Short-winged Spondylid vs Northern Ground Beetle

Side-by-side species comparison

Attribute	Short-winged Spondylid	Northern Ground Beetle
Scientific Name	Spondylis buprestoides	Pelophila borealis
Order	Coleoptera	Coleoptera
Family	Cerambycidae	Carabidae
Size	12-24 mm	10-14 mm
Habitat	Forests	Tundra & Arctic
Diet	Root Feeders	Predators
Regions	Europe, North Africa, Siberia, Japan	Scandinavia, Finland, northern Russia, Siberia, Arctic Canada, Alaska
Conservation	Least Concern	Least Concern

Short-winged Spondylid

A cylindrical, entirely black cerambycid that resembles a buprestid beetle more than a typical longhorn. Its antennae are short and beadlike, unusual for the family. Larvae develop in dead pine roots and stumps.

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Did You Know?

Its short antennae and cylindrical shape are so unlike a typical longhorn that it was once placed in its own family.

Northern Ground Beetle

A medium-sized, dark metallic green or bronze ground beetle with long legs. It is an active predator on riverbanks and lakeshores in Arctic regions. Adults run rapidly across muddy substrates hunting small invertebrates.

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Did You Know?

This beetle can withstand brief submersion in near-freezing water and quickly resumes hunting once it reaches dry ground.