Chlaenius ruficauda
This record describes Chlaenius ruficauda (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 ruficauda: https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Chlaenius ruficauda.
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
sw.US (s.CA‒NM) & Mexico
Additional species information
Species notes from the sources
Etymology: Chlaenius ruficauda Chaudoir 1856
About Primitive Winged Insects: the wider group
Order-level background for Coleoptera, the group containing Chlaenius ruficauda. 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 ruficauda (8)
Photo credits: no rights reserved, uploaded by Sinaloa Silvestre | (c) Eric Hough, some rights reserved (CC BY-NC), uploaded by Eric Hough | (c) Jacob Simon, some rights reserved (CC BY-NC), uploaded by Jacob Simon | (c) Evan, all rights reserved, uploaded by Evan | (c) Matt Brooks, all rights reserved, uploaded by Matt Brooks | (c) Kuoni W, some rights reserved (CC BY-NC), uploaded by Kuoni W | Contributed by v belov; Additional contributions by Mike Quinn