Geographic variation in U. S. populations of the tiger beetle Cicindela obsoleta Say (Coleoptera: Cicindelidae)
Author
Mawdsley, Jonathan R.
text
Insecta Mundi
2009
2009-09-25
2009
94
1
10
journal article
10.5281/zenodo.5167791
1942-1354
5167791
Cicindela obsoleta neojuvenilis
Vogt
Figure 15-17
Cicindela obsoleta neojuvenilis
Vogt (1949: 4)
Holotype
male plus
eight paratypes
, NMNH;
Holotype
male labeled “S. W.
Hidalgo
Co.
/ Tex. H. 6-X-46 /
George B. Vogt
”,
NMNH
type # 59056
;
Paratypes
:
four females
labeled “S. W.
Hidalgo
Co.
/ Tex. H. 20-X-46 /
George B. Vogt
”, one also labeled “Clearing, mes- / quite forest”
;
one male
and
two females
labeled “S. W.
Hidalgo
Co./Tex. H. 6-X-46/
George B. Vogt
”, male also labeled “Clearing, mes- / quite forest”;
one male
labeled “”S. W.
Hidalgo
Co. / Tex. H. 1-XII-46 /
George B. Vogt
” and “Roadway thru/mesquite forest” (examined;
Figure 14-16
).
According
to
Bellamy (1991)
the type locality for this species (which is indicated by the letter “H.” on the specimen labels) is “five miles southwest of Mission,
Hidalgo
County,
Texas
.”
Diagnosis.
A moderately large black tiger beetle with white markings similar to those of
C. o. santaclarae
but with the body noticeably smaller in size (length only
13-16 mm
) and with the elytra somewhat more slender. Several of the female
paratype
specimens have one or more sets of the elytral markings reduced (e.g.
Figure 16 and 17
), with the extreme represented by a female which lacks all markings except a small white macula at the apex of each elytron (
Figure 17
). The type series was collected in clearings and roadways in mesquite forests. The rounded markings, generally smaller body size, and different habitat will separate this subspecies from
C. o.
vulturina
.
Notes
. Very few specimens of this tiger beetle are known.
Pearson et al. (2006)
report it from the Rio Grande valley from Maverick County south to
Hidalgo
County. The specimen from Kimble County in AMNH represents both a new county record and a northern extension of the known range for this subspecies.
Material examined.
1 adult
specimen in addition to the
type
series.
TX:
Kimble Co.,
9 miles
E Junction.