Imperial
College Departmentof Biology.Back to Beetle Research Group Homepage
David L. Pearson 1, Timothy G. Barraclough 2, AlfriedP. Vogler 2,3
1) Department of Zoology,ABSTRACT.
The known distribution of each of the 111 species of tiger beetles fromNorth America is
presented on a state and province outline map of the UnitedStates, Canada and extreme
northwestern Mexico.
CLICK HERE TO GO STRAIGHT TO MAPS
INTRODUCTION
Although considerable knowledge of the distribution of tiger beetlesin North America
has been accumulated, it has been published primarily inthe form of regional or
state-province studies. Studies of Canada (Wallis1961) and Mexico (Cazier 1954) are the
most extensive published data ontiger beetle distribution in North America, but they
exclude many of thespecies found in the USA, and more recent studies make even these
publisheddistributions incomplete. An increasing demand for more accurate knowledgeof
species distributions for studies in basic ecology, biogeography andconservation biology
led us to publish for the first time the known rangesfor each of 111 North American
species of tiger beetles.
Using a compilation of published regional data (Appendix),collection
data from specimens in museums and personal collections, we assembledthe most complete and
current distributional status possible for each tigerbeetle species. For convenience, we
have illustrated these geographic rangeswith maps instead of detailed written accounts or
descriptions. State andprovince boundary lines help define the range of each species
illustratedin shading. We include only tiger beetle species known to occur in NorthAmerica
north of the Mexican border, except for a small portion of the Mexicanstates of northern
Baja California Norte and northwestern Sonora adjacentto the border of the USA. Both of
these areas of Mexico are included becausethey are physically or biogeographically
associated with areas to the northin California and Arizona. For other North American
species whose rangesextend south of the USA border, the range maps also include their
distributionwithin the northern most states of Mexico.
Each of these distribution maps is an approximate outline defined by collectionsites at
the extreme edges of the species distribution. Although the outlinerepresents the known
range of each species, no species will occur everywherewithin the indicated range. There
are many areas within a distribution wherethe specific habitat for that species does not
exist and from which thespecies is thus absent. However, only when a species has an
obviously disjunctrange or is absent from significantly large intermediate areas will we
indicatethese absences on the range map. To help interpret these maps, we have
indicatedthe major habitat(s) in which each species occurs (Table 1). Several speciesare
renowned for long dispersal flights to areas in which they are not usuallypermanently
established. We display these temporary or seasonal dispersalsites with simple dots and
arrows from the nearest permanently establishedareas. Geographically isolated but
established subpopulations are shownwith a solid triangle and arrows from the most likely
origin within themain population. For a few species some borders of the distribution
areincompletely known. These areas are indicated with a question mark.
We incorporate distribution data for 111 species of four genera of tigerbeetles. We
consider the genera of Rivalier (1954) as subgenera within thegenus Cicindela (sensu
lato). We generally follow the taxonomy of Boyd etal. (1982) and Wiesner (1992). However,
in some cases recent molecular studies(Vogler and Pearson 1996) have elucidated a
different concept of severaltaxa. For instance, the Rivalier (1954) names Tribonia and
Pachydela, asbased on DNA analysis, are clearly within the subgenus Cicindela
(sensustricto). These DNA studies also indicate the taxon Dromochorus is at thesame level
as other subgenera within the genus Cicindela (sensu lato). Wealso consider the genus
Tetracha separate from Megacephala. The taxonomyof the genus Omus is complicated and under
studied. We follow Leffler (1979)and a conservative concept of the genus with the
understanding that futuretaxonomic studies will undoubtedly elucidate more than the five
specieswe recognize on the maps in this article.
We encourage those with new records and range extensions for North Americantiger beetles
to contact the first author (e-mailto Dave Pearson).
As additional records and changes in species distributionsare received and validated, they
will be added to the website maps to maintainthe most current and accurate data base
possible.
