''Cicindela'', commonly known as common tiger beetles, are generally brightly colored and metallic

beetle Beetles are insects that form the Taxonomic rank, order Coleoptera (), in the superorder Holometabola. Their front pair of wings are hardened into wing-cases, elytra, distinguishing them from most other insects. The Coleoptera, with about 40 ...

s, often with some sort of patterning of ivory or cream-colored markings. They are most abundant and diverse in habitats very often near bodies of water with sandy or occasionally clay soils; they can be found along rivers, sea and lake shores, sand dunes, around dry lakebeds, on clay banks, or woodland paths.

Etymology

The word "''Cicindela''" comes from the Latin word "cicindela", meaning "glowworm". This comes from the fact that members of the genus ''Cicindela'' are metallic and sometimes flashing.

Systematics

The genus ''Cicindela'' is (in its broadest historical sense) the largest genus of

tiger beetle Tiger beetles are a family of beetles, Cicindelidae, known for their aggressive predatory habits and running speed. The fastest known species of tiger beetle, '' Rivacindela hudsoni'', can run at a speed of , or about 125 body lengths per second. ...

s, and they occur worldwide. The status of the genus is constantly in a state of flux, as various authorities on different continents have vastly different opinions about which (if any) of the dozens of

subgenera In biology, a subgenus ( subgenera) is a taxonomic rank directly below genus. In the International Code of Zoological Nomenclature, a subgeneric name can be used independently or included in a species name, in parentheses, placed between the ge ...

traditionally recognized within the genus are deserving of being accorded status as independent genera. Moreover, this is one of the few insect taxa in which the rank of

subspecies In Taxonomy (biology), biological classification, subspecies (: subspecies) is a rank below species, used for populations that live in different areas and vary in size, shape, or other physical characteristics (Morphology (biology), morpholog ...

has traditionally been used repeatedly, and essentially no two classifications consistently treat the various members of the genus as to which are species and which are subspecies. Treated as a single genus, and even with a fairly conservative estimate of species, there are over 850 (or even up to 2,300) species in the groupProença, S.J.R, Cytogenetic variability in three species of the genus Cicindela (s.l.) (Coleoptera, Cicindelidae): Karyotypes and localization of 18S rDNA genes.Genetics and Molecular Biology, 27, 4, 555-560 (2004) (thus being almost equal to the subtribe Cicindelina ( W.Horn, 1908), with several thousand published names applied, collectively. Currently most of the subgenera below are not settled, being considered genera of their own by some, and subgenera of the genus ''Cicindela'' by others. The genus is divided into the following subgenera: *'' Cicindela (Ancylia)'' *'' Cicindela (Archidela)'' *'' Cicindela (Austrocicindela)'' *'' Cicindela (Brasiella)'' *''

Cicindela (Calochroa) The asterisk ( ), from Late Latin , from Ancient Greek , , "little star", is a typographical symbol. It is so called because it resembles a conventional image of a heraldic star. Computer scientists and mathematicians often vocalize it as s ...

'' *'' Cicindela (Calomera)'' *'' Cicindela (Cephalota)'' *'' Cicindela (Chaetodera)'' *'' Cicindela (Cicindela)'' *'' Cicindela (Cicindelidia)'' *'' Cicindela (Cosmodela)'' *'' Cicindela (Cylindera)'' *''

Cicindela (Duponti) ''Cicindela'', commonly known as common tiger beetles, are generally brightly colored and metallic beetles, often with some sort of patterning of ivory or cream-colored markings. They are most abundant and diverse in habitats very often near bodi ...

'' *''

Cicindela (Euzona) The asterisk ( ), from Late Latin , from Ancient Greek , , "little star", is a typographical symbol. It is so called because it resembles a conventional image of a heraldic star. Computer scientists and mathematicians often vocalize it as st ...

'' *''

Cicindela (Fulgoris) ''Cicindela'', commonly known as common tiger beetles, are generally brightly colored and metallic beetles, often with some sort of patterning of ivory or cream-colored markings. They are most abundant and diverse in habitats very often near bodi ...

