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Abariform clade

Kipling Will
taxon links [down<--]Euchroina [up-->]Neotalus portai [up-->]Abaris napoensis [up-->]Aberis striolata [up-->]Abaris robustual [up-->]Abaris notiophiloides [up-->]Abaris aquilonaria [up-->]Abaris aenea [up-->]Abaris erwini [up-->]Abaris impunctata [up-->]Abaris bigenera [up-->]Abaris basistriata [up-->]Abaris metallica [up-->]Abaris picipes [up-->]Abaris mina [up-->]Abaris bicolor [up-->]Abaris nobilis [up-->]Abaris nitida [up-->]Abaris franiai [up-->]Abaris inflata [up-->]Abaris tachypoides [up-->]Abaris convexa [up-->]Abaris nigra [up-->]Abaris inaequaloides [up-->]Abaris opaca [up-->]Abaris splendidula [up-->]Abaris wardi [up-->]Abaris aequinoctialis [up-->]Abaris retiaria [up-->]Pseudabarys brasiliensis [up-->]Pseudabarys columbicus [up-->]Pseudabarys lebasi [up-->]Pseudabarys mexicanus [up-->]Pseudabarys robustus [up-->]Pseudabarys substriatus Interpreting the tree
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Containing group: Euchroina

Introduction

    Members of the primarily Neotropical genera Pseudabarys, Neotalus and Abaris are relatively small ground beetles, most individuals are brilliantly metallic with very prominent eyes. These characteristics give them a unique look that is very similar to the Australian genus Prosopogmus.
    A few of the abariform species have been treated taxonomically. Straneo (1939) published a key to the eight then named species of Abaris and Bousquet (1984) added a ninth species when he discovered that LeConte’s Pterostichus splendidulus belonged in the genus Abaris. Bousquet and Liebherr (1994) summarized what little had been published on the relationships of the genus Abaris and covered nearly all the genera included herein. Will (2002) revised Abaris and Neotalus, providing a key to species and biogeographic analysis for the group.

Characteristics

Inlcuded taxa have characteristics of Euchronia and very prominent eyes. Abaris species are uniquely characterized among all Pterostichine grade taxa by pectinate claws.

The combination of large eyes, pectinate claws, and metallic luster suggests that Abaris species may have peculiar life histories or behaviors relative to related genera that have characteristics more typical for pterostichine grade taxa. However, the limited field observations for these species do not provide incontrovertible evidence for any adaptive significance for this suite of characteristics. Both Abaris and Pseudabarys are collected in leaf litter, sometimes in or near fallen rotten fruits or flower petals.  

Title Illustrations
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Scientific Name Abaris aenea
Identified By K.Will
Life Cycle Stage Adult
Body Part Habitus
View Dorsal
Copyright © Kipling Will
About This Page

Kipling Will
University of California, Berkeley, California, USA

Correspondence regarding this page should be directed to Kipling Will at

Citing this page:

Will, Kipling. 2006. Abariform clade. Version 07 July 2006 (temporary). http://tolweb.org/Abariform_clade/51566/2006.07.07 in The Tree of Life Web Project, http://tolweb.org

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Abariform clade

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