Description: A small (6.5-7.5mm) metallic bronze and brown ground beetle, living on sandy heath or moorland, often under heather, less frequently on dry calcareous or coastal grassland.

NI account: Widespread and moderately frequent on high ground, but usually in well-drained places such as summit moraine. Occasionally encountered in sandy places along the north and west coasts.

Ecology: Xerophilous, living on open, dry ground with little vegetation, and usually recorded on hills or other exposed places.

Distribution: A European Boreo-temperate species (53) found across Europe to central Italy and east to Asia Minor and the Caucasus.

Similar Species: Platyderus ruficollis: front margin of pronotum produced; claws simple; palpi not swollen apically; elytra with 3 setiferous punctures; body unmetallic. Synuchus vivalis: front margin of pronotum not produced; claws serrate; palpi swollen apically; elytra with 2 setiferous punctures; body unmetallic.

Key Identification Features:

• Body medium, metallic brown
• Pronotum very rounded at sides with rounded basal fovea
• Claws simple
• Palpi slender, not swollen apically (Fig. 71)
• Elytra with 3 setiferous punctures

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

iNaturalist: Olisthopus rotundatus at iNaturalist World Species Observations database.

GBIF data for Olisthopus rotundatus | Classification: Insecta, Coleoptera, Carabidae, Olisthopus

Thumbnails for genus Olisthopus