Cicindela thughurica, Franzen, 2007

Franzen, Michael, 2007, A new species of tiger beetle of the Cicindela campestris group from southern Turkey, with remarks on the identity of C. herbacea Klug, 1832 and other taxa related to C. desertorum Dejean, 1825, add _ journal _ name _ here 30 (1), pp. 13-24 : 19-23

publication ID	https://doi.org/10.5281/zenodo.16850914
persistent identifier	https://treatment.plazi.org/id/0E09146C-683D-C24E-FF69-246CFB0B5296
treatment provided by	Felipe
scientific name	Cicindela thughurica
status	sp. nov.

Treatment

Cicindela thughurica , spec. nov.

Figs 2 View Figs , 12B View Fig , 15 View Figs

Cicindela herbacea, Mandl 1963: 45 View in CoL (localities “Namrun”, “Pozanti”).

Cicindela herbacea, Korell 1988: 100 View in CoL (part.: localities “ Osmaniye: Karatepe”, “Amanos Dagl.: Akbes”, “Pozanti und Namrun”).

Cicindela herbacea View in CoL (sp. inqu.), Korell 1994: 43 (part.: localities “Pozanti [Adana]”, “nördlich Maras [Kahramanmaras]”).

Cicindela herbacea, Cassola 1999: 238 View in CoL (part.: localities “Namrun”, “ Adana ”, “Pozanti”, “ Osmaniye, Karatepe”, “ Osmaniye ”, “N of Maras”, “Akbez”, “Gülek”, “Alexandrette”).

Types. Holotype: 6, with the following labels: “TR, Prov. Osmaniye: Strassenkr. Ri. Kaypak (nw. Fevsipasa ), 680 m. Feuchte, lehmige Böschung. 08.04.1998, Franzen & Gruber leg.” [typed and printed white label with black margin], “3” [handscript round label], “ Cicindela thughurica Franzen, 2007 , Holotypus ” [typed and printed red label] (in ZSM) . – Paratypes. A total of 76 specimens, all from Turkey. 1466 and 8♀♀ with the same data as the holotype (16, 1♀ ZSM, 1366, 7♀♀ in CFO); 16 , 1♀: above Zorkun (Osmaniye prov.), 1750- 1850 m, 18.6.1997, Franzen leg. ( CFO) ; 266, 1♀: above (E of) Yarpuz (Osmaniye prov.), 1550 m, 19.6.1997, Franzen leg. ( CFO) ; 366, 4♀♀: 5 km N Hieropolis-Castabala (Osmaniye prov.), 150 m, 9.4.1997, Franzen leg. ( CFO) ; 466, 2♀♀: environments of Çiftehan (Nigde prov.), 850 m, 3.4.1988, de Freina leg. (5 CHS, 1 CFO); 16 , 2♀♀: eastern slope of Karahan pass (Malatya prov.), 1300 m, 30.4.1999, Franzen leg. ( CFO) ; 566, 2♀♀: N of Tekir (Kahramanmaras prov.), 1100 m, 7.4.1998, Franzen & Gruber leg. ( CFO) ; 966, 7♀♀: 30 km NW Kahramanmaras (Kahramanmaras prov.), 580 m, 7.4.1998, Franzen & Gruber leg. ( CFO) ; 1♀: environments of Kahramanmaras (“ Marasch , Syrien ”, Kahramanmaras prov.), Reitter ( CFO) ; 16: between Çiftehan and Pozanti (Adana prov.), 900-1000 m, 17.4.1973, Heinz leg. ( CFO) ; 16, 1♀: E of Pozanti (Adana prov.), 800 m, 11.4.1998, Franzen leg. ( CFO) ; 1♀: Pozanti (Adana prov.), 25.5. 1961, Cadamuro leg. ( CHS) ; 1♀: Çatalan (“ Anatolia, Prov. Adana, Catalon ”, Adana prov.), 50- 100 m, 18.4.1985, Barries leg. ( CFO) ; 16, 2♀♀: E of Çamliyayla ( Içel prov. ), 1100 m, 11.4.1998, Franzen leg. ( CFO) ; 1♀: environments of Akbez (“ Akbez, Syr. ”, Gaziantep prov.), Winkler ( CFO) .

Type locality. Turkey, Osmaniye Province: at Kaypak road near to the junction with the old Osmaniye-Fevsipasa road at 37°09.76'N, 36°28.00'E, 680 m elevation GoogleMaps .

Referred specimen: 1♀: “ Libaah , Syrien ”, without further collection data ( CFO) .

