catchment area of the Nurzec River in Eastern Poland. They were located next to each other so that they would possess the same set of atmospheric phenomena and processes shaped by the physical and geographical characteristics of the area. The study showed that the pasture was the richest in terms of the magnesium and calcium contents, while the meadow had significantly higher levels of phosphorus and zinc. The study also showed some differences in the abundance and species composition of plants and animals. The meadow had higher biodiversity, while the pasture was dominated by grasses. A disparity in the abundance of individual species was also presented. The study indicated the preference of individual species for particular forms of land use. Anisodactylus binotatus, Harpalus rufipes and Poecilus cupreus were most abundant in the meadow, while Carabus granulatus and Pterostichus melanarius were mostly represented in the pasture. The number of species, on the other hand, was the same. Our research concluded that proper landscape management through different uses affects plant and beetle diversity and soil element content. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The niche variation hypothesis states that the population niche width expands with increasing interindividual differences in prey utilization (i.e., individual dietary specialization). The main ecological drivers forming this relationship include a) ecological opportunity, b) food limitation and exploitative competition, and c) intraguild interference. Only a limited number of empirical studies have tested the impact of these drivers on the niche variation–width relationship and focused only on vertebrates. Using molecular gut content analysis, we investigated how prey diversity (proxy for ecological opportunity), prey abundance (proxy for exploitative competition / food-limitation), and activity density of guild members (proxy for intraguild interference) affect the short-term individual dietary specialization and consequently the population niche width in local communities of 13 species of predatory beetles and spiders. The study took place in 10 spring barley fields in Sweden in 2011. We found that the niche variation and consequently the average population niche width of the species in the predator community decreased with prey abundance but increased with activity density of guild members. The results indicate that intraguild interference and exploitative competition / food limitation increased dietary variation. The increased diet variation led to the observed population diet expansion. Our results support the niche variation hypothesis and, in contrast to the traditional view, show that negative intraguild interactions may act as a diversifying force. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

There is increasing concern into the decline of insect populations, with corresponding calls for conservation action aimed towards threatened species in particular. However, there is a distinct paucity of knowledge surrounding habitat requirements, microhabitat selection and conservation actions that may be undertaken for the vast majority of invertebrate species.Carabus intricatus (Coleoptera: Carabidae) Linnaeus, 1761 is a threatened ancient woodland specialist in the United Kingdom with a highly restricted distribution and is listed as a section 41 species of principal importance in England. Despite this, no empirical systematic evidence exists for even basic habitat requirements.Here, we used a patch‐occupancy modelling framework to determine occupancy and detection parameters for C. intricatus and a sympatric generalist species, C. problematicus, which is a potential competitor.Our models showed that decayed deadwood availability and leaf litter covering (an indicator of the availability of mature broadleaved trees) leads to higher occupancy of C. intricatus, whereas decayed dead wood availability and slug abundance are primary determinants of overall abundance. Additionally, detection models showed that higher humidity substantially increased activity of C. intricatus.For C. problematicus, ground moss coverage and overall deadwood volume most strongly influenced occupancy and abundance, whereas there were no humidity related influences on activity.The results support our general predictions about the specialist–generalist nature of the two species in the United Kingdom and indicate that key characteristics of old‐growth temperate rain forests, particularly the availability of deadwood and high humidity, are central to the conservation of these charismatic carabids. