cylindera

Cylindera is a genus of tiger beetles in the family Carabidae, subfamily Cicindinae. The genus comprises numerous species found in warm regions around the world. In many classifications, Cylindera is treated as a separate genus, though some sources retain it as a subgenus within Cicindela; taxonomic placement has shifted with revisions based on morphology and molecular data.

Description: Cylindera beetles are typically slender, with long legs and prominent eyes adapted for high-speed pursuit. Adults are often brightly colored with metallic hues—green, blue, bronze—and may bear white or yellow markings. Size typically ranges from about 5 to 15 millimeters, depending on species. Identification usually requires careful examination of morphological traits and, in some cases, male genitalia.

Distribution and habitat: The genus has a broad but patchy distribution, with numerous species in the Americas, Europe, Africa, and Asia. They inhabit open, sunny environments where the soil is friable enough to support burrows, such as sand dunes, riverbanks, roadsides, meadows, and clearings. Adults are active hunters during the day, while larvae live in vertical burrows in the soil and ambush passing prey.

Ecology and behavior: Cylindera species are predatory both as larvae and adults. They feed on small arthropods, relying on speed, agility, and keen vision. Reproduction involves eggs deposited in or near the soil; larvae undergo several molts before pupating, and emerging as adults.

Conservation and significance: Habitat disturbance and loss of open, sunny environments threaten some species. Because of their sensitivity to habitat quality, tiger beetles, including Cylindera, are used as bioindicators in ecological assessments. The genus is also of interest to naturalists for its often striking coloration and rapid flight.