Genus

Amblycheila

8 species

*Amblycheila* is the largest genus of tiger beetles in North America, with robust, cylindrical bodies reaching 37 mm in length. These wholly matte-black, flightless-looking hunters are strictly nocturnal, prowling compacted soils and open arid ground under cover of darkness. Eight species range across the arid southwestern United States and northern Mexico, where larvae develop in deep vertical burrows in the soil.

Diagnosis

DIAGNOSIS — *Amblycheila* Say, 1830 Body large, 30–37 mm; elongate-cylindrical, length:width ratio >3.0. Dorsum entirely matte black to dark brown; no metallic iridescence. Head broad; labrum elongate. Eyes moderate. Fully winged. Strictly nocturnal. Habitat: open arid ground on compacted soil, sand, or gravel; larvae in vertical soil burrows. Nearctic distribution (SW USA, N Mexico). Sole Nearctic genus of Manticorini; matte coloration and elongate form shared with Afrotropical manticorines but combination of Nearctic range + body size 30–37 mm + nocturnal activity is diagnostic.

Etymology

From Greek *amblýs* (blunt, obtuse) + χεῖλος (lip) — "blunt-lipped", referring to labral form.

Total taxa

Species

Subspecies

Species (8)

Distribution map — GBIF occurrences

GBIF · © OpenStreetMap · © CartoDB

Overview

Type species: Amblycheila cylindriformis Say, 1830 [by monotypy]

1. Wiesner, J. (2020) — checklist authority 2. Say, T. (1830) — original genus description 3. Pearson, D.L., Knisley, C.B., Duran, D.P. & Kazilek, C.J. (2015) — Field Guide USA & Canada — current treatment 4. Pearson, D.L. & Vogler, A.P. (2001) — Manticorini phylogenetics 5. Knisley, C.B., Kippenhan, M.G. & Brzoska, D. (2014) — Conservation status of United States tiger beetles. Terrestrial Arthropod Reviews 7(2-4): 93-145. 6. Bousquet, Y. (2012) — Catalogue of Geadephaga (Coleoptera, Adephaga) of America, north of Mexico. ZooKeys 245: 1-1722. DOI: 10.3897/zookeys.245.3416 [comprehensive Nearctic catalogue including Cicindelidae] 7. Duran, D.P. & Gough, H.M. (2020) — Validation of tiger beetles as distinct family (Cicindelidae) and reclassification within Coleoptera. Systematic Entomology 45(4): 723-729. DOI: 10.1111/syen.12440 [validates Cicindelidae as separate family] 8. Gough, H.M., Duran, D.P., Kawahara, A.Y. & Toussaint, E.F.A. (2018) — A comprehensive molecular phylogeny of tiger beetles (Coleoptera, Carabidae, Cicindelinae). Systematic Entomology 43(3): 567-586. DOI: 10.1111/syen.12324 [ML phylogeny of 328 taxa, 9 gene regions] 9. Wiesner, J. (2020) — Checklist of the Tiger Beetles of the World, 2nd edition (Verzeichnis der Sandlaufkäfer der Welt, 27. Beitrag zur Kenntnis der Cicindelidae). Winterwork, Borsdorf, 534 pp. [Authoritative current world checklist] +10 citations · full list in paid edition