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Introduction to the World of Carabus

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Evolutionary Biology of Carabus Ground Beetles

Part of the book series: Entomology Monographs ((ENTMON))

Abstract

This chapter introduces ground beetles of the genus Carabus in terms of their taxonomic position, distribution, morphological characters, phylogeny, and life history. Carabus, or the subtribe Carabina, is a member of the subfamily Carabinae of the coleopteran family Carabidae. Carabus beetles are flightless owing to the degeneration of the hind wings and have diversified into nearly 1000 species in the Holarctic region, mostly in Eurasia. This species diversity is partly related to the diversification of genital characteristics, particularly the endophallus of the male genitalia, and the divergence in life history patterns. Carabus beetles are predators on insect larvae, earthworms and land snails and are adapted to temperate habitats, as well as alpine and subarctic habitats, with some variation in seasonal life cycle control, including adult and larval overwintering diapause. The life history pattern is represented by six different combinations of larval diet and seasonal life cycle. The evolution of larval overwintering has facilitated the colonization of cool habitats with short summers, and the evolution of snail feeding is associated with diversification of the external morphology of adults and an increase in species number.

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  1. Department of Zoology, Graduate School of Science, Kyoto University, Kyoto, Japan

    Teiji Sota

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  1. Teiji Sota
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Correspondence to Teiji Sota .

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Sota, T. (2022). Introduction to the World of Carabus. In: Evolutionary Biology of Carabus Ground Beetles. Entomology Monographs. Springer, Singapore. https://doi.org/10.1007/978-981-16-6699-5_1

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