SAND-DUNE TIGER BEETLES OF 
NORTHERN NEW ZEALAND COASTS 
(COLEOPTERA: CICINDELIDAE) 
K. A. J. WISE 
AUCKLAND INSTITUTE AND MUSEUM 
Abstract. This study of coastal tiger beetles was initiated to consider the 
occurrence of colour patterns on various sand colours. Historical records are 
included together with current collections around the northern coasts of the North 
Island. 
Early records are confused but current collections show that, in the species 
currently accepted as Neocicindela perhispida (Broun, 1880), three previously 
described subspecies, Neocicindela perhispida campbelli (Broun, 1886) on black 
ironsands on the more southern west coast, N.p. perhispida (Broun, 1880) on grey 
to cream sands on the northern west coast and N.p. giveni van Nidek, 1965 on very 
pale cream and glistening white sands in the far north, are one continuous series 
with the campbelli-perhispida change zone along Muriwai Beach and the 
perhispida-giveni along Ninety Mile Beach further north. Another species 
Neocicindela brevilunata (Horn, 1926) is found to be confined to the east coast 
south of Whangarei Hbr., from Marsden Pt. south to Pakiri on greyish-white 
sand-dunes. Differences in sand colour and composition are shown to correspond 
with differences in the distribution of coastal tiger beetles. Local and seasonal 
activity of these beetles are noted, colour and elytral colour patterns are described 
and the consideration of species and subspecies is discussed. 
Synonymic lists are provided for the two species together with details of 
specimens of the coastal tiger beetles in some overseas museums. The published 
records are compared. The results of these findings are discussed and compared 
with original descriptions of the two species elytral patterns which are shown to be 
two descriptions of the same species. 
Coastal sand-dune tiger beetles have been known in the northern half of the 
North Island of New Zealand (Fig. 1) since T. Broun (1880) described Cicindela 
perhispida which he recorded from Hokianga and Marsden Point. Broun (1886) also 
described Cicindela campbelli from the Waikato Heads. A third species, Cicindela 
brevilunata was described by W. Horn (1926b) who recorded one specimen from 
Hokianga. Later, E. Rivalier (1963) described a new genus, Neocicindela, for all New 
Zealand species of Cicindelidae and, subsequently, C.M.C.B. van Nidek (1965) 
described Neocicindela perhispida giveni as a new subspecies from Spirits Bay. The 
distribution of these original localities are shown on the accompanying map (Fig. 1). 
The present study originated when the author became aware from his own 
collecting (in the 1960s and 1970s) that the various elytral colours and patterns of the 
Rec. Auckland Inst. Mus.25:147-180 19 December 1988 
