|
|
|
Coleoptera of Great Smoky Mountains National Park Species Pages
Family Carabidae
Tribe Bembidiini
Bembidion (Furcacampa) impotens Casey
|
|
|
Description and Taxonomy
Length 2.9-3.5mm. This small, yellow marked Bembidion species has convergent, non-doubled frontal furrows and the base of the pronotum is straight and lacks short lateral sinuations beyond the hind angles. Superficially, it can be confused with Bembidion affine. In addition to differences in the frontal furrows, the latter species has a more transverse pronotum and the frons has less prominent (almost indiscernible) microsculpture (Lindroth 1963). More then 10 species of Bembidion inhabit GSMNP, and about 250 species of the genus are currently recorded for Nearctic North America (Ball and Bousquet 2001).
Life History
The species is hygrophilous and confined to low elevation wet habitats with running or standing water. In GSMNP adults can be found on stream banks along the margin of the water on clay or sand with clay underlying substrates at low altitudes (300-600m). Specimens from GSMNP were collected during May-September. This species can be taken at ultraviolet light. At Little Pigeon River the species was taken in company with Bembidion affine.
Distribution
Distributed throughout all North America from Florida and Arizona in the south to British Columbia and New Brunswick in the north (Bousquet and Larochelle 1993). The species is known from only a couple of localities in GSMNP, but probably inhabits all areas near water in lower parts of the Park.
Conservation Concerns
Not under threat.
|
Habitat of Bembidion impotens.
|
Locality records in GSMNP. |
Acknowledgements
Development of these pages was supported by grants from Discover Life in America and the National Science Foundation (DEB-0516311). Habitat photograph, Igor M. Sokolov, Louisiana State University.
References
Ball, G. E., and Y. Bousquet. 2001. 6. Carabidae Latreille, 1810. In: American Beetles. Vol.1. CRC Press. 32-132 pp.
Bousquet, Y., and A. Larochelle. 1993. Catalogue of the Geadephaga (Col. Trachypachidae, Rhysodidae, Carabidae, incl. Cicindelini) of America north of Mexico. Entomological Society of Canada, Memoir No.167. 395 pp.
Lindroth, C.H. 1963. The ground-beetles (Carabidae, excl.Cicindelinae) of Canada and Alaska. Part 3. Opuscula Entomologica. Supplementum No.24. 201-408pp.
Posted 21 Sep. 2006, I. M. Sokolov, Louisiana State Arthropod Museum.
