Calosoma (Calodrepa) scrutator (Fabricius, 1775)

Carabus scrutator Fabricius, 1775: 239 (described from: Virginia); syntypes 2 ♀ ♀ in Natural History Museum, London (Lindroth, 1961: 46) and in Natural History Museum of Denmark, Copenhagen (Zimsen, 1964: 60)
Calosoma scrutator Fabricius, 1801: 213
Calosoma scrutator Breuning, 1927: 163
Calosoma (Calodrepa) scrutatrix Lapouge, 1932: 405
Calodrepa scrutator Jeannel, 1940: 77
Calosoma (Calodrepa) scrutator Gidaspow, 1959: 249
Calosoma (Calosoma) scrutator Erwin, 2007: 104


Length 25-35 mm. Among the species of the subgenre Calodrepa, C. scrutator is the one that, in some individual, reaches the largest adult size, although the size is very variable, depending also on the diet of the larvae.
As happens with C. aurocinctum, the elytra of C. scrutator are green with bronze luster and red lateral margin. However C. scrutator easily stands out because of its pronotum that is less narrowed behind, with surface roughness at its base, of dark blue or violet color, its sides with broad purple or golden green margin.
C. scrutator ranges across the entire of the United States but is more common in the eastern States and absent or only rarely found in the northeastern ones. It has been found in southern Canada, still restricted to the eastern portion, and its reported occurrence in British Columbia is likely the result of passive importation. To the south C. scrutator is present, but not too common, in Mexico and sporadically in some Central American countries.
Gidaspow (1963: 283) quotes captures in Guatemala and at least one specimen has been recently found in El Salvador. It is present as small populations in Honduras, and possibly as an occasional visitor in Nicaragua. This would be confirmed by the attribution to C. scrutator (Van Den Berghe, 2016: 11) of the remains of a specimen found in the north of the country in the faeces of some predator and considered by the discoverers as remains of C. aurocinctum (Muñoz y Maes 2015), moreover one more specimen has been found not far away, near the border with Honduras. Finally, C. scrutator would also have been found on the coast of Venezuela (Gidaspow, 1963: 283) but in this case it is unlikely that it can be a permanent resident and it is almost certainly an accidental import. The same can be said about the observation recently made in Puerto Rico.

