Trogloderus skillmani
Johnston, 2019
Trogloderus skillmani is a newly described of psammophilic darkling beetle (Tenebrionidae: Amphidorini) from the eastern Great Basin and Mohave Desert regions of the western United States. Described in 2019 by Johnston as part of a comprehensive phylogenetic revision of the , it is one of six new species recognized in a genus previously considered . The species is restricted to dunes and sandy desert . Molecular phylogenetic analysis dates the most recent common ancestor of Trogloderus to approximately 5.2 million years ago, with current species having diversified during the mid-Pleistocene driven by geographic features of the Intermountain Region.
Pronunciation
How to pronounce Trogloderus skillmani: /trɒɡloʊˈdɛrəs ˈskɪlmənaɪ/
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Identification
Trogloderus skillmani can be distinguished from by morphological characters detailed in the original description (Johnston 2019). The Trogloderus as a whole is characterized by its restriction to psammophilic , though specific diagnostic features for T. skillmani versus T. major (also from the Mohave Desert) and other sympatric species require examination of the original taxonomic description. Molecular data support its distinction as a separate lineage within the genus.
Habitat
Dunes and sandy in desert regions; specifically associated with psammophilic (sand-loving) environments in the eastern Great Basin and Mohave Desert.
Distribution
Eastern Great Basin and Mohave Desert of the western United States. The occurs in desert regions where sandy dune are present.
Similar Taxa
- Trogloderus majorAlso occurs in the Mohave Desert and shares psammophilic preferences; distinguished by morphological characters in the original description
- Trogloderus nevadusOccurs in the western Great Basin; the only previously described in the before the 2019 revision
- Trogloderus arcanusOccurs in the Lahontan Trough; another newly described from the 2019 revision with overlapping geographic proximity
Sources and further reading
- BugGuide
- iNaturalist taxon
- NCBI Taxonomy
- Sphecidae | Beetles In The Bush
- Erebidae | Beetles In The Bush | Page 2
- Figure 9: Distribution map, Trogloderus major Johnston n.sp., T. nevadus La Rivers, T. skillmani Johnston n.sp.
- Phylogenetic revision of the psammophilic Trogloderus LeConte (Coleoptera: Tenebrionidae), with biogeographic implications for the Intermountain Region