ACKNOWLEDGMENTS
We thank D. W. Brzoska, R. Freitag, R. C. Graves, R. L. Huber, M. G.Kippenhan, C. B. Knisley, and W. D. Sumlin for sharing their knowledge oftiger beetle distribution based on personal field experience. They alsoclosely reviewed early drafts of this article and the details of the rangemaps used here.
Amblycheila baroni Riversb,p (Fig. 30)
Amblycheila cylindriformis Saya,p (Fig. 30)
Amblycheila hoversoni Gagec,p (Fig. 30)
Amblycheila picolominii Reichea,p (Fig. 40)
Amblycheila schwarzi W. Hornb,p(Fig. 30)
Cicindela (Brasiella) wickhami W. Hornd (Fig. 22)
Cicindela (Cicindela) ancocisconensis T. W. Harrise(Fig. 15)
Cicindela (Cicindela) arenicola Rumppf (Fig. 22)
Cicindela (Cicindela) bellissima Lengg (Fig. 38)
Cicindela (Cicindela) columbica Hatche (Fig. 27)
Cicindela (Cicindela) decemnotata Saya,c,l (Fig.8)
Cicindela (Cicindela) denikei Brownh (Fig. 16)
Cicindela (Cicindela) denverensis Caseya,l (Fig.19)
Cicindela (Cicindela) depressula Casey e,g,i(Fig.25)
Cicindela (Cicindela) duodecimguttatad,e Dejean(Fig. 7)
Cicindela (Cicindela) formosa Sayf (Fig. 10)
Cicindela (Cicindela) fulgida Sayj (Fig. 11)
Cicindela (Cicindela) hirticollis Saye,g (Fig. 2)
Cicindela (Cicindela) latesignata Leconteg,k (Fig.27)
Cicindela (Cicindela) lengi W. Hornf (Fig. 24)
Cicindela (Cicindela) limbalis Kluga,l (Fig. 3)
Cicindela (Cicindela) limbata Sayf (Fig. 25)
Cicindela (Cicindela) longilabris Sayh,i (Fig. 6)
Cicindela (Cicindela) nebraskana Caseya,h,l (Fig.40)
Cicindela (Cicindela) nigrior Schauppf (Fig. 17)
Cicindela (Cicindela) ohlone Freitag & Kavanaugha(Fig. 33)
Cicindela (Cicindela) oregona Leconted (Fig. 7)
Cicindela (Cicindela) parowana Wickhamj (Fig. 3)
Cicindela (Cicindela) patruela Dejeanh (Fig. 14)
Cicindela (Cicindela) pimeriana Lecontea,d (Fig.31)
Cicindela (Cicindela) plutonica Caseya,c (Fig.31)
Cicindela (Cicindela) pugetana Caseyc (Fig. 32)
Cicindela (Cicindela) pulchra Saya (Fig. 39) .
Cicindela (Cicindela) purpurea Oliviera,h,i (Fig.1)
Cicindela (Cicindela) repanda Dejeand.e,f (Fig.5)
Cicindela (Cicindela) scutellaris Sayf (Fig. 16)
Cicindela (Cicindela) sexguttata Fabriciush (Fig.8)
Cicindela (Cicindela) splendida Hentz a,h,l (Fig.20)
Cicindela (Cicindela) tenuicincta Schauppj (Fig.38)
Cicindela (Cicindela) theatina Rotgerf (Fig. 21)
Cicindela (Cicindela) tranquebarica Herbstaa,d,e,f,h,j(Fig. 4)
Cicindela (Cicindelidia) abdominalis Fabriciusf,h(Fig. 11)
Cicindela (Cicindelidia) amargosae Dahld,j (Fig.39)
Cicindela (Cicindelidia) beneshi Aranguak (Fig.26)
Cicindela (Cicindelidia) cazieri Vogtc,m (Fig.20)
Cicindela (Cicindelidia) fera Chevrolate (Fig.34)
Cicindela (Cicindelidia) haemorrhagica Leconted,j,k(Fig. 35)
Cicindela (Cicindelidia) highlandensis Choatef,h(Fig. 17)
Cicindela (Cicindelidia) hornii Schauppa (Fig.25)