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The overabundance of large herbivores can have detrimental effects on the local environment due to overgrazing. Culling is a common management practice implemented globally that can effectively control herbivore populations and allow vegetation communities to recover. However, the broader indirect effects of culling large herbivores remain relatively unknown, particularly on insect species such as ground-dwelling beetles that perform key ecosystem processes such as decomposition. Here we undertook a preliminary investigation to determine how culling sika deer on an island in North Japan impacted ground-beetle community dynamics. We conducted pitfall trapping in July and September in 2012 (before culling) and again in 2019 (after culling). We compared beetle abundance and community composition within 4 beetle families (Carabidae, Scarabaeidae, Geotrupidae, and Silphidae), across seasons and culling treatments. We found each family responded differently to deer culling. Scarabaeidae displayed the greatest decline in abundance after culling. Silphidae also had reduced abundance but to a lesser extent compared to Scarabaeidae. Carabidae had both higher and lower abundance after culling, depending on the season. We found beetle community composition differed between culling and season, but seasonal variability was reduced after culling. Overall, the culling of large herbivores resulted in a reduction of ground-dwelling beetle populations, particularly necrophagous species dependent on dung and carrion for survival. Our preliminary research highlights the need for long-term and large-scale experiments to understand the indirect ecological implications of culling programs on ecosystem processes. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

During a pitfall trapping study in a coastal area of Central Norway (2002, 2003), three new species of ground beetles (Coleoptera, Carabidae) were recorded in North Trøndelag County: Notiophilus palustris (Duftschmid, 1812), Cymindis vaporariorum (L., 1758) and Amara aenea (Degeer, 1774). In addition, 14 species were recorded new to the coastal parts of the county, where the total number of carabids known to occur stands at 46. There are 111 recorded carabid species in North Trøndelag. The distributions of the species recorded new for North Trøndelag are discussed in the context of spreading abilities.

Рассмотрены особенности распространения и история изучения Stenaptinus agnatus (Chaudoir, 1876) на территории России. Приводится новая находка этого редкого и спорадически распространенного в Приморском крае вида из Анучинского района. Это подтверждает обитание S. agnatus в предгорьях Сихотэ-Алиня. Анализ известных локалитетов вида, отмеченных за период 88 лет, показывает, что в пределах России S. agnatus отмечается, как правило, на равнинных участках и в предгорьях, недалеко от водоемов, в открытых травянисто-кустарниковых биотопах.

Представлены итоги исследования жужелиц Малой Курильской гряды за 2012–2022 гг. Общее число Carabidae на островах насчитывает 80 видов из 33 родов и 18 триб. В том числе с Шикотана известно 76 видов, с Полонского — 28, Юрия — 24, Танфильева — 26, Анучина — 7 и Зеленого — 1 вид. Из них 2 таксона (Carabus opaculus kurosawai Breuning, 1957 и Badister lacertosus sasajii Morita, 2001) впервые указаны для фауны России; 4 вида (Carabus tuberculosus Dejean, 1829, Bembidion lucillum Bates, 1883, Agonum gracile Sturm, 1824 и Amara ussuriensis Lutshnik, 1935) — впервые для фауны Малой Курильской гряды; 1 вид — впервые для острова Шикотан; 15 видов — впервые для острова Танфильева; 1 вид — впервые для острова Анучина. Рассматриваются особенности современной фауны жужелиц Малой Курильской гряды. Отмечено, что в ее формировании главную роль сыграли следующие исторические события: а) отсутствие вулканической активности в плейстоцен-голоценовое время; б) похолодание климата Земли в плейстоценовую эпоху; в) потепление в климатический оптимум голоцена около 8–5 тысяч лет назад; г) антропогенное влияние, наиболее ярко проявившееся в конце XX — начале XXI в.

