Description of a “new” species

 

                                                            Introduction

            Beetles are a group of insects that belong to the order Coleoptera. Although beetles are considered to be found at least in every habitat, they have the potential of interacting with every habitat in several ways. The majority of these beetles feed on fungi and plants, break down plant and animal debris, and prey on invertebrates (Löbl & Löbl, 2017). Some of them are destructive to agricultural products especially grains. Beetles belonging to the genus Carabus have a hard exoskeleton. Some of them have softer elytra while other has hardened elytra. The anatomy of beetles is typical and uniform in all insects.

            Some beetles, especially water beetles are able to trap use their elytra to trap air bubbles for use while they are diving. Due to the fact that they are endopterygotes, they have the potential of undergoing complete metamorphosis. Changes in metamorphosis enable them to encounter abrupt changes in their body structure particularly between the hatching periods (Ōsawa eta l., 2004). As they continue to mature, the body structural changes are the one that makes them to be immobile during the pupal stage.  Some beetles have sexual dimorphism thus making males to have enlarged mandibles. Since they are aposematic, they have the propensity of warming their toxicity. Beetles that reside in sandy regions have excellent camouflage

 

                                    Classification of the beetles belong to the genus carabus

Kingdom: Animalia

Plylum: Arthropoda

Subphylum: Hexapoda

Class: Insecta

Order: Coleoptra

Suborder: Adephaga

Family: Crabidae

Subfamily: Carabidae

Tribe: Carabini

Genus: Carabus

 

                                    Description of the beetles belong to the genus carabus

            Ground beetles have been scientifically recognized to be one of the largest multinational families of beetles. The beetles representing the Carabidae family have more than 40,000 species worldwide.  The beetles of the Carabidae family also have been considered to be highly diverse in subgenera and in more than 1000 scientifically recognized species (Ashton, 2013). As a result of that, it makes them to be the largest genus in the Carabidae subfamily. Despite that, the coloring and the shape of their body keep on varying.

 

 

            The vast majorities of the beetles represented in the Carabidae are metallic or shinny with ridged wing covers. In some beetle species, the wing covers or the elytra are fused. In larger groups of the ground Carabidae family, the development of large elytra is what makes them to unable to fly. All the ground and water beetles represented in the Carabidae have foreleg tibiae that they use for antennae cleaning.

                                                            Defense mechanisms

            The beetles of the genus Carabus have developed paired pygidial glands especially in the lowest part of their abdomen. For the ground beetles, the pygidial glands enable them to generate caustic or noxious secretions to deter their main predators. In some bombardier beetles, the secretions of the noxious or caustic chemical contain volatile compounds that produce loud popping sound and acrid gas which has the potential of injuring small mammals (Desender et al., 2013). The secretion of that chemical has the likelihood of killing other invertebrate predators.

 

            In humans, the secretion of the noxious chemical makes is an unpleasant experience. Such ability has evolved in ground beetles for years and is part of the defense mechanisms that are used by the modern lineage of the beetles represented in the genus Carabus. The Anthiini have the potential of squirting their defensive secretions with a degree of accuracy.  At a casual glance, juvenile beetles of the genus name Carabus move in a manner that makes them to look astonishingly similar.

                                                                        Ecology

             Burrowing sands, on the edges of rivers and ponds, under cracks of locks, logs, and barks of trees are their main habits. The vast majority of the Carabus species have been realized to be carnivorous. As a result of that invertebrates that they have the ability to overpower are their common prey.   For instance, tiger beetles have the ability to run swiftly so as to ambush and catch their prey. Considering the length of their body, research indicates that they are one of the fasted ground animals (Desender et al., 2013). Although the majority of the beetles represented in the family Carabidae are nocturnal, beetles such as the tiger beetles are diurnal hunters. They are brightly colored with large eyes that enable them to easily detect their prey. Furthermore, ground beetles have been noted to be specialized predators of cyanide millipedes (Desender et al., 2013). The production of hydrogen cyanide by the cyanide millipedes does not deter them from killing and consuming them.

                                                            Reproduction

            Seasonal changes, distribution, and reproductive mechanisms of the beetles that belong to the genus Carabus are the ones that have been realized to affect their reproduction activities. The leaner models regarding their transition are based on the impacts that quality as well as the seasonality changes of their habitat. On the other hand, within their habitat, changes in light intensity have the propensity of altering the activities of this species (Desender et al., 2013). Ideally, in open oak forested areas, their reproduction activity is relatively higher as compared to other regions that they occupy. Such a scenario suggests the reason as to why they prefer forested areas as unlike other regions.

 

             Although the mandible wear cannot be used as the ultimate means for estimating their reproduction age, their reproduction status is the one that impacts their global distribution. The life history and seasonal activities remain to be relatively similar in both sexes. Regardless of the differences that exist in both sexes, age-composition, and is what affects their reproduction characteristics coupled with seasonal changes (Ashton, 2013). Research indicates that a large parentage of the beetles belonging to the genus Carabus mainly reproduces once particularly in forested habitats.  The lifespan of adult beetles is one year.          

                                   

                                                            Relationship with humans

            Due to the fact that beetles are the main predators of invertebrates, ground colored beetles has been realized to be beneficial organisms. The vast majority of them have been reduced as a result of caterpillar hunters that devour their habitat. The presence of urticating hairs is what makes them to be avoided by a number of insectivores. A large number of them have been realized to damage grain crops. During indoor activities, such beetles have been realized to be more destructive to crops. The reason for that is because they have the potential of avoiding the secretion of defensive mechanisms (Desender et al., 2013). Whenever they are threatened, they quickly hide.   Due to the fact that ground beetles of belonging to the genus Carabus are unable to fly and are generally reluctant, they are able to block their probable routes of entry so easily. The use of insecticides such as Carabidae on the beetles is the one that makes them secrete repugnatorial chemical.

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

                                                            References

Ashton, A (2013). Issues in Biological, Biochemical, and Evolutionary Sciences Research: 2013 Edition. Scholary edition.

Desender, K., Dufrene, M, Loreau, M, Luff, M.L, & Maelfait, J.P. (2013). Carabid Beetles: Ecology and Evolution. Springer Science & Business Media

Desender, K., Dufrêne, M., Loreau, M., Luff, M. L., & Maelfait, J.-P. (2013). Carabid Beetles: Ecology and Evolution. Dordrecht: Springer Netherlands.

Löbl, I., & Löbl, D. (2017). Catalogue of Palaearctic Coleoptera: Volume 1. Leiden: Brill

Ōsawa, S., Su, Z.-H., & Inmura, Y. (2004). Molecular phylogeny and evolution of carabid ground beetles. Tokyo: Springer.