Avernus Cave Beetle
Pseudanophthalmus avernus (Valentine, 1945)
Taxonomy
| Kingdom | Animalia |
|---|---|
| Phylum | Arthropoda |
| Subphylum | Hexapoda |
| Class | Insecta |
| Order | Coleoptera |
| Family | Carabidae |
| Genus | Pseudanophthalmus |
| Species | Pseudanophthalmus avernus (Valentine, 1945) |
Synonyms
- Pseudanophthalmus hubbardi avernus (subjective synonym, CoL)
Description
Diagnostic characters
- Ecological class
- Troglobiont
- Realm
- Terrestrial
- Troglomorphy
- Troglomorphic
Distribution
Type locality
Endless Caverns, Rockingham Co. VA
Range
Known from one county in Virginia in the Appalachians karst region.
Continent
North America
Country
United States
States and provinces
Virginia
Counties
- Virginia
- Rockingham
Karst regions
Appalachians
Conservation and management
NatureServe
G1 Critically Imperiled
Global rank last reviewed 12 March 2022.
Subnational ranks
- Virginia
- S1 Critically Imperiled
Ranks looked up 23 August 2026. Conservation status changes, and a rank here is as current as that date and no more.
State and federal status
Not listed under the U.S. Endangered Species Act.
Threats
- Recreational/Commerical Cave Activities
Other resources
References
- Barr, T.C., Jr. 1965. The Pseudanophthalmus of the Appalachian Valley (Coleoptera: Carabidae). The American Midland Naturalist 73: 41–72. doi:10.2307/2423320
- Barr, T.C., Jr. 2004. A classification and checklist of the genus Pseudanophthalmus Jeannel (Coleoptera: Carabidae: Trechinae). Special Publication 11. Virginia Museum of Natural History, Martinsville, Virginia, USA. 52 pp.
- Benito, J.B., Ober, K.A., Philips, T.K., Orndorff, W. & Niemiller, M.L. 2025. Phylogenomics and biogeography of North American trechine cave beetles (Coleoptera:Carabidae) inferred from ultraconserved elements. Evolution 79: 1622–1642. doi:10.1093/evolut/qpaf103
- Bousquet, Y. 2012. Catalogue of Geadephaga (Coleoptera: Adephaga) of America, north of Mexico. ZooKeys 245: 1–1. doi:10.3897/zookeys.245.3416
- Erwin, T.L. & House, G.N. 1978. A catalogue of the primary types of Carabidae (incl. Cicindelinae) in the collections of the United States National Museum of Natural History (USNM) (Coleoptera). The Coleopterists Bulletin 32: 231–256. https://www.jstor.org/stable/3999875. details
- Nicholas, G. 1960. Checklist of macroscopic troglobitic organisms of the United States. The American Midland Naturalist 64: 123–160. doi:10.2307/2422897
- Valentine, J.M. 1945. Speciation and raciation in Pseudanophthalmus (cavernicolous Carabidae). Transactions of the Connecticut Academy of Arts and Sciences 36: 631–672.
This account was last revised 28 August 2026. Conservation ranks were looked up 23 August 2026.
How to cite this account
Data sources and funding are listed in the Acknowledgments.
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