Description: A 10-13mm long, dull black, phytophagous ground beetle of open grassland, usually near water but sometimes on arable land. Local and rare.

NI account: Very local and rare in recent times, at least in northern counties, but widespread. May be retreating westwards, at least in the northern half, where, despite intensive recording, there are no recent records for eastern counties.

Ecology: A hygrophilous species recorded more frequently from western Ireland than elsewhere in recent decades. Usually found on rushy pasture or riverbanks on heavy clay or peat soils.

Distribution: A Eurosiberian Wide-temperate species (64) found over most of Europe, south of 62°N, north Africa, Asia Minor and western Siberia.

Similar Species: Anisodactylus nemorivagus: smaller (<10mm); only outer 2 or 3 elytral intervals punctate and pubescent

Key Identification Features:

• Characteristically stocky, broad, size 10-12.8mm
• All elytral intervals punctate and pubescent
• With pair of reddish spots on frons
• Apical spine of meta-tibia much shorter than 1st tarsal segment
• Adhesive hairs on male pro-tarsi in serial rows (Fig. 106)

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

iNaturalist: Anisodactylus binotatus at iNaturalist World Species Observations database.

GBIF data for Anisodactylus binotatus | Classification: Insecta, Coleoptera, Carabidae, Anisodactylus

Thumbnails for genus Anisodactylus