''Carabus'' is a genus of

beetle Beetles are insects that form the order Coleoptera (), in the superorder Endopterygota. Their front pair of wings are hardened into wing-cases, elytra, distinguishing them from most other insects. The Coleoptera, with about 400,000 describ ...

s in family

Carabidae Ground beetles are a large, cosmopolitan 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 is one of the 10 most species-rich animal fam ...

. The genus is highly diverse with 94 subgenera, 897 species and 2300 subspecies, thus is the largest

genus Genus ( plural genera ) is a taxonomic rank used in the biological classification of living and fossil organisms as well as viruses. In the hierarchy of biological classification, genus comes above species and below family. In binomial n ...

in the subfamily Carabinae.Deuve T.; Cruaud, A.; Genson, G.; and Rasplus, J.Y. (2012). ''Molecular systematics and evolutionary history of the genus Carabus (Col. Carabidae).'' Mol. Phylogenet Evol. 65(1):259-75. doi: 10.1016/j.ympev.2012.06.015 The vast majority are native to the

Palearctic The Palearctic or Palaearctic is the largest of the eight biogeographic realms of the Earth. It stretches across all of Eurasia north of the foothills of the Himalayas, and North Africa. The realm consists of several bioregions: the Euro-Si ...

, but 11

Nearctic The Nearctic realm is one of the eight biogeographic realms constituting the Earth's land surface. The Nearctic realm covers most of North America, including Greenland, Central Florida, and the highlands of Mexico. The parts of North America ...

species are also known. ''Carabus'' spp. are long, and most species are wingless and often very colourful. These are

nocturnal Nocturnality is an ethology, animal behavior characterized by being active during the night and sleeping during the day. The common adjective is "nocturnal", versus diurnality, diurnal meaning the opposite. Nocturnal creatures generally have ...

, predatory beetles that feed on snails,

earthworm An earthworm is a terrestrial invertebrate that belongs to the phylum Annelida. They exhibit a tube-within-a-tube body plan; they are externally segmented with corresponding internal segmentation; and they usually have setae on all segments. ...

s, and

caterpillar Caterpillars ( ) are the larva, larval stage of members of the order Lepidoptera (the insect order comprising butterfly, butterflies and moths). As with most common names, the application of the word is arbitrary, since the larvae of sawfly ...

s. Most Carabus species were thought to have inhabited the Eurasian forest, but the species' low dispersal abilities altered the distribution of lineages within the genus.

Diet

Adult Carabus feeds on both small live and dead animals such as slugs, snails, earthworms, and insects in all stages, sometimes dead vertebrates. The ways of feeding on snails are different for their adaptations, as macrocephalic beetles feed snails by crushing shells, and stenocephalic beetles feed snails by inserting the head into the shell.

Species

''Carabus'' contains the following 897 species:

A

* '' Carabus aba'' Kalab, 2002 * ''

Carabus abbreviatus ''Carabus abbreviatus'' is a species of ground beetle in the large genus '' Carabus''. References abbreviatus Insects described in 1835 Taxa named by Gaspard Auguste Brullé {{Carabus-stub ...

'' Brulle, 1835 * ''

Carabus absonus ''Carabus absonus'' is a species of 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 i ...

'' Cavazzuti & Rapuzzi, 2005 * ''

Carabus acutithorax ''Carabus acutithorax'' is a species of 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 fou ...

'' Deuve, 1989 * ''

Carabus adamsi ''Carabus adamsi'' is a species of ground beetle in the large genus '' Carabus'' that is native to parts of Russia, Georgia and Azerbaijan Azerbaijan (, ; az, Azərbaycan ), officially the Republic of Azerbaijan, , also sometimes officia ...

'' M.Adams, 1817 * ''

Carabus adangensis ''Carabus adangensis'' is a species of 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 foun ...

