Biology and conservation of the coral pink sand dunes tiger beetle, Cicindela limbata albissima Reumpp

This study investigated the distribution, abundance, and biology of Cicinde la limbata albissima Rumpp, an endemic tiger beetle known only from the Cor al Pink Sand Dunes (CPSD) in southwestern Utah. A recently implemented cons ervation agreement between BLM, USFWS, Utah State Parks, and Kane County pr otects most of the known habitat of this beetle from off-highway vehicle (O HV) use. A search of collection records and field surveys of 19 Great Basin sand dune sites indicated that this species occurs only at CPSD. Yearly in dex counts of adults (1992-1998) during peak season in May ranged from 331 in 1997 to 895 in 1993, but the actual population size is probably 2-3 time s higher than the index counts. Nearly all of the population is found in th e primam habitat, a 300-m-wide x 2.7-km-long area in the southern part of t he dune field. Small numbers of adults and larvae have been found at the fa r north end of the dune field. Mark-recapture studies indicated that most adults moved only short distance s (< 300 m), but a few moved 1000 in. This beetle has a 2-year, modified sp ring-fall life cycle. Adults are most abundant from April through early Jun e, but some adults from the following year's adult cohort emerge and can be found from late August to early October. Adults are active on warm or sunn y days, but they dig burrows which they use at night or during unfavorable weather. We observed little evidence of parasitism or predation of larvae o r adults, but these limiting factors were not fully studied. Surveys of dominant plant species, arthropod (potential tiger beetle prey) abundance, and OHV activity indicated that these vary throughout the dune f ield and may explain, in part, the distribution of C. L albissima. The prim ary habitat is a transition area between the highly dynamic south end of th e dune field and the more stabilized north end. Psoralidium lanceolatum Ryb d., Sophora stenophylla Gray, and Stipa hymenoides R.&S. are the dominant p lants in the interdunal swales of the primary habitat, but other species ar e dominant in other parts of the dune field. Numbers of arthropod individua ls and taxa are greatest in the primary habitat. off-highway vehicle activi ty was greatest at the south end of the dune field and lowest at the far no rth end. Run-over trials and observational data revealed that adult beetles are killed by OHVs, but more important impacts may be damage to vegetation , reduction of arthropod prey of C. l. albissima, and disturbance and incre ased desiccation of the larval microhabitat. We anticipate that the conserv ation agreement will provide long-term protection for this species at CPSD.