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''Anthia'' (common name saber-toothed ground beetles) is a genus of the
The genus ''Anthia'' includes the following species:
ground beetle
Ground beetles are a large, cosmopolitan distribution, cosmopolitan family (biology), family of beetles, the Carabidae, with more than 40,000 species worldwide, around 2,000 of which are found in North America and 2,700 in Europe. As of 2015, it ...
family (Carabidae) from Africa and Asia. Species of ''Anthia'' can spray a jet of formic acid
Formic acid (), systematically named methanoic acid, is the simplest carboxylic acid. It has the chemical formula HCOOH and structure . This acid is an important intermediate in chemical synthesis and occurs naturally, most notably in some an ...
up to , which, if not treated, can cause blindness
Visual or vision impairment (VI or VIP) is the partial or total inability of visual perception. In the absence of treatment such as corrective eyewear, assistive devices, and medical treatment, visual impairment may cause the individual difficul ...
in animals that harass the beetles.
In general, the beetles are large, armored and fast-moving, with prominent, powerful and sharp mandibles. Some are diurnal predators in semi-arid habitats, while others are nocturnal.
The genus is one of a group of similar taxa of predatory Carabidae that has been the subject of considerable nomenclatural confusion. Several species here and elsewhere included within the genus ''Anthia'' are occasionally referred to as belonging to the non-existent genus ''Thermophilum'' (e.g. '' Anthia fornasinii'' referred to as ''Thermophilum fornasinii''), because the spelling has experienced a range of errors; the spelling that is valid under the ICZN
The International Code of Zoological Nomenclature (ICZN) is a widely accepted convention in zoology that rules the formal scientific naming of organisms treated as animals. It is also informally known as the ICZN Code, for its formal author, t ...
and currently accepted is ''Termophilum'' but ''Thermophilum'' (an unjustified emendation of ''Termophilum'') and ''Thermophila'' (a junior homonym of a valid genus name in the order Lepidoptera
Lepidoptera ( ) or lepidopterans is an order (biology), order of winged insects which includes butterflies and moths. About 180,000 species of the Lepidoptera have been described, representing 10% of the total described species of living organ ...
) have been variously used in the past, as well as the misspelling "Thermophilium".
Species
The genus ''Anthia'' includes the following species:
See also
*'' Heliobolus lugubris'' (bushveld lizard), a southern African lizard where juveniles mimic the toxic ''Anthia'' beetles to avoid predators *'' Therea'', a genus of cockroach where some species mimic the toxic ''Anthia'' beetles to avoid predatorsReferences
{{Taxonbar, from=Q1308472 Anthiinae (beetle) Carabidae genera