Cicindela floridana
Species of beetle
From Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia
Cicindela (Cicindelidia) floridana, or the Miami tiger beetle, is an endangered species of tiger beetle in the tribe Cicindelini.[2][3] It is restricted to the Miami area in Southern Florida, and is one of the rarest species of tiger beetle in the United States.[4][5]
| Cicindela floridana | |
|---|---|
Scientific classification  | |
| Kingdom: | Animalia |
| Phylum: | Arthropoda |
| Clade: | Pancrustacea |
| Class: | Insecta |
| Order: | Coleoptera |
| Suborder: | Adephaga |
| Family: | Cicindelidae |
| Genus: | Cicindela |
| Subgenus: | Cicindelidia |
| Species: | C. floridana |
| Binomial name | |
| Cicindela floridana Cartwright, 1939 | |
Appearance
Adults
The Miami tiger beetle is small, growing between 6.5–9 mm (0.26–0.35 in) in length, depending on sex.[6][7][8][9][10] The colour of the elytra varies; many individuals appear metallic green, but some may be bluish or copper, and may appear black without closer scrutiny.[7][8][11] The elytra have small indentations.[7]
Larvae
The larvae are grub-like and sedentary, with a metallic head and large mandibles. Their fifth segments are enlarged and have hooks, to keep the larva attached in its burrow.[8]
History
The Miami tiger beetle was first discovered and collected in 1934 by Frank N. Young, who sent some to the entomologist Oscar Cartwright.[7] Cartwright only formally described it five years later, as Cicindela abdominalis var. floridana, but no specimens were collected for nearly six decades.[7][11][12][10] In 2007, observations of the beetle were made in the Miami area.[7][12]
Habitat
The Miami tiger beetle is restricted to pine rockland habitat around the city of Miami.[4]