A Survey of the Insects of White Sands National Monument, Tularosa
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A Surveyof the Insects of White Sands National Monument,Tularosa Basin, New Mexico' ClydeP. Stroud Universityof Chicago INTRODUCTION Most of the insectsreported here were collectedin and around White Sands National Monumentbetween June 5, 1947 and August 9, 1947. There are a fewrecords from collections made June20-21, 1946 and recordsof two species furnishedby othercollectors. A large numberof recordsof other arthropocswill be reportedin a subsequentpaper. The White Sands National Monumentis situatedin Tularosa Basin (Fig. 1), an area of internaldrainage bounded on the east and westby a seriesof faultranges and by relativelyhigh ground on the northand south. The chief depositof the basin is valleyfill. In additionto the White Sands, thereare severalother large areas of ecologicalimportance. West of the White Sands and adjacentto thatarea is a largesalt flat. At the south end of this flatis an intermittentsalt lake, Lake Lucero. North of the White Sands and not quite contiguouswith that area is the "malpais," a recentlava deposition. South of the White Sands and separatedfrom it by a distanceof about 20 miles is a large area of reddishsilica dunes. This dunes area surroundsthe low Jarillamountains and extendsinto the Hueco Basin to the south. The White Sands National Monument (Fig. 2) includesa part of an almostunique typeof habitat,consisting of dunes of finecrystalline gypsum, some as high as 50 feet,alternating with "flats" or level inter-dunalareas. The substrateof the southernpart of thisarea is composedalmost entirely of calciumsulfate. In the northernpart thereis much more admixtureof silica and othermaterials. The geologicalhistory of the White Sands deposithas been studiedby Vandiver (1936), Potter (1938) and others. Biotic conditionsin the White Sands are of great interest. Since Dice (1929, 1930) describedand discussedthe light-coloredrace of pocketmouse, Perognathusapache gypsi,which shows evidentcolor adaptationto the sub- strate,interest has been focusedon organismsshowing coloration adaptation. Benson (1933), Blair (1941, 1941a, 1943) and othershave contributedto our knowledgeof the mammalsof the area. Smith (1943) has describeda light-coloredsubspecies of lizard, Holbrookia maculata ruthvenifrom the White Sands. A whitetoad identifiedas Scaphiopus couchii has been re- ported,(Stroud 1949). Bugbee (1942) made briefnotes on animalsof the 1 This projectwas undertakenin partialfulfillment of the requirementsfor the degree of Masterof Artsat New MexicoHighlands University at Las Vegas. 659 660 THE AMERICAN MIDLAND NATURALIST 44 (3) 0 1~~~~~~~ 0T AD UEL~~~~S'qS Di.1-ularosaBsn Fig. l.-Tularosa Basin. 1950 STROUD: INSECTS OF WHITE SANDS MONUMENT 661 area includingsome arthropods.Strohecker (1947) describedas new species two whiteGryllacrididae belonging to the genera Daihiniodes and Ammo- baenetes. Emerson (1935) studiedthe floweringplants of the White Sands and noted that "numbersof both species and individualsgradually decrcase withincreasing distance from the general desert." ACKNOWLEDGEMENTS The authoris gratefulto thefollowing entomologists who have contributed to the presentundertaking bythe identification of insect material: H. F. Barber,R. H. Beamer, J. C. Bequaert,D. M. DeLong,G. H. Dieke,A. M. Egbert,A. E. Emerson,W. R. Enns,A. B. Gahan,L. G. Gentner,L. K. Gloyd,C. T. Greene,R. E. Gregg,M. T. James,H. H. Knight,G. F. Knowlton,J. N. Knull,K. V. Krombein,Ira