Tiger beetle

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Tiger beetle
Dune tiger beetle (Cicindela hybrida)

Dune tiger beetle ( Cicindela hybrida )

Systematics
Superclass : Six-footed (Hexapoda)
Class : Insects (Insecta)
Order : Beetle (Coleoptera)
Subordination : Adephaga
Family : Ground beetle (Carabidae)
Subfamily : Tiger beetle
Scientific name
Cicindelinae
Latreille , 1802
Cicindela formosa
Dune tiger beetle ( Cicindela hybrida )
Cicindela theatina - tiger beetle from the USA
Field tiger beetle ( Cicindela campestris Linnaeus; Jugendmarken Berlin 1993, für die Jugend, endangered beetles , welfare stamp )

The tiger beetles (Cicindelinae), also called sand beetles in older texts , are a subfamily within the family of ground beetles (Carabidae). They are distributed worldwide with over 2300 species in 130 genera . In Europe they occur with 121 kinds and subspecies, in Central Europe 12 kinds are known. Some systematics see the tiger beetles as a separate family . In southern Europe this group is rapidly becoming more species-rich (for example Italy with over 20 species).

features

Beetle

The beetles are 10 to 70 millimeters long. Their bodies are black in the basal groups, such as the genera Omus and Amblycheila, and their legs are relatively stout . The other genera have a conspicuous, colored 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, like those genera that live on trees. The compound eyes are large and appear in the diurnal genera. The labrum is long and widened. The antennae are pivoted on the dorsal side of the head. The long mandibles have several pointed ends. They cross each other in the resting position.

The prothorax is elongated. The prosternal process and the postcoxal bridge are unusually wide. The organ that is used to clean the antennae and the spurs on the anterior rails ( tibia ) are terminal. The deck wings (elytres) have no grooves. The wings of the genus Omus are completely regressed, otherwise well developed. One oblongum is missing. The thoracic segments are similar to those of the subfamilies Elaphrinae and Loricerinae .

Larvae

The larvae are highly adapted in their appearance to their way of life. The head and pronotum are greatly enlarged and severely sclerotized in relation to the rest of the slim and long body . The mouthparts on the head are directed forward and upward (hyperprognath). The dorsal side of the head and the protergum form a functional unit. Together, in a lurking position, they form a lid for the larva to build. The head is strongly rounded on the sides. The ventral side is strongly convex. The larvae have six point eyes ( stemmata ) of different sizes . Two pairs of greatly enlarged stemmata are on the dorsal side of the head. The front is clearly extended to the rear. The posterodorsal edge of the head capsule is delineated and almost reaches or reaches the posterior edge of the frontal. The first three links of the antennae are elongated and almost the same size. The fourth link is a little shorter. The sensory area on the third link is replaced by a small field of pores. The mandibles are slender. Its apical part is longer than the basal one and also includes a triangular retinaculum. The retractors of the Prämentums are arranged very strong and in an unusual manner. A dense pre-oral filter is formed.

The pronotum is rhombic and differs significantly from the smaller, laterally rounded meso- and metanotum. The legs are stocky and have very short tarsi . The front claws are larger than the rear. The first four and the sixth to ninth abdominal segments are almost identical in shape. Only the fifth segment is heavily modified and modified dorsally to form a hump with separate anterior, lateral and posterior sclerites. There are 23 ticks between the sclerites. Urogomphi are absent. In the Collyrini and Ctenostomatini the width of the nasals is reduced, the body is flattened and, except in the Pogonostoma , the claws are fused with the tarsi.

Way of life

The adults of several genera are diurnal. They can move extremely quickly on the ground and are excellent fliers. The larvae live in vertical or horizontal burrows in earth, sandy soil (most species) or rotting wood (Collyrini and Ctenostomatini) and are predatory. They hunt their prey through a very special surprise attack, in which their morphological adaptations help them.

Taxonomy and systematics

The subfamily is divided into the following tribe:

Types (selection)

Eight species are known in Germany, which are divided into two genera:

Selection of other European species:

supporting documents

Individual evidence

  1. ↑ cf. about Karl Degeer, Johann August Ephraim Goeze (ed.): Treatise on the history of insects. Vol. 4 and 5. Nuremberg 1781, p. 66 ( online in the Google book search) and Theodor Storm: Zur Chronik von Grieshuus. In: Theodor Storm: On the gray beach on the gray sea. Book guild Gutenberg, Berlin 1938 (in the first paragraph).
  2. ↑ Fabio Cassola and DL Pearson: Global patterns of tiger beetle species richness (Coleoptera: Cicindelidae): their use in conservation planning. In: Biological Conservation. Vol. 95, 2000, pp. 187-208.
  3. ↑ a b c d e f g h Rolf G. Beutel, Richard AB Leschen: Handbuch der Zoologie - Coleoptera, Beetles, Volume 1: Morphology and Systematics (Archostemata, Adephaga, Myxophaga, Polyphaga partim) . 1st edition. de Gruyter , 2005, ISBN 3-11-017130-9 , p. 129 ff . (English).
  4. ↑ a b Cicindelinae. Fauna Europaea, accessed March 28, 2013 .
  5. ^ Karl Wilhelm Harde , František Severa : Der Kosmos-Käferführer. The Central European beetle . Franckh-Kosmos, Stuttgart 2000, ISBN 3-440-06959-1 , p. 96 ff .
  6. ↑ Edmund Reitter : Fauna Germanica - The beetles of the German Empire. Pp. 68-70. ( "1st genus: Cicindela L." can be viewed online )
  7. ↑ Wolfgang Schacht: First record of Cylindera arenaria viennensis (SCHRANK, 1781) for Lower Saxony (Coleoptera, Carabidae, Cicindelinae) in Entomological News and Reports, 60, 2016/1 (accessed on August 5, 2019) ( retrieved from Research Gate )

literature

  • Rolf G. Beutel, Richard AB Leschen: Handbuch der Zoologie - Coleoptera, Beetles, Volume 1: Morphology and Systematics (Archostemata, Adephaga, Myxophaga, Polyphaga partim) . 1st edition. de Gruyter , 2005, ISBN 3-11-017130-9 (English).

literature

  • J. Acorn: Tiger Beetles of Alberta: Killers on the Clay, Stalkers on the Sand. University of Alberta Press, 2001.
  • J. Trautner, P. Detzel: The tiger beetles of Baden-Württemberg (Col., Cicindelidae). Distribution, habitat requirements, endangerment and protection (= ecology and nature conservation. Vol. 5). Margraf, Weikersheim 1994.
  • Ekkehard Wachmann , Ralph Platen, Dieter Barndt: Ground beetles - observation, way of life. Naturbuch-Verlag, Augsburg 1995, ISBN 3-89440-125-7 .
  • Karl Werner : The beetles in the world. Volumes 13, 15, 18 and 20. Sciences Nat, Venette 1991-1995.
  • Jiři Zahradnik, Irmgard Jung, Dieter Jung et al .: Beetles of Central and Northwestern Europe. Parey, Berlin 1985, ISBN 3-490-27118-1 .

Web links

Commons : Tiger Beetle  - Collection of images, videos, and audio files