Cicindela theatina
| Great Sand Dunes tiger beetle | |
|---|---|
.jpg)
| |
| Scientific classification | |
| Kingdom: | |
| Phylum: | |
| Class: | |
| Order: | |
| Family: | |
| Genus: | |
| Species: | C. theatina
|
| Binomial name | |
| Cicindela theatina Rotger, 1944
| |
Cicindela theatina, commonly known as the Great Sand Dunes tiger beetle, is a predatory beetle found in sparsely vegetated sandy habitats.[1] The species' range encompasses only about 290 square kilometres (110 sq mi) in the Great Sand Dunes National Park in Colorado.[2] Despite its small range, the species is relatively secure because its entire habitat is within a protected national park.[3]
The adults are about 13 millimetres (0.51 in) long and are readily distinguished by the violin-shaped marking on their backs and their iridescent green-blue heads.[1]
The insects live for approximately 2.5 years, with mating occurring in late May and larvae appearing the next month.[2] The larval stage lasts a little more than a year, with adults emerging the next July.[2]
References
- ^ a b "Insects, Spiders, Centipedes, Millipedes". Great Sand Dunes National Park & Preserve. National Park Service. Retrieved November 25, 2017.
- ^ a b c Pineda, Phyllis M.; Kondratieff, Boris C. (December 2003). "Natural History of the Colorado Great Sand Dunes Tiger Beetle, Cicindela theatina Rotger". Transactions of the American Entomological Society. 129 (3/4): 333–360. JSTOR 25078819.
- ^ Finley, Bruce (June 25, 2017). "How biologists are working to keep the Great Sand Dunes Tiger Beetle off the endangered species list". The Denver Post. Retrieved November 25, 2017.
 | This tiger beetle-related article is a stub. You can help Wikipedia by expanding it. |