First morphological description on the immature stages of the genus Acoptolabrus (Coleoptera; Carabidae) from Korea

Abstract Most species of the genus Acoptolabrus are considerably rare and have a beautiful body color, making them interesting for collectors. Among the subspecies, A. mirabilissimus mirabilissimus is designated legally as an endangered species in Korea. However, studies on the adults and their immature stages remain limited. Thus, this study was carried out to identify the morphological characteristics of the larval stages. The larvae were obtained by captive breeding adult A. m. sangjuensis, a subspecies closely related to the protected subspecies, and examining them for external characteristics. Further, morphological descriptions and diagnostic characters of each stage of the larvae were provided, including their adult photos.