La Rivers, A. T. McClay,C. F. W. Muesebeck,W. D. Pierce,H. J.Reinhard, R. I. Sailer,M. R. Smith,R. C. Smith,E. G. Smyth,J. L. Sperry,H. F. Strohecker,H. K. Townes,and E. C. Van Dyke. DESCRIPTION OF LOCALITIES In the presentstudy collections were made at nine sites inside the white dunes area and at thirteenlocalities outside of it. The locationscollected are indicatedin figures1 and 2. Figure 2 is an enlargementof the portionof figure1 inclosedby a rectangle. The locality"Loop Drive" is about ten milesfrom the monumententrance and is sevenmiles from the nearestfrontal dunes. The area is representative of the climaxof dune action. The flatsare largelycovered with gypsum and are almost entirelydevoid of vegetation. The most commonplant is sand bunchgrass, Oryzopsis hymenioides. The dunes are veryhigh and are quite active. The locality"Picnic Area" is fivemiles from the Loop Drive and the same distancefrom the area designated"Ridingers." It is an area of large active dunes but the averageconcentration of plantsin the flatsis greaterthln that foundin the Loop Drive area. Outstandingadditions to the floraare Yucca and Chrysothamnus.At twoplaces in the area thereare groupsof Populus. "Ridingers"is a site on the marginof the dunes area two miles south southwestof the monumententrance. Collectionswere made in the frontal dunes and for a distanceof about a mile into the dunes area. The frontal dunes are especiallyhigh above the surroundingdesert at this point. The floraof the extensiveflats and low dunes to the west of the frontaldunes consistsof a numberof speciesin additionto thosefound in the morecentral locations. Yucca, Tamarix,Ephedra, Chrysothamnus, and Rhus, are particu- larlyabundant. Considerablenumbers of pedestalsare foundhere, formed of packedgypsum under groups of plants,especially Rhus. The area near the "Entrance"to the White Sands National Monumentis verymuch like that at Ridingersand servedas a check on collectionsmade at the latterlocation. The stands of vegetationare approximatelyequal in the two areas. Small collectionswere made at points five,ten, and fifteenmiles west southwestof Ridingers. The dunes are low in these areas and are almost entirelystabilized by plants and by the admixtureof darkersoil, but there are scatteredactive dunes. 662 THE AMERICAN MIDLAND NATURALIST 44 (3) MO,JLMENT BSuA/D4 V _ A9.41~II ~ ~ i fL4JSFLflTS / O~~~~~~~0LooP.Dt,vE / l o PcNvic ARCA4t j | i~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~""4 AeDUNES ?r^ICLOWSW/ vE fcste ~~~~~~~~~~i / I 0/ ~~~~~~~~WeLL?x Fig. 2.-White Sands NationalMonument. Lake Lucero, about twentymiles westsouthwest of Ridingersis the rem- nant of the "old salt lake" whichonce occupied at least the entirearea of the present"Salt flats." The west side of Lake Lucero is ecologicallymuch differentfrom the White Sands area. There are no dunes and the dominant plant is Prosopis. The east side has manygypsum dunes and pedestals. The substrateis formedof much largercrystals than thatof the restof the White Sands dunes area. Collectionswere made in an area designated"Silica Dunes," about ten miles west of Tularosa. This is withinthe northernportion of the same dunes area found at White Sands, but here the soil is considerablydarker due to the admixtureof silica and othermaterials. The vegetationis much like thatat Ridingers,except for the additionof Prosop.s. KEY TO ABBREVIATIONS AND SYMBOLS Localities 11. Well No. 1, Baird's Ranch (Withinprincipal dunes area) 12. Well No. 2, Baird's Ranch 1. Loop Drive 13. S. of Lake Lucero 2. PicnicArea 14. W. side of Lake Lucero 3. Ridingers 15. 