Carabidae, Coleoptera, Insecta, Arthropoda, Animalia
Matthew Denton, The Evergreen State College, Olympia, WA 98505 USA.
01 April 1997
| species list | genus key | P. laevissimus |
Identification
Distinguishing feature for this genus is the pedunculate body. Prothorax and elytra separated by a peduncle on which the scutellum is situated. Mandibles strongly protruding, almost straight; antennal insertion visible from above; no furrow below the eye for receiving the first antennal segment; clypeus with a pair of setigerous punctures; first antennal segment with apical seta; elytra without dorsal punctures. Hind wings rudimentary.
Range
Pacific parts of North America.
Natural History
The pedunculate body form of this genus allows greater mobility to the prothorax because its hind margin does not come in contact with the elytra.
Kavanaugh, D. H. 1992. Carabid beetles (Insecta: Coleoptera: Carabidae) of the Queen Charlotte Islands, British Columbia. Memoirs of the California Academy of Sciences Number 16. California Academy of Sciences, San Francisco, California, USA.
Lindroth, C. H. 1961-1969. The ground beetles (Carabidae excl. Cicindelinae) of Canada and Alaska. Parts 1-6. Opuscula Entomologica xlviii + 1192 pp.For information about this page: John T. Longino longinoj@evergreen.edu
Last modified: 04/01/1997