Diagnosis. A member of the Cicindela campestris group (= “groupe V” sensu Rivalier 1950), with a unique character combination among Middle Eastern species: small relative aedeagus length (≤ 3.8 mm, AL/EWm ≤ 0.86), small total length (≤ 11.8 mm in males, ≤ 13.2 mm in females), brownish-green dorsal coloration and complete middle bands in most specimens. C. thughurica , spec. nov. differs from Near Eastern C. campestris by small aedegus length (≤ 3.9 mm vs. ≥ 4.1 mm), by less reduced elytral markings (middle bands complete in most C. thughurica , interrupted in most C. campestris ), and by elytral coloration (brownish-green in C. thughurica , green in C. campestris ). C. thughurica , spec. nov. differs from similar and geographic nearest (partly sympatric) taxa C. herbacea , C. desertorum , and C. turkestanicoides by its smaller relative aedeagus length (AL/EWm 0.72-0.86 vs. 0.87-1.10), by the more robust and less elongate shape of the aedeagus with a less pronounced apex, by its smaller total lengths, and a different elytral coloration (mostly brownish-green in C. thughurica , green in C. desertorum and C. turkestanicoides ). In addition, C. thughurica , spec. nov. differs from C. talyschensis of northern Iran and Azerbaidshan in possessing a setose frons (glabrous in C. talyschensis ) and in males by the rounded lateral sides of the elytra (elytral margins almost parallel in male C. talyschensis ).

Description of the Holotype

6, total length (without labrum) 10.6 mm. Head width 2.8 mm (27 % of TL); head distinctly broader than pronotum (HW/PWm 1.12). Second antennal segments with 3 terminal (sensory) and 4 scapal setae each, third segment glabrous, fourth with 9 erected setae each, fifth with 3 erected setae each. Anntenal segments 6-12 with very short, fine hairs. Mandibles with four teeth. Labrum broad, with 6 submarginal setae (right outermost broken), without medial tooth.

Clypeus and genae glabrous. Frons and vertex of head with abundant, long, erect setae in addition to some pairs of supraorbital setae. Vertex strongly concave between eyes, surface strongly rugose, rugae forming fine, parallel ridges near eyes.Pronotum transverse (length 1.9 mm [= 18 % of TL], maximum width 2.5 mm; PL/PWm 0.76), anteriorly distinctly wider than posteriorly (basal pronotum width 2.1 mm; PWm/PWb 1.20). Pronotum deeply wrinkled at lateral margins, shallowly wrinkled on disc, with numerous long setae; anterior transverse sulcus deep, V-shaped; posterior transverse sulcus deep, W-shaped; median longitudinal sulcus shallow. Proepisterna, hindepisterna, and lateral parts of the metasternum with long white setae. Median metasternum glabrous. Abdominal sternites 3-6 with numerous scattered short, fine setae. Procoxa with a small group of long, erect setae, mesocoxa with a large central spot of dense, long, erect setae, and metacoxa with a few scattered fine erect setae. Elytral length 6.5 mm (= 61 % of TL); humeral elytral (body) width 3.6 mm; maximum elytral (body) width at middle band (EWm) 4.5 mm (= 42 % of TL, 69 % of EL). Elytral surface densely scattered with numerous small pits, each associated with a small smooth granule. Granules are most conspicuous at base and less distinctly apically. Elytral apex without microserrulations; small apical spine present. Front and middle trochanters with one subapical seta on each. Front and middle femora dorsally and ventrally with numerous long white erect setae, hind femora only ventrally with setae. Tibia with short white, erect setae. Tarsi with very short white setae. Aedeagus ( Fig. 12 B View Fig ): length 3.6 mm (ratio AL/EWm 0.81).

Coloration: Anntenal segments 1-5 metallic red, remainder blackish. Mandibles bicolored, with teeth black and remainder brownish-yellow. Labrum brownish-yellow, with a fine black anterior margin. Clypeus and genae both metallic red with greenish margins. Head and pronotum dorsally dull coppery to red with greenish reflections (overall appearence brownish under diffuse daylight). Elytra metallic greenish with coppery to red reflections, elytral pits bluish (overall elytral coloration appears brownish under diffuse daylight). A diffuse, dark brownish area around the inner (sutural) part of the middle band. Elytral lateral margins and suture coppery to red. Elytral maculations creamish-white. Humeral lunule divided, broken into a humeral and posthumeral dot. Marginal band lacking, middle band complete, not broken into marginal and inner dots. Apical lunule complete, although bands between apical and subapical parts are very thin. Anterior underside (proepisterna, hindepisterna, and lateral parts of metasternum) metallic reddish, posteriorly (coxa, median metasternum, abdominal sternites 3-6) dark metallic violet to almost black. Trochanters black, femora metallic coppery to reddish, tibia metallic greenish, tarsi dull metallic greenish with violet reflections.

Variation. Variation of morphometric characters is shown in Tabs 1 and 2 (“C. sp.”). In contrast to the holotype, a small, black labral medial tooth is present in most specimens of the paratypes.

