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Home/ Megacephalini / Phaeoxantha / Phaeoxantha cruciata cruciata
partial NE subspecies Endemic · BR large Metallic

Phaeoxantha cruciata cruciata

(Bates, 1869)

Common name: Cruciata Tiger Beetle

Tribe
Megacephalini
Subtribe
Megacephalina
Bioregion
Neotropical
Countries
4
Body length
20 mm
Habitat
open-ground
Activity
nocturnal
Wings
macropterous

Distribution

Argentina (Buenos Aires, Chaco, Entre Rios), Paraguay, Bolivia, Brazil (Pará)

Open Sandy habitatBiome: Open arid
Provinces: Buenos Aires, Chaco, Entre Rios, Pará

Flight period

I

Active September–March (peak Oct–Dec)

Similar to: Resembles Aniara, Metriocheila, Tetracha
II
III
IV
V
VI
VII
VIII
IX
X
XI
XII

IX-III (rainfall-triggered, Neotropical wet season)

Full data available to subscribers

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Taxonomic notes

Original combination: [orig. comb.] cruciata pilosula (Bates, 1869) (Bates, 1869)

Originally described as cruciata pilosula (Bates, 1869); transferred to Phaeoxantha · Verified in Wiesner 2020 checklist

Synonym: Cicindela cruciata pilosula (Bates, 1869) [basionym]

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

Frequently asked

What is the Cruciata Tiger Beetle? ▾
Under the canopy of Amazonian forests, Phaeoxantha beetles emerge only after dark, their metallic bodies glinting as they hunt along sandy and clay-loam riverbanks. This Neotropical genus of eight species ranges across northern South America, from the Guiana Shield through the Amazon basin. Like o
Where does the Cruciata Tiger Beetle live? ▾
It specialises in open ground habitats. distributed across the Neotropical region. with records from Brazil