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Subfamily of beetles From Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia
Pterostichinae is a subfamily of ground beetles (family Carabidae). It belongs to the advanced harpaline assemblage, and if these are circumscribed sensu lato as a single subfamily, Pterostichinae are downranked to a tribe Pterostichini. However, as the former Pterostichitae[verification needed] supertribe of the Harpalinae as loosely circumscribed does seem to constitute a lineage rather distinct from Harpalus, its core group is here considered to be the present subfamily and the Harpalinae are defined more narrowly.
| Pterostichinae | |
|---|---|
 | |
| Image of the common Eurasian species Poecilus cupreus | |
Scientific classification  | |
| Domain: | Eukaryota |
| Kingdom: | Animalia |
| Phylum: | Arthropoda |
| Class: | Insecta |
| Order: | Coleoptera |
| Family: | Carabidae |
| Subfamily: | Pterostichinae Bonelli, 1810 |
They are usually mid-sized and rather stout ground beetles. Coloration is typically dark and without conspicuous patterns, but often with a strong sheen like polished metal. They are widely distributed and inhabit a wide range of terrestrial habitats. Unlike the more basal ground beetles which only eat small animals, the Pterostichinae include a large proportion of omnivorous or even herbivorous taxa.
This group includes the following tribes and genera:[1]
Tribe Chaetodactylini Tschitscherine, 1903
Tribe Cnemalobini Germain, 1911
Tribe Cratocerini Lacordaire, 1854
Tribe Microcheilini Jeannel, 1948
Tribe Morionini Brulle, 1835
Tribe Pterostichini Bonelli, 1810
Tribe Zabrini Bonelli, 1810
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