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Abstract:
23 tiger beetle species are reported from the study area covering about 10 km2. Cylindera lutaria, Habrodera nilotica, Lophyridia fimbriata and Myriochile flavidens are recorded for the first time from the Ivory Coast. Euryarthron planatoflavum is recorded for the first time from Upper Volta. One new species (Dromicoida elegantia was discovered (Werner 1995). The study site supports a species-rich tiger beetle fauna, which is caused by a highly diverse habitat mosaic. Only very few species are restricted to the Ivory Coast and adjacent countries, many reach as far as Central or East Africa. Possible explanations for this pattern are discussed. Tiger beetles are members of a carnivorous arthropod guild which hunt at very high temperatures. Because of the extreme environmental conditions there are very few competitors. Moreover, tiger beetles seem to compete mostly with sympatric congeners because of very similar life histories. The specific habitat preferences of each species are analysed and the Hutchinsonian ratios of sympatric tiger beetles with respect to mandible length compared. It is shown that species which occur in the same habitat and exhibit a similar behaviour generally follow the predicted character divergence. In contrast, sympatric species with different micro-habitat preferences show only minor divergence. These results are discussed as a response to reduce competition.
