Scientific publications

А non-flying large ground beetle Carabus (Hemicarabus) nitens L., 1758 has been reported from the Murmansk Region, where this species is extremely rare. The characteristics of two Khibiny mountain-tundra habitats are given, in which а total of 18 adult beetles were caught in different years, using the method of pitfall traps. The conclusion was made that this ecologically dual species (xerophilic according to some authors and hygrophilous according to other data) prefers near-water mountain-tundra sites with a well-developed plant cover made up of true mosses in combination with lichens and ericoid shrubs. Data from the literature on the peculiarities of the distribution and biology of C. nitens in the Northern periphery of its range were summarized. Data on the species occurrence in the neighboring regions (Fennoscandia, Arkhangelsk Region, Nenets Autonomous District, Republic of Karelia) and its protective status in the area are presented. It is concluded that at the Murmansk Region latitudes the beetles are active on the soil surface in June and can be collected during this period by pitfall traps or manually. Based on our findings, C. nitens was included in the second edition of the Red Data Book of the Murmansk Region (2014) with the status of a rare vulnerable species 3 (R).