The lectotype of a little-known species, Pterostichus (Phonias) subitus Csiki, 1930, is designated and the description is given on the material recently collected in the valley of lower reaches of the Amu Darya River (Uzbekistan). External characters and structure of male genitalia are illustrated for the first time. In the aedeagus conformation, this species is similar to P. (Phonias) diligens (Sturm, 1824) but easily differs in external characters (bigger size, robust body, etc.). From geographically close P. (Phonias) stricticollis (Solsky, 1874) the species in question differs, first of all, in the pronotum shape and structure of the aedeagus

The males of Carabus lefebvrei produce sperm bundles of quite variable size as a consequence of a sexual selection via sperm competition. The ultrastructural features of spermatogenesis of the species and the sequence of events leading to sperm bundle formation along the deferent duct lumen revealed the origin and evolution of the apical structure protecting the sperm bundles. Elongated layers of the electron-dense material of variable size and thickness are visible over the microvilli of the distal deferent duct epithelium. They likely correspond to sections through different levels of discoidal secretions. Then, the sperm present in the duct lumen attach to one side of such elongated secreted structures. Later on, these structures bent to take a cap shape and increase their size and thickness by apposition of additional secretions produced by the proximal deferent duct epithelium. These results reconcile the different opinions about the formation of the structures called the cap and the rod (spermatostyle). In our work, we in fact obtained evidence that both these structures have the same origin, even though at the end of their formation they exhibit a different appearance. The reported results indicate that, differently from the spermatostyle, in the initial stages of cap formation, the sperm adhere only to one side of the cap rather than around the whole structure, as it occurs instead along the spermatostyle rod. Under this aspect, the cap structure is similar to the protection present in the sperm of some whirligig beetle.

Extreme events are important determinants of environmental changes at multiple geographical and temporal scales, influencing the ecology and evolution of species. Volcanism in particular can modify entire landscapes through ash deposition, affecting the survival and abundance of susceptible species and favouring tolerant ones. However, there is still a lack of information for predicting which species will be more or less affected by volcanic disturbances. We test the hypothesis that the effect of volcanic ash will differentially affect taxa according to their morphological traits. We used a ground‐dwelling beetle community that was sampled before and immediately after the last eruption of the Puyehue‐Cordón Caulle (PCC) volcano. We measure traits that might help predicting responses to the ash deposition in insect species susceptible to the PCC volcanic eruption – i.e., their abundance decreased considerably – and compared them to others that were tolerant. We examined cuticle thickness, its structures (i.e., hairs) and microsculptures, and body size. We found that traits associated with smoothness of the cuticle (fewer hairs and microsculptures) and a small body enables species to better tolerate the negative effects of volcanic ash. These results are the first to explicitly test for traits that could help to predict which species will be more tolerant to volcanic ashes, a widespread disturbance associated with volcanism. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Metabarcoding approaches are powerful tools to unravel trophic relationships between predators and prey. To apply metabarcoding analyses on invertebrate gut contents, specimens must be well preserved from DNA degradation, thus the trapping method should be selected accordingly. Dry pitfall traps are commonly assumed to provide a better DNA preservation than traps that use a killing agent. However, this assumption has never been specifically tested for gut content analyses. In our study, we compared how two types of pitfall trapping, dry vs. with brine, affect the conservation of prey DNA contained in the digestive tract of predators and subsequent metabarcoding analyses. We placed dry and 'classic' pitfall traps in oilseed rape fields within an intensive agricultural area in the French Nouvelle‐Aquitaine region. Traps were set up in autumn and compared for carabid trapping efficiency as well as our capacity to retrieve dietary information from the digestive tract of the main carabid species, Nebria salina (Fairmaire & Laboulbène) and Calathus fuscipes (Goeze) (both Coleoptera: Carabidae). The PCR success rate was higher in dry pitfall traps compared to classic ones for N. salina. We hypothesise that this was due to the presence of PCR inhibitors in the gut of this species. The ability to sequence prey DNA did not differ between specimens caught in both trap types. The list of preyed species was similar between both trap types. However, sequencing yielded more prey operational taxonomic units (OTUs) from specimens caught in dry pitfall traps, leading to differences in prey community composition and a greater ability to reconstruct prey community. Our analyses also shed light on the prey spectrum of C. fuscipes and N. salina in oilseed rape in autumn. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The tiger beetle Zecicindela tekapoensis was described in 2018 from three specimens collected on the river flats of the lower Tekapo River, Canterbury, New Zealand. An extensive 2019 survey of various habitat types around the lower Pukaki and Tekapo Rivers resulted in the collection of additional specimens. Zecicindela tekapoensis was absent from degraded tussock lands and areas dominated by exotic pasture grasses, preferring open uncultivated shrubby herb field dominated by Rosa rubiginosa, Pilosella officinarum/praealtum, Styphelia nesophila, Muehlenbeckia axillaris, Anthoxanthum odoratum and Carex breviculmis. Relative abundance was estimated at 0.042 beetles per pitfall trap night over the Tekapo river flats. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Simple Summary: Understanding the prevalence of the converse Bergmann's rule for ectotherm animals and how often this rule is broken is of utmost importance to understand the underlying mechanisms allowing organisms to adapt to different environments and the selective pressures they face. By using the ground beetle Ceroglossus chilensis as a biological model, we provide a practical example of testing the converse Bergmann rule in an ectotherm with a narrow geographical distribution in Chile. The converse Bergmann's rule is a pattern of body size variation observed in many ectothermic organisms that contradicts the classic Bergmann's rule and suggests that individuals inhabiting warmer climates tend to exhibit larger body sizes compared to those inhabiting colder environments. Due to the thermoregulatory nature of Bergmann's rule, its application among ectotherms might prove to be more complicated, given that these organisms obtain heat by absorbing it from their habitat. The existence of this inverse pattern therefore challenges the prevailing notion that larger body size is universally advantageous in colder climates. Ceroglossus chilensis is a native Chilean beetle that has the largest latitudinal range of any species in the genus, from 34.3° S to 47.8° S. Within Chile, it continuously inhabits regions extending from Maule to Aysen, thriving on both native and non-native forest species. Beyond their remarkable color variation, populations of C. chilensis show minimal morphological disparity, noticeable only through advanced morphological techniques (geometric morphometrics). Based on both (1) the "temperature–size rule", which suggests that body size decreases with increasing temperature, and (2) the reduced resource availability in high-latitude environments that may lead to smaller body sizes, we predict that C. chilensis populations will follow the converse Bergmann's rule. Our results show a clear converse pattern to the normal Bergmann rule, where smaller centroid sizes were found to be measured in the specimens inhabiting the southern areas of Chile. Understanding the prevalence of the converse Bergmann's rule for ectotherm animals and how often this rule is broken is of utmost importance to understand the underlying mechanisms allowing organisms to adapt to different environments and the selective pressures they face. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Different trap types and attractant compositions were tested with the goal of attracting as many individuals of Hylobius abietis as possible while assuring a minimal bycatch of nontarget species with regard to the family Carabidae on three study sites in the east of Germany.The results revealed a modified pitfall trap based on a model by Nordlander (1987, Scandinavian Journal of Forest Research, 2, 199–213.) as the most effective trap type with a high degree of selectivity and minimal ecological side effects.The modified Nordlander trap is suitable for potential H. abietis mass trapping as an instrument of integrated pest management.Two field trials testing different attractant compositions showed that a simple attractant combination of (−)‐α‐pinene and ethanol is as effective as other more complex combinations and thus preferable for mass trapping efforts.The addition of the monoterpenes camphene, Δ‐3‐carene, ocimene and terpinolene to the combination of (−)‐α‐pinene and ethanol did not increase trapping numbers significantly.Trapping numbers of H. abietis indicate that a reduction of the local H. abietis population by trapping is possible, though further research about the influence of mass trapping on regeneration damage is recommended. