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Home/ Cicindelini / Ellipsoptera / Ellipsoptera hamata
free LC species Endemic · MX medium

Ellipsoptera hamata

(Horn, 1871)

Common name: Saltmarsh Tiger Beetle

Tribe
Cicindelini
Subtribe
Cicindelina
Bioregion
Nearctic / Neotropical
Countries
1
Body length
11 mm
Habitat
coastal-sandy
Activity
diurnal
Wings
macropterous

Distribution

Mexico (Campeche, Tabasco, Veracruz)

Coastal habitatBiome: Coastal sandy
Provinces: Campeche, Tabasco, Veracruz

Flight period

I

Active June–September (peak Jun–Aug)

Similar to: Resembles Beckerium, Brasiella, Cicindela
II
III
IV
V
VI
VII
VIII
IX
X
XI
XII

VI,VII,VIII,IX

Key diagnostic characters

DIAGNOSIS — *Ellipsoptera* Dokhtouroff, 1882 Body medium (9–15 mm), elongate-cursorial habitus. Head wider than pronotum; eyewith large, protuberant.

Precise distribution

MX

Confidence profile

geo:M|bio:H|morph:H|pheno:I|elev:I|obs:M

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Taxonomic notes

Original combination: [orig. comb.] hamata hamata (Horn, 1871) (Horn, 1871)

Originally described as hamata hamata (Horn, 1871); transferred to Ellipsoptera · Verified in Wiesner 2020 checklist

Synonym: Cicindela hamata hamata (Horn, 1871) [basionym]

Data quality: 75/100  ·  Source: GBIF; Wiesner2020; matrix-morphology  ·  Verified by V. Štrunc · Audited: 2026-05-13

Frequently asked

What is the Saltmarsh Tiger Beetle? ▾
Among the tiger beetles of North America, Ellipsoptera stands apart as a specialist of bare sandy shores — riverbanks, lakeshores, and coastal margins where few competitors venture. The roughly 14 species of this Nearctic genus are largely nocturnal hunters, their metallic bodies flashing under mo
Where does the Saltmarsh Tiger Beetle live? ▾
It specialises in coastal sandy habitats. distributed across the Nearctic / Neotropical region. with recor
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