Calosoma (Camedula) prominens LeConte, 1853
Calosoma angulatum LeConte, 1852: 199 (nec Chevrolat, 1840) (type locality: Pimas, Arizona); holotype ♂ by monotypy in Museum of Comparative Zoology, Harvard University, Cambridge, MA (https://mczbase.mcz.harvard.edu/)
Calosoma prominens LeConte, 1853: 400 (nomen novum pro angulatum LeConte, 1851)
Calosoma (Camegonia) prominens Breuning, 1927b: 95
Callitropa (Camegonia) prominens Lapouge, 1932: 387
Camedula (Camegonia) prominens Jeannel, 1940: 207
Calosoma (Camegonia) prominens Gidaspow, 1959: 255
Calosoma (Carabosoma) prominens Erwin, 2007: 102
Length 25-35 mm. marginale, parvicolle and prominens were included toghether in the ancient Camegonia subgenus (sensu Jeannel, 1940), characterized by the lack of setae on the metatrochanters. All the species have an aspect entirely glossy and a black colour, sometimes with very faint metallic reflections.
prominens is easily recognizable because of its size, from medium to large. It has a pronotum with definitely angular sides, and the surface of the elytra is striated . In the basal part of elytra, the intervals are scaly, with transverse wrinkles, connecting punctures on the striae
C. prominens mainly lives in the Mojave and Sonoran deserts area. It is present in the south-western United States, south California and Nevada, Arizona, New Mexico, and eastern border of Texas and in Northern Mexico, Baixa California and Sonora. It has also been found, but more rarely, in the Chihuahuan desert in central and northern Mexican Plateau. in the state of Chihuahua, north-eastern Durango, and western Nuevo León.
It has also been imported to Hawaii along with other Calosoma species as possible biological control agents, but to no avail (Liebherr et al., 2023).
Examined specimens and literature’s data
Mexico. Baja California (Horn, 1893: 307), La Cienega, Aguascalientes (Gidaspow, 1959: 258), Isla Guadalupe (bosque de ciprés 1190m), Mexicali, San Felipe, Ensenada (www.inaturalist.org); Baixa California Sur: La Paz (www.inaturalist.org); Chihuahua: Minaca (UASM); Durango: Rio Nazas near Rodeo (UASM); Nuevo Leon: San Pedro Garza García (www.inaturalist.org);Sonora: San Luis Río Colorado (www.inaturalist.org/), Sonoyta, Magdalena de Kino, Agua Prieta, Peon, Mazatan, Hermosillo, Santa Ana, El Oasis (UASM), Agua Zarca, Obregon, Carbo (Gidaspow: 1959, 255), Empalme, Alamos (http://madrean.org/)
United States. Arizona: Santa Cruz County, Rio Rico (EM, SB), Cochise County (UASM; SB), San Bernardino, Phoenix, Jerome (Breuning, 1928a: 97), Pima County (EM, SB), Yavapai County (SB), Gila County (SB), Maricopa County (http://madrean.org/); California: Inyo County (Bousquet, 2012: 234), San Diego County (Anza-Borrego Desert State Park) (www.inaturalist.org), NW Santa Catalina island (www.inaturalist.org); Nevada: East Face of Toiyabe Mountains at Bowman Creek (www.gbif.org); New Mexico: Coolidge, Albuquerque (Breuning, 1928a: 97), Holloman AFB (www.inaturalist.org); Texas: El Paso County (UASM), Hereford (www.gbif.org).
Notes: Winged, attracted to light at night, sometime swarming in very large number. It lives in desert or semidesertic areas, from lowlands up to an altitude of 2000m. Active individuals have been found from July to October.
 LeConte, 1853 United States, Arizona: Pima County, Green Valley, VII.74 Lenczy leg. |
 LeConte, 1853 United States, Arizona: Pima County, Green Valley, VII.74 Lenczy leg. |