Tiger beetle
Dune Tiger Beetle ( Cicindela hybrida )
The tiger beetles ( Cicindelinae ), called in older texts also sand beetle are a subfamily within the family of ground beetles ( Carabidae ). They are found worldwide with about 2000 species in 130 genera. In Europe, they occur with 121 species and subspecies, in Central Europe 12 species are known. By some taxonomists the Sandlaufkäfer be seen as a separate family. In southern Europe, this group is quickly species-rich ( for example, Italy, with over 20 species).
- 5.1 Notes and references
- 5.2 Literature
Features
Beetle
The beetles are 10 to 70 millimeters long. Your body is black for the basal groups, such as the genera omus and Amblycheila and has relatively stocky legs. The other genera have a flashy, colorful pattern, with shiny metallic areas and long and very slender legs, such as the species of the genera Cicindela and megacephala, or have a very slender, ant -like physique, such as those genera that live on trees. The compound eyes are large and stand out in the diurnal species. The labrum is long and widened. The sensors are turned in on the dorsal side of the head. The long mandibles have more tapered ends. You cross over into the rest position.
The prothorax is elongated. The Prosternalfortsatz and postcoxale bridge are unusually broad. The institution which serves to clean the sensor, and the spurs on the front rails ( tibiae ) are terminal. The wing covers ( elytra ) do not wear grooves. The wings are completely regressed in the genus omus, otherwise well developed. A oblongum missing. Thoracic segments are similar to those of the families and Elaphrinae Loricerinae.
Larvae
The larvae are highly customized in appearance to their way of life. The head and pronotum are greatly enlarged relative to the rest slender and long body and strongly sclerotized. The mouthparts are on the head, directed forwards and upwards ( hyperprognath ). The dorsal side of the head and the Protergum form a functional unit. Together they form a lid for the construction of the larva in ambush position. The head is laterally strongly rounded. The ventral side is strongly convex. The larvae have six different sizes of simple eyes ( stemmata ). Two pairs of greatly enlarged stemmata are located on the dorsal side of the head. The frons is significantly extended to the rear. The Posterodorsale edge of the head capsule is incised and almost reaches, or reaches the posterior margin of the frontal. The first three elements of the sensor are elongated and nearly equal in size. The fourth element is a little shorter. The sense region on the third element is replaced by a small array of pores. The mandibles are slender. Its apical part is longer than the basal and includes a triangular retinaculum. The retractors of the Prämentums is located very strong and in an unusual way. A dense präoraler filter is designed.
The pronotum is lozenge-shaped and differs significantly from the smaller, laterally rounded meso-and metanotum. The legs are stocky and have very short tarsi. Said front mouth is greater than the rear. The first four and the sixth to ninth abdominal segment are formed almost the same. Only the fifth segment is heavily modified and modified into a dorsal hump with separate front, side and rear sclerites. Between the sclerites are 23 tick. Urogomphi missing. The Collyrini and Ctenostomatini the width of the nasals is reduced, flattened body and except for the Pogonostoma the jaws are fused with the tarsi.
Way of life
The adults of several species are diurnal. You can very quickly move on the ground and are excellent fliers. The larvae live in vertical or horizontal construction in soil, sandy soil (most species) or rotting wood ( Collyrini and Ctenostomatini ) and are predators. They hunt their prey by a very special surprise attack in which they are their morphological adaptations to assist you.
Taxonomy and systematics
The subfamily is divided into the following tribes:
- Ctenostomatini ( Pogonostoma genus from Madagascar and Ctenostoma genus of tropical South America )
- Collyrini (a few species in India and Southeast Asia)
- Manticorini ( two genera from South Africa)
- Megacephalini ( widespread, many types )
- Cicindelini ( widespread, many types )
Types (selection)
In Germany, eight species are known, which are divided into two genera:
- Cicindela Cicindela sylvatica Linnaeus 1758 (forest tiger beetles )
- Cicindela sylvicola Dejean 1822 ( Mountain Tiger Beetle )
- Cicindela gallica Brullé 1834 ( Gallic Sandlaufkäfer )
- Cicindela hybrida ( Dune Tiger Beetle or copper brown tiger beetles ), with the sub- types: hybrida Linnaeus 1758
- Transversalis Dejean 1822
- Pseudoriparia Mandl 1935
- Cylindera germanica (Linnaeus 1758) ( German Tiger Beetle ) and
- Cylindera arenaria ( Füessly, 1775) with the subspecies: viennensis (Wiener Sandlaufkäfer )
Selection of other European species:
- Cephalota circumdata
- Calomera littoralis
- Lophyra flexuosa