Mecyclothorax ambiguus (Erichson, 1842) (a species of ground-beetle)

Typical length (mm): 6
Flightedness: winged and assumed capable of flight

Source literature on morphology and taxonomy (*primary taxonomic source, where identified):
*Erichson, W.F. (1842). Beitrag zur Insecten-Fauna von Vandiemensland, mit besonderer Beruecksichtung der geographischen Verbreitung der Insecten. Nicolai’schen Buchhandlung 8(1): 379 pages.
Sloane, T.G. (1920). The Carabidae of Tasmania. Proc. Linn. Soc. NSW 45: 113-178.

Assumed larval feeding: predator
Association with dead wood or old trees: at least facultatively saproxylic

Ecological attributes: — Active primarily in winter-early spring (Michaels & McQuillan, 1995) — Affiliated with intermediate-aged (ex-clearfelled) forest (Michaels, 1999) — Affiliated with late-aged (ex-clearfelled) forest (Michaels, 1999) — Affiliated with regeneration forest (Baker et al., 2009a) — Affiliated with young (ex-clearfelled) forest (Michaels, 1999) — Affliliated with young (ex-clearfelled) forest (Baker et al., 2009c) — Affliliated with young (ex-clearfelled) forest (Baker, 2006a) — Affliliated with young (ex-clearfelled) forest (Grove, 2009) — Dry sclerophyll forest can be suitable habitat (Michaels, 1999b) — Native grassland can be suitable habitat (Michaels, 1999b) — Pioneer species (Taylor & Doran, 2001) — Primarily associated with young (ex-clearfelled) forest (Michaels & McQuillan, 1995) — Primarily associated with young (ex-clearfelled) forest (Taylor et al., 2000).

Collection method(s) for TMAG material: — Baited trapping (funnel trap) — Emergence trapping from cut billets of Eucalyptus obliqua (Harrison, 2007) — Hand collection (substrate not specified) — Pipe trapping — Pitfall trapping — Sticky trapping on Eucalyptus globulus — Sticky trapping on Eucalyptus viminalis.

Source ecological literature:
Grove, S.J. (2009b). Beetles and fuelwood harvesting: a retrospective study from Tasmania’s southern forests. Tasforests 18: 77-99.
Hopkins, A.J.M. et al. (2005). Wood decay fungi and beetle assemblages associated with living Eucalyptus obliqua trees: early results from studies at the Warra LTER Site, Ta
Baker, S.C. (2000). Forest litter beetles and their habitat: a comparison of forest regenerated by wildfire and logging practices. Hons. thesis, Univ. of Tasmania, Hobart.
Baker, S.C. (2006b). Ecology and conservation of ground-dwelling beetles in managed wet eucalypt forest: edge and riparian effects. PhD thesis, Univ. of Tasmania, Hobart.
Grove, S.J. & Yaxley, B. (2005). Wildlife habitat strips and native forest ground-active beetle assemblages in plantation nodes in northeast Tasmania. Aust. J. Entom. 44 (4): 331-343.
Grove, S.J. (2009c). Do wildlife habitat strips act as refuges for mature-forest carabid beetle assemblages? A case-study in Tasmanian wet eucalypt forest, Australia. For. Ecol. Manage. 259: 496-504.
Harrison, K.S. (2007). Saproxylic beetles associated with habitat features in Eucalyptus obliqua trees in the southern forests of Tasmania. PhD thesis, Dept. of Zoology, Univ. of Tasmania, Hobart.
Michaels, K.F. & McQuillan, P.B. (1995). Impact of commercial forest management on geophilous Carabid beetles (Coleoptera; Carabidae) in tall, wet Eucalyptus obliqua forest in southern Tasmania. Aust. J. Ecol. 20: 316-323.
Michaels, K.F. (1999a). Carabid beetles as biodiversity and ecological indicators. PhD thesis, Univ. of Tasmania, Hobart.
Michaels, K.F. (1999b). Carabid … communities in Tasmania: classification for nature conservation. In: Ponder, W. & Lunney, D. (Ed.), The Other 99%: …. Roy. Zool. Soc. NSW, pp. 374-379.
Taylor, R.J. & Doran, N. (2001). Use of terrestrial invertebrates as indicators of the ecological sustainability of forest management under the Montreal Process. J. Insect Cons. 5: 221-231.
Taylor, R.J. et al. (2000). Occurrence of old-growth carabid beetles in retained unlogged strips in … southern Tasmania. In: Saunders, D. et al. . (Eds.), Nature Conservation 5…. Surrey Beatty, pp. 120-127.