Cicindela (Cicindelidia) marginipennis Dejeane(Fig. 11)
Cicindela (Cicindelidia) nigrocoerulea Lecontea,d,j(Fig. 33)
Cicindela (Cicindelidia) obsoleta Saya (Fig. 14)
Cicindela (Cicindelidia) ocellata Klugd,e,j,k (Fig.23)
Cicindela (Cicindelidia) politula Lecontea,m (Fig.27)
Cicindela (Cicindelidia) punctulata Oliviera,d,e(Fig. 9)
Cicindela (Cicindelidia) rufiventris Dejeanh (Fig.22)
Cicindela (Cicindelidia) scabrosa Schauppf,h (Fig.23)
Cicindela (Cicindelidia) schauppi G. Horna,d,j,m(Fig. 35)
Cicindela (Cicindelidia) sedecimpunctata Klugd,e(Fig. 36)
Cicindela (Cicindelidia) senilis G. Hornd,k (Fig.5)
Cicindela (Cicindelidia) sommeri Mannerheime (Fig.4)
Cicindela (Cicindelidia) tenuisignata Leconted,e(Fig. 38)
Cicindela (Cicindelidia) trifasciata Fabriciusd,k(Fig. 6)
Cicindela (Cicindelidia) willistoni Lecontej (Fig.37)
Cicindela (Cylindera) celeripes Lecontea (Fig.18)
Cicindela (Cylindera) cinctipennis Lecontea,d (Fig.26)
Cicindela (Cylindera) cursitans Lecontea,d (Fig.23)
Cicindela (Cylindera) debilis Batesa (Fig. 12)
Cicindela (Cylindera) lemniscata Lecontea,d (Fig.8)
Cicindela (Cylindera) terricola Saya,d (Fig. 28)
Cicindela (Cylindera) unipunctata Fabriciush (Fig.19)
Cicindela (Cylindera) viridisticta Batesa,d (Fig.26)
Cicindela (Dromochorus) belfragei,l Salle (Fig.36) (incl.
pruininus Casey)
Cicindela (Dromochorus) pilatei Guerina,d (Fig.19)
Cicindela (Dromochorus) velutinigrens Johnsona(Fig. 40)
Cicindela (Ellipsoptera) blanda Dejeane (Fig. 20)
Cicindela (Ellipsoptera) cuprascens Lecontee (Fig.12)
Cicindela (Ellipsoptera) gratiosa Guerinf,h (Fig.14)
Cicindela (Ellipsoptera) hamata Audouin & Brulleg,k(Fig. 1)
Cicindela (Ellipsoptera) hirtilabris Lecontef,h(Fig. 13)
Cicindela (Ellipsoptera) lepida Dejeanf (Fig. 17)
Cicindela (Ellipsoptera) macra Lecontee (Fig. 13)
Cicindela (Ellipsoptera) marginata Fabriciusg,k(Fig. 18)
Cicindela (Ellipsoptera) marutha Dowd,e,j (Fig.29)
Cicindela (Ellipsoptera) nevadica Leconted,e,j(Fig. 32)
Cicindela (Ellipsoptera) puritana G. Horne,g (Fig.13)
Cicindela (Ellipsoptera) sperata Leconted,e (Fig.31)
Cicindela (Ellipsoptera) wapleri Lecontee (Fig.18)
Cicindela (Eunota) togata Lafertej,k (Fig. 15)
Cicindela (Habroscelimorpha) californica Menetriesj,k(Fig. 24)
Cicindela (Habroscelimorpha) circumpicta Lafertej(Fig. 34)
Cicindela (Habroscelimorpha) dorsalis Sayg (Fig.12)
Cicindela (Habroscelimorpha) fulgoris Caseyd,j(Fig. 28)
Cicindela (Habroscelimorpha) gabbi G. Hornk (Fig. 28)
Cicindela (Habroscelimorpha) pamphila Lecontek (Fig.7)
Cicindela (Habroscelimorpha) praetextata Leconted,e,j(Fig. 34)
Cicindela (Habroscelimorpha) rockefelleri Cazierk(Fig. 29)
Cicindela (Habroscelimorpha) severa Lafertek (Fig.4)
Cicindela (Habroscelimorpha) striga Lecontek (Fig.10)
Cicindela (Microthylax) olivacea Chaudoirn (Fig.9)
