Description: A small (5.5-6.5mm), black ground beetle with fossorial habits, found commonly under stones, among litter and in grass tussocks on all types of open ground. It has the thorax divided from the abdomen by a waist and the forelegs are modified for digging as in the related Dyschirius species.

NI account: Widely distributed and common in Ireland.

Ecology: A widespread species of arable cultivation preferring open, loamy habitats, but also common in hedge banks and riparian habitats. There are records for several hill and mountain summits where it occurs on well-drained peaty or gravelly soils to about 800m altitude.

Distribution: A common Eurasian Boreo-temperate species (55) found across the whole of Europe and Siberia to Kamchatka, and introduced to North America.

Similar Species: (Clivina collaris: yellowish or red-brown with elytra paler than forebody i.e. bicoloured; pronotum usually with a small linear furrow near base on each side (Fig. 21); possible need to examine male genitalia)

Key Identification Features:

• Elongate, cylindrical and with a 'waist'
• Fore legs adapted for digging
• Dark brown, occasionally red-brown, rarely yellowish, very rarely bicoloured when mature
• Meso-tibiae with strong spur on outer side (Fig. 20) (character for British species of Clivina only)
• Pronotum without linear furrow

Distribution Map from NBN: Clivina fossor at National Biodiversity Network mapping facility, data for UK.

iNaturalist: Clivina fossor at iNaturalist World Species Observations database.

GBIF data for Clivina fossor | Classification: Insecta, Coleoptera, Carabidae, Clivina

Thumbnails for genus Clivina