Spatial and temporal distribution of a tiger beetle guild (Coleoptera: Carabidae: Cicindelinae) along a 105m long transect in the reserva florestal A. Ducke near Manaus (Central Amazonia)

Abstract

-The spatial and temporal distribution of a guild of eight diurnal tiger beetle species was studied on a 105 m long transect near the field station of the Reserva Florestal A. Ducke near Manaus (AM), Brazil. The transect followed a path that included both shaded and an open areas. Five of the species, restricted to primary forest, occurrred only in shaded areas of the transect, and three species occurred in open areas. Of all eight species only two of the open habitat species showed no clear seasonality in adult activity. In six species the activity of adults was limited to the rainy season. The most pronounced annual rhythm was found in Pentacomia ventralis, an open habitat species. Activity of adults was limited to October/November. First instar larvae appeared shortly thereafter. Larval development mainly took place from January to May. The third instar larva entered a dormancy which lasted up to 10 months, and which

Carabid beetle assemblages in three environments in the Araucaria humid forest of southern Brazil

“…Different abiotic factors can thus influence the activity of carabid beetles and associated taxa in different climates. Among these factors, temperature had a strong influence on richness, contrary to what Paarmann et al (1998) found, in which rainfall was decisive for variation in the assemblages of cicindeline beetles in the Amazon. This sort of difference has been attributed to the affinity and adaptation by local species to their habitats (Erwin et al 2005).…”