What are tiger beetles?
[Main] [Tiger Beetles of PH]
Tiger beetles are among the intriguing species of the insect taxon due to their brazen feeding behavior, attractive colors, and ability to occupy a variety of habitats [4].
On average, an adult tiger beetle measures from 10 to 20 mm in length. They are so named because they are able to move in high speed of approximately 1.9kph. They are generally carnivorous, feeding on smaller insects and arthropods.
Their dorsal coloration have interesting patterns and are sometimes colorful. These maculations function mainly as anti-predator mechanisms. They are able to blend with their background. Sometimes their iridescent color misleads predators such as birds in determining the distance between them. Other times predator attacks are targeted on the elytra ensuring a higher probability of survival.
Tiger beetles can be found all over the world except in Antarctica, the Arctic north, Tasmania, and some isolated oceanic islands such as Hawaii and the Maldives [4]. Currently, more than 2,800 species are described worldwide [3, 6], approximately 530 of which belong to South East Asia[2]. In the Philippines, there are 161 species of tiger beetles as of 2020 [1][6-14].
Tiger beetles are among those considered as bioindicators. They have been deemed to be appropriate indicator species because their taxonomy is stable, their biology and life history are fully understood, their pattern of species richness is highly correlated with those of the vertebrate taxa,[3,2] and each species is often only present in specific habitats [3].Because of such characteristics, tiger beetles are used in monitoring habitat degradation.[5]
References:
[1] Cabras, A.A., Cabigas, E., and Wiesner, J. 2016. Updated checklist of tiger beetles in the Philippines (Coleoptera, Carabidae, Cicindelinae).(131th. Contribution towards the knowledge of Cicindelinae)
[2] Cassola, F. and Pearson, D.L. 2000. Global patterns of tiger beetle species richness (Coleoptera: Cicindelidae): Their use in conservation planning. Biological Conservation. 95: 197-208
[3] Pearson, D., & Cassola, F. (1992). World-Wide Species Richness Patterns of Tiger Beetles (Coleoptera: Cicindelidae): Indicator Taxon for Biodiversity and Conservation Studies. Conservation Biology, 6(3), 376- 391. Retrieved from http://www.jstor.org/stable/2386038
[4] Pearson, D.L. and Vogler, A.P. 2001. Tiger Beetles: The Evolution, Ecology, and Diversity of the Cicindelids. Cornell University Press.
[5] Rodriguez, J.P., Pearson, D.L. and Barrera, R.R. 1998. A Test for the Adequacy of Bioindicator taxa: Are Tiger Beetles (Coleoptera: Cicindelidae) Appropriate Indicators for Monitoring the Degradation of Tropical Forests in Venezuela? Biological Conservation. Vol. 83(1); 69-76.
[6] Zettel, H. and Wiesner, J. 2018. Cylindera (Conidera) mindoroana sp. n. (Coleoptera: Cicindelidae), a new tiger beetle species from the Philippines. Insecta Mundi: A Journal of World Insect Systematics. 0632; 1-10.
[7] Anichtchenko, A. and Medina, M.N. 2019. A New Neocollyris (Heterocollyris) Subspecies from Mindano, Philippines (Coleoptera, Carabidae, Cicindelinae). Acta Biol. Univ. Daugavpils. Vol. 19(1); 13-15.
[8] Cassola, F. 2000. Studies on Tiger Beetles. CII. The Cicindelidae Collected by Roland Müller in the Philippine Islands, with Description of Three New Species (Coleoptera: Cicindelidae). Zool. Med. Leiden. Vol. 73; 491-509.
[9] Cassola, F., Zettel, H. 2006. A new species and a new record of Thopeutica Chaudoir, 1861 from Polillo Island, Quezon Province, the Philippines (Coleoptera: Cicindelidae). Z. Arb. Ge, Ost.Ent. 58; 45-52.
[10] Dheurle, C. 2015. Cylindera (Ifasina) mouthiezi, nouvelle espèce des Philippines (Coleoptera Cicindelidae). L’Entomologiste. Vol. 71(2); 117-118.
[1] Dheurle, C. 2016. Une nouvelle espece de Cylindera Westwood, 1831, des Philippines (Coleoptera, Cicindelidae). Bulletin de la Societe entomologique de France. 121(1); 37-40.
[12] Medina, M.N. D., Cabras, A.A., and Wiesner J. 2019. Thopeutica petertaylori, a new tiger beetle species (Colpeoptera: Cicindelidae) from Mindanao, Philippines. Insecta Mundi: A Journal of world Insect Systematics. 0733; 1-5.
[13] Wiesner J. and Dheurle C. 2018. Remarks on the subgenus Cylindera Rivalier (Coleoptera: Cicindelidae: Cylindera) from the Philippines with description of a new species. Insecta Mundi. 0670; 1-16.
