Brachinus lateralis
Brachinus lateralis
Size: 7.5-9mm
Seasonality: March-Septemebr
Distribution; CA-AZ-NV-MX, s. to Central America
Information: attracted to UV, Mercury Vapour, and porch/street lamps; may be found along streams abundantly at night and under rocks during both the day and night.
Description: body: elongate-oblong, robust. Head somewhat rounded-triangular, base of the head constricted into a short neck. Head and pronotum pale orange, first four antennal segments very pale, segments 5-11 dark; antennal pubescence begins on the second half of the scapus. Head smooth, two setae over each eye; eyes large, not strongly bulging. Frons somewhat rough; clypeus slightly larger than the labrum, rectangular, yellow; labrum slightly smaller than the clypeus, pale orange. Pronotum about as long and broad as the head. Median line strong, with many small wrinkles spanning out from it; disk weakly convex, dorsal lateral margins somewhat flattened. Front angle weakly rounded; front angles acute, lateral beading bent upward on the front angles. Lateral beading narrow; lateral margins strongly sinuate; hind angles acute; basal margin straight. Elytra: matte grey in colour, rather smooth, elytral pubescence only around the marginal regions of the elytra, fully lacking around the centre of the disk. Intervals separated by 7 weakly elevated carina. Elytral lateral margins opaque, pale yellow. Humeral shoulders obtuse, somewhat sloped apically; lateral margins weakly rounded; apices round. Generally capable of flight. Scutellum partially exposed, elytral region bordering the scutellum pale orange. Ventral faces dark, pubescent; metasternum orange; legs pale yellow, with dark "knees" joints.