The tiger beetles (Coleoptera, Carabidae, Cicindelinae) of Israel and adjacent lands

Abstract

Based on field studies, museums collections and literature sources, the current knowledge of the tiger beetle fauna of Israel and adjacent lands is presented. In Israel eight species occur, one of them with two subspecies, while in the Sinai Peninsula nine species of tiger beetles are now known. In the combined regions seven genera from two tribes were found. The Rift Valley with six cicindelids species is the most specious region of Israel. Cylindera contorta valdenbergi and Cicindela javeti azari have localized distributions and should be considered regional endemics. A similarity analysis of the tiger beetles faunas of different regions of Israel and the Sinai Peninsula reveal two clusters of species. The first includes the Great Rift Valley and most parts of the Sinai Peninsula, and the second incorporates most regions of Israel together with Central Sinai Foothills. Five distinct adult phenological groups of tiger beetles can be distinguished in these two clusters: active all-year (three species), spring-fall (five species), summer (two species), spring-summer (one species) and spring (one species). The likely origins of the tiger beetle fauna of this area are presented. An annotated list and illustrated identification key of the Cicindelinae of Israel and adjacent lands are provided.

The tiger beetles (Coleoptera, Cicindelidae) of the southern Levant and adjacent territories: from cybertaxonomy to conservation biology

“…Adults found mainly in May (April to June, own observation, Matalin and Chikatunov 2016). No verifiable records for the long activity period reported by Nussbaum (1987).…”

“…As no verifiable records from the southern Levant have been preserved in SMNHTAU (including the recently transferred collection of Ptashkovsky), we treat the published records for C. deserticola as misidentifications (cf. Matalin and Chikatunov 2016), and do not include this species in the identification keys. Moreover, in SMNHTAU there are no Cephalota deserticola specimens with an identification label from Mandl (own observation).…”

“…Deuve 2011; Franzen 2007; Matalin and Chikatunov 2016), but the taxonomic status of some populations has not yet been completely resolved. We agree with Azadbakhsh and Nozari (2015) that this entire tiger beetle group from South-west Asia needs to undergo revision.…”

“…There have been several publications addressing the tiger beetle fauna of the Levant and the surrounding areas (e.g. Abdel-Dayem et al 2003; Ali 1978; Deuve 2011; 2012; Gebert 2016; Jaskuła and Rewicz 2014; Matalin and Chikatunov 2016; Nussbaum 1987). However, also after the recently published excellent study of the Israeli tiger beetles with an identification key (Matalin and Chikatunov 2016), there are still some open questions and topics:…”

“…(1) In the faunistic part of their work Matalin and Chikatunov (2016) addressed mostly older material (until the 1990s) of the Steinhardt National Collection of Natural History at the Tel Aviv University. Further records, especially from the last two decades, are available and must be taken into account.…”