Adults are approximately 13–18 mm long.
Fine-art photographic collection
Therates coracinus coracinus
A Philippine semi-arboreal tiger beetle that hunts above the ground and carries the glossy black finish implied by “coracinus” — raven-coloured.
About this species
Therates coracinus coracinusErichson, 1834
Information reviewed15 July 2026
Therates coracinus coracinus is a dark Philippine tiger beetle associated with forest vegetation. Unlike the familiar sand-running tiger beetle, Therates species spend much of their activity on leaves, stems and low trunks.
Taxonomy
Animalia · Arthropoda · Insecta · Coleoptera · Carabidae · Cicindelinae · Therates
Accepted taxon. · checked 2026-07-15
Philippines, especially Luzon and Mindanao recordsBroad range and selected reference localities — not a complete occurrence map.
Philippines, especially Luzon and Mindanao records
Lowland and montane forest vegetation, paths and forest edge.
Day-active semi-arboreal predator.
Small insects on foliage and bark.
Solitary.
What makes this species remarkable?
The hunting arena has shifted vertically: this tiger beetle searches leaves and stems rather than relying exclusively on open soil, combining running with short flights between perches.
The nearly black, raven-like elytra eliminate the pale ground markings common in many tiger beetles and make the glossy head and jaws the dominant visual features.
Philippine field inventories place it in forest sites alongside other semi-arboreal tiger beetles, making its presence part of a highly local island predator community.