Tiger beetles (Coleoptera: Cicindelinae) of Davao Region, Mindanao, Philippines

Abstract

An assessment of tiger beetles in select mountains of Davao region including Mt. Hamiguitan (MHRWS), Marilog District (MD), Davao City (DC), Sta. Cruz Davao del Sur (SCD), and Davao de Oro (DO) is herein presented. Materials were collected between December 2017 and February 2019 through a combination of opportunistic and standard light trapping methods. Twenty-two species belonging to 9 genera were recorded with 64% endemic in the Philippines. Nine (9) species are recorded from MHRWS, 6 from MD, 8 from DC, 5 SCD, and 14 from DO (formerly Compostela Valley Province). Tiger beetles showed consistent habitat preferences particularly riparian species which includes the genera Calomera, Thopeutica, Therates, Prothyma, Cylindera, and Heptodonta. Strictly arboreal species include Tricondyla, Therates, and Neocollyris. Strict epigeic species include but not limited to the genera Calomera, Tricondyla, Thopeutica, Cylindera, Heptodonta, Neocollyris, and Prothyma. Endemic species such as Heptodonta lumawigi (Wiesner, 1980), Thopeutica (Thopeutica) anichtchenkoi (Wiesner 2015), Thopeutica (Thopeutica) milanae (Wiesner, 1992), Thopeutica (Thopeutica) rolandmuelleri Cassola, 2000 and Thopeutica petertaylori (Medina, Cabras, Wiesner, 2019) prefers a more intact forests while others such as Cylindera (Ifasina) discreta elaphroides (Dokhtouroff 1882), Calomera mindanaoensis (Cassola, 2000) and Necollyris sp. could tolerate disturbed secondary forest even agricultural lands. New distribution record for Heptodonta lumawigi (Wiesner, 1980) and Thopeutica (Thopeutica) milanae (Wiesner, 1992) for Marilog District were also recorded. Ecological data and conservation status of tiger beetles are also presented. Conservation actions are deemed necessary in the remaining green spaces in Davao City that hosts tiger beetle fauna should also be conducted.