Welcome Guest [Log In] [Register]
Welcome to Carnivora. We hope you enjoy your visit.


You're currently viewing our forum as a guest. This means you are limited to certain areas of the board and there are some features you can't use. If you join our community, you'll be able to access member-only sections, and use many member-only features such as customizing your profile and voting in polls. Registration is simple, fast, and completely free.


Join our community!


If you're already a member please log in to your account to access all of our features:

Username:   Password:
Add Reply
Two-spotted Ground Beetle - Anthia thoracica
Topic Started: Jun 6 2014, 01:54 PM (1,447 Views)
linnaeus1758
Member Avatar
Omnivore
[ *  *  *  *  * ]
Two-spotted Ground Beetle - Anthia thoracica

Posted Image

Scientific classification
Kingdom: Animalia
Phylum: Arthropoda
Class: Insecta
Order: Coleoptera
Family: Carabidae
Subfamily: Anthiinae
Genus: Anthia
Species: Anthia thoracica (Thunberg, 1784)

Size: 40-53 mm.
Range: Namibia, Tanzania and South Africa.

Description
Beetles in the genus Anthia are some of the largest and most conspicuous representatives of the family Carabidae in sub-Saharan Africa.
Body is black, with an ovate patch of yellowish setae on each lateral extension of the pronotum and a band of whitish reclinate setae on the lateral margins of elytra. Pronotum has broad lateral flanges and elytra are ovate and smooth, with eight linear striae. Mandibles elongate and sickle-shaped in male, short and stout in female.
Males exhibit considerable variation in the size and length of mandibles and in the size of the basal flange on the pronotum. Females also exhibit some variability in overall body size.

Posted Image

Ecology
These beetles are large, powerful predators that rely on speed and agility for capturing prey, and since they are also flightless these characteristics come in handy for avoiding becoming prey themselves. Failing that, they employ chemical defense in the form of secretions from a pygidial gland located in the area of the ninth abdominal segment. The chemical cocktail within these secretions contains concentrated organic acids or quinone that can be squirted at potential predators in a strong jet. This is an effective deterrent to small mammalian and avian predators.
Is largely restricted to Africa and is especially diverse and abundant in the arid, sandy Karoo and Kalahari regions of southern Africa.

Posted Image



Edited by Taipan, Jun 6 2014, 10:25 PM.
Offline Profile Quote Post Goto Top
 
1 user reading this topic (1 Guest and 0 Anonymous)
ZetaBoards - Free Forum Hosting
Create a free forum in seconds.
« Previous Topic · Amphibians, Arthropods, Crustaceans & Molluscs · Next Topic »
Add Reply