Chlaenius harpalinus
This record describes Chlaenius harpalinus (species). Recorded family: Carabidae. Recorded order: Coleoptera.
Identification and Appearance
Chlaenius is a large and diverse genus of ground beetle. It is native to the Palearctic realm (including Europe, the Near East, and North Africa), Afrotropical realm, and Nearctic realm. Worldwide, roughly 1,000 species are currently recognized with the majority of known species occurring in the Oriental and Afrotropical regions. The genus is divided into many subgenera.
Wikipedia reference for Chlaenius harpalinus: https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Chlaenius harpalinus.
Classification
- Kingdom
- Animalia
- Phylum
- Arthropoda
- Class
- Insecta
- Order
- Coleoptera (Beetles)
- Suborder
- Adephaga
- Family
- Carabidae (Ground Beetles)
- Subfamily
- Harpalinae
- Tribe
- Chlaeniini
- Genus
- Chlaenius (Vivid Metallic Ground Beetles)
Imported taxonomy record. Source availability varies; see the source references and editorial policy below.
Habitat and Range
Geographic Range
w.NA (BC‒CA to AB‒MT‒UT)
Additional species information
Species notes from the sources
Etymology: Chlaenius harpalinus Eschscholtz 1833
About Primitive Winged Insects: the wider group
Order-level background for Coleoptera, the group containing Chlaenius harpalinus. 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 Chlaenius harpalinus (3)
Photo credits: (c) Finn McGhee, some rights reserved (CC BY-NC), uploaded by Finn McGhee | (c) Connor E. J. Graham, some rights reserved (CC BY-NC), uploaded by Connor E. J. Graham | Contributed by Jon Quist; Additional contributions by v belov , carabid_47