New species of tiger beetle have been flying around Texas and were officially identified this week with the publication of a study in the Nature Scientific Reports journal.
Rice University evolutionary biologist Scott Egan and his research team found that the Eunota houstoniana (named after the city of Houston) was hiding within the Eunota circumpicta population. Eunota circumpicta is a more common type of beetle.
“The team employed cutting-edge genetic sequencing technology alongside traditional measurements of their physical appearance and geographic range data to redefine species boundaries within the Eunota circumpicta species complex,” said a news release from Marcy de Luna of Rice University. “This approach, known as integrative taxonomy, allowed them to identify distinct biological entities previously overlooked.”
Compared to the Eunota circumpicta, the Eunota houstoniana is smaller and it has more subdued metallic coloring. This species also has unique behavior and habitat preferences, with a tendency to live near salt domes and oil extraction sites.
“It is amazing that within the city limits of Houston, we still don’t know all the species of insects or plants we share our region with,” said Egan of the discovery. “I’m always interested in learning more about the biodiversity of the Gulf Coast.”
According to the press release, the Eunota houstoniana discovery also highlights a need for conversation, since its habitats are becoming increasingly jeopardized by urbanization and agricultural or industrial activities. Even though it was just recently recognized, the species is likely already threatened.
“Because of all the growth around Houston, some of these populations have likely gone extinct while others have been hiding right out our back door,” Egan explained.
Eunota houstoniana isn’t the only new bug identified by Rice University scientists. Egan and Robert Laroche, ecology and evolutionary biology Ph.D. student at Rice, described another new species from the same genus in a related project. That species is Eunota luecophasma, also known as the white ghost tiger beetle from West Texas.
“Hopefully, our integrative approach to species delimitation becomes the standard for the field of biology, where, unfortunately, many organisms have not had the same level of attention that the charismatic tiger beetles have had,” Laroche said.
Egan and his collaborators have identified 17 new species during his 11 years at the university.
“His work at Rice since 2013 has been instrumental in uncovering and describing previously unknown insect species in the state,” said the university press release.
Last year, Audacy reported on a different team of researchers who determined a giant bug found at a Walmart store in Fayetteville, Ark., was a record-setting Jurassic-era insect.