Bembidion testaceum (also known as river shingle beetle)[1] is a small, fast-moving water beetle in the Trechinae subfamily that can be found in Austria, Benelux, Bulgaria, Czech Republic, France, Germany, Great Britain, Greece, Hungary, Liechtenstein, Poland, Romania, Slovakia, Spain, Switzerland, Ukraine, and all states of former Yugoslavia.[2]

Bembidion testaceum
Scientific classification Edit this classification
Domain: Eukaryota
Kingdom: Animalia
Phylum: Arthropoda
Class: Insecta
Order: Coleoptera
Family: Carabidae
Genus: Bembidion
Species:
B. testaceum
Binomial name
Bembidion testaceum
(Duftschmid, 1812)

Description

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The species is brown coloured and have a length of 4.5–5.5 millimetres (0.18–0.22 in). The distinctive feature of this kind of species is that it has a dark head and pronotum which has a greenish outline. The wing cases are brownish-red and have almost no reddish spots on them.[1]

Habitat and ecology

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The species can be found on sand and gravel, usually by sea side.[1]

Threat status

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The species is considered to be Nationally Scarce in Great Britain. It used to be common in England, Wales and southern Scotland.[1]

Conservation

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Due to its decline in Great Britain the species therefore are protected by UK Biodiversity Action Plan. The decline happen to be from habitat loss which is due to the invasion of Himalayan Balsam and floods.[1]

References

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  1. ^ a b c d e "Ground beetle (Bembidion testaceum)". ARKive. Archived from the original on September 10, 2015. Retrieved January 15, 2013.
  2. ^ "Ocydromus (Euperyphus) testaceus (Duftschmid, 1812)". Fauna Europaea. 2.6.2. August 29, 2013. Archived from the original on December 14, 2014. Retrieved December 14, 2014.