In the Coleoptera of Japan, 21 species in five genera of ground beetle (Carabidae) and 40 species in 15 genera of rove beetle (Staphylinidae) were found in intertidal habitats. These species dwell in rock cracks, tidal marshes, intertidal beaches, and river mouth tidelands. The body size of these species is small (adult body length of 2-4 mm), and some adults have lost the ability to fly. They invade the intertidal zone only at low tide to find prey and feed on diatoms or other invertebrates. Some withstand submergence by hiding in cracks in rock, and others find refuge in seawater during high tide. In Japan, additional studies of intertidal species are expected in the future.
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