Cicindela timbisha Duran, Chambers, Nelson & Roman, 2023

Duran, Daniel P., Chambers, Aaron W., Nelson, Kristie N. & Roman, Stephen J., 2023, A new species of tiger beetle (Coleoptera: Cicindelidae) from the Death Valley ecosystem, Zootaxa 5293 (1), pp. 179-184 : 180-183

Cicindela timbisha Duran, Chambers, Nelson & Roman , n. sp.

Figs. 1A–D , 2–4 .

Type material. HOLOTYPE: 1 ♁, California: Inyo Co. // 20.April.2022 // ( USNM) ; PARATYPES: 1 ♀, California: Inyo Co. // 20. April. 2022 // ( USNM) ; 3 ♁, 3 ♀, California: Inyo Co. // 20. April. 2022 // ( DPDC) ; 1 ♁, California: Inyo Co. // 20. April. 2022 // ( AWCC) ; 1 ♀, California: Inyo Co. // 20. April. 2022 // ( KNNC) ; 1 ♁, 1 ♀, California: Inyo Co. // 20. April. 2022 // ( SJRC) ; 2 ♁, 2 ♀, California: Inyo Co. // 20. April. 2022 // ( DEKC) ; 1 ♁, 1 ♀, California: Inyo Co. // 20. April. 2022 // ( JASC) . Type specimens labelled : HOLOTYPE or PARATYPE, respectively.

Diagnosis. Cicindela timbisha n. sp. is most similar to C. senilis and could only be confused with that species. In the dichotomous key by Pearson et al (2015), this new species would key to C. senilis , but is distinguished by the following combination of characters. This species lacks a sub-humeral spot ( Fig 1A–B, D ) or in a small number of individuals may possess an atrophied remnant of a sub-humeral spot ( Fig 1C ), unlike C. senilis , which has a bold sub-humeral maculation ( Fig 1E–H ), connected laterally to the humeral spot. The antennal scape of C. timbisha n. sp. possesses 4–8 setae (often partially abraded, but still indicated by visible setigerous punctures), compared to>10 scape setae (typically 12–16) for C. senilis .

Other characteristics that differ include the following. In most specimens (16 of 18) of C. timbisha , n. sp., the middle band maculations do not reach the lateral margin of the elytra, whereas they always do in C. senilis . Even when the maculations do reach the lateral margin in the new species they connect with the margin less broadly than in C. senilis . The new species also possesses fewer setae on the frons (15–25) compared to C. senilis (>30).

In addition, the new species is statistically smaller in size from C. senilis (two-tailed t-test, P <0.001) for both males and females.

Description. Small-sized Cicindela . Body length 10.3–11.9 mm ♀ mean 11.5 mm, ♁ mean 10.7. Head slightly wider than pronotum, width 2.7–3.1 mm, mean ♀ 3.0, mean ♁ 2.8, vertex dark bronze with brassy cupreous highlights especially in supraorbital region; frons dark bronze with metallic blue reflections present in sulci along lateral areas; frons possessing numerous setae (15–25); two supraorbital setae present near each eye. Frons slightly convex, clearly delimited from clypeus, gradually blending into vertex. Frons surface with distinct longitudinal striae especially in lateral areas bordering eyes. Genae bright polished green to blue with deep longitudinal striae abruptly ending at border of vertex. Clypeus color ranging from cupreous to green, blending to other metallic colors along margins, irregularly wrinkled to finely vermiculate. Labrum with 4–8 setae, ochre-yellow to pale yellow with thin dark brown to black border; labrum unidentate, length 0.5–0.8 mm, width 1.0– 1.3 mm. Mandibles medium-sized, ochraceous, dark testaceous along edges. Maxillary palpi dark shiny metallic green to violet. Labial palpi dark metallic green to violet.

Antennae of normal length, reaching humerus to basal third of elytra, scape dark testaceous with metallic reflections of cupreous, gold, and violet, with 4–8 setae; pedicel dark testaceous with metallic reflections similar to scape, lacking any setae; flagellum antennomeres 3‒4 dark testaceous with metallic cupreous and violet reflections, with ring of apical setae and additional sparse setae throughout, antennomeres 5‒11 ochre-brown, dull-textured without metallic reflections and possessing erect setae in apical rings only, covered with fine pubescence throughout.

Pronotum 2.7–3.0 mm wide, ♀ mean 2.9 mm, ♁ mean 2.8. mm, length 2.6–2.9 mm, ♀ 2.8 mm, mean ♁ 2.7 mm, dark bronze to dark cupreous, sparse white setae present along marginal areas of dorsal surface; disc finely rugose to vermiculate with thin but distinct median line and most strongly impressed anterior and posterior sulci; sulci often with faint to distinct green-blue metallic reflections; notopleural sutures clearly defined, not visible from dorsal view; proepisternum ( Fig 3–4 ) polished cupreous, setae throughout the surface.

Elytra elongate, 6.3–7.3 mm length, ♀ mean 6.9 mm, mean ♁ 6.6 mm, shape similar in both sexes, but slightly wider in female, especially toward apical third; sutural spine small, very weak microserrations present on elytral apices; elytral dorsal texture granulate-punctate throughout; faint subsutural foveae present and possessing metallic green reflections. Elytral coloration mostly dark brown with fine green punctures throughout, visible under magnification. Elytral maculations present, consisting of a humeral spot, bold middle band that typically does not meet the lateral margin, bold humeral lunule; sub-humeral spot is generally absent or greatly atrophied.

Procoxae and mesocoxae dark metallic green to blue-violet, setae present throughout; metacoxae dark metallic green to blue-violet, with setae present throughout; pro- and meso- trochanters with a single subapical seta; femora dark metallic green with blue and violet reflections, femoral surface with rows of erect white setae dorsally and ventrally; tibiae violet to dark cupreous with dark green reflections near the apices, clothed with white setae that are sparser and shorter than those of the femora; tarsi violet with blue reflections dorsally, first three dilated protarsomeres in male with dense greyish-white setal pads.

Abdominal ventrites 1‒6 with metallic blue, dark blue and violet reflections; fine white setae present mostly along lateral third of each ventrite. Aedeagus ( Fig. 3A ), possessing a well-developed flagellum and ear-shaped internal sac, similar to C. senilis ( Fig. 3B ), characteristics which are similar to most Cicindelidia ( Rivalier 1954) , although it has been established by Duran and Gough (2019) that the C. senilis species group belongs in Cicindela based on DNA and life-history data.

Etymology. Cicindela timbisha , n. sp. is named for the Timbisha-Shoshone Tribe of Death Valley, as the new species was found at a locality that falls within their aboriginal lands.

Distribution and habitat. Cicindela timbisha n. sp. is known only from a single locality along a freshwater spring in Inyo County, California, east of the Sierra Nevada Mountains. Beetles were observed ovipositing in damp dark soils along the freshwater spring ( Fig 4 ). No additional areas of suitable habitat could be located in the vicinity. Due to the highly restricted geographic distribution of the species (<5 ha of available habitat), we cannot provide any additional details about the location. The species is at great risk of extinction due to potential overcollection.

Figures

FIGURE 1. Dorsal habitus of C. timbisha, n. sp. (top row) males (A–B), females (C–D) (USA: California: Inyo Co.); C. senilis (bottom row), males (E–F), females (G–H) (USA: California: Solano Co.)

FIGURE 2. Frontal habitus of C. timbisha, n. sp., A) male, B) female.

FIGURE 3. Aedeagus of C. timbisha, n. sp. (left) and C. senilis (right).

FIGURE 4. Cicindela timbisha n. sp. in situ in dark muddy soil near a freshwater spring.