Description: An 8-10mm long black, phytophagous ground beetle occurring on dry sandy heaths. Southern and very rare.

NI account: In Britain confined to counties along the south coast , and therefore not a species that might have been anticipated in Ireland. Nevertheless, reported by Mendel (1993) from near Macroom, Cork. And subsequently by Alan Brown from Curraghchase Forest Park in Co. Limerick.

Ecology: This is an inhabitant of sandy heaths in England but which has been recorded from upland sand or gravel Calluna heaths on the Continent. The first Irish site, a muddy reservoir shoreline near Macroom in Cork, seems atypical. Curraghchase may be a more typical habitat on dry grassland on a lakeshore.

Distribution: A European temperate species (73) distributed from Finland and Germany to the British Isles and south and east to Asia Minor and Iran.

Similar Species: Anisodactylus binotatus: larger (!0-12.8mm); all elytral intervals with some punctures and pubescence

Key Identification Features:

• Characteristically stocky, broad, size 8-10mm
• Only outer (2-3) 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 nemorivagus at National Biodiversity Network mapping facility, data for UK.

iNaturalist: Anisodactylus nemorivagus at iNaturalist World Species Observations database.

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

Thumbnails for genus Anisodactylus