A TAXONOMIC STUDY OF POPULATIONS OF TIGER BEETLES IN THE CICINDELA LONGILABRIS COMPLEX FROM THE BLACK HILLS OF SOUTH DAKOTA

Three phenotypes within the Cicindela longilabris complex are present in the vicinity of the Black Hills in South Dakota: Laurent's boreal long-lipped tiger beetle, Cicindela longilabris laurentii; the prairie long-lipped tiger beetle, Cicindela nebraskana; and a third phenotype that shares characteristics of both species. By comparing morphological and ecological characteristics between these three phenotypes, I was able to separate C. longilabris and C. nebraskana using ventral and proepisternal color, presence or absence of a middle band on the elytra, elytral luster, labral width:length ratio, and hind tarsal length. Somewhat less useful characters were labral color and total length. The third phenotype was often not assignable to either species and probably represents hybrid populations, showing gene flow (introgression and recombination) between C. longilabris and C. nebraskana, as individuals were often found in overlapping prairie/boreal habitats at intermediate altitudes.