A FIELD GUIDE TO THE

David L. Pearson | Jürgen Wiesner TIGER OF INDIA Robert E. Acciavatti | V. P. Uniyal IDENTIFICATION AND BIOLOGY OF THE CICINDELIDAE Alexander Anichtchenko

This Field Guide to the Tiger Beetles of India is the first definitive identification guide to all 241 species of tiger beetles known to occur in India. Its descriptions of habitats, behaviour, and ecology make available a group of spectacular for both amateur enthusiasts and professional biologists to observe and study. In addition to their value as a hobby, with this field guide tiger beetles can now better serve as a valuable tool for understanding

$),(/'*8,'(727+( general patterns of biodiversity, biogeography, and conservation within India. 7,*(5 Featured in this field guide are: %((7/(6 · A list of common names 2),1',$ · The latest taxonomic revisions &@AJPEł?=PEKJ=J@ EKHKCU KBPDA E?EJ@AHE@=A · Thirty-two colour plates with images of all Indian species and subspecies · Identification keys and general descriptions of species characteristics

'DYLG/3HDUVRQ|-UJHQ:LHVQHU · Distribution maps with the known range of each species within India 5REHUW($FFLDYDWWL| 938QL\DO $OH[DQGHU$QLFKWFKHQNR · Current knowledge of biology and seasonality

A Field Guide to the Tiger Beetles of India: Identification and Biology of the Cicindelidae Plate 1 David L. Pearson is a Research Professor at 1 Plate 1 the Arizona State University, Tempe, USA. He

The Appeal of Tiger Beetles 5mm 5mm has conducted research on tiger ecology, biogeography, and their uses in mathematical From North and South America to Asia and Australia a passion for tiger beetles has taken many otherwise normal people into an exciting hobby. These enthusiasts can be found on weekends and holidays searching for tiger beetles along sandy ocean modelling worldwide. For six years he ran field beaches, on the floor of teak plantations, and across alpine meadows. Others can be found crawling on elbows and knees in the piercing heat of Rajasthan for close-up photos of a green species. A few sit or kneel patiently on the white sands of a Goa studies on these beetles throughout India in ocean beach taking notes about the foraging behavior of a long-legged running in amongst sun bathing tourists. Tiger beetles elicit a passion in people that can last a life time. Only a few of cooperation with professors and students from Chandigarh (Panjab these tiger beetle devotees are professional entomologists. Most are non-scientists, Metallic Tiger Beetles and Arboreal Tiger Beetles 1 such as bankers, lawyers, and policemen, who are passionate enough about their 2 hobby to fill their weekends, vacations, and any time off with pursuits of six-legged Metallic Tiger Beetles, Grammognatha adventure and discovery. University) and Bengalaru (University of Agricultural Sciences). Reasons for this passion about tiger beetles are varied, but all seem to be 1 Eurasian Metallic Tiger Beetle, Grammognatha euphratica Widespread in southern Europe and southwestern Asia, rare in northwest desert of India. Large, robust, metallic green with maroon surrounded by mystery. There is likely to be some kind of physical attraction reflections. Large yellow spot on back half of each elytron, legs yellow. (p.30) produced by tiger beetles, but it difficult to define exactly what it is and how it has 5mm captured the interest of so many people regardless of whether they are being paid Arboreal Tiger Beetles, Tricondyla 5mm 5mm for it or not. All we know is that this depth of interest and curiosity is not logical. 2 Pleated Arboreal Tiger Beetle, Tricondyla femorata Southern India and Sri Lanka. Black You have to personally encounter tiger beetles to discover if this passion lies inside and shiny. Long cylinder-like thorax with slight constriction at neck. Elytra with fine wrinkles Jürgen Wiesner is a retired Section Manager for you, too. For some, it is seeing a group of spectacularly-coloured specimens pinned running across width. (p. 32) in perfect rows in a glass-topped drawer. For many others, it is noticing a live tiger beetle for the first time as a flash of bright color along a forested path, or 3 Satin Arboreal Tiger Beetle, Tricondyla gounellei Endemic to southern India. Black and Volkswagen Group in Wolfsburg, Germany. He is one perhaps pursuing several, gaudy individuals along a river bank, or suddenly spying velvet-like. Long cylinder-like thorax with slight constriction at neck. Elytra with shallow, uniform pits. (p. 32) a cryptically coloured specimen in some other place that you may have been taken for granted until this moment. Whatever first caught a person’s attention, we know 4 Thick-necked Arboreal Tiger Beetle,Tricondyla macrodera Northeastern India to Vietnam. of the world’s leading taxonomists on tiger beetles and that people with an interest in tiger beetles have felt fulfilled in the pursuit of their Brown and shiny. Relatively short and thick thorax with deep constriction at neck. Elytra wrinkled passion, even if the uninitiated may see it as little more than an obsession. on front half and smooth towards rear. (p. 33) The main reason we wanted to write this field guide was to persuade others 5 Lumpy Arboreal Tiger Beetle, Tricondyla tuberculata Northeastern India to Myanmar. Dull that tiger beetles are special. The book should energize an interest in tiger beetles has published more than 150 articles on this group of black to dark brown. Relatively short thorax with moderate constriction at neck. Elytra deeply by amateurs and professionals alike because it serves as the first combined source of wrinkled in front and distinctly pitted towards rear. (p. 33) illustrated identification, natural history, and distribution for all the species of tiger 3 nd beetles known to occur in India. 208 beetles. He is presently writing the 2 edition of the To organize this book we relied on popular styles of tiger beetle field guides 4 A Field Guide to the Tiger Beetles of the previously published from other parts of the world. These guides have proven to be 5 an important means to popularize more technical material developed by specialists Checklist of the Tiger Beetles of the World. and communicate information to a wider audience of amateur readers. The two 209 publications we most heavily relied on were A Field Guide to the Tiger Beetles of India: Identification and Biology of the Cicindelidae Robert E. Acciavatti is a retired Forest Entomologist Subfamily Cicindelinae, Tribe Megacephalini Subfamily Collyrinae, Tribe Collyrini Metallic Tiger Beetles, genus Grammognatha Arboreal Tiger Beetles, genus Tricondyla Species Accounts