Examined specimens and literature’s data
Canada. British Columbia: Richmond (www.inaturalist.org/obs./25922777); New Brunswick (Bousquet, 2012: 231); Newfoundland (Breuning, 1927: 164); Nova Scotia: Sable Island (Bousquet, 2012: 231): Ontario: Middlesex, Ailsa Craig, (http://bugguide.net/), Prince Edward County, Grand Bend, Point Pelee National Park (Lindroth, 1961: 46), Pelee Island (www.inaturalist.org/), Dunks Bay, Toronto, Leamington (www.gbif.org/), Vaughan, (www.gbif.org), Otonabee-South Monaghan, St. Catharines, Norfolk County, Murphys Point, Kingsville, Strong (www.inaturalist.org/); Quebec: Montreal (Breuning, 1927: 164)
El Salvador. San Salvador: La Libertad (www.inaturalist.org/obs./18084988)
Guatemala. Esquipulas (Mauricio), Huehuetenango (Zaculeu), Amatitlan (Gidaspow, 1963: 283)
Honduras. Francisco Morazán: Tegucigalpa, El Zamorano (www.inaturalist.org), Cerro Uyuca 1650m. (Van Den Berghe, 2016: 11, www.inaturalist.org), Cerro Masicarán 800m. (Van Den Berghe, 2016: 11); Lempira: Gracias (www.inaturalist.org)
Mexico. Aguascalientes: San José de Gracia (www.inaturalist.org); Baja California (Leng, 1915: 565); Baja California do Sur: Sierra la Laguna (www.inaturalist.org); Chiapas: Villaflores (www.gbif.org), Villa Corzo (inaturalist.org); Chihuahua: Pedernales (UASM), Ignacio Zaragoza, Chinipas (www.inaturalist.org); Chiapas: Villaflores (www.gbif.org), Villa Corzo (inaturalist.org); Coahuila: Saltillo (www.inaturalist.org); Colima: Cuauhtémoc, Manzanillo (www.inaturalist.org); Guerrero: Chilapa (SB), Chilpancingo de los Bravo (www.inaturalist.org); Jalisco: Atengo, El Grullo, Zapopan, Autlan de Navarro, San Miguel de la Paz, Piedras Bola (www.inaturalist.org); Mexico: Amanalco, Valle de Bravo, San Cristobal Ecatepec (www.inaturalist.org); Michoacán: Morelia, La Piedad (www.inaturalist.org); Morelos: Cirenio Longares (www.gbif.org), Ocuituco (www.inaturalist.org); Nayarit: Tepic (UASM), La Yesca, Bahía de Banderas (www.inaturalist.org); Oaxaca: Oaxaca city, San Sebastián Tutla, San Agustín Etla (www.inaturalist.org), Juchatengo (UASM), Salina Cruz (Breuning, 1927: 164), Sierra de Ixtlan 2300m (www.ebay/), San Felipe Tejalápam, Santa Cruz Xoxocotlán (www.inaturalist.org); Puebla: Puebla city (www.inaturalist.org); Quintana Roo: Cozumel island (www.ebay 2020); San Luis Potosí (www.gbif.org); Sonora: Yecora (SB), Cibuta, Nacozari, Nácori Chico, (www.gbif.org), Aconchi, Moctezuma, San Nicolas, Mazatan, Cananea (UASM), Magdalena de Kino (http://madrean.org), Nogales, Hermosillo (www.inaturalist.org); Sinaloa: Badiraguato, Choix (www.inaturalist.org); Sonora: Alamos (www.inaturalist.org); Tamaulipas: Jiménez, Victoria (www.inaturalist.org); Vera Cruz: Tuxpam, Playa Vicente (Bates, 1884: 20)
Nicaragua. Esteli dep. Miraflor, loc. El Cebollal (sub aurocinctum Muñoz y Maes 2015: 5); Jalapa: Cerro Jesus, 1200m. (www.inaturalist.org/obs./6509785)
Puerto Rico. Aguadilla: Maleza Baja (www.inaturalist.org).
United States. Alabama: Tuscaloosa county (UASM), Montgomery County, Morgan County (bugguide.net/), Baldwin County (www.inaturalist.org); Arizona: Walker Canyon (Erwin, 2007: pl. 16), Franklin County, Cienega creek (www.inaturalist.org), Santa Cruz County, Pima County, Cochise County (http://bugguide.net/), Maricopa County (http://madrean.org/); Arkansas: Bluff City (SB), Ozark–St. Francis National Forest, Fayetteville (www.inaturalist.org/); California: Tulare co. (Burgess & Collins, 1917: 26), San Diego (www.inaturalist.org/); Colorado (Burgess & Collins, 1917: 26): La Plata County (www.inaturalist.org/); Connecticut: Tolland County, New London County, Milford, Hartford (www.inaturalist.org); Delaware: New Castle County, Kent County, Newark (www.inaturalist.org), Sussex County (http://bugguide.net/); District of Columbia: Boone County (http://bugguide.net/), Washington (Burgess & Collins, 1917: 27; www.inaturalist.org/); Florida: Tampa County, Polk County (http://bugguide.net/), Myakka River State Park (UASM), Orlando, Navarre, Pensacola, Tallahassee, Naples (www.inaturalist.org); Georgia: Pickens County, Dawson County, Whitfield County (http://bugguide.net/), Marietta (www.inaturalist.org/); Illinois: Urbana (Burgess & Collins, 1917: 28), Chicago (SB), Riverside (SB), Hardin County, Cook County, (http://bugguide.net/), Jackson county (UASM); Indiana: Indianapolis (http://bugguide.net/), Scott County, Terre Haute (www.inaturalist.org/); Iowa: Johnson County (http://bugguide.net/); Kansas: Sedgwick County (http://ninnescahlife.wichita.edu/), Shawnee County (http://bugguide.net/), Sumner County (http://madrean.org/); Kentucky: Letcher County, Pulaski County (http://bugguide.net/) Bowling Green, Fort Campbell (www.inaturalist.org/), Metcalfe County (SB); Lousiana: Pitkin, Vernon Parish, Deridder, Monroe, New Orleans (www.inaturalist.org/); Maine: Waterville (www.inaturalist.org); Maryland: Glenburnie (EM), Snow Hill (Erwin, 2007: pl. 16), Cecil county, Howard County, Montgomery county, Assateague Island (www.inaturalist.org/); Massachusetts: Dover, Cohasset, Onset (Burgess & Collins, 1917: 27), Brewster, Edgartown, Concord, Mackinac Island, Liberty (www.inaturalist.org/ ); Michigan: Mackinac Island, Spring lake, Hart (www.inaturalist.org); Minnesota: Carver County, Ramsey County (www.inaturalist.org); Mississipi: Lafayette County, Harrison County, Franklin County, Rankin County, (www.inaturalist.org); Minnesota: Ramsey co., Huston co., Fillmore co., Hennepin co. (Minneapolis), Lake Minnetonka (Gandhi & al,, 2005: 922), Le Sueur County (www.inaturalist.org); Missouri: Franklin County, Carter County (http://bugguide.net/), Vernon county (UASM), Peculiar (www.inaturalist.org/); Nebraska: Chase County, Lancaster County (http://bugguide.net/), Douglas County, Nemaha County (www.inaturalist.org); Nevada: Vernon county (UASM); New Jersey: Hackettstown, Beach Haven (www.inaturalist.org); New Mexico: Water Canyon (Snow, 1881: 39), Santa Fe County (http://bugguide.net/), Sandia Park, Valencia County, Grant County, Albuquerque (www.inaturalist.org/); New York: Manhattan, Long Island, Staten Island, Fire Island (www.inaturalist.org/); North Carolina: Buncombe County, Orange County (http://bugguide.net/), Union county, Bald Head Island, Raleigh, Asheville (www.inaturalist.org/); Ohio: Madison County. Ocking County, Scioto County, (www.inaturalist.org/); Oklahoma: Stillwater (Burgess & Collins, 1917: 27), Okmulgee Co. (http://bugguide.net/), Mayes County, Tulsa, Coweta, Norman, Sawyer (www.inaturalist.org/); Pennsylvania: Philadelphia County (http://bugguide.net/), Pittsburgh, Bedford Co., Doylestown (www.inaturalist.org/); Rhode Island: Washington County, Providence County, Narragansett (www.inaturalist.org/ ); South Carolina: Jasper County, Laurens County (www.inaturalist.org); Tennessee: Chattanooga (VV), Franklin County (http://bugguide.net/), Manchester (www.inaturalist.org/ ); Texas: Brazos county (SB), Smith county (SB), Willacy county (EM, SB), Starr county (EM), Nacogdoches county (SB), Curleson county, (SB), Tomball (SB), Fannin County, Bexar County, Harris County, (http://bugguide.net/), Kleberg county, Kerr county (UASM), Wise Co. Paradise (www.inaturalist.org) , Travis County (http://madrean.org/), Cooke Co. Valley View (www.inaturalist.org/obs/33199242), San Marcos, Lorena, Leakey, McKinney, Longview (www.inaturalist.org/); Utah: Washington County, Emery County (www.inaturalist.org/obs/9102753); Virginia: Williamsburg, Albemarle County, (http://bugguide.net/), Belle Haven, Westmoreland County (www.inaturalist.org/); West Virginia: Hedgesville (www.inaturalist.org/); Wisconsis: Marquette County, Dane County, Kenosha County (www.inaturalist.org/).
Venezuela: Cumanà (Gidaspow, 1963: 283).

Notes: Winged, sometime diurnal but mostly nocturnal, attracted to light at night. Adults and larvae live mostly in forest and were reported feeding on various caterpillar as Alsophila pometaria, Paleacrita vernata, Malacosoma neustria, Erannis tiliaria, Alabama argillacea, Archips fervidana (Burgess & Collins 1917: 26). Adults are good climbers and have been observed in activity in the warm wet season from March to August with a maximum in April May. Depending on local climate condition, in the southern areas C. scrutator can remain active all the year long, while it has been found overwintering in the northern ones.
The larva was first described and figured by Chapuis & Candeze (1853: 371).

Calosoma (Calodrepa) scrutator
(Fabricius, 1775)
United States: Texas, Brazos county, College Station, april 1978
Calosoma (Calodrepa) scrutator
(Fabricius, 1775)
United States: Texas, Brazos county, College Station, april 1978
Calosoma (Calodrepa) scrutator
(Fabricius, 1775)
United States: Texas, Colorado County, Alleyton, June 22 2019
(image from: www.inaturalist.org/observations/37306722)

updated February 27 2024

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