Tenebrionidae Beetles of the Nevada Test Site Vasco M
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Brigham Young University Science Bulletin, Biological Series Volume 6 | Number 1 Article 1 2-1965 Tenebrionidae beetles of the Nevada Test Site Vasco M. Tanner Department of Zoology and Entomology, Brigham Young University, Provo, Utah Willis A. Packham Biological Sciences, Washington High School, Portland, Oregon Follow this and additional works at: https://scholarsarchive.byu.edu/byuscib Part of the Anatomy Commons, Botany Commons, Physiology Commons, and the Zoology Commons Recommended Citation Tanner, Vasco M. and Packham, Willis A. (1965) "Tenebrionidae beetles of the Nevada Test Site," Brigham Young University Science Bulletin, Biological Series: Vol. 6 : No. 1 , Article 1. Available at: https://scholarsarchive.byu.edu/byuscib/vol6/iss1/1 This Article is brought to you for free and open access by the Western North American Naturalist Publications at BYU ScholarsArchive. It has been accepted for inclusion in Brigham Young University Science Bulletin, Biological Series by an authorized editor of BYU ScholarsArchive. For more information, please contact [email protected], [email protected]. sS - /V/)- f[A^^oJ ^US. COMP. 200L LIBRARY MAY 2 1965 UNIVERSITY BRIGHAM YOUNG UNIVERSITY \i^ SCIENCE BULLETIN TENEBRIONIDAE BEETLES OF THE NEVADA TEST SITE by Vasco M. Tanner and Willis A. Packham Biological Series — Vol. VI, No. 1 FEBRUARY, 1965 BRIGHAM YOUNG UNIVERSITY SCIENCE BULLETIN TENEBRIONIDAE BEETLES OF THE NEVADA TEST SITE by Vasco M. Tanner and Willis A. Packham Biological Series — Vol. VI, No. 1 FEBRUARY 1965 FOREWORD Tliis is anotluT of a series of major publications on desert ecology resulting from studies at the Nevada Test Site by the Brigham Young Universit)' Depart- ment of Zoology and Entomology in cooperation with the United States Atomic Energy Commission. Although some of the studies are the result of indepen- dent investigations by specialists who are not on our departmental staff, they are j)art of the major project initiated cooperatively by B.Y.U. and the AEC to dclermine the effect of nuclear detonations on the native animals of the Nevada Test Site. Dorald M. Allred and D Elden Beck Project Supervisors MUS. COMP - ^'- HAH- TABLE OF CONTENTS Page INTRODUCTION 1 ACKNOWLEDGMENT 2 ACCOUNTS OF THE SPECIES 2 CLASSIFICATION OF THE TENEBRIONIDAE COLLECTED AT THE NEVADA TEST SITE 3 KEY TO THE SUBFAMILIES 4 CHARACTERISTICS OF THE TRIBES, GENERA, AND SPECIES 7 SYSTEMATIC AND ECOLOGICAL DISCUSSION OF THE SPECIES OF TENE- BRIONIDAE COLLECTED AT THE NEVADA TEST SITE 16 Metoponium convexicolle 16 Hylocrinus laborans 17 Steriphanus lubricans 17 Auchmobius subboreus 17 Chihmetopon abnorme 18 Metopoloba bifossiceps 18 Triorophus laevis politus 19 Edrotes orbus 19 Araeoschizus sulcicoUis 20 Anepsius brunneus 21 Cryptoglossa verrucosa 23 Centrioptera muricata 23 Pelecyphorus pantex 24 P. semilaevis 25 Euschides luctatus 26 Trichiasida acerba 26 Craniotus bUiisdelU 27 Trogloderus costatus nevadus 29 Embaphion elongatum 29 Eleodes carbonaria immunis 29 E. obscura sulcipennis 30 E. grandicoltis valida 31 E. hispilabris sculptilis 32 E. longipilosa 32 £. armata 33 E. armata pumila 33 E. nigrina 34 E. dissimilis nevadensis 34 E. longicoUis 34 E. tenebrosa 34 £. brunnipes brevisetosa 33 E. extricata jrigida 35 Spheriontis dilatata 35 Eusattus dubius 36 E. agnatus 36 Coniontis nevadensis carsonica 36 Conkmtellus argutus 37 Blapstinus vandyhei 37 B. pubescens 37 Notibius substriatus 37 Conibiosoma elongatum 38 Anemia californica 38 Coclociwmis punctatu 39 Alucphus nevadensis 39 Eupsophulus costaneus 40 Ih'lops attenuatus 40 DISCUSSION 41 AbumlancL' of Species 41 Populations 41 Plant Communit)' Relationships 42 Seasonal Activit)' 42 Life HLstory and Food Habits 42 SUMMARY 43 LITERATURE CITED 43 LIST OF FIGURES Figure Page I. Eleodes grandicollis validti Boheman, dorsal view 5 II. Eleodes grandicollis valida Boheman, ventral view 6 III. Auchmohiiis siihboreus Bhiisdell 18 IV, Numher of specimens by species (A-D) found in nine plant communities 19 V. Number of specimens by species (A-F) found in nine plant communities 20 V'l Numi)er of specimens by species (A-B) foimd in nine plant communities 21 \ll. Numl)cr of specimens by species (A-E) found in nine plant communities 22 \'II1 .Number of specimens by species (A-G) found in nine plant communities 22 I.\. Number of specimens by species (A-J) found in nine plant communities 23 X. Number of specimens seasonally in Mixed, Salsola, and Coleogyne communities .. 24 XI. Number of specimens seasonally in Larrea-Franseria, Lycium, and Atriplex- Kochia communities 24 XII. Number of specimens seasonally in Grayia-Lycium and disturbed Grayia- Lycium communities 24 .\III. Petecyplwrus pantex Casey 25 XIV. Petecyplwrus semilaevis ( Honi ) 25 .\\'. Number of specimens seasonally collected in all the biotic communities 26 .WI. Number of specimens seasonally collected in all the biotic communities 27 XV'II. Craniotus hlaisdelli Tanner 28 XVIII. Number of specimens seasonally collected in all the biotic communities 30 XIX. Number of specimens seasoniUly cxjUected in all the biotic communities 31 XX. Niunher of specimens seasonally collected in iUl the biotic communities 32 .