Narrow-mouth Ground Beetle vs Splendid Ground Beetle

Side-by-side species comparison

Attribute Narrow-mouth Ground Beetle Splendid Ground Beetle
Scientific Name Abax parallelepipedus Carabus splendens
Order Coleoptera Coleoptera
Family Carabidae Carabidae
Size 18-22 mm 22-32 mm
Habitat Woodlands Mountains
Diet Predators Omnivores
Regions Western and Central Europe Pyrenees (France and Spain)
Conservation Least Concern Near Threatened

Narrow-mouth Ground Beetle

A large, shiny black ground beetle with a distinctive parallel-sided body shape. It is one of the most common large carabids in European woodlands, active at night under logs and stones.

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Did You Know?

Its perfectly rectangular body shape is so precise and regular that it was given the species name 'parallelepipedus,' meaning resembling a geometric parallelepiped.

Splendid Ground Beetle

A dazzling green and gold ground beetle endemic to the Pyrenees mountains. It is prized by collectors for its brilliant metallic sheen.

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Did You Know?

Its range is restricted to a narrow band of the Pyrenees, making it one of Europe's most localised Carabus species.