Beetles of North Carolina
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View Carabidae Members:
Members of Trechus:
7 NC Records

Trechus aduncus Barr, 1962 - No Common Name

Taxonomy
Family: Carabidae Subfamily: Trechinae                                                             
Comments: One of 82 species in this genus that have been recorded in North America north of Mexico, 42 of which occur in North Carolina (Bosquet, 2012). Trechus aduncus belongs to subgenus Microtrechus and is included in the Uncifer Species Group by Barr (1979). In addition to aduncus, Bosquet (2012) includes 10 other species in this group, all of which occur in the North Carolina mountains or on the ridges forming the border between North Carolina and Tennessee.
Species Status: Originally described as a monotypic species by Barr (1962) but later revised as a complex of four subspecies by Barr in 1979 and still later restored as a monotypic species by Donabauer in 2005 (see Bosque, 2012). The type locality of aduncus senusu strictu is Mt. Pisgah.
Identification
Field Guide Descriptions: Online Resources: BugGuide, Wikipedia, GBIF   iNaturalistTechnical Description, Adults/Nymphs: Barr (1962, 1979)                                                              
Comments: "Pale piceous, shining" (Barr, 1962). Generally, members of this genus show too little variation in pattern for standard photographs to be used to identify particular species.
Total Length [body plus wings; excludes ovipositor]: 3.1-3.4 mm (Barr, 1962)
Structural Features: As a member of subgenus Microtrechus, only the first segment of front tarsus is enlarged in males. This species is distinguished from other members of its species group morphometrically and by features of the aedeagus (Barr, 1962, 1979).
Distribution in North Carolina
County Map: Clicking on a county returns the records for the species in that county.
Flight Dates:
 High Mountains (HM) ≥
 4,000 ft.
 Low Mountains (LM) <
 4,000 ft.
 Piedmont (Pd)
 Coastal Plain (CP)
Click on graph to enlarge
Habitats and Life History
Habitats: Barr collected this species at elevations ranging between 4600 and 6000 feet, usually found under wet moss in contact with a rock surface(Barr, 1979). Richland Balsam is covered with Spruce-fir but Mt. Pisgah has only high elevation hardwoods.
See also Habitat Account for General High Elevation Forests
Diet: Predatory on small insects and other invertebrates
Observation Methods:
Abundance/Frequency: Considered comparatively scarce by Barr (1962)
Adult Phenology: Not enough information exists for this species to determine its phenology
Status in North Carolina
Natural Heritage Program Status: [SR]
Natural Heritage Program Ranks: [GNR] [SHS1]
State Protection:
Comments: This species is endemic to a single mountain massif (Great Balsams) in North Carolina. Like the Federally Endangered Spruce-fir Moss Spider, this species is found primarily under cold, wet moss mats growing on boulders. Like that species, it is probably highly vulnerable to the warming and drying impacts of climate change, as well as the various impacts on the forest cover that is critical to maintaining its microclimate.