Megadromus antarcticus facts for kids
Quick facts for kids Megadromus antarcicus |
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Megadromus
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M. antarcticus
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| Megadromus antarcticus Chaudoir, 1865
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The Megadromus antarcticus, also known as the “Alexander beetle”, is a fascinating insect. It is a type of ground beetle from the Carabidae family. You can only find this special beetle in the Canterbury area of New Zealand. It's easy to recognize the Alexander beetle by its shiny, iridescent green color.
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What Does the Alexander Beetle Look Like?
The Megadromus antarcticus beetle can be anywhere from 22mm to 34mm long. That's about the length of a large paperclip!
It is part of a group of beetles called Adephaga. These beetles have special mouthparts for drinking liquids when they are young. As adults, they have six body segments on their belly and special glands.
Alexander beetles are well-built with strong jaws. They also have long, thin legs and straight wing covers called elytra. Adephaga beetles, like the Megadromus antarcticus, are known as cursorial beetles. This means they are very good at running fast.
The Megadromus antarcticus usually looks black or greenish. The edges of its back (pronotum) and wing covers (elytra) are a metallic green. This gives the beetle its cool, shiny, iridescent green look.
Where Do Alexander Beetles Live?
Global Home of the Alexander Beetle
The Megadromus antarcticus is an endemic species. This means it is found naturally only in New Zealand and nowhere else in the world.
Alexander Beetle's Range in New Zealand
You can find the Megadromus antarcticus beetle in many parts of the Canterbury area. Their home stretches from Waikari in the north, all the way to the coast in the east. This includes Banks Peninsula.
They live as far south as the Cave area in South Canterbury. In western Canterbury, they can be found near the lower parts of the Southern Alps. Because the Megadromus antarcticus cannot fly, it cannot travel very far on its own. The wide, braided rivers of the Canterbury plains also make it hard for them to move around.
Where Alexander Beetles Like to Live
The Megadromus antarcticus is a generalist predator. This means it can hunt and live successfully in many different places. You might often spot them in home gardens.
They also live in cities, farm areas, native forests, and even forests with non-native trees. It is common to find them among logs in grassy areas too.
Alexander Beetle Life Cycle
The time it takes for Megadromus antarcticus eggs to hatch depends on the time of year. Eggs laid in late August can take over four weeks to hatch. Eggs laid in February might hatch in just three weeks.
Female Megadromus antarcticus beetles are very caring parents. They stay with their eggs in the egg chamber and do not leave to eat during this time.
What Do Alexander Beetles Eat?
The Megadromus antarcticus is a generalist predator. This means it eats many different kinds of insects and their young (larvae). It hunts for prey that live in the same types of places it does.
One important food source for the Megadromus antarcticus is slugs. Some slug species are considered pests in New Zealand's farming industry. Studies have shown that Megadromus antarcticus beetles eat slugs like Deroceras panormitanum and Deroceras reticulatum (the grey field slug). On average, one beetle can eat about half a slug per day!
Who Eats the Alexander Beetle?
Beetles, including the Megadromus antarcticus, are a common food for the morepork (Ninox novaeseelandiae). The morepork is a native owl in New Zealand.
The Australasian harrier (Circus approximans) is a bird of prey often seen in the Canterbury region. About 8% of their diet is made up of insects, including the Megadromus antarcticus.
Scientists have also found a type of tiny mite living on the Megadromus antarcticus. This mite belongs to the genus Micromegistus.
