Biodiversity-indicators

Guides

• Cicindelinae

  tiger beetles

  Cicindelinae is a subfamily of predatory beetles commonly known as tiger beetles. Adults are characterized by large eyes, long slender legs, and powerful mandibles adapted for capturing fast-moving prey. They exhibit a distinctive run-stop-run hunting pattern necessitated by their visual processing limitations at high speeds. The subfamily contains approximately 2,822 species in 120 genera distributed worldwide, though they are most diverse in tropical and subtropical regions. Many species show strong habitat specificity, with some restricted to particular sand dune systems, riparian zones, or rock outcrops.

  ColeopteraCarabidaetiger-beetlespredatory-beetlesCicindelinaeAdephagametallic-beetlessand-dune-endemicsriparian-beetlesextremophilesbiocontrolbiodiversity-indicatorsfast-running-insectsvisual-predatorsstructural-colorationterrestrial-beetlesground-beetlesinsect-taxonomyconservationentomology

• Lepidoptera

  Butterflies and Moths, Lepidopterans

  Lepidoptera is an order of winged insects comprising approximately 180,000 described species across 126 families and 46 superfamilies, making it the second largest insect order after Coleoptera. The group includes butterflies and moths, distinguished by scaled wings and bodies, complete metamorphosis with caterpillar larvae, and a coiled proboscis in most adults for liquid feeding. The order originated in the Triassic-Jurassic boundary around 200 million years ago and has coevolved extensively with flowering plants.

  scaled-wingscomplete-metamorphosispollinatorsagricultural-pestssilkwormmonarch-butterflymigrationmimicrycamouflagebiodiversity-indicators