Scarites buparius

Scarites buparius is a species of beetles belonging to the family Carabidae.[1]

Scarites buparius
Scarites buparius from Tunisia. Mounted specimen
Scientific classification
Kingdom:
Animalia
Phylum:
Arthropoda
Class:
Insecta
Order:
Coleoptera
Family:
Carabidae
Genus:
Scarites
Species:
S. buparius
Binomial name
Scarites buparius
(Forster, 1771)
Synonyms
  • Scarites gigas Fabricius, 1781
  • Scarites pyracmon ( Bonelli , 1813 )

Distribution

This species occurs in France, Greece, Italy, Spain and in North Africa.[2]

Habitat

Scarites buparius lives in the coastal dunes and sandy beaches.[3]

Description

Scarites buparius reach a length of about 35–40 millimetres (1.4–1.6 in), with a maximum of 60 millimetres (2.4 in).[4] The basic black color of this glossy beetle is aposematic, highlighting clearly the body on the sandy substrate.

Elytra present thin and shallow striae, almost absent in larger specimen. Sexual dimorphism is not conspicuous,[5] but males are usually slightly smaller than females and the mandibles of the males are longer and hooked.[4] This species is apterous.[6]

Biology

The males use their impressive mandibles to fight each other. This intra-male aggressive behaviour consist of a repeated series of fighting events, during which a dominance/submission status is established. The attack behaviour persistence is correlated with the body length.[7] During the fights the males grab the head of the antagonists and rise them into the air. These fights sometimes end with the death of one of the contenders.

Adults can be found in Spring and Summer, but present peaks of activity in May.[3] They are used to spend the hottest hours of the day in their underground galleries,[4] that they dig in the sand of the dunes with their strong front legs. Usually in the evening these carnivores insest goes hunting. They present a large spectrum of preys,[3] preferably other insects and gastropods,[8] beheaded with the powerful jaws. Then they devour their prey at the bottom of their holes.

  • Scarites buparius with Pimelia bipunctata prey
  • Scarites buparius. Close-up
  • Scarites buparius, Kotychi, Greece

References
  1. Biolib
  2. Fauna europaea
  3. L. CHELAZZI, E. DEMATTHAEIS, I. COLOMBINc, M. FALLACI, V. BANDINI , C. TOZZI - ABUNDANCE, ZONATION AND ECOLOGICAL INDICES OF A COLEOPTERAN COMMUNITY FROM A SANDY BEACH-DUNE ECOSYSTEM OF THE SOUTHERN ADRIATIC COAST, ITALY
  4. CSMON-Life
  5. Galerie-insecte
  6. G. Carpaneto and S. Fattorini Flightlessness in psammophilous beetles inhabiting a Mediterranean coastal area: ecological and biogeographical implications
  7. T. Bonacci, P. Brandmayr, A. Giglio, A. Massolo, A. Mazzei, R. Odoguardi, M. Romeo, F. Talarico & T. Zetto Brandmayr Agonistic behaviour of Scarites buparius in relation to body size
  8. [La fauna in Italia - Touring Editore, 2002]


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