
Thursday 15 February
The World's Favourite Unloved Species 2018 - the Galapagos Racer
Kingdom | Animalia |
Phylum | Arthropoda |
Class | Insecta |
Order | Coleoptera |
Family | Carabidae |
Genus | Dromius (1) |
Ground beetles belonging to the genus Dromius are typically elongate, flattened beetles (2). Dromius sigma has a black head (2), and pale brown wing cases (elytra) that have a dark 'maltese cross' pattern (1).
The adults are believed to be wingless in Britain (4). The life cycle of this beetle takes one year to complete; breeding is thought to occur in summer, and immature adults overwinter in clumps of tufted hair-grass (Deschampsia cespitosa) (4). Both the adults and the larvae prey upon small invertebrates (4).
Classified as Vulnerable in Great Britain (3)
This ground beetle is included in English Nature's Species Recovery Programme, and is a priority species under the UK Biodiversity Action Plan (UK BAP). The Species Action Plan that has been produced to guide the conservation of this beetle aims to maintain its current range (4). A number of sites currently supporting this species are either Sites of Special Scientific Interest (SSSIs) or National Nature Reserves (NNRs); they are therefore afforded a level of protection (4). It has been suggested that management for this species should aim to maintain high water tables, and protect water bodies from pollution (5).
For more on English Nature's Species Recovery Programme see:
http://www.english-nature.org.uk/science/srp/default.asp
Information authenticated by Dr Martin Luff of the School of Biology, University of Newcastle, with the support of the British Ecological Society:
http://www.britishecologicalsociety.org/
Image credit
© John Walters
John Walters
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United Kingdom
Tel: +44 (0) 1364 643 916
Fax: +44 (0) 1364 642 784
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http://www.johnwalters.co.uk
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Thursday 15 February
The World's Favourite Unloved Species 2018 - the Galapagos Racer
Thursday 01 February
Thursday 01 February