'' Gottwald, 1983 * '' Carabus adelphus'' Rost, 1892 * ''

Carabus adolescens ''Carabus'' is a genus of beetles in family Carabidae. The genus is highly diverse with 94 subgenera, 897 species and 2300 subspecies, thus is the largest genus in the subfamily Carabinae.Deuve T.; Cruaud, A.; Genson, G.; and Rasplus, J.Y. (20 ...

'' Hauser, 1925 * ''

Carabus aeneocupreus ''Carabus'' is a genus of beetles in family Carabidae. The genus is highly diverse with 94 subgenera, 897 species and 2300 subspecies, thus is the largest genus in the subfamily Carabinae.Deuve T.; Cruaud, A.; Genson, G.; and Rasplus, J.Y. (20 ...

'' Hauser, 1932 * ''

Carabus aeneolus ''Carabus'' is a genus of beetles in family Carabidae. The genus is highly diverse with 94 subgenera, 897 species and 2300 subspecies, thus is the largest genus in the subfamily Carabinae.Deuve T.; Cruaud, A.; Genson, G.; and Rasplus, J.Y. (20 ...

'' Morawitz, 1886 * '' Carabus aeruginosus'' Fischer, 1822 * ''

Carabus agamemnon ''Carabus agamemnon'' is a species of ground beetle in the Carabinae subfamily, that is endemic to Sichuan, China. The species are long. References agamemnon In Greek mythology, Agamemnon (; grc-gre, Ἀγαμέμνων ''Agamémnōn'' ...

'' Breuning, 1943 * ''

Carabus agnatus ''Carabus agnatus'' is a species of black or purple-coloured beetle in the family Carabidae that is can be found in Georgia and Russia Russia (, , ), or the Russian Federation, is a List of transcontinental countries, transcontinental c ...

'' Ganglbauer, 1889 * ''

Carabus ajax ''Carabus ajax'' is a species of ground beetle in the Carabinae subfamily that is endemic to Sichuan, China China, officially the People's Republic of China (PRC), is a country in East Asia. It is the world's most populous country, wit ...

'' Breuning, 1933 * ''

Carabus akinini ''Carabus akinini'' is a species of ground beetle from Carabinae subfamily that can be found in China, Kazakhstan, and Kyrgyzstan Kyrgyzstan,, pronounced or the Kyrgyz Republic, is a landlocked country in Central Asia. Kyrgyzstan is b ...

'' Morawitz, 1886 * '' Carabus alagoensoides'' Mandl, 1975 * ''

Carabus alajensis ''Carabus alajensis'' is a species of either black- or brown-coloured ground beetle from family Carabidae, endemic to Kyrgyzstan Kyrgyzstan,, pronounced or the Kyrgyz Republic, is a landlocked country in Central Asia. Kyrgyzstan is bo ...

'' Semenov, 1897 * '' Carabus alanstivelli'' (Morvan, 1981) * ''

Carabus albrechti ''Carabus albrechti'' is a species of either black or brown coloured ground beetle in the subfamily Carabinae that is endemic to Japan. Subspecies The species have 11 subspecies all of which could be found in Japan: *'' Carabus albrechti albrec ...

'' Morawitz, 1862 * ''

Carabus alexandrae ''Carabus alexandrae'' is a species of black coloured ground beetle from Carabinae subfamily, that is endemic to Gansu, China. Subspecies The species have 3 subspecies all of which could be found in Gansu Province of China China, offic ...

'' Semenov, 1887 * '' Carabus alexpuchneri'' Kleinfeld & Puchner, 2011 * '' Carabus aliai'' Escalera, 1944 * ''

Carabus allegroi ''Carabus allegroi'' is a species of ground beetle in the Carabinae subfamily that is endemic to Gansu, China China, officially the People's Republic of China (PRC), is a country in East Asia. It is the world's most populous country, w ...

