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Neocicindela dunedensis

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Neocicindela dunedensis
Scientific classification Edit this classification
Domain: Eukaryota
Kingdom: Animalia
Phylum: Arthropoda
Class: Insecta
Order: Coleoptera
Family: Cicindelidae
Genus: Neocicindela
Species:
N. dunedensis
Binomial name
Neocicindela dunedensis
Synonyms
  • Cicindela dunedensis Castelnau, 1867
  • Cicindela dunedinensis Hutton, 1874
  • Neocicindela dunedinensis Hutton 1874
  • Cicindela wakefieldi Bates, 1874
  • Neocicindela wakefieldi Bates, 1874

Neocicindela dunedensis, also known as the Dunedin tiger beetle, is a small species of tiger beetle in the genus Neocicindela endemic to New Zealand.[1][2]

Species description

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Neocicindela dunedensis is the smallest member of its genus, and also the smallest tiger beetle species in New Zealand, with a body length ranging from 7mm to 8.7mm.[1][3][4] The head, thorax and markings on the elytra are dark brownish, though a greenish or bronze iridescence can also be seen on these parts of the body.[1][2] The antennae are also a dark colour.[1] As with other Neocicindela species, N. dunedensis has got distinctive markings on the elytra.[1] The pale markings on the elytra are whitish and relatively wide.[1] The humeral lunule is fused with the marginal line, with the middle band being complete and narrow.[1] The middle band also nearly reaches or extends slightly past the base of the apical lunule.[1] The marginal line is fused with the apical lunule.[1] The apical ends of the elytra are either only mildly serrulate, or have no serrations.[1] The darker markings on the elytra are also adorned with many small green speckles and punctures, and are moderately shiny.[1] The elytra markings are parallel with one another.[1] The labrum and sides of the mandibles are a whitish colour, though the mandibles have darker tips.[1][2] The labrum is also tridentate (has three points).[1] The pronotum has a few setae near the anterolateral angles, but is otherwise mostly glabrous, with its sides being strongly rounded.[1] On the underside of the thorax, such as at the proepisternum, there are prominent bristle-like setae.[1] The legs are slender and relatively long, as with other Neocicindela species.[1] The femora are dark in colouration, whereas the tibia and tarsal segments are a paler colour.[1] The tarsal claws are significantly shorter than the 5th tarsal segment, being about half its length.[1] The ventral side of the abdomen is glabrous.[1] Compared to some other members of its genus, N. dunedensis has a somewhat slender body shape.[4]

Distribution and habitat

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Like all other members of its genus, Neocicindela dunedensis is endemic to New Zealand.[5][2] N. dunedensis is restricted to the South Island, where it occurs in the eastern and interior regions of the island.[6][7][8][2][3] It is observed most frequently in Central Otago and adjacent locations, the Mackenzie Basin, and other areas of inland Canterbury.[8][2] They have been found in abundance at the Pukaki and Tekapo River flats.[6] However, they have also been observed and collected from other areas of Otago, Canterbury and Marlborough.[7][8][9]

Neocicindela dunedensis is generally an inhabitant of dry habitat types, and can be considered xeriphilous.[10][6][11][4] It has been found in both montane and lowland areas.[6][2] N. dunedensis can be found living in various dry exposed and semi-vegetated habitats, such as dry river flats, open areas of uncultivated herbaceous ground cover, open spaces between native shrubs, glacial Loess, edges of dirt roads and paths, eroded cliffs and hillsides, and possibly even undisturbed gardens within its geographical range.[10][6][7][3][4] Since N. dunedensis is known to inhabit both low elevation and comparatively higher elevation habitats, this suggests that it may be able to tolerate a wide range of ecological conditions.[6]

Ecology

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As is the case with other members of its genus, Neocicindela dunedensis is a swift predator of other small insects, pursuing their prey by running them down, or occasionally by brief yet fast flights.[12][13][14] Tiger beetles are known to have different approaches in hunting different prey species, and can often recognise what type of prey they are attempting to hunt, with behaviour such as this most likely being applicable to Neocicindela, including N. dunedensis.[15] Whereas the adults are active pursuit predators, the larvae are ambush sit-and-wait predators that live in burrows in the ground and catch prey as it passes by their burrow entrance, which is typical of other members of the genus.[12][13][14] The mating season for N. dunedensis takes place in January.[10] Even though they are fast flyers, they typically prefer to run and can be reluctant to fly.[10]

The larvae of Neocicindela, including Neocicindela dunedensis, are sit-and-wait predators that live in vertical burrows in exposed soil.[12][13][14] The first body segment of the larva is hardened, camouflaged, and shaped in such a way that it acts to block the burrow entrance.[12] The larvae also have prominent hook-like appendages midway down the body in order to brace the larva when struggling with prey.[12] The larvae of Neocicindela species, likely also including N. dunedensis, may take roughly a year to finish developing[13][14]

Neocicindela dunedensis overlaps in distribution with a few other tiger beetle species, most notably the larger[1] and more widespread Neocicindela latecincta, and the range-restricted Zecicindela tekapoensis of the Mackenzie Basin.[6][11][16] In the Mackenzie Basin, it was noted that N. dunedensis were most frequently collected during December, rather than in March.[6] In general this species is active during the warmer months, and have been observed and collected from November through to March.[8][2]

