Beetle giving me ID problems

[Geoff F]

04/07/11 S. Devon. Rescued from a cattle drinking trough!



Initially, I thought this one would be easy but I have drawn a blank so far.

So either it is a bit unusual or, more likely, I have got the basic family wrong and I am looking in the wrong place.

Any help appreciated.

ps. Ignore the bits of flotsam on it's back.

[Klaas Reißmann]

Hi,

this is Harpalus (syn. Pseudoophonus) rufipes. Very common at this time of the year.

Regards
Klaas

[Geoff F]

Thanks Klaas.

At least I had the family right.

My rather limited beetle books showed H. affinis only.

[Klaas Reißmann]

Harpalus is a quite big genus with the number of 45 species (in Germany), many looking more or less similar and determination by the photo is quite difficult and depends most of all on experience. A small fieldguide can never give all of them, but a good overview with the needed explanations. And Harpalus affinis is by far one of the most common species of this genus (together with H. rufipes) and very eye-catching, because of its shiny metallic green coloure.

Regards
Klaas

[Geoff F]

Thanks for the additional information. I think that the dark (virtually black) colour of this specimen is chiefly what threw me off course.