Square-winged Bombardier Beetle
Brachinus quadripennis
This record describes Brachinus quadripennis (species). Recorded family: Carabidae. Recorded order: Coleoptera.
Identification and Appearance
Brachinus quadripennis is a species of ground beetle in the family Carabidae. It is found in Central America and North America.
Wikipedia reference for Brachinus quadripennis: https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Brachinus quadripennis.
Classification
- Kingdom
- Animalia
- Phylum
- Arthropoda
- Class
- Insecta
- Order
- Coleoptera (Beetles)
- Suborder
- Adephaga
- Family
- Carabidae (Ground Beetles)
- Subfamily
- Brachininae
- Genus
- Brachinus (Bombardier Beetles)
Imported taxonomy record. Source availability varies; see the source references and editorial policy below.
Habitat and Range
Geographic Range
transcontinental (BC-CA to ON-NH-FL) - Map , concentrations of records in FL, Upper Midwest, and PNW - 2,405 spmns
Additional species information
Species notes from the sources
Etymology: Brachinus quadripennis Dejean 1825
About Primitive Winged Insects: the wider group
Order-level background for Coleoptera, the group containing Brachinus quadripennis. Species-specific details appear above.
Group overview
Coleoptera is the largest order of insects with over 400,000 described species, representing ~25% of all known animal species and ~40% of all insects. In the U.S. alone, nearly 30,000 beetle species have been identified.
Ecological role of the group
Beetles are prominent decomposers, especially in forests, breaking down dead wood and recycling nutrients. As predators, they reduce populations of pest insects. Many species are also important pollinators of flowering plants.
Economic and practical significance of the group
Beetles have major economic significance: leaf beetles (Chrysomelidae) and weevils (Curculionoidea) are among the most destructive agricultural pests globally, costing billions annually, while predatory species like ladybugs provide natural pest control.
Recorded sources for this group: Britannica, Smithsonian, NCSU Entomology. Imported estimates may describe particular regions or reporting periods.
Photos of Square-winged Bombardier Beetle (2)
Photo credits: (c) i_fox, all rights reserved, uploaded by i_fox | (c) Connor E. J. Graham, some rights reserved (CC BY-NC), uploaded by Connor E. J. Graham | Contributed by v belov; Additional contributions by Mike Quinn , nebbeetle