'' *''

Cicindela (Habroscelimorpha) The asterisk ( ), from Late Latin , from Ancient Greek , , "little star", is a typographical symbol. It is so called because it resembles a conventional image of a heraldic star. Computer scientists and mathematicians often vocalize it as s ...

'' *''

Cicindela (Hypaetha) The asterisk ( ), from Late Latin , from Ancient Greek , , "little star", is a typographical symbol. It is so called because it resembles a conventional image of a heraldic star. Computer scientists and mathematicians often vocalize it as st ...

'' *''

Cicindela (Jansonia) ''Cicindela'', commonly known as common tiger beetles, are generally brightly colored and metallic beetles, often with some sort of patterning of ivory or cream-colored markings. They are most abundant and diverse in habitats very often near bodi ...

'' *''

Cicindela (Lophyridia) ''Cicindela'', commonly known as common tiger beetles, are generally brightly colored and metallic beetles, often with some sort of patterning of ivory or cream-colored markings. They are most abundant and diverse in habitats very often near bodi ...

'' *''

Cicindela (Macfarlandia) The asterisk ( ), from Late Latin , from Ancient Greek , , "little star", is a typographical symbol. It is so called because it resembles a conventional image of a heraldic star. Computer scientists and mathematicians often vocalize it as st ...

'' *''

Cicindela (Micromentignatha) The asterisk ( ), from Late Latin , from Ancient Greek , , "little star", is a typographical symbol. It is so called because it resembles a conventional image of a heraldic star. Computer scientists and mathematicians often vocalize it as st ...

'' *''

Cicindela (Myriochile) ''Cicindela'', commonly known as common tiger beetles, are generally brightly colored and metallic beetles, often with some sort of patterning of ivory or cream-colored markings. They are most abundant and diverse in habitats very often near bodi ...

'' *'' Cicindela (Neolaphyra)'' *''

Cicindela (Opilidia) The asterisk ( ), from Late Latin , from Ancient Greek , , "little star", is a typographical symbol. It is so called because it resembles a conventional image of a heraldic star. Computer scientists and mathematicians often vocalize it as sta ...

'' *'' Cicindela (Pachydela)'' *'' Cicindela (Pancallia)'' *'' Cicindela (Rivacindela)'' *'' Cicindela (Sophiodela)'' *'' Cicindela (Tribonia)'' For a list of species, see List of ''Cicindela'' species. The subgenus ''Cicindela (Cicindela)'', or ''Cicindela'' ''

sensu stricto ''Sensu'' is a Latin word meaning "in the sense of". It is used in a number of fields including biology, geology, linguistics, semiotics, and law. Commonly it refers to how strictly or loosely an expression is used in describing any particular c ...

'' contains the following species: *'' Cicindela albissima'' Rumpp, 1962 *''

Cicindela altaica ''Cicindela'', commonly known as common tiger beetles, are generally brightly colored and metallic beetles, often with some sort of patterning of ivory or cream-colored markings. They are most abundant and diverse in habitats very often near bodi ...

'' Eschscholtz, 1829 *'' Cicindela amargosae'' Dahl, 1939 *'' Cicindela ancocisconensis'' T.W.Harris, 1852 *'' Cicindela arenicola'' Rumpp, 1967 *''

Cicindela arida ''Cicindela'', commonly known as common tiger beetles, are generally brightly colored and metallic beetles, often with some sort of patterning of ivory or cream-colored markings. They are most abundant and diverse in habitats very often near bodi ...

'' A.C.Davis, 1928 *'' Cicindela asiatica'' Audouin & Brullé, 1839 *'' Cicindela bellissima'' Leng, 1902 *'' Cicindela campestris'' Linnaeus, 1758 *'' Cicindela carolae'' Gage & McKown, 1991 *'' Cicindela clypeata'' Fischer von Waldheim, 1821 *'' Cicindela coerulea'' Pallas, 1773 *'' Cicindela colasiana'' Deuve, 2019 *'' Cicindela columbica'' Hatch, 1938 *''

Cicindela cyprensis ''Cicindela'', commonly known as common tiger beetles, are generally brightly colored and metallic beetles, often with some sort of patterning of ivory or cream-colored markings. They are most abundant and diverse in habitats very often near bodi ...

