Cicindela willistoni praedicta
Rumpp, 1956
Augured Tiger Beetle
Cicindela willistoni praedicta is a of tiger in the Carabidae. It is one of several tiger beetle inhabiting saline and salt flat in the arid western United States. is triggered by summer monsoonal rains, limiting activity to a brief post-monsoonal period. The subspecies exhibits strong microhabitat fidelity, primarily occupying areas immediately adjacent to water edges in salt lake environments.
Pronunciation
How to pronounce Cicindela willistoni praedicta: //sɪˈsɪn.də.lə ˈwɪl.ɪˌstoʊ.naɪ priˈɛd.k.tə//
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Habitat
Salt lake margins and saline playas, specifically in thick, wet mud immediately adjacent to water edges. Occupies microhabitats distinct from sympatric tiger , showing fidelity to the water's edge zone rather than drier vegetated areas or unvegetated damp sand further from water.
Distribution
North America; recorded from New Mexico (Torrance County, Laguna del Perro region) and other arid western localities in the United States.
Seasonality
active during post-monsoonal period (July) following summer rainfall-triggered . Activity period is relatively brief and tied to monsoon patterns.
Behavior
Exhibits microhabitat partitioning , occupying distinct zones within salt flat to minimize competition with sympatric tiger . This spatial segregation represents a mechanism for resource partitioning among multiple co-occurring tiger beetle .
Ecological Role
Predatory insect within saline wetland . Microhabitat specialization reduces competitive overlap with other tiger sharing the same general , contributing to local species coexistence.
Human Relevance
Subject of ecological research on partitioning and competitive exclusion in insect . Photographed and documented by researchers studying tiger diversity in New Mexico saline habitats.
Similar Taxa
- Cicindela (Cicindelidia) willistoni estanciaAnother of C. willistoni; estancia occupies similar water-edge microhabitats and may occur in overlapping geographic ranges, requiring careful examination of morphological characters for differentiation.
- Ellipsoptera nevadicaAlso occupies water-edge microhabitats in saline environments; differs in -level classification and likely in specific microhabitat preferences within the water-edge zone.
More Details
Habitat partitioning study
Documented in a 2009 study by David A. Melius at Laguna del Perro, New Mexico, where C. willistoni praedicta was one of eight tiger demonstrating distinct microhabitat preferences. The study illustrated how multiple tiger beetle species coexist in the same general by partitioning resources spatially.