Fossil tiger beetles (Carabidae: Cicindelinae) are extremely rare, and little is known about their early evolutionary history. Here we report the earliest known tiger beetle, Cretotetracha grandis gen. et. sp. nov., from the Lower Cretaceous Yixian Formation (lower Aptian) of China. C. grandis bears several features characteristic of the subtribe Megacephalina, including a large body with total length/width ratio 2.3:1; labium transverse, without median tooth; eyes large; eyes and head together wider than the thorax; prothorax noticeably narrower than elytra; anterior corners of pronotum noticeably more extended anteriorly than anterior margin of prosternum. It represents the second definite Mesozoic record of Cicindelinae, and extends the further lineage back into the Early Cretaceous. (C) 2018 Elsevier Ltd. All rights reserved.