Many authors treat Megacephala as a Pantropical genus. Others, however, restrict from the US Forest Service. He presently is a These long, narrow beetles are all blackish, flightless with fused elytra, and primarily the name Megacephala to several species in Africa. We follow these experts and arboreal and diurnal. They are limited to moist forests and resemble large ants. Some treat representatives of this group in Asia as a member of the distinct genus species are remarkably mimicked by late instar grasshoppers. They run up and down A Field Guide to the Tiger Beetles of India: Identification and Biology of the Cicindelidae Grammognatha. All Metallic Tiger Beetles are primarily nocturnal, and adults of the trunks of trees and move to the opposite side of the tree when threatened by a Research Associate in the Invertebrate Zoology most species are flightless or fly only weakly. Adults tend to be highly colourful predator. When pressed by danger, they will fall to the ground and remain still in the with bodies of metallic copper, blue and green predominating. Their legs, leaf litter. They also move between trees by walking across the ground. Larval burrows antennae and mouth parts are usually yellowish. Only a single species occurs in have been found in the bark of large trees, and the larvae are active primarily at night. Section of the Carnegie Museum of Natural History, Europe, North Africa and southwest Asia. Some species of this group hear sounds The 48 species of this genus occur throughout southeastern Asia to northern Australia. of prey calling from underground and have been proposed as natural control of Four species are known from India, one of which is endemic there. pests such as mole-crickets. Key I: Arboreal Tiger Beetles, genus Tricondyla Pittsburgh, USA. He has published numerous Eurasian Metallic Tiger Beetle, Grammognatha euphratica (Latreille and Dejean) Identification Key to Tricondyla Species (Plate 1) [Map 1] taxonomic articles on tiger beetles from Asia and 1a. Pronotum with the sides parallel as far Figure 2.2 Body (dorsal view) Identification: Length 18 - 22.5 mm. Body robust with the upper surface metallic as the apical constriction (Fig. 6.1) of adult tiger beetles with green with maroon reflections. A large ovoid yellow area covers the back one-third structures identified ((Reprinted Tiger Beetles: The evolution, 1b. from of each elytron. The antennae, legs, and palpi are yellowish. The heavy mandibles Pronotum with the sides more or less 2 the Americas. ecology and diversity of the are yellow with blackish tips. Unlikely to be confused with any other species in widened and rounded, and more cicindelids, by Pearson & Vogler India. or less convergent before the apical © 2001 by Cornell University. 3 Used by permission of the Subspecies and morphological variants: The inland southwest Asia population constriction (Fig. 6.2) publisher, Cornell University that exists in northern India as blue individuals is often assigned to the subspecies Press). G. e. armenica. Distribution and habitats: Spain and V. P. Uniyal is a Senior Professor and Scientist-G Morocco east across northern Africa and foveae), patterns of small southern Europe to southwestern Asia. In India this species is known only from Agra impunctate) areas, or raised areas in the Wildlife Institute of India, Dehradun. He the most commonly used identification characters to distinguish the majority of (Uttar Pradesh). Occurs along coastal salt tiger beetle species. These elytrarugae characters), smooth include: ( 1) a variety of surface textures flats and inland salt marshes and oases. Figure 6.1 (microsculpture) that include large individual punctures ( Behaviour: Adults are active only at night, Sides of thorax (pronotum) relatively parallel and straight-sided. has been involved in ecological studies on high pits (punctation), grooves ( and although they have wings, they rarely Figure 6.2 (undulations) and tiny saw-like teeth (microserrations) and spines on the rear edge Sides of thorax (pronotum) use them. They can most frequently be 2a. (1a.) conspicuously widened and rounded. of the elytra; 2) shape viewed from above (parallel-sided, rounded, oval); 3) profile seen running along wet sand beaches and Pronotum strongly striated transversely viewed from the side (domed, flattened); 4) dark background colour and texture muddy flats at night. They are attracted to altitude insect diversity and identifying insects, 2b. (shiny, metallic, dull); 5) the pattern, colour, and position of spots, lines and stripes night lights. The larvae are known only from Pronotum finely striated transversely Pleated Arboreal Tiger (maculations) or their absence (immaculate). Beetle, Tricondyla femorata captive breeding, but presumably both The flight wings are membranous with a distinctive framework of thickened 3a. (1b.) larvae and adults occur in similar habitats. Map 1 Eurasian Metallic Tiger Beetle, Elytral sculpture strong and granular Satin Arboreal Tiger Beetle, including tiger beetles, as indicators for biodiversity ridges (veins). Modifications of vein structures allow for a triple folding so that the Seasonality: Adult activity in southwest Grammognatha euphratica. Tricondyla gounellei flight wings can be stored completely under the elytra. In some flightless species, 3b. Asia is limited to the warm, wet monsoon Elytral sculpture moderately shallow, Lumpy Arboreal Tiger these flight wings are shrunk or even totally absent with permanently fused elytra. Beetle, Tricondyla tuberculata The prominent and protruding legs (Fig. 2.3) of tiger beetles are thin, and season from July to September. formed by transverse wrinkles in the monitoring in protected areas of northern India. anterior half, apex nearly smooth Thick-necked Arboreal Tiger long for fast running. Leg colour, setae abundance (thick or sparse), position along 30 Beetle, Tricondyla macrodera segments, and type (erect or flattened, straight or hooked) and relative leg size (both to the overall size of the tiger beetle, as well as, between the lengths of the tarsi) of the front legs. His studies on insect conservation in the Himalayan region have several segments comprising the same leg) are sometimes important as identifying characters. Males of all species have thickened white pads of long curved setae on 31 several of their segmented feet ( provided many new insights into their biology and usefulness in 8 management plans. Free postage Year : 2020, Pages : viii, 316, ISBN : 978-81-211-0933-8 through Registered Alexander Anichtchenko is a Senior Scientific Binding : Soft Bound, Size : Demi, Price : Indian Rs 695.00 Post Investigator and Curator of the Coleoptera Collection in the Institute of Life Sciences and The order for the book “ A Field Guide to the Tiger Beetles of India Identification Technologies, Daugavpili, Latvia. He was also the and Biology of the Cicindelidae” can be sent by Post, Phone, Fax or E-mail to scientific illustrator in the Publishing House of the M/s Bishen Singh Mahendra Pal Singh, 23 A Connaught Place, Dehra Dun 248001, Museo Nacional de Ciencias Naturales de Madrid, Uttarakhand, INDIA, Ph: +91 135 2715748, Fax: +91 135 2715107, Email: [email protected] Spain, and produced the colour plates in this field guide. He has published several taxonomic articles on tiger beetles and is author The payment may be sent through bank draft/Multicity At par cheque, drawn in of the international web project “Carabidae of the World”, http:// favour of M/s Bishen Singh Mahendra Pal Singh, payable at Dehradun, or through www.carabidae.org. bank transfer to our following bank accounts or through BharatQR/UPI/BHIM RuPay

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