Cicindela (Microthylax) sinaloae Batesk (Fig. 5)
Cicindela (Opilidia) chlorocephala Chevrolatg (Fig.10)
Cicindela (Opilidia) macrocnema Chaudoirg (Fig.39)
Omus audouini Reicheo,p (Fig. 37)
Omus californicus Eschscholtzo,p (Fig. 29)
Omus cazieri van den Bergheo,p (Fig. 33)
Omus dejeani Reicheo,.p (Fig. 24)
Omus submetallicus G. Horno,p (Fig. 36)
Tetracha angustata Chevrolata,d,k,p (Fig. 2)
Tetracha carolina L.a,d,e,k,p (Fig. 3)
Tetracha virginica L.a,d,e,p (Fig. 21)
a grassy uplands
b boulder fields
c desert scrub
d inland muddy areas
e sandy and/or pebble inland beach
f sand dunes or sandy blowouts
g sandy ocean beach
h open forest floor
i alpine
j inland salt flats
k coastal tidal flats and muddy areas
l clay banks
m limestone outcropping
n coral stone beach
o dense forest floor
p nocturnal
APPENDIX
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A select list of regional distributional and taxonomic publications usedto help produce
range maps for North American tiger beetle species:
Acciavatti, R. E., B. R. Rotger and W. A. Iselin. 1979. Checklist of NewMexico Cicindela
with regional distributions. CICINDELA 11: 27-32.
Acciavatti, R.E., T. J. Allen and C. Stuart. 1992. The West Virginia tigerbeetles
(Coleoptera: Cicindelidae). CICINDELA 24: 45-78.
Bertholf, J. 1983. Tiger beetles of the genus Cicindela in Arizona
(Coleoptera:Cicindelidae). SPECIAL PUBLICATIONS 19, THE MUSEUM, TEXAS TECH UNIVERSITY,44
pp.
Boyd, H. P. 1978. The tiger beetles (Coleoptera: Cicindelidae) of New Jerseywith special
reference to their ecological relationships. TRANS. AMER. ENT.SOC. 104: 191-242.
Boyd, H. P. and Associates. 1982. ANNOTATED CHECKLIST OF CICINDELIDAE (COLEOPTERA),THE
TIGER BEETLES OF NORTH AND CENTRAL AMERICA AND THE WEST INDIES. PlexusPubl., Marlton, NJ.
31 pp.
Britton, W. E. 1920. Check list of the insects of Connecticut. CONNECTICUTGEOL. NAT. HIST.
SURVEY, BULL. 31: 1-397.
Carter, M. R. 1989. The biology and ecology of tiger beetles (Coleoptera:Cicindelidae) of
Nebraska. TRANS. NEBRASKA ACAD. SCI. 17: 1-18.
Cazier, M. A. 1954. A review of the Mexican tiger beetles of the genus
Cicindela(Coleoptera, Cicindelidae). BULL. AMER. MUS. NAT. HIST. 103: 227-310.
Ciegler, J. C. 1997. Tiger beetles of South Carolina (Coleoptera: Cicindelidae).COLEOP.
BULL. 51:177-192.
Davis, C. A. 1903. The Cicindelidae of Rhode Island. ENT. NEWS 14:270-273.
Drew, W. A. and H. W. van Cleave. 1961. The tiger beetles of Oklahoma (Cicindelidae).PROC.
OKLAHOMA ACAD. SCI. FOR 1961, pp. 101-122.
Dunn, G. A. 1981. Tiger beetles of New Hampshire. CICINDELA 13: 1-28.
Dunn, G. A. 1986. Tiger beetles of New England (Coleoptera: Cicindelidae).YOUNG ENT. SOC.
QUARTERLY 3: 27-41.
Eckhoff, D. E. 1939. The Cicindelidae of Iowa (Coleoptera). IOWA STATE COLLEGEJ. SCI.