'' Cavazzuti & Rapuzzi, 2007 * ''

Carabus alpestris ''Carabus'' is a genus of beetles in family Carabidae. The genus is highly diverse with 94 subgenera, 897 species and 2300 subspecies, thus is the largest genus in the subfamily Carabinae.Deuve T.; Cruaud, A.; Genson, G.; and Rasplus, J.Y. ( ...

'' Sturm, 1815 * ''

Carabus alpherakii ''Carabus alpherakii'' is a species of ground beetle in the large genus '' Carabus'' that is endemic to China China, officially the People's Republic of China (PRC), is a country in East Asia. It is the world's most populous country, ...

'' Semenov, 1898 * ''

Carabus alysidotus ''Carabus alysidotus'' is a species of ground beetle from family Carabidae found in France and Italy. References alysidotus Beetles described in 1798 {{carabus-stub ...

'' Illiger, 1798 * '' Carabus anami'' Ledoux, 1977 * '' Carabus anatinus'' Imura, 2019 * ''

Carabus anatolicus ''Carabus anatolicus'' is a species of ground beetle from family Carabidae found on Cyprus and in Near East The ''Near East''; he, המזרח הקרוב; arc, ܕܢܚܐ ܩܪܒ; fa, خاور نزدیک, Xāvar-e nazdik; tr, Yakın Doğu ...

'' Chaudoir, 1857 * '' Carabus anchocephalus'' Reitter, 1896 * '' Carabus andreiianus'' Deuve, 2007 * ''

Carabus angustus ''Carabus'' is a genus of beetles in family Carabidae. The genus is highly diverse with 94 subgenera, 897 species and 2300 subspecies, thus is the largest genus in the subfamily Carabinae.Deuve T.; Cruaud, A.; Genson, G.; and Rasplus, J.Y. (20 ...

'' Roeschke, 1898 * ''

Carabus anhuinus ''Carabus'' is a genus of beetles in family Carabidae. The genus is highly diverse with 94 subgenera, 897 species and 2300 subspecies, thus is the largest genus in the subfamily Carabinae.Deuve T.; Cruaud, A.; Genson, G.; and Rasplus, J.Y. ( ...

'' Imura, 1996 * '' Carabus anlongensis'' Deuve & Tian, 2006 * ''

Carabus antoniettae ''Carabus'' is a genus of beetles in family Carabidae. The genus is highly diverse with 94 subgenera, 897 species and 2300 subspecies, thus is the largest genus in the subfamily Carabinae.Deuve T.; Cruaud, A.; Genson, G.; and Rasplus, J.Y. ( ...

'' Cavazzuti, 2002 * '' Carabus apollo'' Zolotarev, 1913 * '' Carabus apschuanus'' Rost, 1893 * '' Carabus arboreus'' Lewis, 1882 * '' Carabus arcadicus'' Gistl, 1850 * ''

Carabus arcanus ''Carabus'' is a genus of beetles in family Carabidae. The genus is highly diverse with 94 subgenera, 897 species and 2300 subspecies, thus is the largest genus in the subfamily Carabinae.Deuve T.; Cruaud, A.; Genson, G.; and Rasplus, J.Y. ( ...

'' Semenov, 1898 * ''

Carabus argenticornis ''Carabus'' is a genus of beetles in family Carabidae. The genus is highly diverse with 94 subgenera, 897 species and 2300 subspecies, thus is the largest genus in the subfamily Carabinae.Deuve T.; Cruaud, A.; Genson, G.; and Rasplus, J.Y. ( ...

'' Rapuzzi, 2020 * '' Carabus aristochroides'' Deuve, 1992 * '' Carabus armeniacus'' Mannerheim, 1830 * '' Carabus armiger'' Imura, 1997 * ''

Carabus arrowi ''Carabus'' is a genus of beetles in family Carabidae. The genus is highly diverse with 94 subgenera, 897 species and 2300 subspecies, thus is the largest genus in the subfamily Carabinae.Deuve T.; Cruaud, A.; Genson, G.; and Rasplus, J.Y. ( ...

'' Hauser, 1913 * ''