'' Mandl, 1944 *'' Cicindela decemnotata'' Say, 1817 *'' Cicindela denikei'' Brown, 1934 *'' Cicindela denverensis'' Casey, 1897 *'' Cicindela depressula'' Casey, 1897 *'' Cicindela desertorum'' Dejean, 1825 *'' Cicindela duodecimguttata'' Dejean, 1825 *'' Cicindela formosa'' Say, 1817 *'' Cicindela fulgida'' Say, 1823 *'' Cicindela gallica'' Brullé, 1834 *'' Cicindela gemmata'' Faldermann, 1835 *'' Cicindela georgiensis'' Deuve, 2011 *'' Cicindela granulata'' Gebler, 1843 *'' Cicindela herbacea'' Klug, 1832 *''

Cicindela hirticollis ''Cicindela'', commonly known as common tiger beetles, are generally brightly colored and metallic beetles, often with some sort of patterning of ivory or cream-colored markings. They are most abundant and diverse in habitats very often near bodi ...

'' Say, 1817 *'' Cicindela hybrida'' Linnaeus, 1758 *'' Cicindela iberica'' Mandl, 1935 *'' Cicindela japana'' Motschulsky, 1858 *''

Cicindela javetii ''Cicindela'', commonly known as common tiger beetles, are generally brightly colored and metallic beetles, often with some sort of patterning of ivory or cream-colored markings. They are most abundant and diverse in habitats very often near bodi ...

'' Chaudoir, 1861 *'' Cicindela lacteola'' Pallas, 1776 *''

Cicindela lagunensis ''Cicindela'', commonly known as common tiger beetles, are generally brightly colored and metallic beetles, often with some sort of patterning of ivory or cream-colored markings. They are most abundant and diverse in habitats very often near bodi ...

'' Gautier des Cottes, 1872 *'' Cicindela latesignata'' LeConte, 1851 *'' Cicindela lengi'' W.Horn, 1908 *'' Cicindela lewisii'' Bates, 1873 *'' Cicindela limbalis'' Klug, 1834 *'' Cicindela limbata'' Say, 1823 *'' Cicindela longilabris'' Say, 1824 *'' Cicindela lusitanica'' Mandl, 1935 *'' Cicindela majalis'' Mandl, 1935 *'' Cicindela maritima'' Dejean, 1822 *'' Cicindela maroccana'' Fabricius, 1801 *'' Cicindela monticola'' Ménétriés, 1832 *''

Cicindela montreuli ''Cicindela'', commonly known as common tiger beetles, are generally brightly colored and metallic beetles, often with some sort of patterning of ivory or cream-colored markings. They are most abundant and diverse in habitats very often near bodi ...

'' Deuve, 2012 *'' Cicindela nebraskana'' Casey, 1909 *'' Cicindela nigrior'' Schaupp, 1884 *''

Cicindela nordmanni ''Cicindela'', commonly known as common tiger beetles, are generally brightly colored and metallic beetles, often with some sort of patterning of ivory or cream-colored markings. They are most abundant and diverse in habitats very often near bodi ...

'' Chaudoir, 1848 *''

Cicindela ohlone ''Cicindela ohlone'', the Ohlone tiger beetle, is endemic to California. It was discovered in 1987 and named and described in 1993. ''C. ohlone'' is most closely related to '' Cicindela purpurea''. ''Cicindela ohlone'' ranges in length from wi ...

'' Freitag & Kavanaugh, 1993 *'' Cicindela oregona'' LeConte, 1856 *'' Cicindela parowana'' Wickham, 1905 *'' Cicindela patruela'' Dejean, 1825 *'' Cicindela pimeriana'' LeConte, 1867 *'' Cicindela plutonica'' Casey, 1897 *'' Cicindela pugetana'' Casey, 1914 *'' Cicindela pulchra'' Say, 1823 *'' Cicindela punctulata'' Olivier, 1790 *'' Cicindela purpurea'' Olivier, 1790 *'' Cicindela repanda'' Dejean, 1825 *'' Cicindela resplendens'' Dokhtouroff, 1887 *'' Cicindela restricta'' Fischer von Waldheim, 1828 *'' Cicindela rhodoterena'' Tschitscherine, 1903 *'' Cicindela sachalinensis'' A.Morawitz, 1862 *'' Cicindela sahlbergii'' Fischer von Waldheim, 1824 *'' Cicindela scutellaris'' Say, 1823 *'' Cicindela senilis'' G.Horn, 1867 *''

Cicindela sexguttata The six-spotted tiger beetle, also known as the six-spotted green tiger beetle (''Cicindela sexguttata''), is a common North American species of tiger beetle in the Cicindelinae subfamily. It is common in many areas of the states, and is well kno ...

