''Tefflus'' is a genus of large, black and flightless
Afrotropical
The Afrotropical realm is one of Earth's eight biogeographic realms. It includes Africa south of the Sahara Desert, the majority of the Arabian Peninsula, the island of Madagascar, southern Iran and extreme southwestern Pakistan, and the island ...
ground beetle
Ground beetles are a large, cosmopolitan distribution, cosmopolitan family (biology), family of beetles, the Carabidae, with more than 40,000 species worldwide, around 2,000 of which are found in North America and 2,700 in Europe. As of 2015, it i ...
s in the tribe Panagaeini. They are broadly similar to the Anthiini ('oogpisters'), but are not colourful, and have a six-sided and flattish pronotum. The distinct longitudinal carinae (ridges) on their elytra are separated by two rows of punctures running along the striae (grooves). Males have some segments of the forelegs enlarged.
They are solitary and mostly nocturnal hunters, that move about at a brisk pace. They have strong mandibles that can inflict a serious bite, and prey on a variety of invertebrates.
The last revision of the genus was undertaken in 1946.
Species
Some 14 to 15 species are native to the
Afrotropics
The Afrotropical realm is one of Earth's eight biogeographic realms. It includes Africa south of the Sahara Desert, the majority of the Arabian Peninsula, the island of Madagascar, southern Iran and extreme southwestern Pakistan, and the island ...
:
* ''
Tefflus angustipes''
Kolbe, 1903
* ''
Tefflus brevicostatus''
Quedenfeldt, 1883
* ''
Tefflus camerunus''
Kolbe, 1903
* ''
Tefflus carinatus''
Klug, 1853 – Malawi, South Africa (length: c.26–37 mm)
* ''
Tefflus hamiltonii''
Bates, 1871
* ''
Tefflus juvenilis''
Gerstaecker, 1871
* ''
Tefflus kilimanus''
Kolbe, 1897
* ''
Tefflus meyerlei''
(Fabricius, 1801) – South Africa (length: c.39–54 mm)
* ''
Tefflus muata''
Harold, 1878
* ''
Tefflus purpureipennis''
Quedenfeldt, 1883
* ''
Tefflus raffrayi''
Chaudoir, 1874
* ''
Tefflus tenuicollis''
Fairmaire, 1894
* ''
Tefflus viridanus''
Kolbe, 1897
* ''
Tefflus zanzibaricus''
Kolbe, 1886
* ''
Tefflus zebulianus''
Raffray, 1882
References
Panagaeinae
{{Panagaeinae-stub