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Ground Beetles Research Paper

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The family Carabidae, or ground beetles, contains more than 40,000 described species classified into some 86 tribes (Erwin 1985). The Carabidae, are one of the best known and most popular families of beetles (Luff 1998). Carabids emerged in the early Tertiary as wet-biotope generalists in tropical habitats, where they are one of the dominant predatory invertebrate groups (Erwin and Adis 1982). Although this group has retained an easy-to-recognize generalist body plan, their body shape and leg morphology are characteristically modified for running, digging, burrowing, climbing, and swimming (Evans 1977, 1986). Ground beetles are predators that feed on insects, other invertebrates (such as snails), and seeds. They are specialized for many modes
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