13:201-230.
Fattig, P. W. 1949. The Carabidae or ground beetles of Georgia. EMORY UNIV.MUS. BULL. 7:
1-62.
Freitag, R. 1965. A revision of the North American species of the Cicindelamaritima group
with a study of hybridization between Cicindela duodecimguttataand oregona. QUAEST. ENT.
1: 87-170.
Gaumer, G. C. and R. R. Murray. 1971. Checklist of the Cicindelidae of Texaswith regional
distributions. CICINDELA 3:9-12.
Gilbertson, G. I. 1929. The Cicindelidae of South Dakota. PROC. SOUTH DAKOTAACAD. SCI. 29:
22-26.
Glaser, J. D. 1984. The Cicindelidae (Coleoptera) of Maryland. MARYLANDENT. 2: 65-76.
Gordon, W. M. 1939. THE CICINDELIDAE OF NEW YORK WITH REFERENCE TO THEIRECOLOGY. Master
Thesis, Cornell Univ., Ithaca, NY, 136 pp.
Graves, R. C. 1963. The Cicindelidae of Michigan (Coleoptera). AMER. MIDL.NAT. 69:
492-507.
Graves, R. C. 1964. The distribution of tiger beetles in Ontario
(Coleoptera:Cicindelidae). PROC. ENT. SOC. ONTARIO 95: 63-70.
Graves, R. C. and D. W. Brzoska. 1991. The tiger beetles of Ohio
(Coleoptera:Cicindelidae). BULL. OHIO BIOL. SURVEY, NEW SERIES 8: 1-42.
Graves, R. C., M. E. Krejci and A. C. F. Graves. 1988. Geographic variationin the North
American tiger beetle, Cicindela hirticollis, with a descriptionof five new subspecies
(Coleoptera: Cicindelidae). CAN. ENT. 120: 647-678.
Graves, R. C. and D. L. Pearson. 1979. The tiger beetles of Arkansas, Louisiana,and
Mississippi (Coleoptera: Cicindelidae). TRANS. AMER. ENTOMOL. SOC. 99:157-203.
Hilchie, G. J. 1985. The tiger beetles of Alberta (Coleoptera: Carabidae,Cicindelini).
QUAEST. ENT. 21: 319-347.
Hooper, R. R. 1969. A review of Saskatchewan tiger beetles. CICINDELA 1:1-5.
Huber, R. L. 1966. The Coleoptera of Minnesota. Part I: family Cicindelidae(tiger
beetles). NEWSLETTER ASSOC. MINNESOTA ENT. 1: 21-22.
Kaulbars, M. M. and R. Freitag. 1993. Geographic variation, classification,reconstructed
phylogeny, and geographic history of the Cicindela sexguttatagroup (Coleoptera:
Cicindelidae). CAN. ENT. 125: 267-316.
Kippenhan, M. G. 1994. The tiger beetles (Coleoptera: Cicindelidae) of Colorado.TRANS.
AMER. ENT. SOC. 120: 1-86.
Knisley, C. B., D. W. Brzoska and J. R. Schrock. 1987. Distribution, checklistand key to
adult tiger beetles (Coleoptera: Cicindelidae) of Indiana. PROC.INDIANA ACAD. SCI. 97:
279-294.
Knisley, C. B. and T.D. Schultz. 1997. in press
La Rivers, I. 1946. An annotated list of the Cicindelidae known to occurin Nevada.
PAN-PACIFIC ENT. 22: 135-141.
Larochelle, A. 1975. Les Carabidae du Quebec et du Labrador. DEPT. BIOL.COLL. BOURGET,
RIGAUD, QUEBEC, BULL. 1: 1-255.
Larochelle, A. 1972. The Cicindelidae of Quebec. CICINDELA 4: 49-66.
Larochelle, A. 1980. Cicindelidae of the Maritime provinces of Canada. CICINDELA12: 35-39.
Larson, D. J. and D. W. Langor. 1982. The carabid beetles of insular
Newfoundland(Coleoptera: Carabidae: Cicindelidae) - 30 years after Lindroth. CAN. ENT.14:
591-597.
