World Tiger Beetles

Cicindelidae › Cicindelini › Cicindelina › Ellipsoptera › Ellipsoptera rubicunda

Ellipsoptera rubicunda

(LeConte, 1856) · Species

Reddish Tiger Beetle

Alkali Tiger Beetle (Ellipsoptera sperata), coastal sandy habitat, Nearctic region

Description

Reddish Tiger Beetle, 11mm, coastal sandy specialist, diurnal, Nearctic — tiger beetle data, photos & distribution.

Key characters

Head wider than pronotum; eyewith large, protuberant.

Diagnosis

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

Facts

Tribe
Cicindelini
Subtribe
Cicindelina
Body length
11 mm
Size class
medium
Habitat
coastal-sandy
Activity
diurnal
Wings
macropterous
Bioregion
Nearctic
Distribution
USA (Atlantic and Gulf coast), Bahamas, Cuba
Countries
United States, Bahamas, Cuba
Conservation
LC
Described by
LeConte, 1862

Phenology

Active May–September (peak Jun–Jul)

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Etymology

From Greek *élleipsis* (omission, deficiency) + *pterón* (wing) — referring to specific wing modifications; coined Dokhtouroff 1882.

FAQ

What is the Alkali 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 Alkali Tiger Beetle live?

It specialises in coastal sandy habitats. distributed across the Nearctic / Neotropical region. with records fro

External resources

Data quality score: 58 · tier C_gbif_only