2 mi. S. of Alamogordo 4. Entrance 16. Dunes near Valmont 5. 5 mi. WSW of Ridingers 17. Red Dunes near Escondida 6. 10 mi. WSW of Ridingers 18. 2 mi. N. of La Luz 7. 15 mi. WSW of Ridingers 19. AlamogordoArmy Air Base 8. E. side of Lake Lucero 20. Malpais, W. of Carrizozo 9. Silica Dunes 21. Knoll in Malpais (Outside principaldunes area) 22. Tularosa 10. Game Reserve 1950 STROUD: INSECTS OF WHITE SANDS MONUMENT 663 Habitatsand Methodsof Collection i. Andropuscarnosus Waterleaf (Lettersindicate specific plants) j. Nerisyrenialinearifolia Pepper Plant A. Yucca elata Engelm. Yucca, Palmilla K. Chrysothamnusnauseosus var. latis- B. Populus wislizeniRio Grande Cotton- quaemeusRabbit Brush wood L. Anogragypsophila Evening primrose c. Tamarixgall;ca Salt Cedar M. Opuntiasp. StickCactus D. Cucurbitafoetidissima Wild Gourd N. Mentzeliapulmila var. procera Stickle E. VariousGrasses Weed F. Abroniaaugustifolia Sand Verbena o. Koeberliniaspinosa Allthorn G. Atriplexcanescens Four-WingedSalt P. Prosopissp. Bush Q. Larred tr.dentat CreosoteBush H. Varioussmall Compositae R. Ephedratorreyana Joint-fir (Numbersindicate collection data) 7. Dug out of soil 1. Collectedby lighttrap at night 8. Capturedin nuptialswarm 2. Collectedin molassestraps left over- 9. Near termitenest night 10. In orchard 3. On dune surface 11. On reddishbrown earth 4. In humanhabitation 12. On vegetation 5. On surfaceof inter-dunalflat 13. In rubbishheap 6. Parasiticon otherArthropods 14. Near pond Months A. June 19-20, 1946 7. July1-31, 1947 6. June5-30, 1947 8. Aug. 1-9, 1947 TABLE 1.--Insectscollected Species Localities Months Habitats Number Orthoptera LocuSTIDAB Aeoloplides elegans (Scudder)-- 3,7 7,8 E,G,1 9 Anconiahebardi Rehn - - 10 6 1 Auilocaraelliotti (Thomas) - - 2 6 1 Bootettixargentatus Bruner- - 18 7 Q 2 Cibolacrisparviceps arida (Br.) -- 4,5,18 6,7 3,11 25 Cordillacrisoccipitalis cinerea (Br.) 3 6,7 3,5 6 Derotmenahaydeni laticinctum Sc --3,5 7 3 7 Eremiacrisacris Rehn & Hebard-- 3 6,7 3,5 8 E. virgata(Sc.) - .5 7 1 Goniatronplanum Br - -12 7 G,O,P 5 Melanoplusbowditchi Sc. 3 7,8 G,1 2 Paropomalawyomingensis (Thos.) -- 3 6,7,8 E,5 4 Pedioscirtetesmaculipennis (Sc.) - 3,5 7 3 2 Psoloessad. delicatulaSc. 14 6 2 Schistocercalineata ? Sc - - 3 8 1 2 Spharagemoncollare (Sc.) ......-3 8 1 1 Trimerotropiscitrina Sc. 3,5 7,8 1,3 8 T. p. pallidipennis(Burm.) - . 1,3,4,10,.... 14,17 6,7,8 1,2 20 T. pistrinariaSaussure .....................- 3 8 1 2 T. strenuaMcNeill - 3,10 8 1 7 T. texanaBr- - 2,3,4 6,7,8 1 9 Xanthippusc. corallipes(Thos.) ------------2 6 1 TETrIGONIIDAE Eremopedesscudderi Cockerell - 3,9 7 A,P,1 5 Insara e. elegans(Sc.) -.3 7 G 4 664 THE AMERICAN MIDLAND NATURALIST 44 (3) TABLE 1.-(continued) Species Localities Months Habitats Number GRYLLACRIDIDAE Ammobaenetesphrixocnemoides (Caudell) 17 8 2 10 A. p. arenicolus(Strohecker) ................ 1,2,3,9 6,7,8 2,3 400 Ceuthophilusn. spp 20 7 2 12 C. sp- .... 2,3,15 6,7 2 3 Daihiniodeshastiferum (Rehn) --3 8 3,10,18 6,7 2 40 D. h. larvale(Stroh.) - 12...1 6,7 2 91 GRYLLIDAE Acheta assimilisFabricius 3....36,11,12 7 2,4,13 9 BLATTARIA-CORYDIIDAE Arenivagaerratica Rehn ------------------------ 9,16,17 7,8 2 18 Eremoblattasubdiaphana (Sc.) ..............18 7 2 1 PHASMIDA-PHASMIDAE Diapheromeravelii eucnemis Hebard .....