Epomis circumscriptus

Epomis circumscriptus is a species of ground beetle native to the Palearctic, the Near East, and North Africa.[1]

Epomis circumscriptus
E. circumscriptus preying upon a tree frog, Hyla savignyi
Scientific classification
Kingdom:
Animalia
Phylum:
Arthropoda
Class:
Insecta
Order:
Coleoptera
Family:
Carabidae
Subfamily:
Licininae
Tribe:
Chlaeniini
Genus:
Epomis
Species:
E. circumscriptus
Binomial name
Epomis circumscriptus

Distribution

It is known from Albania, Armenia, Bosnia and Herzegovina, Bulgaria, Croatia, Egypt, France, Georgia, Greece, Hungary, Israel, Italy, Jordan, Kazakhstan, Portugal, Romania, Russia, Slovakia, Spain, Tajikistan, Turkmenistan, Turkey, Ukraine, and Uzbekistan.[1][2][3]

Description and ecology

Adult beetles are metallic blue with violet luster, with a striking yellow-orange rim on the elytra and mostly yellow-colored legs and antennae. They are 18 to 22.5 mm (0.7 to 0.9 in) in length.[4]

The larvae reach a body length of up to 20 millimeters, they are white or yellow colored, with black and orange markings. Like many ground beetle larvae they are elongated with two extensions (Urogomphi) at the rear end. They have characteristic double-hooked mandibles. The larvae feed exclusively on amphibians, which they lure by making prey-like movements.[5] The larvae can often evade the first strike of the amphibian by being alert, and then strike back at once, while the amphibian is in close proximity. Latching on with their mandibles, they suck the body fluids of their new host, progressing to chewing its skin and eating its tissues. Eventually they may kill their host. Even if they are taken into the amphibian's mouth at the first strike, they may survive; one young frog appeared to find the larva it caught distasteful, failed to spit it out, swallowed it, only to regurgitate it a couple of hours later, covered with mucus but apparently unharmed. When the larvae molt, they drop off their host and need to find a new one.[6] The adult beetles are generalist predators, but can also feed on amphibians much larger than themselves.[7]

References
  1. Wizen, Gil; Drees, Claudia; Gasith, Avital (2012). "Distribution of two Epomis species (Carabidae, Chlaeniini) in Israel, with notes on their habitat" (PDF). Israel Journal of Entomology. 41: 95–106.
  2. "Chlaenius (Epomis) circumscriptus Duftschmid, 1812: 166 - Carabidae". carabidae.org. Retrieved 2015-12-04.
  3. Zohar, Yanai; Noa, Truskanov; Gasith, Avital; Wizen, Gil (2015). "First record of Epomis circumscriptus (Duftschmid, 1812) (Carabidae: Chlaeniini) from the eastern Dead Sea area, Jordan". Israel Journal of Entomology. 44–45: 1–4.
  4. Trautner Jürgen, & Geigenmüller Katrin (1987). Tiger beetles, ground beetles. Illustrated key to the Cicindelidae and Carabidae of Europe. TRIOPS Verlag.
  5. Wizen, Gil; Gasith, Avital (2011-09-21). "An unprecedented role reversal: ground beetle larvae (Coleoptera: Carabidae) lure amphibians and prey upon them". PLOS ONE. 6 (9): e25161. doi:10.1371/journal.pone.0025161. PMC 3177849. PMID 21957480.
  6. Sillar, Keith T.; Picton, Laurence D.; Heitler, William J. (2016). The Neuroethology of Predation and Escape. John Wiley & Sons. pp. 15–16. ISBN 978-0-470-97223-6.
  7. Wizen, Gil; Gasith, Avital (2011). "Predation of amphibians by carabid beetles of the genus Epomis found in the central coastal plain of Israel". ZooKeys (100): 181–191. doi:10.3897/zookeys.100.1526. PMC 3131015. PMID 21738411.
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