Faculty of Computing, Sri Lanka Institute of Information Technology, New Kandy Road, Malabe 10115, Sri Lanka..
aculty of Computing, Sri Lanka Institute of Information Technology, New Kandy Road, Malabe 10115, Sri Lanka. .
Zootaxa. 2021 Nov 17;5068(3):378-398. doi: 10.11646/zootaxa.5068.3.3.
Twenty-nine species of arboreal tiger beetles are found in Sri Lanka of which 23 species are endemic. However, records of species dates back to many years and systematic studies are lacking. Considering the high percentage of endemic arboreal tiger beetle species of the country, and the pressure on their arboreal habitats due to accelerated development activities, it is imperative that the group is studied and conservation practices are implemented. Therefore, the present study was conducted to record the arboreal tiger beetle species currently prevailing in the country, their locations, habitat types, morphometric and morphological characters. The study was conducted from August 2017 to September 2020 for a duration of three years. Arboreal tiger beetles were collected by hand picking when encountered during visual survey, in eighty-five locations in Sri Lanka. Specimens were identified using standard taxonomic keys. Locational data, habitat types, morphometric and morphological characters were recorded and all species were photographed. Arboreal tiger beetles were recorded from 22 locations which represented all climatic zones and provinces, and 14 districts of the country. Nine species of three genera, Tricondyla (3 species), Derocrania (5 species), Neocollyris (1 species), were identified and six of the species were endemic. Derocrania scitiscabra was the most common and widely distributed species encountered in the study and was found mainly occupying lands that were cultivated. Tricondyla gounellei that had been known only from Southern India was recorded for the first time in Sri Lanka.
斯里兰卡有 29 种树栖虎甲，其中 23 种为特有种。然而，有关物种的记录可以追溯到很多年前，而且缺乏系统的研究。考虑到该国特有树栖虎甲种类的高比例，以及其树栖生境因加速发展活动而面临的压力，对该物种进行研究并实施保护措施是当务之急。因此，本研究旨在记录目前在该国流行的树栖虎甲种类、它们的位置、栖息地类型、形态和形态特征。该研究于 2017 年 8 月至 2020 年 9 月进行，为期三年。在视觉调查中遇到时，通过手动采集在斯里兰卡的 85 个地点收集树栖虎甲。使用标准分类学钥匙识别标本。记录了位置数据、栖息地类型、形态和形态特征，并对所有物种进行了拍照。在斯里兰卡的 22 个地点记录到树栖虎甲，这些地点代表了所有气候带和省份，以及该国的 14 个区。确定了三个属的 9 种，Tricondyla（3 种）、Derocrania（5 种）、Neocollyris（1 种），其中 6 种为特有种。在研究中遇到的最常见和分布最广的物种是 Derocrania scitiscabra，主要分布在耕地。以前只在印度南部发现的 Tricondyla gounellei 首次在斯里兰卡被记录到。