Distribution. To date, C. thughurica is only known from southern Turkey ( Fig. 13 View Fig ). Localties range from the southern slopes of the Bolkar daglari (Çamliyala, Pozanti) in the west to the Karahan pass (west of Malatya) in the northeast. Southernmost reliable localities are in the central Amanus Mountains (Osmaniye prov.). However, Cassola (1999) mentioned C. “ herbacea ” from Iskenderun, Hatay prov. (“Alexandrette, Asia minor ”, Kricheldorff), a locality at the western base of the southern Amanus mountains. Most probably, this record also refers to C. thughurica . Korell (1988, 1994) and Cassola (1999) list some localities of C. “ herbacea ” from the western Taurus Mountains, west of Sertavul pass (e.g., Irmasan pass, Akseki, Egridir, Gazipasa, Aphrodisias).

14 15

However, all my material examined during the present study from the western Taurus Mountains (see Appendix for localities) undoubtfully belongs to C. campestris .

Although an occurrence of C. thughurica in the Mediterranean part of the Levant south of Turkey is likely (e.g. in western Syria), no reliable locality records are available from this area. All localities of old specimens labled “ Syria ” (e.g., “Marasch, Syrien ”, “Akbez, Syr.”) are today within Turkey. Moreover, it is unclear if specimens from northern Israel (“ Cicindela campestris herbacea ”: Mt. Hermon, Nahal Nimrod, Mt. Meron; Nussbaum 1989) belong to C. herbacea or C. thughurica . However, I have one old undated C. thughurica specimen in my collection which is labeled “Libaah, Syrien ”. I am not able to find this locality on any modern maps but the name may refer to the ancient settlement of Libaah in Israel, which is in the surroundings of Betshemesh, at approximately 31°45'N, 34°59'E.

Etymology. The specific name refers to the Arabic term al-thughur, as the border zone between the Byzantine and the Arabian territories was called in early Islamic times. This area almost perfectly matches the presently known distribution of the new species.

Notes on habitat and sympatric species. All specimens of C. thughurica were collected on clayish substrate with interspersed small stones and no or a very sparse vegetation cover. In most cases occurrence was positively correlated with the presence of moist areas, mostly the edges of small streamlets (Pozanti, Hieropolis-Castabala, Yarpuz, NW Kahramanmaras, Tekir, Karahan Pass) or puddles and ditches (Çamliyala, Zorkun). Habitats comprised road embankments (Kaypak), forest roads (Çamliyayla, Yarpuz, Zorkun, NW Kahramanmaras), footpathes (Hieropolis-Castabala, Tekir), as well as clearings in pine forests ( Pinus nigra , P. brutia : Zorkun, Çamliyayla, NW Kahramanmaras), and Mediterranean scrub vegetation (Hieropolis-Castabala, Tekir). Microhabitats therefore do not appear to be different from those of Cicindela campestris , C. desertorum , C. herbacea , and C. turkestanicoides (Franzen, unpublished data). Most localities of C. thughurica are from low to moderate elevations up to 1000 m. The maximum vertical distribution is attained in the central Amanus Mountains near Zorkun at approximately 1750-1850 m.

Syntopic or sympatric occurrence with other members of the Cicindela campestris group were found at higher elevations with C. herbacea at Zorkun (syntopic) and with C. turkestanicoides perreaui at Karahan pass (Malatya prov., exact collecting site of C. tukestanicoides unknown). At Zorkun, C. thughurica and C. herbacea were found running together along small puddles on a forest road through pine forest ( P. nigra ), during mid-June. Differences in habitat use were not noted in the field.

Parapatric distribution of C. thughurica and C. campestris is known from the area of the Bolkar daglari north of Mersin. C. thughurica localities in this area are known from Çamliyayla (southern slope of Bolkar dagi) and from the valleys of Çiftehan çayi and Pozanti çayi between Pozanti and Çiftehan. Nearest C. campestris localities are at a distance of about 15-30 km in western direction at Aktoprak village and the small mountain lake Karagöl at the northern slope of Bolkar daglari ( Fig. 13 View Fig ). Although not separated by any obvious barriers (e.g. a mountain chain), individuals of both species do not show signs of morphological intergradation ( Figs 14-15 View Figs ).

The syntopic and parapatric occurrence of four closely related taxa of tiger beetles within the central Taurus/Antitaurus and Amanus Mountains of southern Turkey reminds parallel cases of high vertebrate species numbers in the same area. Schmidtler (1997) analysed the distribution of reptiles and amphibians within the Taurus Mountains and found high taxa numbers among closely related forms of dwarf snakes of the genus Eirenis (Reptilia: Ophidia: Colubridae ) and the scincid genus Ablepharus (Reptilia: Lacertilia: Scincidae ). In each case the unusual rich species assemblage of the area (with 6 and 5 taxa, respectively) is based on the presumed immigration of species from the west (Balcanian elements; here C. campestris ), the east (Transcaucasian-Iranian elements; here C. turkestanicoides ), the south (Syrian-Levantine elements; here C. herbacea ), as well as the presence of local endemics, located in the Bolkar daglari and the Antitaurus (here C. thughurica ). Among cicindelids, Franzen (2003) showed that the region also houses an area of morphological intergrades as well as contact zones between western, eastern and southern subspecies of Homodela ismenia .