diet

Voracious predators as adults and larvae.

Scaritines feed on anything they can

overpower, including large beetles and

small vertebrates

notes

Although most Scaritinae burrow in the

ground, they hunt at night or fly in search

of mates or new habitats. However, some

species have lost their eyes and the ability

to fly, and live entirely underground or in

deep cave systems

rarely seen, coming out at night to forage on the

surface. Many species fly by night and are attracted

to lights, where they may feed on moths and other

insects that are also attracted. Some species of

the genus Dyschirius invade colonies of burrowing

staphylinid beetles, for example the genus Bledius,

and eat the adults and larvae.

right | Pasimachus mexicanus

This large predatory species

can be found in fields and

gardens as well as forests in

southern Mexico.

One of the largest burrowing ground beetles

is the formidable Ochyropus gigas from West and

Central Africa, which has very elongated predatory

mandibles and resembles a stag beetle, especially

while in flight. Another large African species,

Mamboicus bittencourtae, was newly discovered in

2018 in the unique habitats of the inselberg

mountains of northern Mozambique, by scientists

researching amphibians.

above | Mouhotia batesi This

colorful, large, robust species

is from Indochina, and has

appeared on postage stamps

from both Thailand and Laos.

opposite | Carenum speciosum

Most scaritines are brown or

black, but the large Australian

species shown here has bright

metallic colors.