A new genus of tiger beetle (Coleoptera: Cicindelidae) from the Nearctic and Neotropical realms
Author
Duran, Daniel P.
Department of Environmental Science, Rowan University, 201 Mullica Hill Rd, Glassboro, NJ 08028, USA.
Author
Gough, Harlan M.
0000-0001-8699-8104
Florida Museum of Natural History, Biology Department, University of Florida. 3215 Hull Rd. Gainesville, FL 32611 - 2062, USA. harlan. gough @ gmail. com; https: // orcid. org / 0000 - 0001 - 8699 - 8104
harlan.gough@gmail.com
text
Zootaxa
2022
2022-08-16
5175
2
293
299
journal article
124037
10.11646/zootaxa.5175.2.7
91018da1-89c7-4685-a7b6-92a1ede4ddb3
1175-5326
7003575
8F56E71B-7EF4-4AE3-9F39-25526286A6F0
Jundlandia lemniscata
(
LeConte, 1854
)
,
new combination
?
cardini
(
Leng & Mutchler, 1916
)
,
incertae sedis
Discussion
The systematic placement of
J. lemniscata
has always been unclear, and the resulting taxonomy has not been stable. In addition to its morphological uniqueness, the most recent molecular phylogeny (Duran &
Gough 2019
) demonstrated that the species was found in a clade that did not correspond to any named genus. Moreover, in our examination of morphological characters, it is now evident that
J. lemniscata
possesses a unique combination of characters that are different from any of the other related genera (e.g.
Parvindela
,
Brasiella
). Consequently, we erected a new monotypic genus for the species.
The species described as
Cicindela cardini
, was never well-studied, as it was only known from two worn specimens collected in
Cuba
in 1910. It bears unusual maculations that are remarkably similar to
J. lemniscata
. Rivalier did not examine the species in his major 1954 revision of the
faune Américaine
. As such, the internal structures of the aedeagus are unknown, and its taxonomic status was not resolved. It remained in
Cicindela
s.str.
until
Boyd’s (1982)
checklist of the tiger beetles of North America (including Central America and the West Indies) when he placed
cardini
in
Cicindelidia
, which he considered a subgenus of
Cicindela
. No explanation was given for this placement, and this decision is hard to reconcile with any morphological characters.
Despite the morphological synapomorphies shared between
cardini
and
J. lemniscata
(see Results), we feel that it would be premature to include the former in
Jundlandia
without the additional support of molecular phylogenetic data. Future efforts to locate and collect fresh material may help to resolve the relationships between these taxa.
Our above description for
Jundlandia
,
new genus
, has been kept broad enough that it could accommodate
cardini
, if future research demonstrated that taxon to be congeneric with
J. lemniscata
. Although the two species share several characters, they also differ considerably in others. The texture of the elytral surface is not similar between the two taxa, with
J. lemniscata
having deeply and densely punctate elytra, forming a glittering shiny overall surface, and
cardini
possessing an impunctate and dull, almost velvety texture. If these taxa are congeneric, it would indicate a great degree of variability in this character.