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Ground beetles are recognized as important biological control agents and environmental indicators that inhabit a wide range of habitats. The diversity of carabid beetles in Pakistan has not yet been studied extensively, despite their diversified ecological roles. In the present study, the ground beetle communities from three subdivisions of district Mandi Bahauddin (Phalia, Malakwal and Mandi Bahauddin) were sampled by handpicking and placing pitfall traps from August 2020 to July 2021. A total of 4008 specimens were collected which belonged to 18 species, 11 genera, nine tribes, and five subfamilies. Data were analyzed with Similarities Percentage (SIMPER) analysis and diversity indices were compared among those three croplands. We found that Pheropsophus lissoderus was the most abundant and dominant species in all three study sites whereas Brachinus bilineatus and Galerita lecontei were recorded only in tehsil Phalia, Pheropsophus verticalis, and Dioryche subrecta in Malakwal. Pheropsophus was the most abundant and dominant genus representing six species in all three sites. Overall Shannon index (H:2.545), Simpson index (1-D:0.893), and evenness (e˄ H/S: 0.709) indicated relatively greater carabid species richness in district Mandi Bahauddin. Comparative values of indices showed similar patterns of species diversity and evenness i.e. Mandi Bahauddin (1-D = 0.902, e˄ H/S = 0.866), followed by Malakwal (1-D = 893, e˄ H/S = 0.769), and Phalia (1-D = 0.876, e˄ H/S = 0.712). Similarity Percentage analysis by using the Bray-Curtiss dissimilarity matrix showed the highest overall dissimilarity between Malakwal and Mandi Bahauddin (42.68%), followed by Phalia, and Malakwal (28.88%), whereas the least dissimilarity was recorded between Phalia and Mandi Bahauddin (26.53%). We conclude that carabid beetles in district Mandi Bahauddin have relatively greater species richness. The study reports Poecilus versicolor for the first time from Pakistan. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The rare W-Mediterranean carabid beetle Laemostenus barbarus (Lucas, 1846) is here reported for the first time from Sardinia and confirmed to Calabria. The currently known distribution and ecology of this species are briefly discussed. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Crepidogaster (Sphaerotyronia) rotundata subg. nov., sp. nov. is herein described on the basis of a male specimen from East Madagascar. The male habitus and genitalia are illustrated, and some considerations are presented about the systematics of the genus Crepidogaster and the tribe Crepidogastrini. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

A taxonomic treatment of the latiuscula species subgroup of subgenus Pinacodera Schaum, genus Cymindis Latreille with a key to species. Twelve species and two subspecies are treated, eleven (ten species, one subspecies) are described as new. One species, C. punctifera (LeConte), is re-ranked as a subspecies of C. punctifera (sensu lato). Listed alphabetically are the species and subspecies: Cymindis apache, new species (Ramsey Canyon, Cochise County, Huachuca Mountains, Arizona, U.S.A.); C. crenatoverpa, new species (Volcán Ceboruco, Nayarit, México); Cymindis cuyuteca new species (Cuautla, Jalisco, México); C. geminata, new species (Cuernavaca, state of Morelos, México); C. huichilobos, new species (km 117, Oaxaca-Puerto Angel road, state of Oaxaca, México); C latiuscula (Chaudoir) (Dzibilchaltun Archaeological Zone, ca. 16 km north of Mérida, Yucatán, México); C. punctifera punctifera LeConte, new rank (Madera Canyon, Santa Rita Mountains, Pima County, Arizona, U.S.A.); C. punctifera toltec, new subspecies (Mazatlán, Sinaloa, México); C. rugofrons, new species (19.5 km NW Los Volcánes, Jalisco, México); C. tonatiuh, new species (15 km SE Nochixtlán, Oaxaca, México); C. yaqui, new species (Cave Creek Canyon, S. Fork, Chiricahua Mts., Arizona, U.S.A.); C. zacapa new species (12-14 km S. San Lorenzo, Departamento Zacapa, Guatemala); and C. zapotec new species (San Gabriel Mixtepec, Oaxaca, México). Cymindis punctifera (LeConte 1884), a junior synonym of C. cribrata (Chaudoir 1875), is the valid species name because the latter is a junior secondary homonym of Cymindis cribrata LeConte 1859 (= C. pilosa Say 1823). Ecologically, the species of the latiuscula subgroup are geophile or arboreal mesophiles, occupying tropical wet and dry, oak- pine [lowland to montane], and cloud forests, to scrubby desert vegetation, their resting places are under bark or bromeliads. These beetles are active in year-round, principally March to September. They may be found from sea level to 3060 m, with most found below 1800 m. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]