Phrygana, maquis and subalpine shrublands are the most typical ecosystem types on the island of Crete. However, these formations are mostly mismanaged and poorly studied in terms of their fauna and the effect of long term land-use. We studied the impact of goat and sheep grazing on the diversity patterns of carabid beetles at 40 sites in relation to possible habitat uniqueness and geographic zonation. In total, 19,322 individuals belonging to 42 Carabidae species were identified. The composition of site assemblages was mainly determined by altitude. The six Cretan endemic species collected were widely distributed on the island and most of them were dominant. Species richness and equitability were significantly lower at overgrazed sites compared to areas with low grazing intensity. The diversity patterns of carabids were influenced by the level of grazing in each study area. As species richness and …