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free NE species very large ★ 6.1 Aposematic

Manticora congoensis

(Bates, 1878)

Common name: Congo Giant Tiger Beetle

Tribe
Manticorini
Subtribe
?
Bioregion
Afrotropical
Countries
2
Body length
50 mm
Habitat
open-ground
Activity
nocturnal
Wings
apterous

Distribution

Angola, Democratic Republic of Congo (Katanga)

Open Sandy habitatBiome: Open arid
Provinces: Katanga

Flight period

I

Active October–April (peak Jan–Nov)

Similar to: Resembles Mantica, Platychile
II
III
IV
V
VI
VII
VIII
IX
X
XI
XII

X-IV (rainfall-triggered, Afrotropical wet season)

Key diagnostic characters

DIAGNOSIS — *Manticora* Fabricius, 1781 Body massive (40–65+ mm), the largest known cicindelids; habituwith robust, elongate-cylindrical. Dorsum entirely matte black to dark brown, lacking metallic ir

Precise distribution

AO, CG

Confidence profile

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

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Genera and Subgenera of Tiger Beetles

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Taxonomic notes

Original combination: Manticora gruti (Cassola, 2003)

Data quality: 76/100  ·  Source: GBIF; Wiesner2020; matrix-morphology  ·  Verified by V. Štrunc · Audited: 2026-05-13

Frequently asked

What is the Grut's Giant Tiger Beetle? ▾
Manticora Fabricius, 1792 is Africa's ultimate tiger beetle — the largest members of the family, reaching over 65 mm in body length. All species are flightless, matte black or dark brown, and prowl open arid ground after dark, hunting by sheer force rather than speed. Males bear hypertrophied, asy
Where does the Grut's Giant Tiger Beetle live? ▾
It specialises in open ground habitats. distributed across the Afrotropical region. with records fro
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