A NEW SUBSPECIES OF LON TAXILES (W. H. EDWARDS, 1861) (LEPIDOPTERA: HESPERIIDAE) FROM THE GREAT PLAINS

A new subspecies of Lon taxiles (W. H. Edwards, 1861) is described from the Pine Ridge of Nebraska and Black Hills of South Dakota. It is distinguished by the presence of distinct white spots on the VHW of females and darker males than specimens from other parts of its range. The Taxiles skipper, Lon [formerly Poanes; see Cong et al. (2019)] taxiles (W. H. Edwards, 1861), is a woodland species found in mountainous areas in extreme southeastern Idaho, through Colorado and Utah, south through New Mexico and Arizona, into Mexico. There is also a somewhat disjunct eastern population, ranging from the Pine Ridge of Nebraska, eastern Wyoming, into the Black Hills of South Dakota, north to the Badlands of North Dakota. Most western populations are fairly consistent in phenotype, and the sexes are dimorphic. Males are orange and black dorsally and yellow with brown spotting ventrally, while females are brownish dorsally with a purplish-brown ventral hindwing. Both sexes resemble Lon zabulon (Boisduval & Le Conte, [1837]), at least ventrally, and are considered the western counterpart of that species. While collecting in the Pine Ridge and Black Hills in the early 1980s, I noticed that the phenotype there was distinct from the more western populations. Instead of having the spotting on the ventral hind wing of females obscured as in other areas, these specimens had distinct white spotting. I was intrigued, so decided to examine specimens from nearby eastern Wyoming, as well as more specimens from Nebraska and South Dakota, and compare these with typical populations from the Rocky Mountains and other western mountain ranges. This led me to describe a new taxon

The Longhorn Beetles (Coleoptera: Cerambycidae) of Nebraska, USA: New State Records, a Checklist of Known Species, and Distribution Maps

One hundred eighty-three species/subspecies of longhorn beetles are recorded from Nebraska, an increase of 19 species since 1971. The greatest number of recent discoveries have come from sites along the Missouri River, especially Indian Cave State Park in southeastern Nebraska, as well as the Pine Ridge at Chadron, Nebraska

A 30-Year History of Salt Creek Tiger Beetle, \u3ci\u3eEllipsoptera nevadica lincolniana\u3c/i\u3e (Casey, 1916) (Coleoptera: Cicindelidae), Visual Population Estimates

The federally endangered Salt Creek tiger beetle, Ellipsoptera nevadica lincolniana (Casey, 1916), is found only in the saline wetlands around Lincoln, Nebraska, USA. Low numbers of adults seen in the 1980s prompted a study to estimate adult numbers by visual counts. Population estimates were conducted from 1991 to 2020, and adult estimates ranged from a low of 115 in 1993 to a high of 777 in 2002. The beetle has disappeared from six out of twelve sites and the metapopulation has shrunk from three sites in 1991 to one site in 2020. Supplemental releases of laboratory reared larvae began in 2010, but success has been difficult to determine

Splendid Hybrids: The Effects of a Tiger Beetle Hybrid Zone on Apparent Species Diversity

Nonexpert citizen groups are being used to monitor species to track ecosystem changes; however, challenges remain for proper identification, especially among diverse groups such as beetles. Tiger beetles, Cicindela spp., have been used for biological diversity monitoring because of their diversity and the ease of recognition. The finding of an apparent hybrid zone among Cicindela denverensis Casey, Cicindela limbalis Klug, and Cicindela splendida Hentz in central Nebraska prompted a detailed study of the biogeography of this species group within Nebraska, a test of characteristics that could be used by citizen scientists, and limited breeding experiments. This study suggests that while C. denverensis appears to hybridize with both C. limbalis and C. splendida within the hybrid zone, all three species maintain their integrity across most of their ranges, largely occupy unique geographic regions, and at least C. denverensis and C. splendida cooccur in many areas with no evidence of hybridization. Evidence of hybridization between C. limbalis and C. splendida was found at only two sites. Furthermore, breeding experiments with virgin C. splendida and C. denverensis showed that they are capable of producing hybrid larvae in the laboratory. The presence of morphological intergrades serves as a cautionary note when using biological indicator species

Splendid Hybrids: The Effects of a Tiger Beetle Hybrid Zone on Apparent Species Diversity

