Objectives:

In order to know aspects of biodiversity and distribution of carabid beetles in the Department of Tolima and to make the material visible for future research, curatorship, identification, diagnosis and systematization of the material deposited at the “Museo Laboratorio de Entomología de la Universidad del Tolima” (MENT-UT) were performed.

Scope:

For the Department of Tolima the only information known is that provided by MARTÍNEZ (2005) and VÍTOLO (2004). The beetles of the Carabidae family represent one of the most diverse groups in the coleoptera order of a great interest in conservation, bioindication, and biological control among others.

Methodology:

taxonomic and description keys were used for the identification of the specimens deposited in the collections of the Instituto de Ciencias Naturales (ICN) and Instituto de Investigación de Recursos Biológicos Alexander von Humboldt (IAvH), in addition to consultations with specialists.

Main results:

A total of 674 specimens were recorded distributed in eight subfamilies, 23 tribes, 43 genera and 15 species. The genus Meotachys (15,19%) is the most representative in contrast to the genera Anaulacus, Calophoena, Cnides, Enceladus, Glyptolenus, Hyboptera, Morion, Loxandrus, Leptotrachelus, Oxycheila, Pelecium, Schizogenius and Sericoda that had a single representative (0,1%).

Conclusion:

This study generates new distribution records for genera and species of Carabidae beetles in different regions of Tolima and other Departments of Colombia.

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