The First Male Specimen of Blackburnia fulgida (Coleoptera: Carabidae) Reaffirms the Species’ Identity and Phylogenetic Placement

Abstract

Blackburnia fulgida Liebherr was described from a single, teneral female specimen. A subsequently collected, fully sclerotized male specimen confirms the initial diagnosis of the species, and provides information on male genitalic characters. A more complete species diagnosis is presented that includes the male genitalic characters, with those male characters completing the species’ matrix representation in a previously published cladistic analysis. These more complete data confirm the species’ phylogenetic placement as a member of a Maui Nui clade also including B. kauwa Liebherr of West Maui, B. insociabilis (Blackburn) of East Maui, B. fraudator (Sharp) of Molokai, and B. filipes (Sharp) of Lanai. Of these five species, B. fulgida is the only one to occur in higher elevation Koa/ Ohia Montane Wet Forest characterized by more well-developed mesic soils and large-stature Acacia koa trees.