Zoom Gallery head image

By Dr. Biology

Tiger Beetle Zoom Gallery (Up-close with tiger beetles)

Some of the fastest animals on Earth are below. That’s right, if these tiny insects were as large as a horse they would be running 200 miles an hour. These tiger beetles were captured using a special microscope and software that takes many pictures at different depths and then builds a single sharp image. The work was done at the International Institute for Species Exploration. A special thanks to April Ramirez for her help with this gallery and to David Pearson for loaning these specimens from his personal collection. Images by CJ Kazilek.

Bicolored Mound dwelling Tiger Beetle imageKlug's Xanthine Tiger Beetle imageWhite Sand Tiger Beetle imageGiant Riverine Tiger Beetle image
Cheilonycha auripennis
Bicolored Mound dwelling Tiger Beetle
Bolivia
Phaeoxantha klugii
Klug’s Xanthine Tiger Beetle
Bolivia
Chaetodera albina
White Sand Tiger Beetle
Northern India
Calochroa octonotata
Giant Riverine Tiger Beetle
Northern India
Beautiful Tiger Beetle imageTeak Tiger Beetle imageCarolina Metallic Tiger Beetle imageStout Tiger Beetle image
Cicindela pulchra
Beautiful Tiger Beetle
Southwestern USA
Pancallia angulicollis
Teak Tiger Beetle
South India
Tetracha carolina
Carolina Metallic Tiger Beetle
Southern North America
Pseudotetracha corpulenta
Stout Tiger Beetle
Western Australia
Bolivian Ornate tiger Beetle imageBroad-winged Manticora imageCream-edged Tiger Beetle imageGounell's Trunk Tiger Beetle image
Pometon bolivianus
Bolivian Ornate Tiger Beetle
Bolivia
Manticora latipennis
Broad-winged Manticora
South Africa
Habroscelimorpha circumpicta
Cream-edged Tiger Beetle
Southwestern USA
Tricondyla gounellei
Gounell’s Trunk Tiger Beetle
Southern India

In case you are wondering why there are grey lines on each image, they are used to show the size of each tiger beetle. Microscopists call these lines scale bars, because they let a person know the size of an object. All the grey lines below are equal to 5 millimeters, or half a centimeter.

Two wet apples still attached to the tree
When Does a Theory Become a Fact?

Be Part of
Ask A Biologist

By volunteering, or simply sending us feedback on the site. Scientists, teachers, writers, illustrators, and translators are all important to the program. If you are interested in helping with the website we have a Volunteers page to get the process started.

Donate icon  Contribute

 

Share to Google Classroom