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__NOTOC__ Tiger beetles are a large group of beetles known for their aggressive predatory habits and running speed. The fastest species of tiger beetle can run at a speed of 9 km/h (5.6 mph), or about 53.87 body lengths per second.〔(Cornell News, Jan. 16, 1998 When tiger beetles chase prey at high speeds they go blind temporarily, Cornell entomologists learn )〕 As of 2005, about 2,600 species and subspecies were known, with the richest diversity in the Oriental (Indo-Malayan) region, followed by the Neotropics.〔Pearson, D.L. & F. Cassola, 2005〕 ==Description== Tiger beetles often have large bulging eyes, long, slender legs and large curved mandibles. All are predatory, both as adults and as larvae. The genus ''Cicindela'' has a cosmopolitan distribution. Other well-known genera include ''Tetracha'', ''Omus'', ''Amblycheila'' and ''Manticora''. While members of the genus ''Cicindela'' are usually diurnal and may be out on the hottest days, ''Tetracha'', ''Omus'', ''Amblycheila'' and ''Manticora'' are all nocturnal. Both ''Cicindela'' and ''Tetracha'' are often brightly colored, while the other genera mentioned are usually uniform black in color. Tiger beetles in the genus ''Manticora'' are the largest in size of the subfamily. These live primarily in the dry regions of southern Africa. The larvae of tiger beetles live in cylindrical burrows as much as a meter deep. They are large-headed, hump-backed grubs that flip backwards to capture prey insects that wander over the ground. The fast-moving adults run down their prey and are extremely fast on the wing, their reaction times being of the same order as that of common houseflies. Some tiger beetles in the tropics are arboreal, but most run on the surface of the ground. They live along sea and lake shores, on sand dunes, around playa lakebeds and on clay banks or woodland paths, being particularly fond of sandy surfaces.〔Werner, K. 2000〕 Tiger beetles are considered a good indicator species and have been used in ecological studies on biodiversity. Several species of wingless parasitic wasps in the genus ''Methocha'' (family Tiphiidae), lay their eggs on larvae of various ''Cicindela spp.'', such as ''Cicindela dorsalis''.〔Burdick, D.J. and Wasbauer, M.S. 1959. Biology of ''Methocha californica'' Westwood (Hymenoptera: Tiphiidae). Wasmann Jour. Biol. 17:75-88. (Department of Environmental Conservation )〕 抄文引用元・出典: フリー百科事典『 ウィキペディア（Wikipedia）』 ■ウィキペディアで「tiger beetle」の詳細全文を読む スポンサード リンク
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