Taxonomy

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Neocicindela dunedensis is most closely related to the species Neocicindela waiouraensis, which is a larger[1] species endemic to the North Island.[7][13] It is thought that N. dunedensis and N. waiouraensis diverged from each other about 4 million years ago, during the Pliocene.[7]

Etymology and discovery

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In the past there have been inconsistencies with the spelling of the scientific name that have been accidentally perpetuated by other scientists.[5][17] In 1880, Broun accidentally misspelled the specific name as dunedinensis, instead of the correct dunedensis.[5][17] This misspelling was perpetuated by a few other scientists until 1934.[5][17] Neocicindela dunedensis was first described by Larporte de Castelnau in 1867, with the type locality possibly being Dunedin.[1][17] Some New Zealand museums do have specimens of N. dunedensis, including the Te Papa Museum[18] and the Auckland War Memorial Museum.[19]

References

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  1. ^ a b c d e f g h i j k l m n o p q r s t u v w Larochelle, A; Larivière, M.-C (2013). Carabidae (Insecta: Coleoptera): synopsis of species, Cicindelinae to Trechinae (in part) (69 ed.). Auckland, New Zealand: Landcare Research.
  2. ^ a b c d e f g h "Dunedin tiger beetle (Neocicindela dunedensis)". iNaturalist NZ. Retrieved 2024-08-19.
  3. ^ a b c Cassola, Fabio; Moravec, Jiri (2010-10-31). "New records of tiger beetles from New Zealand with taxonomic and nomenclatural notes on the genus Neocicindela (Coleoptera, Cicindelidae)". Fragmenta Entomologica. 42 (1): 1–22. doi:10.13133/2284-4880/58. ISSN 2284-4880.
  4. ^ a b c d "Neocicindela dunedensis - NZ Biodiversity". www.nzbiodiversity.com. Retrieved 2024-08-19.
  5. ^ a b c d "Neocicindela dunedensis (Laporte, 1867) | COL". www.catalogueoflife.org. Retrieved 2024-08-19.
  6. ^ a b c d e f g h Wakelin, Michael; Tweed, James; Blakely, Tanya; Tocher, Mandy D. (2024-01-02). "Hunt for the Tekapo tiger (... beetle)". New Zealand Journal of Zoology. 51 (1): 105–111. doi:10.1080/03014223.2023.2228216. ISSN 0301-4223.
  7. ^ a b c d e Pons, Joan; Fujisawa, Tomochika; Claridge, Elin M.; Anthony Savill, R.; Barraclough, Timothy G.; Vogler, Alfried P. (2011-05-01). "Deep mtDNA subdivision within Linnean species in an endemic radiation of tiger beetles from New Zealand (genus Neocicindela)". Molecular Phylogenetics and Evolution. 59 (2): 251–262. Bibcode:2011MolPE..59..251P. doi:10.1016/j.ympev.2011.02.013. ISSN 1055-7903. PMID 21338699.
  8. ^ a b c d "Neocicindela dunedensis (Laporte, 1867)". www.gbif.org. Retrieved 2024-08-19.
  9. ^ Townsend, J. I. (1995) A search for Mecodema laeviceps Broun. Department of Conservation, New Zealand. https://www.doc.govt.nz/Documents/science-and-technical/casn123.pdf
  10. ^ a b c d Larochelle, A; Larivière, M.-C (2001). Carabidae (Insecta: Coleoptera) catalogue (43 ed.). Auckland, New Zealand: Landcare Research.
  11. ^ a b Emberson, Rowan M.; Syrett, Pauline; Blakely, Tanya (2018-01-02). "A new species of Zecicindela Larochelle & Larivière (Coleoptera: Carabidae: Cicindelinae) from the Mackenzie Basin, New Zealand". New Zealand Entomologist. 41 (1): 29–33. Bibcode:2018NZEnt..41...29E. doi:10.1080/00779962.2018.1502123. ISSN 0077-9962.
  12. ^ a b c d e Lindsey, Terence; Morris, Rod (2013). Pocket Guide to New Zealand Minibeasts. Auckland, New Zealand: Harper Collins. p. 87.
  13. ^ a b c d e Parkinson, Brian; Horne, Don (2007). A photographic guide to insects of New Zealand (1st ed.). Auckland, New Zealand: New Holland. p. 76.
  14. ^ a b c d Crowe, Andrew (2002). Which New Zealand insect?. Auckland, New Zealand: Penguin Books. p. 50.
  15. ^ Rewicz, Tomasz; Jaskuła, Radomir (2018-11-21). "Catch fast and kill quickly: do tiger beetles use the same strategies when hunting different types of prey?". PeerJ. 6: e5971. doi:10.7717/peerj.5971. ISSN 2167-8359. PMC 6252071. PMID 30498639.
  16. ^ "Wide-banded tiger beetle (Neocicindela latecincta)". iNaturalist NZ. Retrieved 2024-08-19.
  17. ^ a b c d Brouerius van Nidek, C.M.C. "Cicindelidae of New Zealand with descriptions of a new species and subspecies" (PDF). New Zealand Journal of Science. 8: 325–58.
  18. ^ "Loading... | Collections Online - Museum of New Zealand Te Papa Tongarewa". collections.tepapa.govt.nz. Retrieved 2024-08-19.
  19. ^ "Neocicindela dunedensis". Auckland War Memorial Museum. Retrieved 2024-08-19.
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