Amblycheila picolominii

Moved

… Daniel P Duran, 7 August, 2007 - 5:44pm

Ambylcheila picolominii

This is A. picolominii. Vaurie's manuscript was very necessary at the time, but the range maps and key are pretty badly outdated now. Her one schwarzi locality from central No. AZ is almost certainly an error, as that area is a well-known site for picolominii. Some of the characters she used in her key are omitted from more recent treatments as they no longer hold up well. Both species have variation, and both are often shiny, not just schwarzi.

The overall gestalt and the texture of the elytra (especially the angle in photo 130244) make the ID possible. Although the sutural punctures are small, they are clearly visible in 130244 and comparison with a schwarzi specimen will show even finer punctures and a smoother texture in that species.

Lastly, the locality alone would make this much more likely to be A. picolominii. A. schwarzi is only associated with the Mojave Desert ecoregion and the habitat and geography of Prescott would make it unlikely to be that species. A colleague of mine, Jason Schmidt has a lot of experience with AZ Amblycheila and he didn't hesitate to determine this as picolominii as well.

- Dan

… Daniel P Duran, 7 August, 2007 - 5:41pm

Thanks, knowing that Prescott

Thanks, knowing that Prescott is the mile-high city, and seeing that pico. distribution along the Colorado Plateau, made me think that it wasn't schwarzii afterall.

… margarethe brummermann, 7 August, 2007 - 8:40pm

Collect some next time?

Hi Margarethe, if it's not too much trouble, would you consider collecting Ambylcheila if you come across any again? Although they aren't 'rare', they are uncommon in collections because of where they live and also as a result of their primarily nocturnal habits. I'd love to talk to you more about that find. If you're interested feel free to email me (in my profile).

… Daniel P Duran, 8 August, 2007 - 2:02pm

Moved

Moved from Giant Tiger Beetles.

… Phillip Harpootlian, 26 July, 2007 - 8:56pm

As an asides...

I found an article, Review of the North American genus Amblycheila, Patricia Vaurie, 1955, contains more observations than I've found elsewhere.
http://digitallibrary.amnh.org/dspace/bitstream/2246/2441/1/N1724.pdf
The USGS checklist seems based upon limited observations to me, for example, I've added 2 and 3 more counties here in Arkansas for both species of Megacephala, carolina and virginica.

… RyanJS, 26 July, 2007 - 7:44am

outstanding

From the key; Elytral disc between carinae with sparse punctures arranged in three or four rows, the sutural region nearly impunctate;.. A. schwarzi

… Phillip Harpootlian, 26 July, 2007 - 8:54pm

Hats off

This feature also clearly visible in photo 130244.
Still would like to compare two verified specimens for full satisfaction.

… RyanJS, 26 July, 2007 - 9:43pm

Amblycheila picolominii

Tiger beetle
Nice find!
note Here's a pinned specimen:
http://www.npwrc.usgs.gov/resource/distr/insects/tigb/az/4.htm

… RyanJS, 24 July, 2007 - 3:57pm

Thanks, does not seem to be v

Thanks, does not seem to be very common, should have collectd the specimen, oh well...So how do I get him onto the right page now?

… margarethe brummermann, 24 July, 2007 - 6:05pm

or A. schwarzi

Three species are known from Arizona and schwarzi looks closer to me.

… Phillip Harpootlian, 25 July, 2007 - 3:07pm

After comparing the photos in

After comparing the photos in 'Tiger beetles of the United States' I am rather certain that it is picolominii. The primary stigmata on the elytra form irregular, but clear rowes in my beetle as well as in the one depicted by John Riggins.

… margarethe brummermann, 25 July, 2007 - 6:26pm

The thumbnails show those elytral punctures on both species, but picolom.. is not distinctly shiny like schwarzi, among other things. The range map seems to be a better fit for Prescott as well.

… Phillip Harpootlian, 25 July, 2007 - 7:51pm

Please let me know which dist

Please let me know which distribution data you are referring to.'Tiger b. of the US' seems to show schwarzi only in UT and CA, but picol. for most of AZ north of the Mogollon rim? You are right about the life beetle being shiny. I saw a web site with a key, but I can't find it anymore.

… margarethe brummermann, 25 July, 2007 - 11:38pm

map

map. Also compares well with the map in Vaurie's paper.

… Phillip Harpootlian, 26 July, 2007 - 6:59am