Snail-killer Carabid with mites (Scaphinotus angusticollis)

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Photo by Brian38

Published on Project Noah

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Field Notes

Description:

3000th spotting! Scaphinotus angusticollis is a ground beetle with elongated head and mouth parts. This adaptation allows it to reach inside a snail's shell. The mites are of the Genus Poecilochirus and are considered phoretic rather than parasitic. So they are just hitching a ride but they may decide to reproduce.

Habitat:

Spotted in a mixed forest at Flaming Geyser State Park.

Reference Links:

Scaphinotus angusticollis - Wikipedia, Snail-killer Carabid - Scaphinotus angusticollis - BugGuide.Net

Species ID Suggestions

Comments (5)

SukanyaDatta

A beetle that preys on snails!!! Learn something new everyday...they always said...Thanks, Brian.

Neil Ross

Excellent! Thanks, Brian.

Brian38

Thanks, Neil and Sergio. Yep, thats perfect --- an "Uber bug". Neil, I just came across the word recently while researching. Here is the word used in a Flickr article that was very closely related: https://www.flickr.com/photos/26500525@N08/49702887017

Sergio Monteiro

Congrats Brian. So this kind of a Uber bug?

Neil Ross

Congratulations on the 3K spottings, Brian. Such a wonderful milestone. A really interesting spotting it is too! I've not heard of the word 'phoretic' before, but I know about commensalisms.

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Snail-killer Carabid with mites

Scaphinotus angusticollis