Taxonomic Revision of Hispaniola Tiger Beetles in the Genus Brasiella Rivalier, 1954 (Coleoptera, Carabidae, Cicindelinae)

The Brasiella tiger beetle fauna on Hispaniola, the second largest island of the Greater Antilles, has more species diversity than currently recognized as all populations previously have been assigned to the insular endemic Brasiella dominicana (Mandl). A comparative study of adult morphology, parti...

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Main Author: Robert Acciavatti
Format: Article
Language:English
Published: Pensoft Publishers 2011-11-01
Series:ZooKeys
Online Access:http://zookeys.pensoft.net/lib/ajax_srv/article_elements_srv.php?action=download_pdf&item_id=2968
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author Robert Acciavatti
author_facet Robert Acciavatti
author_sort Robert Acciavatti
collection DOAJ
description The Brasiella tiger beetle fauna on Hispaniola, the second largest island of the Greater Antilles, has more species diversity than currently recognized as all populations previously have been assigned to the insular endemic Brasiella dominicana (Mandl). A comparative study of adult morphology, particularly male genitalic and female abdominal characters, for available Brasiella specimens from populations on Hispaniola, proposes eight additional new species also endemic to this island. Except for three sympatric species in the Sierra de Baoruco in southern Dominican Republic occurring in different habitats, all the Brasiella on Hispaniola appear to be allopatric. Most species occur in the major mountainous regions of Hispaniola. Two species, however, are known only from river floodplains in the southern coastal plain of the Dominican Republic. Brasiella dominicana (Mandl) and B. ocoa, new species, occur along river floodplains emanating from the eastern end of the Cordillera Central in the Dominican Republic. Two new Brasiella species, B. bellorum, and B. philipi, occur in the Cordillera Central, Dominican Republic, the former species from central portions, and the latter species from north slopes of this mountain range, respectively. Three new Brasiella species, B. rawlinsi, B. iviei, and B. youngi, are isolated in the Sierra de Baoruco, Dominican Republic, where each occupies a different habitat along an altitudinal gradient. The two new Brasiella species in Haiti are B. darlingtoniana, in the Massif de la Selle, and B. davidsoni, in the Massif de la Hotte. All nine Brasiella species on Hispaniola, along with B. viridicollis (Dejean) and its two subspecies on Cuba, belong to the viridicollis species group of the genus Brasiella based on criteria presented in earlier published phylogenetic studies of Brazilian and West Indian tiger beetles. The subspecies Brasiella viridicollis fernandozayasi (Kippenhan, Ivie & Hopp) may represent a distinct species within this species group, whereas removal of Brasiella wickhami (W. Horn) from this species group seems warranted based on evidence presented. A general overview of species relationships for the Brasiella on Hispaniola are discussed, along with the current and ancestral geographic distributions of the Brasiella viridicollis species group in the West Indies.
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spelling doaj.art-55eb52ed46944fff831808d1225cee0e2022-12-21T23:15:06ZengPensoft PublishersZooKeys1313-29891313-29702011-11-0114709918210.3897/zookeys.147.20122968Taxonomic Revision of Hispaniola Tiger Beetles in the Genus Brasiella Rivalier, 1954 (Coleoptera, Carabidae, Cicindelinae)Robert AcciavattiThe Brasiella tiger beetle fauna on Hispaniola, the second largest island of the Greater Antilles, has more species diversity than currently recognized as all populations previously have been assigned to the insular endemic Brasiella dominicana (Mandl). A comparative study of adult morphology, particularly male genitalic and female abdominal characters, for available Brasiella specimens from populations on Hispaniola, proposes eight additional new species also endemic to this island. Except for three sympatric species in the Sierra de Baoruco in southern Dominican Republic occurring in different habitats, all the Brasiella on Hispaniola appear to be allopatric. Most species occur in the major mountainous regions of Hispaniola. Two species, however, are known only from river floodplains in the southern coastal plain of the Dominican Republic. Brasiella dominicana (Mandl) and B. ocoa, new species, occur along river floodplains emanating from the eastern end of the Cordillera Central in the Dominican Republic. Two new Brasiella species, B. bellorum, and B. philipi, occur in the Cordillera Central, Dominican Republic, the former species from central portions, and the latter species from north slopes of this mountain range, respectively. Three new Brasiella species, B. rawlinsi, B. iviei, and B. youngi, are isolated in the Sierra de Baoruco, Dominican Republic, where each occupies a different habitat along an altitudinal gradient. The two new Brasiella species in Haiti are B. darlingtoniana, in the Massif de la Selle, and B. davidsoni, in the Massif de la Hotte. All nine Brasiella species on Hispaniola, along with B. viridicollis (Dejean) and its two subspecies on Cuba, belong to the viridicollis species group of the genus Brasiella based on criteria presented in earlier published phylogenetic studies of Brazilian and West Indian tiger beetles. The subspecies Brasiella viridicollis fernandozayasi (Kippenhan, Ivie & Hopp) may represent a distinct species within this species group, whereas removal of Brasiella wickhami (W. Horn) from this species group seems warranted based on evidence presented. A general overview of species relationships for the Brasiella on Hispaniola are discussed, along with the current and ancestral geographic distributions of the Brasiella viridicollis species group in the West Indies.http://zookeys.pensoft.net/lib/ajax_srv/article_elements_srv.php?action=download_pdf&item_id=2968
spellingShingle Robert Acciavatti
Taxonomic Revision of Hispaniola Tiger Beetles in the Genus Brasiella Rivalier, 1954 (Coleoptera, Carabidae, Cicindelinae)
ZooKeys
title Taxonomic Revision of Hispaniola Tiger Beetles in the Genus Brasiella Rivalier, 1954 (Coleoptera, Carabidae, Cicindelinae)
title_full Taxonomic Revision of Hispaniola Tiger Beetles in the Genus Brasiella Rivalier, 1954 (Coleoptera, Carabidae, Cicindelinae)
title_fullStr Taxonomic Revision of Hispaniola Tiger Beetles in the Genus Brasiella Rivalier, 1954 (Coleoptera, Carabidae, Cicindelinae)
title_full_unstemmed Taxonomic Revision of Hispaniola Tiger Beetles in the Genus Brasiella Rivalier, 1954 (Coleoptera, Carabidae, Cicindelinae)
title_short Taxonomic Revision of Hispaniola Tiger Beetles in the Genus Brasiella Rivalier, 1954 (Coleoptera, Carabidae, Cicindelinae)
title_sort taxonomic revision of hispaniola tiger beetles in the genus brasiella rivalier 1954 coleoptera carabidae cicindelinae
url http://zookeys.pensoft.net/lib/ajax_srv/article_elements_srv.php?action=download_pdf&item_id=2968
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