BG1515 D0466 comp - Cicindela sexguttata

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Home » Guide » Arthropods (Arthropoda) » Hexapods (Hexapoda) » Insects (Insecta) » Beetles (Coleoptera) » Adephaga » Ground Beetles (Carabidae) » Tiger Beetles (Cicindelinae) » Flashy Tiger Beetles (Cicindelini) » Temperate Tiger Beetles (Cicindela) » Six-spotted Tiger Beetle (Cicindela sexguttata)

Photo#169365

Copyright © 2008 Gayle and Jeanell Strickland

BG1515 D0466 comp - Cicindela sexguttata

Decatur County, Georgia, USA
July 6, 2007
Size: body length 12.9 mm.

Be careful when describing the color of iridescent subjects. These are structual colors, and they change with viewing and lighting angles. Pigment based color is not affected by viewing and lighting angles, but rendition of digital photos containing pigment based color can be SERIOUSLY affected by white balance problems with digital cameras. But that is a different subject.

#1 was illuminated from near the camera position.
#2 was illuminated from above at a right angle to the camera position.
#3 was illuminated from beyond the subject. (backlit)

This is a common Tiger Beetle, probably Cicindela sexgutatta, posted to illustrate the tricky nature of iridesence.
Gayle

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Contributed by Gayle and Jeanell Strickland on 12 February, 2008 - 1:55pm
Last updated 2 March, 2008 - 9:52pm

Moved

Moved from Cicindela.

… Daniel P Duran, 12 February, 2008 - 4:38pm

C. sexguttata

Yes, this is C. sexguttata. Thanks for pointing out the problems with interpreting color! (however, in general situation #3 is pretty extreme and not common with specimens photographed in most natural outdoors situations) These photos (esp. 1 and 2) illustrate that subtle differences in color (i.e. blue vs. green) shouldn't be overinterpreted.

Color is generally not a reliable character in tiger beetle identification anyway, except in the broad sense (sexgutata range from green to violet... you'll never see a red or brownish specimen). Besides the artifacts of photography, there is a lot color variation in real populations and that is at least partly due to non-genetic environmental effects of conditions during development. - Dan

… Daniel P Duran, 12 February, 2008 - 4:38pm

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