A new tiger beetle from the Gulf Coast of Texas (Coleoptera, Cicindelidae, Cicindelini)

A new tiger beetle species, Eunota albicauda Duran, Roman & Huber n. sp., of the tribe Cicindelini, is described from the Gulf Coast of southern Texas. It is superficially most similar to E. togata (LaFerté-Sénectère, 1841) and E. circumpicta (LaFerté-Sénectère, 1841) but is distinguished on the basis of multiple character states not shared with either species. We reconstructed a phylogeny for Eunota to address the placement of this new taxon. Little is known about the biology or distribution of this exceedingly rare species. Despite extensive tiger beetle collecting from this region, only two specimens of E. albicauda n. sp. are known, collected in the mid-20th century. Future efforts to locate additional specimens should focus on coastal salt flats and marshes in southern Texas, including areas near the United States-Mexico border, late in the season (September-October).

The arboreal tiger beetles (Coleoptera: Cicindelidae) of Sri Lanka recorded from recent investigations

Twenty-nine species of arboreal tiger beetles are found in Sri Lanka of which 23 species are endemic. However, records of species dates back to many years and systematic studies are lacking. Considering the high percentage of endemic arboreal tiger beetle species of the country, and the pressure on their arboreal habitats due to accelerated development activities, it is imperative that the group is studied and conservation practices are implemented. Therefore, the present study was conducted to record the arboreal tiger beetle species currently prevailing in the country, their locations, habitat types, morphometric and morphological characters. The study was conducted from August 2017 to September 2020 for a duration of three years. Arboreal tiger beetles were collected by hand picking when encountered during visual survey, in eighty-five locations in Sri Lanka. Specimens were identified using standard taxonomic keys. Locational data, habitat types, morphometric and morphological characters were recorded and all species were photographed. Arboreal tiger beetles were recorded from 22 locations which represented all climatic zones and provinces, and 14 districts of the country. Nine species of three genera, Tricondyla (3 species), Derocrania (5 species), Neocollyris (1 species), were identified and six of the species were endemic. Derocrania scitiscabra was the most common and widely distributed species encountered in the study and was found mainly occupying lands that were cultivated. Tricondyla gounellei that had been known only from Southern India was recorded for the first time in Sri Lanka.

Description of a new halophilic tiger beetle in the genus Eunota (Coleoptera, Cicindelidae, Cicindelini) identified using morphology, phylogenetics and biogeography

Tiger beetles are a popular group of insects amongst amateur naturalists, and are well-represented in museum and private collections. New species descriptions plateaued in the 19th century, but there is a recent resurgence of discoveries as integrative taxonomy methods, guided by molecular systematics, uncover “cryptic” tiger beetle diversity. In this paper, we describe a new species using multiple data types. This new species, Eunota mecocheila Duran and Roman n. sp., is in the tribe Cicindelini, and is described from specimens collected in saline muddy ditches in northern Mexico. This species is closely related to E. circumpicta (LaFerté-Sénectère, 1841), but is separated based on morphological differences, geographic range, and genetic differentiation. Little is known about the biology or distribution of this species and it has only been collected from two sites in the state of Coahuila. Given the location of this new species, and its genetic divergence from its closest relative, E. circumpicta, we discuss the historical biogeography that may have led to isolation and speciation. The male and female dorsal, lateral and frontal habitus and the male aedeagus are shown.

First record of tiger beetles (Coleoptera, Cicindelidae) from Rovno amber, with the description of a new genus and species

A new fossil tiger beetle species, Goriresina fungifora gen. n., sp. n. (Coleoptera, Cicindelidae), is described from Eocene Rovno amber. The new genus belongs to the subtribe Iresiina, tribe Cicindelini, due to the glabrous head, the labrum with six submarginal setae (latero-basal setae very long) and two apical teeth with notch between them, the glabrous and globular pronotum, the lack of setae on the metepisternum and metepimeron, as well as on the visible parts of abdominal sternites, the single long seta each on the fore- and mesotrochanter. The new species is characterized by the long and moderately convex labrum, two clypeal setae, the elongate and apicad converging elytra with an angularly, but smoothly rounded apex, the small and sharp sutural spine, the probable presence of an apical portion of the elytral humeral spot, a slightly sinuate, transverse medial fascia with an extended and downward directed apical portion, and a slightly transverse basal portion of the apical spot. This is the first record of a tiger beetle in Rovno amber and only a fourth well-preserved Cicindelidae from fossil resins.

Revision of the Palearctic Cicindela campestris species complex—Part 1: On the taxonomy, identification and ecology of Cicindela herbacea Klug, 1832 and Cicindela javetii Chaudoir, 1861 (Coleoptera, Cicindelidae)

We revise the taxonomically problematic Palearctic Cicindela campestris species complex, a group of green tiger beetle species, using an integrative approach combining morphology, morphometry and biogeography. In this first part, an identification key to all subgroups of these green tiger beetles (Cicindela herbacea-subgroup, Cicindela javetii-subgroup, Cicindela desertorum-subgroup, Cicindela campestris-subgroup, Cicindela turkestanica-subgroup and Cicindela asiatica-subgroup) based on large series taken from private and museum collections as well as on literature sources is provided and diagnostic characters are illustrated by detailed photographs. The Cicindela herbacea- and Cicindela javetii-subgroups are revised and illustrated and identification keys as well as distribution maps for both are given. Four new synonyms are established: Cicindela herbacea herbacea Klug, 1832 = Cicindela herbacea aleppensis Deuve, 2012, syn. n.; Cicindela herbacea turkestanicoides W. Horn, 1938 = Cicindela herbacea perreaui Deuve, 1987, syn. n. = Cicindela herbacea colasi Deuve, 2011, syn. n.; Cicindela javetii javetii Chaudoir, 1861 = Cicindela thughurica Franzen, 2007, syn. n.

Apresentação do livro “Taxonomic Revision of the Neotropical Tiger Beetle Genera of the Subtribe Odontocheilina (Coleoptera: Cicindelidae)”, Volume 1 e 2, de autoria de Jiří Moravec e publicados pela “Biologická Rezervace Dolní Morava”

<p>Apresentamos os livros “Taxonomic Revision of the Neotropical Tiger Beetle Genera of the Subtribe Odontocheilina (Coleoptera: Cicindelidae)”, Volume 1 e 2, de autoría de Jiří Moravec, onde existem redescrições, ilustrações de alta qualidades, chaves de identificação e mapas de distribuição de uma das maiores subtribos de Besouros tigre neotropicais.</p><p><strong>Palavras chave</strong>: Besouros tigre, distribuição, Odontocheilina, revisão.</p>