A morphological and mtDNA analysis of the badlands tiger beetle, Cicindela (s. str.) decemnotata Say, 1817 (Coleoptera: Carabidae: Cicindelinae) with the description of three new subspecies

Authors

C. Barry Knisley, Randolph-Macon CollegeFollow
M. Ryan Woodcock, Randolph-Macon CollegeFollow
Michael G. Kippenhan, Colorado State UniversityFollow

Document Type

Article

Date of this Version

3-23-2012

Comments

Insecta Mundi 0214: 1-49

Published in 2012 by Center for Systematic Entomology, Inc. P. O. Box 141874 Gainesville, FL 32614-1874 U. S. A. http://www.centerforsystematicentomology.org/

Abstract

We conducted a morphological and mtDNA analysis of Cicindela decemnotata Say (Coleoptera: Carabidae: Cicindelinae) populations from throughout its geographic range to determine the extent of variation within the species and to assess the validity of subspecific names. The morphological study included an analysis of traditional subspecific characters including elytral color and maculations. These results provided evidence for the recognition of four subspecies of C. decemnotata, three of which are new: 1. C. d. decemnotata Say usually with green to dark green dorsal coloration and complete elytral maculations; it is widely distributed from Canada south to northern New Mexico and west into southern Utah and Idaho; 2. C. d. meriwetheri n. ssp. is distinguished by its bright green to green dorsal coloration, elytral maculation characterized by a thin middle band, a lack of humeral maculations, and a small number of genal setae; it has a restricted distribution from eastern Washington north to south central British Columbia; 3. C. d. bonnevillensis n. ssp. is distinguished by a combination of green to green-purple dorsal coloration and its greatly reduced elytral maculations; it is restricted to the area of ancient Lake Bonneville in north central Utah; 4. C. d. montevolans n. ssp. is distinguished by a predominately red-purple dorsal color and greatly reduced elytral maculations; its distribution is restricted to high elevations of the Bear River Mountains of northeastern Utah and southeastern Idaho. We also analyzed the mitochondrial haplotypes for cob and cox1 genes for one to six individuals from each of the six populations. This molecular analysis indicated recently diverged but discrete groups within C. decemnotata that are compatible with the subspecies distinctions postulated from morphology. These shallow molecular divergences within C. decemnotata are best explained by rapid phylogenetic radiation in the recent geological past in the wake of postglacial recession.