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''Anthia'' (common name saber-toothed ground beetles) is a genus of the
The genus ''Anthia'' includes the following species:
ground beetle
Ground beetles are a large, cosmopolitan 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 is one of the 10 most species-rich animal f ...
family (Carabidae). Species of ''Anthia'' can spray a jet of formic acid
Formic acid (), systematically named methanoic acid, is the simplest carboxylic acid, and has the chemical formula HCOOH and structure . It is an important intermediate in chemical synthesis and occurs naturally, most notably in some ants. Est ...
up to , which, if not treated, can cause blindness
Visual impairment, also known as vision impairment, is a medical definition primarily measured based on an individual's better eye visual acuity; in the absence of treatment such as correctable eyewear, assistive devices, and medical treatment†...
in animals that harass the beetles.
In general, the beetles are large, armored and fast-moving, with prominent, powerful and sharp mandibles. Some are diurnal predators in semi-arid habitats, while others are nocturnal.
The genus is one of a group of similar taxa of predatory Carabidae that has been the subject of considerable nomenclatural confusion. Several species here and elsewhere included within the genus ''Anthia'' are occasionally referred to as belonging to the non-existent genus ''Thermophilum'' (e.g. ''Anthia fornasinii
''Anthia fornasinii'' is a species of ground beetle in the subfamily Anthiinae
Anthias are members of the family Serranidae and make up the subfamily Anthiinae. Anthias make up a sizeable portion of the population of pink, orange, and yellow ...
'' referred to as ''Thermophilum fornasinii''), because the spelling has experienced a range of errors; the spelling that is valid under the ICZN
The International Code of Zoological Nomenclature (ICZN) is a widely accepted convention in zoology that rules the formal scientific naming of organisms treated as animals. It is also informally known as the ICZN Code, for its publisher, the I ...
and currently accepted is ''Termophilum'' but ''Thermophilum'' (an unjustified emendation of ''Termophilum'') and ''Thermophila'' (a junior homonym of a valid genus name in the order Lepidoptera
Lepidoptera ( ) is an order of insects that includes butterflies and moths (both are called lepidopterans). About 180,000 species of the Lepidoptera are described, in 126 families and 46 superfamilies, 10 percent of the total described speci ...
) have been variously used in the past, as well as the misspelling "Thermophilium".
Species
The genus ''Anthia'' includes the following species:
References
{{Taxonbar, from=Q1308472 Anthiinae (beetle) Carabidae genera