Larson, P. R. 1981. The tiger beetles of North Dakota (Coleoptera: Cicindelidae).PROC.
NORTH DAKOTA ACAD. SCI. 35: 52.
Leffler, S. R. 1979. TIGER BEETLES OF THE PACIFIC NORTHWEST (COLEOPTERA:CICINDELIDAE). PhD
dissertation, Univ. of Washington, Seattle, Washington.731 pp.
Leffler, S. R. and D. L. Pearson. 1976. Tiger beetles of Washington. CICINDELA8: 21-60.
Leng, C. W. 1915. List of the Carabidae of Florida. BULL. AMER. MUS. NAT.HIST. 34:
559-601.
Lindroth, C. H. 1954. Carabid beetles from Nova Scotia. CAN. ENT. 86: 299-310.
Lding, H. P. 1910. Catalogue of the beetles of Alabama. GEOL. SURVEY ALABAMA,MONOGR. 11.
172 pp.
Maser, C. and F. M. Beer. 1984. Notes on cicindelid habitats in Oregon.CICINDELA 16:
39-60.
Nagano, C. D. 1982. Population status of the tiger beetles of the genusCicindela
(Coleoptera: Cicindelidae) inhabiting the marine shoreline ofSouthern California. ATALA 8:
33-42.
Rivalier, E. 1954. Demembrement du genre Cicindela LinnÈ II. FauneamÈricaine. REVUE
FRAN«AISE D'ENTOMOLOGIE 21: 249-263.
Rumpp, N. L. 1956. Tiger beetles of the genus Cicindela in southwesternNevada and Death
Valley, California, and description of two new subspecies(Coleoptera-Cicindelidae). BULL.
SO. CALIFORNIA ACAD. SCI. 55: 131-144.
Schincariol, L. A. and R. Freitag. 1991. Biological character analysis,classification, and
history of the North American Cicindela splendida Hentzgroup taxa (Coleoptera:
Cicindelidae). CAN. ENT. 123: 1327-1353.
Sherman, F, Jr. 1904. List of the Cicindelidae of North Carolina, with noteson the
species. ENT. NEWS. 15: 26-32.
Shook, G. A. 1984. Checklist of tiger beetles from Idaho (Coleoptera: Cicindelidae).GREAT
BASIN NAT. 44: 159-160.
Spanton, T. G. 1988. The Cicindela sylvatica group: geographic variationand classification
of the Nearctic taxa, and reconstructed phylogeny andgeographical history of the species
(Coleoptera: Cicindelidae). QUAEST.ENT. 24: 51-161.
Sumlin, W. D., III. 1991. Studies on the Mexican Cicindelidae II: two newspecies from
Coahuila and Nuevo Leon (Coleoptera). CICINDELIDAE: BULL. WORLWIDERESEARCH 1: 1-9.
Tanner, V. M. 1929. The Coleoptera of Utah - Cicindelidae. PAN-PACIFIC ENT.6: 78-88.
Vogler, A. P. and D. L. Pearson. 1996. A molecular phylogeny of the tigerbeetles
(Cicindelidae): congruence of mitochondrial and nuclear rDNA datasets. MOLECULAR
PHYLOGENETICS AND EVOLUTION 6: 321-338.
Wallis, J. B. 1961. THE CICINDELIDAE OF CANADA. University of Toronto Press,Toronto. 74
pp.
Wiesner, J. 1992. VERZEICHNIS DER SANDLAUFKFER DER WELT. Verlag Erna Bauer,Keltern. 364
pp.
Willis, H. L. 1967. Bionomics and zoogeography of tiger beetles of salinehabitats in the
central United States (Coleoptera: Cicindelidae). UNIV.KANSAS SCI. BULL. 47: 145-313.
Willis, H. L. 1970. The Cicindelidae of Kansas. CICINDELA 2: 1-27.
Wilson, D. A. and A. E. Brower. 1983. The Cicindelidae of Maine. CICINDELA15: 1-33.