Nonexpert citizen groups are being used to monitor species to track ecosystem changes; however, challenges remain for proper identification, especially among diverse groups such as beetles. Tiger beetles, Cicindela spp., have been used for biological diversity monitoring because of their diversity and the ease of recognition. The finding of an apparent hybrid zone among Cicindela denverensis Casey, Cicindela limbalis Klug, and Cicindela splendida Hentz in central Nebraska prompted a detailed study of the biogeography of this species group within Nebraska, a test of characteristics that could be used by citizen scientists, and limited breeding experiments. This study suggests that while C. denverensis appears to hybridize with both C. limbalis and C. splendida within the hybrid zone, all three species maintain their integrity across most of their ranges, largely occupy unique geographic regions, and at least C. denverensis and C. splendida cooccur in many areas with no evidence of hybridization. Evidence of hybridization between C. limbalis and C. splendida was found at only two sites. Furthermore, breeding experiments with virgin C. splendida and C. denverensis showed that they are capable of producing hybrid larvae in the laboratory. The presence of morphological intergrades serves as a cautionary note when using biological indicator species

Geographic variation and new taxa of western North American butterflies, especially from Colorado

Dec. 3, 2008.Includes bibliographical references (pages 67-68).Michael Fisher is currently updating the 1957 book Colorado Butterflies, by F. Martin Brown, J. Donald Eff, and Bernard Rotger (Fisher 2005a, 2005b, 2006). This project has emphasized the necessity of naming certain butterflies in Colorado and vicinity that are distinctive, but currently have no name, as part of our goal of applying correct species/subspecies names to all Colorado butterflies. Eleven of those distinctive butterflies are named here, in the genera Anthocharis, Neominois, Asterocampa, Argynnis (Speyeria), Euphydryas, Lycaena, and Hesperia. New life histories are reported for species or subspecies of Neominois & Oeneis & Euphydryas & Lycaena that were recently described or recently elevated in status. Lycaena florus differs in hostplant, egg morphology, and somewhat in a seta on 1st-stage larvae. We also report the results of research elsewhere in North America that was needed to determine which of the current subspecies names should be applied to other butterflies in Colorado, in the genera Anthocharis, Neominois, Apodemia, Callophrys, Atlides, Euphilotes, PlebeJus, Polites, & Hylephila. This research has added additional species to the total of Colorado butterflies. Nomenclatural problems in Colorado Lycaena & Callophrys are settled with lectotypes and designations of type localities and two pending petitions to suppress toxotaxa. Difficulties with the ICZN Code in properly applying names to clines are explored, and new terminology is given to some necessary biological solutions

Determining Optimum Soil Type and Salinity for Rearing the Federally Endangered Salt Creek Tiger Beetle, \u3ci\u3eCicindela (Ellipsoptera) nevadica lincolniana\u3c/i\u3e Casey (Coleoptera: Carabidae: Cicindelinae)

Effective rearing methods are needed to recover the federally endangered Salt Creek tiger beetle, Cicindela (Ellipsoptera) nevadica lincolniana Casey, a subspecies that occurs exclusively in saline wetlands and seeps along Little Salt Creek in Lancaster County, Nebraska. Experiments were initiated to determine soil type and salinity concentrations appropriate for stimulating female oviposition in laboratory settings to produce larvae and/or adults for reintroduction to native habitats. In 2013, there were highly significant differences between native soil and a sand/loess soil mixture, but no differences between two salinity levels, 0.354 M and 0.5 M. In 2014, using only a sand/loess soil mixture, there were again no differences between the test salinity levels. A sand/loess soil mixture of either 0.354M or 0.5M salinity was determined to be optimum for egg production

Determining Optimum Soil Type and Salinity for Rearing the Federally Endangered Salt Creek Tiger Beetle, \u3ci\u3eCicindela (Ellipsoptera) nevadica lincolniana\u3c/i\u3e Casey (Coleoptera: Carabidae: Cicindelinae)

Effective rearing methods are needed to recover the federally endangered Salt Creek tiger beetle, Cicindela (Ellipsoptera) nevadica lincolniana Casey, a subspecies that occurs exclusively in saline wetlands and seeps along Little Salt Creek in Lancaster County, Nebraska. Experiments were initiated to determine soil type and salinity concentrations appropriate for stimulating female oviposition in laboratory settings to produce larvae and/or adults for reintroduction to native habitats. In 2013, there were highly significant differences between native soil and a sand/loess soil mixture, but no differences between two salinity levels, 0.354 M and 0.5 M. In 2014, using only a sand/loess soil mixture, there were again no differences between the test salinity levels. A sand/loess soil mixture of either 0.354M or 0.5M salinity was determined to be optimum for egg production

A New Subspecies of \u3ci\u3eCicindela nevadica\u3c/i\u3e LeConte (Coleoptera: Carbidae: Cicindelinae) from the Badlands of South Dakota

A new subspecies of Cicindela nevadica LeConte, Cicindela nevadica makosika Spomer, is described from the South Dakota Badlands. Geographically, the population occurs at the periphery of the range of C. nevadica knausii Leng. However, this new population is geographically isolated from the nearest C. n. knausii populations, which occur ca. 100 air miles north and over 100 air miles south. Phenotypically, C. n. makosika appears most similar to C. n. tubensis Cazier from northeast Arizona. A possible threat to this population is habitat destruction by cattle