\XI. Alaephus nevadensis Tarmer 39 . TENEBRIONIDAE BEETLES OF THE NEVADA TEST SITE' by Vasco M. Tanner^ and Willis A. Packham^ INTRODUCTION In August 1959 Brigham Young University These areas are referred to herein as disturbed initiated an ecological study of the animals at Grayia-Lycium in contrast to the Grayia-Lycium the Nevada Test Site. As part of that study, ( undisturbed ) emphasis was given to the ground-dwelling Beetles were collected at regular intervals in lu-thropods. One of the largest resulting collec- sunken can traps described and illustrated by tions was beetles in the family Tenebrionidae. Allred, et al. (1963a). Others were collected Tliese are herein described, and notes on dieir intennittently by hand from plants, small mam- relative abundance, seasonal occurrence, and mal burrows, under rocks, debris, bark, etc., and plant community relationships at the test site by use of an ultraviolet light. are included. Tlie results reported here deal with Can traps usually were placed in two par- those collected between August 19.59 and July allel lines 825 feet apart, each line with six cans 1963. spaced at 1.50-foot intei-vals. In the Mixed com- The Nevada Test Site is situated in southern munitv an additional line of ams spaced at ir- Nye Countv adjacent to northwestern Clark- regular intervals was used, and in the Pinyon- County and southwestern Lincoln County, about Juniper the lines of cans were 75 feet apart. In 70 miles northwest of Las Vegas, Nevada (refer the disturbed Grayia-Lycium, however, four to Allred, Beck, and Jorgensen, 1963a). It is lines of traps radiated from ground zero (the appro.ximatelv 40 miles long and 35 miles wide. point where a nuclear detonation took place). Beetles were taken from three major areas of Each of these lines extended through an area the test site—Frenchman Flat, Yucca Flat, and completely denuded of native plants (but now Rainier Mesa. The geography and ecology of invaded by Salsola kali), through adjacent zones the area were discussed in detail by Allred, Beck, of physically damaged plants, and terminated in and Jorgensen (1963a) in Biotic Communities ;ireas of undisturbed vegetation. Each line con- of the Nevada Test Site. Their plant community sisted of thirty cans placed 265 feet apart. designations of Larrea-Franseria, Grayia-Ly- Regular collections were made in each com- cium, Salsola, Coleogyne, Atriplcx-Kochia, Pin- munity for at least a year's period, except in the yon-Juniper and Mi.xed have been followed in Pinyon-Juniper between November and March this paper with slight modification. In French- when snow cover prevented access to the study man Flat Li/ciiim pallidum occurs as a narrow, area. More incidental collections were made in relatively pure stand which extends from the some communities than in others. Therefore, for playa through the Larrea-Franseria. Inasmuch purposes of relative population comparisons, the as the beetle fauna differed so much between total number of specimens collected in each this Lijcium area and other areas in the Larrea- community was adjusted according to the Franseria community where Lycium was much number of collection attempts. less abundant, it is herein considered as a sep- The tenebrionids were preserved in 70% arate community. ethyl alcohol until pinned. Identified specimens In Yucca Flat the vegetation in large areas have been deposited in the collections of Brig- in the Grayia-Lycium community has been dis- ham Young University and other institutions turbed and partially destroyed by nuclear wea- and museums as indicated by Allred, et al. pons testing. Here also the beetle fauna differed. (1963b). 'Report No. COO-1355-6. Fklci work completed under A EC Contract AT ( 11-1 ) 786. -Professor of Zoology and Entomology, Brigham Yoimg University, Provo, Utah. ^Instructor in Biological Sciences, Washington High School, Portland, Oregon. ) ) ) ) Bkiciiam Young University Science Bulletin ACKNOWLKDfAIKNT Acknowli-ilgment is made of United States Kntomology, U. S. National Museum, and Mr. Atomic KiuTj^- Commission contracts AT(ll-l)- Hugh B. Leech, curator of entomology, Calif- of Sciences, for c-ourtesies 786 and Af( 11-1 ) 13.55 witli Brigliam Young ornia .Academy many Ijniversifv wliidi pro\'idod financial support for and loans of specimens to the senior author while at these respective institutions. We wish part of tliis study. We are grateful to Drs. Dor- to thank .Mr. Douglas Hill of the Brigham Young aid M. Allred and D Elden Beck, principiil and University English Department, our artist, for ass(K-iate investigators of tlie Nevada Test Site the care he has taken in making the drawings ecology' projects, for permission to utilize their contained in tiiis paper; and the personnel as- data and for their suggestions. Appreciation is sociated with the Brigham Young Uni\ersity director of expressed to Dr. Harold J. Grant, ecology project at the Nevada Test Site and entomology. Academy of Natural Sciences of Pro\o campus laboratory for the c-ollection and Philadelphia; Dr.