[NatureNS] Nature Notes

From: Christopher Majka <c.majka@ns.sympatico.ca>
To: naturens@chebucto.ns.ca
Date: Fri, 16 May 2008 19:47:03 -0300
References: <6.2.3.4.1.20080516141335.01ea30e8@pop1.ns.sympatico.ca> <872B0E9E-6261-4223-A889-D85BF9AB1ACC@ns.sympatico.ca> <644c3a466c113e16fc3354a684371057@dal.ca>
Precedence: bulk
Return-Path: <naturens-mml-owner@chebucto.ns.ca>
Original-Recipient: rfc822;"| (cd /csuite/info/Environment/FNSN/MList; /csuite/lib/arch2html)"

next message in archive
next message in thread
previous message in archive
previous message in thread
Index of Subjects

Index of Subjects

--Apple-Mail-63-742589646
Content-Type: text/plain;
	charset=US-ASCII;
	format=flowed;
	delsp=yes
Content-Transfer-Encoding: 7bit

Hi Steve,

On 16-May-08, at 6:35 PM, Steve Shaw wrote:

> Hi Chris, Angus:   while looking for something else, I found a lot  
> of tiger beetles out today on rocks up above the tide line, along  
> the shore.   Overall brown with some metallic green specks (and  
> metallic green undersides), but under magnification has very  
> distinctive creamy markings on elytra, closely matching _Cicindela  
> duodecimguttata_ on Bugguide.net.   Nothing like Angus' pic.
> Is _C. duodecimguttata_ a likely or common species in N.S. at this  
> date?

Yes, its one of the commonest species in the region. In this region  
differentiating between Cicindela duodecimguttata (the twelve-spotted  
tiger beetle) and Cicindela repanda (bronzed tiger beetle) can be  
tricky. C. duodecimguttata has a narrower pronotum, which is about as  
long as it is wide, whereas in C. repanda the pronotum is distinctly  
wider than long. The constriction at the front of the pronotum of C.  
duodecimguttata is not as deep as the constriction at the back  
resulting in a "trapesoidal" shape, whereas the front and back  
constrictions of the pronotum of C. repanda are symmetrical.

Also in  C. duodecimguttata the elytral epipleura (the portion of the  
elytra which is folded over and faces the ground) is pale for most of  
its length, whereas in C. repanda it is dark for most of its length  
(generally you need to have the specimen in hand to be able to observe  
this).

Take a look at the following photographs to see the difference in  
species.

http://www.ndsu.nodak.edu/ndsu/beauzay/tigerbeetles/C_duodecimguttata.jpg

http://www.ndsu.nodak.edu/ndsu/beauzay/tigerbeetles/C_repanda.jpg

The degree of maculation on the elytra can vary quite a lot from  
individual to individual in both species. Both species are common and  
widely distributed in the Maritime Provinces.

Cheers!

Chris

Christopher Majka
Nova Scotia Museum, 1747 Summer St., Halifax, Nova Scotia, Canada  B3H  
3A6
c.majka@ns.sympatico.ca




--Apple-Mail-63-742589646
Content-Type: text/html;
	charset=US-ASCII
Content-Transfer-Encoding: quoted-printable

<html><body style=3D"word-wrap: break-word; -webkit-nbsp-mode: space; =
-webkit-line-break: after-white-space; ">Hi Steve,<div><br><div><div>On =
16-May-08, at 6:35 PM, Steve Shaw wrote:</div><br =
class=3D"Apple-interchange-newline"><blockquote type=3D"cite">Hi Chris, =
Angus:&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;while looking for something else, I found a lot =
of tiger beetles out today on rocks up above the tide line, along the =
shore.&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;Overall brown with some metallic green specks =
(and metallic green undersides), but under magnification has very =
distinctive creamy markings on elytra, closely matching _Cicindela =
duodecimguttata_ on Bugguide.net.&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;Nothing like Angus' =
pic.&nbsp;&nbsp;<br>Is _C. duodecimguttata_ a likely or common species =
in N.S. at this date?<br></blockquote><br></div><div>Yes, its one of the =
commonest species in the region. In this region differentiating =
between<i>&nbsp;Cicindela duodecimguttata</i> (the twelve-spotted tiger =
beetle) and <i>Cicindela repanda</i> (bronzed tiger beetle) can be =
tricky. <i>C.&nbsp;duodecimguttata</i> has a narrower =
pronotum,&nbsp;which&nbsp;is about as long as it is wide, whereas in =
<i>C. repanda</i> the pronotum is distinctly wider than long. The =
constriction at the front of the pronotum of&nbsp;<span =
class=3D"Apple-style-span" style=3D"font-style: italic; =
">C.&nbsp;duodecimguttata&nbsp;<span class=3D"Apple-style-span" =
style=3D"font-style: normal; ">is not as deep as the constriction at the =
back resulting in a "trapesoidal" shape, whereas the front and back =
constrictions of the pronotum of</span> C. repanda<span =
class=3D"Apple-style-span" style=3D"font-style: normal; "> are =
symmetrical.&nbsp;</span></span></div><div><br></div><div>Also =
in&nbsp;&nbsp;<i>C.&nbsp;duodecimguttata</i> the elytral epipleura (the =
portion of the elytra which is folded over and faces the ground) is pale =
for most of its length, whereas in <i>C. repanda</i> it is dark for most =
of its length (generally you need to have the specimen in hand to be =
able to observe this).</div><div><br></div><div>Take a look at the =
following photographs to see the difference in =
species.</div><div><br></div><div><a =
href=3D"http://www.ndsu.nodak.edu/ndsu/beauzay/tigerbeetles/C_duodecimgutt=
ata.jpg">http://www.ndsu.nodak.edu/ndsu/beauzay/tigerbeetles/C_duodecimgut=
tata.jpg</a></div><div><br></div><div><a =
href=3D"http://www.ndsu.nodak.edu/ndsu/beauzay/tigerbeetles/C_repanda.jpg"=
>http://www.ndsu.nodak.edu/ndsu/beauzay/tigerbeetles/C_repanda.jpg</a></di=
v><div><br></div><div>The degree of maculation on the elytra can vary =
quite a lot from individual to individual in both species. Both species =
are common and widely distributed in the Maritime =
Provinces.</div><div><br></div><div>Cheers!</div><div><br></div><div>Chris=
</div><div><br></div><div apple-content-edited=3D"true"> <span =
class=3D"Apple-style-span" style=3D"border-collapse: separate; =
border-spacing: 0px 0px; color: rgb(0, 0, 0); font-family: Helvetica; =
font-size: 12px; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: =
normal; letter-spacing: normal; line-height: normal; text-align: auto; =
-khtml-text-decorations-in-effect: none; text-indent: 0px; =
-apple-text-size-adjust: auto; text-transform: none; orphans: 2; =
white-space: normal; widows: 2; word-spacing: 0px; "><div =
style=3D"word-wrap: break-word; -khtml-nbsp-mode: space; =
-khtml-line-break: after-white-space; "><div>Christopher =
Majka</div><div>Nova Scotia Museum, 1747 Summer St., Halifax, Nova =
Scotia, Canada&nbsp; B3H 3A6</div><div><a =
href=3D"mailto:c.majka@ns.sympatico.ca">c.majka@ns.sympatico.ca</a></div><=
div><br class=3D"khtml-block-placeholder"></div></div><br =
class=3D"Apple-interchange-newline"></span> =
</div><br></div></body></html>=

--Apple-Mail-63-742589646--