Description: A large (12-20mm) shiny black ground beetle, common under stones, loose bark and in grass tussocks and leaf litter in a variety of moist habitats.

NI account: Widespread and abundant.

Ecology: Eurytopic but hygrophilous. Particularly common towards the west, in marshy localities, peatlands and wet woodland edge habitats. Nevertheless, abundant late in the season on silage swards and other types of agricultural grassland where it is a significant predator.

Distribution: A Eurasian Wide-temperate species (65) and widespread in Europe as far south as northern Spain, and eastwards into Siberia as far as the River Amur. Introduced to North America.

Similar Species: Pterostichus niger: pronotal angles characteristic; lateral bead of pronotum not widening markedly towards base; tarsal claw segments without setae underneath P. anthracinus: pronotal angles without denticle; lateral bead of pronotum narrow (Fig. 62); tarsal claw segments without setae underneath

Key Identification Features:

• Large species, black
• Hind angles of pronotum sharp
• Pronotum with two basal foveae
• Pronotal angles characteristic (Fig. 62)
• Tarsal claw segment with setae underneath
• Lateral bead of pronotum widening markedly near base (Fig. 62)
• Elytral epipleura crossed

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

iNaturalist: Pterostichus melanarius at iNaturalist World Species Observations database.

GBIF data for Pterostichus melanarius | Classification: Insecta, Coleoptera, Carabidae, Pterostichus

Thumbnails for genus Pterostichus