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Can anyone help me with an ID for this beetle? Seen in KTP in February 2010.

Looks like a Giant Toktokkie

Arks it looks like a Tyrant ground beetle ( Anthia maxillosa) but the distribution does not match up any chance you remember how large it was?

Thanks, oddesy! I don't really remember the size, not huge as those are mostly pebbles in the photo. But I think you're right, I've googled "anthia" and "anthia maxillosa" and there seem to be a wide variety. Does the uncropped version of the photo help for size?

That does help it looks round about the correct size, which is supposed to be on average about 38mm. maybe if not that exact species looks like its a member of that genus

Thanks again, oddesy! Saw quite a few of these in KTP in February. Most of them moved quickly, so not easy to get any pix. This particular one was seen in the gravelly braai area of tent #1 at Grootkolk, so I was able to "stalk" it with my zoom lens from the comfort of my chair on the stoep!

Hi Arks

I know that beetle to be a Blister Beetle..have a look on pg 32 of the KTP guide.

Agree with Rusty Justy that your butterfly is a "blue" but as to which one..well quite frankly I have no idea !!!!

thanks, Michele!

I had a look at the blister beetles and it may be one but in general they are more elongate than arks example which has a much more rounded abdomen.

It is a ground beetle, not a blister beetle. Ground beetles are of the Carabidae family, whilst blister beetles are of the family Meloidae. Adult ground beetles are carnivores, whilst blister beetles are herbivores. Have a good look at those mandibles! It says lion ...

What may confuse things is the usual common name situation. Because these beetles also has the ability to squirt formic acid from its anus, it may in fact be seen as a blister beetle.

It may not be Anthia maxillosa, but must be a very closely related species.

Like Arks I have seen many of these beetles in the KTP and they always look the same...I do not think I have seen two different but very similar looking beetles.
Always presumed they were blister beetles because of the ID in the KTP guide..



Is this ID in the book incorrect then ????

Exactly what I was talking about ... a confusion in common names.

What is known as a blister beetle in the KTP and what is known as a blister beetle in the savanna areas is clearly different species. The scientific name is correct Anthia sp. - which is named a ground beetle in (at least some) insect books.

Here you can see a picture of the "other" blister beetle:

kesheshe wrote:

Though I hate to admit it, and though I much prefer common names, this is the one use for a scientific name ... it prevents confusion.

Guess I'll have to go with ground blister beetle OR blister ground beetle OR anthia blister beetle OR ....

... Anthia sp.