{{short description|Genus of beetles}} {{Speciesbox | image = Apteroessa.jpg | genus = Apteroessa | parent_authority = Hope, 1838<ref name=hope /> | species = grossa | authority = (Fabricius, 1781) | synonyms = *''Cicindela grossa'' <small>Fabricius, 1781</small> }}
'''''Apteroessa grossa''''' is a species of tiger beetles in the family Cicindelidae, the sole species in the genus '''''Apteroessa''''' and described on the basis of a specimen from the Coromandel region (Tranquebar) in southern India. It is somewhat large (about one and a half inches long) and robust, and is among the few tiger beetles with highly reduced wings (aptery) making them flightless.<ref>{{cite journal|title=Flightlessness and Rapid Terrestrial Locomotion in Tiger Beetles of the Cicindela L. Subgenus Rivacindela van Nidek from Saline Habitats of Australia (Coleoptera: Cicindelidae) |author1=Sophien Kamoun|author2=Saskia A. Hogenhout|authorlink2=Saskia Hogenhout|journal=The Coleopterists Bulletin|volume=50|issue=3|year=1996|pages=221–230}}</ref><ref name=hope>{{cite book|url=https://archive.org/stream/coleopteristsman02hope#page/158/mode/2up/|pages=159–160|title=The Coleopterist's Manual. Part the second containing the predaceous land and water beetles of Linneus and Fabricius.|author=Hope, F.W.|publisher=Henry G. Bohn|place=London|year=1838}}</ref><ref name=catlife>{{Cite web| title=Apteroessa Hope, 1838 | url=https://www.catalogueoflife.org/data/taxon/8KVBD | website=Catalogue of Life | access-date=2023-04-08 }}</ref> There are three known specimens in museums, with varying degrees of damage. The species has not been seen in the wild after its description in the 18th century and is thought to be extremely local in distribution.<ref>{{cite book|title=Fauna of British India, including Ceylon and Burma. Coleoptera. General Introduction and Cicindelidae and Paussidae.|author=Fowler, W.W.|year=1912|publisher=Taylor and Francis|place=London|pages=440–441|url=https://archive.org/stream/coleopteragenera00fowl#page/440/mode/2up}}</ref>
While the locality mentioned for the species is Tranquebar, it has been suspected that one may have been collected from somewhere near Ammainaickanur in Dindigul district. It has been speculated that the species may be nocturnal.<ref>{{cite journal|author=Cassola, Fabio| title=Studies of tiger beetles. Indian Tiger beetle conservation (Coleoptera: Cicindelidae)|pages=98–107|url= https://archive.org/details/insects_spider/page/n98|editor1=Uniyal, V.P.|journal=Envis Bulletin| date=2012|volume=14}}</ref>
It has been suggested that flightlessness in tiger beetles is associated with habitat specialization, particularly with highly permanent and stable habitats.<ref>{{cite journal|first1=Sophien |last1=Kamoun|first2= Saskia A. |last2=Hogenhout |year=1996 |title=Flightlessness and Rapid Terrestrial Locomotion in Tiger Beetles of the Cicindela L. Subgenus Rivacindela van Nidek from Saline Habitats of Australia (Coleoptera: Cicindelidae)| journal= The Coleopterists Bulletin| volume=50| issue=3| pages=221–230 |jstor=4009161}}</ref>
==References== {{Reflist}}
{{Taxonbar|from1=Q523973|from2=Q13430321}}
Category:Cicindelidae Category:Monotypic Adephaga genera Category:Taxa named by Frederick William Hope Category:Beetles of India Category:Beetles of Asia
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