Carabus auratus

Life-forms

Superregnum: Eukaryota
Cladus: Unikonta
Cladus: Opisthokonta
Cladus: Holozoa
Regnum: Animalia
Subregnum: Eumetazoa
Cladus: Bilateria
Cladus: Nephrozoa
Cladus: Protostomia
Cladus: Ecdysozoa
Cladus: Panarthropoda
Phylum: Arthropoda
Subphylum: Hexapoda
Classis: Insecta
Cladus: Dicondylia
Subclassis: Pterygota
Cladus: Metapterygota
Infraclassis: Neoptera
Cladus: Eumetabola
Cladus: Endopterygota
Superordo: Coleopterida
Ordo: Coleoptera
Subordo: Adephaga

Familia: Carabidae
Subfamilia: Carabinae
Tribus: Carabini
Genus: Carabus
Division: Carabus div. Multistriati
Subdivision: Carabus subdiv. Latitarsi
Subgenus: Carabus (Tachypus)
Species: Carabus auratus
Subspecies: C. a. auratus – C. a. diensis – C. a. honnorati – C. a. lasserei – C. a. lotharingus – C. a. mpurguesi – C. a. navarricus
Name

Carabus (Tachypus) auratus Linnaeus, 1761
References

Catalogue of Palearctic Coleoptera. Vol. 1 ed. I. Lobl, & A. Smetana, Apollo Books, Stenstrup, Denmark, 2003 and 2004
ISBN 87-88757-73-0, p.194
Ekkehard Wachmann, Ralph Platen, Dieter Barndt. Laufkäfer - Beobachtung, Lebensweise, Naturbuch-Verlag Augsburg, 1995, ISBN 3-894-40125-7
Carabus (Tachypus) auratus Linnaeus, 1761 - photos from Carabusonline.co.uk

Vernacular names
Deutsch: Goldlaufkäfer
English: Golden ground beetle
Esperanto: Ora kur-skarabo
français: Carabe doré
magyar: Aranyos futrinka
Nederlands: Gouden loopkever
polski: Biegacz złocisty
русский: Жужелица золотистая

Carabus auratus, the golden ground beetle, is a species of ground beetle in the genus Carabus. This species is native to central and western Europe and has been introduced into North America.[1]
Description

The flightless beetle reaches a body length between 1.7 and 2.0 cm. The elytra, each marked with three broad longitudinal grooves, are an iridescent gold-green colour, as are the head and thorax. The legs, antennae and mouth parts are orange.

C. auratus is found in fields and amongst bushes, particularly on loamy soil. On occasion, it climbs into trees. Active during the day, it preys upon insects, snails, and worms, which it seizes with its mandibles and sprays with a digestive secretion before consuming it. C. auratus can be welcome to farmers and gardeners, as it feeds upon pests such as the Colorado potato beetle.

The larvae hunt only at dawn. They moult three times before pupating in the soil and then emerging as adults in the autumn. The beetles' life expectancy is around two years; they overwinter under the shelter of stones or moss.
Subspecies

Carabus auratus auratus Linnaeus, 1761
Carabus auratus honnoratii Dejean, 1826
Carabus auratus lasserrei Doué, 1855
Carabus auratus lotharingus Dejean, 1826
Carabus auratus piolitensis J.P.Thélot & G.Thélot, 2019

References

Lewis, Jake H; Webster, Reginald P.; McAlpine, Donald F. (18 June 2015). "First Occurrence in Canada of Carabus auratus L.(Coleoptera: Carabidae), an Adventive Ground Beetleof European Origin". The Coleopterists Bulletin. 69 (2): 264–266. doi:10.1649/0010-065X-69.2.264 – via BioOne.