Promecognathus is a genus of ground beetles in the family Carabidae. There are at least two described species in Promecognathus.[1][2][3][4] Both species of Promecognathus are known to predate upon Xystocheir dissecta, which is a species of flat-backed millipede that produces hydrogen cyanide as a chemical defense. The beetles do not avoid exposure to the defense, meaning they are likely physically resistant to hydrogen cyanide.[5]

Promecognathus
Promecognathus crassus
Scientific classification Edit this classification
Domain: Eukaryota
Kingdom: Animalia
Phylum: Arthropoda
Class: Insecta
Order: Coleoptera
Family: Carabidae
Tribe: Promecognathini
Genus: Promecognathus
Chaudoir, 1846

Species

edit

These two species belong to the genus Promecognathus:

References

edit
  1. ^ "Promecognathus Report". Integrated Taxonomic Information System. Retrieved 2019-09-23.
  2. ^ "Promecognathus". GBIF. Retrieved 2019-09-23.
  3. ^ Bousquet, Yves (2012). "Catalogue of Geadephaga (Coleoptera, Adephaga) of America, north of Mexico". ZooKeys (245): 1–1722. doi:10.3897/zookeys.245.3416. PMC 3577090. PMID 23431087.
  4. ^ Ricciuti, Ed. "These Beetles Withstand Cyanide Blasts to Eat Millipedes". Entomology Today. Entomological Society of America. Retrieved 1 October 2020.

Further reading

edit
  • Lobl, I.; Smetana, A., eds. (2017). Catalogue of Palaearctic Coleoptera, Volume 1: Archostemata - Myxophaga - Adephaga. Apollo Books. ISBN 978-90-04-33029-0.
edit