Description: A small (3-4mm long) dull brown ground beetle found among vegetation in sandy or gravelly conditions. Common on the coast but found occasionally under tree bark inland.

NI account: Widespread in coastal dunes but can be found under bark inland in a few localities.

Ecology: This species is not reported as arboreal in the literature but it has been found on two occasions hibernating under bark of trees. A more normal habitat is tussocks on sand dunes or in riverine and lakeshore marshes.

Distribution: A Eurosiberian Southern-temperate species (84), found across Europe, except the extreme north and south, to Asia Minor, the Caucasus and Central Asia.

Similar Species: Dromius melanocephalus: smaller; pronotum a much brighter colour; elytra without trace of a transverse fascia

Key Identification Features:

• Small, flat, elongate, with small pronotum
• Elytra parallel-sided and truncate
• 4th tarsal segments sometimes emarginate at apex, never broad or bilobed, claws dentate
• Size 3.2-3.7mm
• Elytra greyish or oatmeally, usually with a diffuse dark, transverse band behind middle
• Pronotum dark reddish-brown

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

iNaturalist: Philorhizus notatus at iNaturalist World Species Observations database.

GBIF data for Philorhizus notatus | Classification: Insecta, Coleoptera, Carabidae, Philorhizus

Thumbnails for genus Philorhizus