Beetles of North Carolina
Family (Alpha):
Scientific Name: Common Name:
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View Carabidae Members:
Members of Trechus:
6 NC Records

Trechus verus 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 verus belongs to subgenus Microtrechus and is included in the Nebulosus Species Group by Bosquet (2012). In addition to verus, 21 other species are included in this group, 18 of which occur in North Carolina and the rest in Tennessee.
Species Status: The type locality is Mt. Sterling, Haywood County (Barr, 1962). Barr originally placed this species in the uncifer species group but later moved it to the Nebulosus Group (Barr, 1979)
Identification
Field Guide Descriptions: Online Resources: BugGuide, Wikipedia, GBIF   iNaturalistTechnical Description, Adults/Nymphs: Barr (1962, 1979)                                                              
Comments: "Pale piceous, shining" (Barr, 1962). Members of this genus generally show too little variation in pattern for standard photographs to be used to identify particular species.
Total Length [body plus wings; excludes ovipositor]: 3.6-4.0 mm, mean 3.7 (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: The three sites where this species has been recorded are above 6,000' or just below: Mt. Sterling is 5,843', Cataloochee Balsam is 5,970', and Old Black is 6,371'. All three peaks are covered with Spruce-fir Forest. Barr (1979) reports that this species commonly occurs under rocks in wet places.
See also Habitat Account for Spruce-Fir Forests
Diet: Predatory on small insects and other invertebrates
Observation Methods:
Abundance/Frequency: Donabauer (2005b) reports that this species is not rare at the sites where it occurs
Adult Phenology:
Status in North Carolina
Natural Heritage Program Status: [SR]
Natural Heritage Program Ranks: GNR [S1S2]
State Protection:
Comments: This species is associated with Spruce-fir Forests on a few peaks at the east end of the Great Smoky Mountains. It is probably highly vulnerable to the warming and drying impacts of climate change and also to the degradation of the Spruce-Fir forest canopy on which it depends for its microclimate.