Cicindelidae › Cicindelini › Cicindelina › Cicindela › Cicindela fontanea
Cicindela fontanea
Macleay, 1888 · Species
Fontanea Tiger Beetle
Description
Fontanea Tiger Beetle, 14mm, coastal sandy specialist, diurnal, Australasian — tiger beetle data, photos & distribution.
Key characters
Body 8–18 mm, elongate-cursorial; head wider than pronotum; eyes large, protuberant; ground color metallic with white maculation bands.
Diagnosis
DIAGNOSIS — Cicindela Linnaeus, 1758 Type genus of Cicindelidae. Body 8–18 mm, elongate-cursorial; head wider than pronotum; eyes large, protuberant; ground color metallic with white maculation bands.
Facts
- Tribe
- Cicindelini
- Subtribe
- Cicindelina
- Body length
- 14 mm
- Size class
- medium
- Habitat
- coastal-sandy
- Activity
- diurnal
- Wings
- macropterous
- Bioregion
- Australasian
- Distribution
- Zimbabwe, Mozambique
- Countries
- Zimbabwe, Mozambique
- Conservation
- NE
- Described by
- Bates, 1878
Phenology
Active October–April (peak Jan–Nov)
Etymology
From Latin *cicindela* (glow-worm, firefly) — used by Pliny the Elder for luminous insects; refers to the iridescent elytra (feminine).
FAQ
What is the Gemmifera Tiger Beetle?
Among Africa's most specialized tiger beetles, *Cicindela* (Austrocicindela) haunts the bark and wood of forest trees rather than open ground — a rare arboreal lifestyle in the family. Nocturnal hunters, their larvae develop in burrows within bark. This small subgenus of four species represents a st
Where does the Gemmifera Tiger Beetle live?
It specialises in coastal sandy habitats. distributed across the Afrotropical region. with records from Zi
External resources
GBIF · Wikipedia · iNaturalist
Data quality score: 72 · tier B_partial