Epomis dejeani

Epomis dejeani is a species of ground beetle native to the Palearctic and the Middle East.[1] It is known from Bosnia and Herzegovina, Greece, Hungary, Israel, Italy, Russia, Syria, Turkey, and Ukraine.[1][2]

Epomis dejeani
Epomis dejeani eating a southern banded newt, Ommatotriton vittatus
Scientific classification
Kingdom:
Animalia
Phylum:
Arthropoda
Class:
Insecta
Order:
Coleoptera
Family:
Carabidae
Subfamily:
Licininae
Tribe:
Chlaeniini
Genus:
Epomis
Species:
E. dejeani
Binomial name
Epomis dejeani
Dejean, 1831

Adult beetles are metallic blue or green-colored, with a striking yellow-orange rim on the elytra and mostly yellow-colored legs and antennae. They are 15 to 20 mm (0.6 to 0.8 in) in length.[3]

The larvae reach a body length of up to 20 mm (0.8 in), they are yellow-colored with black 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 waving their antennae and making prey-like movements.[4] 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.[5]

The adult beetles are generalist predators and scavengers, but can also feed on amphibians much larger than themselves.[6]

References
  1. Wizen Gil, Drees Claudia, & Gasith Avital (2012). Distribution of two Epomis species (Carabidae, Chlaeniini) in Israel, with notes on their habitat. Israel Journal of Entomology 41: 95–106.
  2. "Chlaenius (Epomis) dejeanii Dejean, 1831a: 669 - Carabidae". carabidae.org. Retrieved 2015-12-04.
  3. Trautner Jürgen, & Geigenmüller Katrin (1987). Tiger beetles, ground beetles. Illustrated key to the Cicindelidae and Carabidae of Europe. TRIOPS Verlag.
  4. 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.
  5. 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.
  6. 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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