Subfamily:
Anthiinae (spotted ground beetles, tyrant ground beetles)
Life > Eukaryotes > Opisthokonta > Metazoa (animals) > Bilateria > Ecdysozoa > Panarthropoda > Tritocerebra > Arthopoda > Mandibulata > Atelocerata > Panhexapoda > Hexapoda
> Insecta
(insects) > Dicondyla > Pterygota > Metapterygota > Neoptera > Eumetabola >
Holometabola > Coleoptera (beetles)
> Suborder: Adephaga > Family:
Carabidae (ground beetles)
They rely on speed and agility for
defense. Their most powerful defense mechanism is a chemical that is
secreted in a pygidial gland in the area of the ninth abdominal segment.
It is made up of concentrated organic acids or quinone and is squirted
at an attacker in a strong jet. Anthia can spray a jet of formic
acid up to 30cm and it is said to cause blindness in cats and chickens.
Some genera and species that occur in southern Africa.
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Thermophilum homoplatum, Two-spotted Ground Beetle, 35mm
predator of other ground-dwelling insects. Found mainly
in savanna, woodland and grassland regions of southern Africa and beyond.
[image by M. Picker & C.
Griffiths ©, from Field Guide to Insects of South Africa,
used with permission]. |
Thermophilum decemguttatum, Ten-spotted Ground Beetle, 28mm
predator of other ground-dwelling insects. Found in
sandy areas of karoo and fynbos in South Africa (Northern Cape, Western Cape and
Eastern Cape) and Namibia.
[image by M. Picker & C.
Griffiths ©, from Field Guide to Insects of South Africa,
used with permission]. |
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Thermophilum fornasinii, 48mm.
[image by M. Picker & C.
Griffiths ©, from Field Guide to Insects of South Africa,
used with permission]. |
Atractonotus mulsanti, Ant-mimicking Ground Beetle, 10mm.
[image by A. Weaving ©,
from Field Guide to Insects of South Africa, used with
permission]. |
Page by Margie Cochrane |
