Revision of the Ropalopus ungaricus / insubricus group (Coleoptera: Cerambycidae: Callidiini) from the western Palaearctic region
Author
Karpiński, Lech
Author
Szczepański, Wojciech T.
Author
Kruszelnicki, Lech
text
Zoological Journal of the Linnean Society
2020
2020-03-03
189
1176
1216
journal article
3332
10.1093/zoolinnean/zlz154
cee2b5b0-e6bb-42d7-9251-858861f02691
0024-4082
5721563
F7564C93-D0FA-4907-AC35-D3EF3BB2A151
ROPALOPUS LEDERI
(GANGLBAUER, 1882)
(
FIGS 1I
,
3D, E
,
5C, D
,
6N, O
,
7M, N
,
8M
,
9H
,
10J
,
11W, X
,
12W, X
,
13T, U
,
15E
,
16M
,
17G; SUPPORTING
INFORMATION,
FIGS S1N, O, S
2N, O, S
3H, I, S
4H, S
5N, O, S
6O
)
Rhopalopus lederi
Ganglbauer, 1882
,
Verh. zool.-bot. Ges
. 31[1881]: 747.
Type material examined:
Lectotype
(herein designated) male, with five labels: (1) TYPUS (red); (2) Novorossiysk 18 IV 78; (3)
Rhopalopus Lederi
Gangl.
; (4)
Lederi
Cauc. Gglb.; and (5) L E C T O T Y P E,
Rhopalopus Lederi
Ganglbauer, 1882
, des., 2019.
Synonyms
Rhopalopus nigripes
Pic, 1926
.
Distribution:
The Caucasus and Crimea. It is present in southern
Russia
(
Krasnodar Krai
,
Adygea
),
Georgia
,
Azerbaijan
,
Armenia
and southern Crimea (
Fig. 20
). Although it has been reported from
Turkey
by
Löbl & Smetana (2010)
, which was repeated by
Danilevsky (2019a)
, its occurrence there was revised by
Sama (1996)
. The record from Merzifon (south-western
Samsun
) after
Adlbauer (1992)
refers to
Ropalopus sculpturatus
(Pic, 1931)
. Therefore,
R. lederi
is to date not known to occur in
Turkey
. The reference from
Palestine
by
Plavilstshikov (1940)
is certainly a mistake and must refer either also to
R. sculpturatus
or is an incorrect citing of a record of
Ropalopus ledereri
(Fairmaire, 1866)
. A mention by
Plavilstshikov (1940)
from northern
Iran
is particularly interesting, because it might refer to
R. nataliyae
and, if so, this or those specimen(s) should have been taken into consideration when describing the species.
Diagnosis:
Ropalopus lederi
is generally distinctive owing to its long and pronounced body pubescence (especially, hairs on the pronotum and basal part of the elytra;
Figs 3D, E
,
5C, D
), relatively slender antennae and tarsi (
Fig. 8M
), pronotum that is rounded in males, and elytra with only slight metallic lustre. It can be distinguished easily from its closest relative,
R. nataliyae
, by the second antennal joint, which is almost spherical in
R. lederi
(Supporting Information,
Fig. S3H
) and clearly longer than wide in
R. nataliyae
(Supporting Information,
Fig. S3G
). The ventral side of the body (
Fig. 16M
) has a clearly visible yellowish pubescence, especially on the prothorax and mesothorax. According to
Plavilstshikov (1940)
, the elytra are usually brown or dark brown, metallic, with a green, brown or purple lustre, and the legs are black or black–brown (f.
typica
), or red–brown to rusty (ab. separatus Pic). Body length: 9.0–23.0 mm.
Remarks:
According to
Plavilstshikov (1940)
,
R. lederi
inhabits deciduous and mixed forests, groves and orchards. Imagines are active from June to August. Although this author stated that the host plant remains unknown, a single pupa of this species was found in a maple trunk lying on the ground, most probably Trautvetter’s maple
Acer heldreichii
Boiss. & Heldr. subsp.
trautvetteri
(Medw.) E.Murray
, in June by Miroshnikov (
Lobanov, 2003
). Moreover,
Miroshnikov (2010)
noted the low elevation above sea level of his newly discovered locations (Gelendzhik environs, Pshadsky Pass,
150 m
a.s.l.; Seversky District, Ubinskaya village, ~
200 m
a.s.l.), contrasting with the findings of this species in the western Caucasus, where it is mainly known from highland regions. Owing to the significant discrepancy in the elevations of inhabited habitats and the certain incompatibility concerning morphology between the specimens that were studied and some of them illustrated and available on the Internet (such as antenna thickness and shape of pronotum), the existence in this region of two forms isolated by elevation (analogous to
R. u. ungaricus
and
R. u.
insubricus
) cannot be excluded.
A l e c t o t y p e f r o m t h e f o r m e r c o l l e c t i o n o f L. Ganglbauer housed in NHMW is herein designated (
Fig. 17G
) to fix the name to a single specimen.