Eunota circumpicta pembina
(Johnson, 1993)
Pembina Tiger Beetle
Eunota circumpicta pembina is a of to the Great Plains region of North America. It is closely related to Eunota circumpicta johnsonii (Johnson's tiger beetle), from which it differs in geographic distribution and coloration. The subspecies is restricted to a disjunct in North Dakota, where it occupies saline seep . Adults exhibit -green coloration without the reddish or dark found in other populations of the . The subspecies was formally described by Johnson in 1993 and is considered to have subspecific status based on its geographic isolation and distinctive coloration.
Pronunciation
How to pronounce Eunota circumpicta pembina: //juːˈnoʊtə ˌsɜːrkəmˈpɪktə pɛmˈbaɪnə//
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Identification
Distinguished from Eunota circumpicta johnsonii by its exclusive -green coloration, lacking the reddish and dark present in other . The occurs in North Dakota, separated by several hundred miles from the nearest populations of E. c. johnsonii in central Kansas. As with other Eunota circumpicta subspecies, adults have broad elytral margins that give the its name ('circumpicta' = painted around).
Habitat
Saline seep in the Great Plains. Specifically associated with barren areas surrounding saline seeps in North Dakota.
Distribution
to North Dakota, USA. Represents a disjunct occurring several hundred miles east of the main range of the in the central Great Plains.
Human Relevance
The serves as an example of geographic isolation leading to subspecific differentiation in . Its restricted distribution and specific requirements make it vulnerable to habitat degradation. The related Missouri of E. c. johnsonii has experienced severe population declines due to habitat loss, highlighting concerns for saline seep-dependent tiger beetles generally.
Similar Taxa
- Eunota circumpicta johnsoniiClosely related differing in geographic distribution (central Kansas and disjunct Missouri vs. North Dakota) and color (E. c. johnsonii exhibits reddish and dark in addition to -green, while E. c. pembina is exclusively blue-green).
- Eunota togata globicollisShares saline flat preferences in the Great Plains but differs in elytral pattern (E. togata has more extensively with the 'globicollis' showing a broad white across the elytra) and is active primarily in spring and fall rather than summer.