'' Fabricius, 1775 *'' Cicindela soluta'' Dejean, 1822 *'' Cicindela songorica'' Motschulsky, 1845 *'' Cicindela splendida'' Hentz, 1830 *'' Cicindela sylvatica'' Linnaeus, 1758 *'' Cicindela sylvicola'' Dejean, 1822 *'' Cicindela talychensis'' Chaudoir, 1846 *'' Cicindela tenuicincta'' Schaupp, 1884 *'' Cicindela theatina'' Rotger, 1944 *'' Cicindela tranquebarica'' Herbst, 1806 *'' Cicindela transbaicalica'' Motschulsky, 1844 *''

Cicindela transversalis ''Cicindela'', commonly known as common tiger beetles, are generally brightly colored and metallic beetles, often with some sort of patterning of ivory or cream-colored markings. They are most abundant and diverse in habitats very often near bodi ...

'' Dejean, 1822 *'' Cicindela turkestanica'' Ballion, 1871 *'' Cicindela waynei'' Leffler, 2001 *''

Cicindela willistoni ''Cicindela'', commonly known as common tiger beetles, are generally brightly colored and metallic beetles, often with some sort of patterning of ivory or cream-colored markings. They are most abundant and diverse in habitats very often near bodi ...

'' LeConte, 1879

Gallery

File:Cicindela depressula ssp depressula Washington 081015.jpg, '' Cicindela depressula ssp depressula'' File:Cicindela duponti in Kadavoor.jpg, '' Cicindela duponti'' Image:Cicindelid bangalore.jpg, '' Cicindela aurofasciata'' Image:Cicindela.campestris.1809.jpg, '' Cicindela campestris'' Image:Cicindela chinensis flammifera MHNT.ZOO.2004.0.175.jpg, ''Cicindela chinensis'' Image:Dünen-Sandlaufkäfer.jpg, '' Cicindela hybrida'' File:Cicindela marginata Fabricius - ZooKeys-245-001-g012.jpeg, '' Cicindela marginata'' Image:Salt Creek Tiger Beetle.jpg, ''

Cicindela nevadica lincolniana The Salt Creek tiger beetle (''Cicindela nevadica lincolniana'') is a critically endangered species, endangered subspecies of tiger beetle endemic (ecology), endemic to the salinity, saline wetlands of northern Lancaster County, Nebraska, adjacent ...

'' Image:Green tiger beetle 1.jpg, ''

'' Image:Cicindela sexguttata - six-spotted tiger beetle - desc-iridescent in sunlight on ground.jpg, ''

'' Image:Cicindela sylvicola01.jpg, '' Cicindela sylvicola'' File:Cicindela tranquebarica.jpg, '' Cicindela tranquebarica'' File:Cicindela albissima.jpg, '' Cicindela albissima'' File:Cicindela clypeata.jpg, ''Cicindela clypeata''

Notes

References

* ''Northeastern Tiger Beetles: A Field Guide to Tiger Beetles of New England and Eastern Canada'' by Jonathan G. Leonard and Ross T. Bell. CRC Press (1999). * ''Tiger Beetles of Alberta: Killers on the Clay, Stalkers on the Sand'' by John Acorn. University of Alberta Press, 2001. * ''Tiger Beetles: The Evolution, Ecology, and Diversity of the Cicindelids'' by David L. Pearson and Alfried P. Vogler. Cornell University Press, 2001. * ''A Field Guide to the Tiger Beetles of the United States and Canada'' by David L. Pearson, C. Barry Knisley and Charles J. Kazilek. Oxford University Press, 2005.

External links

* {{Taxonbar, from=Q4165862 Taxa named by Carl Linnaeus