Historical and contemporary occurrence of Cylindera (s. str.) celeripes (LeConte) (Coleoptera: Carabidae: Cicindelinae) and implications for its conservation

摘要

New observations of Cylindera (s. str.) celeripes (LeConte) (Coleoptera: Carabidae: Cicindelinae) are presented from Arkansas, Iowa, Missouri, and Oklahoma and discussed in the context of its historical occurrence in the eastern and central Great Plains. Once abundant in eastern Kansas and Nebraska and western Iowa, the species has declined below detectable levels in much of this area during the past century due to loss of its preferred native grassland habitats. On the other hand, robust populations have been found recently in the Red Hills of western Oklahoma, and the species is also reported in Missouri for the first time and confirmed from Arkansas (White River Hills). These recent observations suggest that the Oklahoma Red Hills population is healthy and not under immediate threat, while those in the Flint Hills and Loess Hills are vulnerable due to their small size and low numbers. The White River Hills population is documented by only a single specimen, thus its status currently cannot be assessed. Conservation measures to protect these populations may be warranted.