[14] Zettel H. and Wiesner J. 2018. Cylindera (Conidera) mindoroana sp. n. (Coleoptera: Cicindelidae), a new tiger beetle species from the Philippines. Insecta Mundi. Vol. 0632; 1-10
On average, an adult tiger beetle measures from 10 to 20 mm in length. They are so named because they are able to move in high speed of approximately 1.9kph. They are generally carnivorous, feeding on smaller insects and arthropods.
Their dorsal coloration have interesting patterns and are sometimes colorful. These maculations function mainly as anti-predator mechanisms. They are able to blend with their background. Sometimes their iridescent color misleads predators such as birds in determining the distance between them. Other times predator attacks are targeted on the elytra ensuring a higher probability of survival.
Tiger beetles can be found all over the world except in Antarctica, the Arctic north, Tasmania, and some isolated oceanic islands such as Hawaii and the Maldives [4]. Currently, more than 2,800 species are described worldwide [3, 6], approximately 530 of which belong to South East Asia[2]. In the Philippines, there are 161 species of tiger beetles as of 2020 [1][6-14].
Tiger beetles are among those considered as bioindicators. They have been deemed to be appropriate indicator species because their taxonomy is stable, their biology and life history are fully understood, their pattern of species richness is highly correlated with those of the vertebrate taxa,[3,2] and each species is often only present in specific habitats [3].Because of such characteristics, tiger beetles are used in monitoring habitat degradation.[5]
References:
[1] Cabras, A.A., Cabigas, E., and Wiesner, J. 2016. Updated checklist of tiger beetles in the Philippines (Coleoptera, Carabidae, Cicindelinae).(131th. Contribution towards the knowledge of Cicindelinae)
[2] Cassola, F. and Pearson, D.L. 2000. Global patterns of tiger beetle species richness (Coleoptera: Cicindelidae): Their use in conservation planning. Biological Conservation. 95: 197-208
[3] Pearson, D., & Cassola, F. (1992). World-Wide Species Richness Patterns of Tiger Beetles (Coleoptera: Cicindelidae): Indicator Taxon for Biodiversity and Conservation Studies. Conservation Biology, 6(3), 376- 391. Retrieved from http://www.jstor.org/stable/2386038
[4] Pearson, D.L. and Vogler, A.P. 2001. Tiger Beetles: The Evolution, Ecology, and Diversity of the Cicindelids. Cornell University Press.
[5] Rodriguez, J.P., Pearson, D.L. and Barrera, R.R. 1998. A Test for the Adequacy of Bioindicator taxa: Are Tiger Beetles (Coleoptera: Cicindelidae) Appropriate Indicators for Monitoring the Degradation of Tropical Forests in Venezuela? Biological Conservation. Vol. 83(1); 69-76.
[6] Zettel, H. and Wiesner, J. 2018. Cylindera (Conidera) mindoroana sp. n. (Coleoptera: Cicindelidae), a new tiger beetle species from the Philippines. Insecta Mundi: A Journal of World Insect Systematics. 0632; 1-10.
[7] Anichtchenko, A. and Medina, M.N. 2019. A New Neocollyris (Heterocollyris) Subspecies from Mindano, Philippines (Coleoptera, Carabidae, Cicindelinae). Acta Biol. Univ. Daugavpils. Vol. 19(1); 13-15.
[8] Cassola, F. 2000. Studies on Tiger Beetles. CII. The Cicindelidae Collected by Roland Müller in the Philippine Islands, with Description of Three New Species (Coleoptera: Cicindelidae). Zool. Med. Leiden. Vol. 73; 491-509.
[9] Cassola, F., Zettel, H. 2006. A new species and a new record of Thopeutica Chaudoir, 1861 from Polillo Island, Quezon Province, the Philippines (Coleoptera: Cicindelidae). Z. Arb. Ge, Ost.Ent. 58; 45-52.
[10] Dheurle, C. 2015. Cylindera (Ifasina) mouthiezi, nouvelle espèce des Philippines (Coleoptera Cicindelidae). L’Entomologiste. Vol. 71(2); 117-118.
[1] Dheurle, C. 2016. Une nouvelle espece de Cylindera Westwood, 1831, des Philippines (Coleoptera, Cicindelidae). Bulletin de la Societe entomologique de France. 121(1); 37-40.
[12] Medina, M.N. D., Cabras, A.A., and Wiesner J. 2019. Thopeutica petertaylori, a new tiger beetle species (Colpeoptera: Cicindelidae) from Mindanao, Philippines. Insecta Mundi: A Journal of world Insect Systematics. 0733; 1-5.
[13] Wiesner J. and Dheurle C. 2018. Remarks on the subgenus Cylindera Rivalier (Coleoptera: Cicindelidae: Cylindera) from the Philippines with description of a new species. Insecta Mundi. 0670; 1-16.
[14] Zettel H. and Wiesner J. 2018. Cylindera (Conidera) mindoroana sp. n. (Coleoptera: Cicindelidae), a new tiger beetle species from the Philippines. Insecta Mundi. Vol. 0632; 1-10
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