Pterostichinae

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

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.

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

• Chaetodactyla Tschitscherine, 1897

Tribe Cnemalobini Germain, 1911

• Cnemalobus Guerin-Meneville, 1838

Tribe Cratocerini Lacordaire, 1854

Tribe Drimostomatini Chaudoir, 1872

Tribe Microcheilini Jeannel, 1948

• Microcheila Brulle, 1834

Tribe Morionini Brulle, 1835

Tribe Pterostichini Bonelli, 1810 (including Metiini)

Tribe Zabrini Bonelli, 1810

References