Revision of the genus Odocnemis Allard, 1876 (Coleoptera: Tenebrionidae: Helopini) from Turkey, the Caucasus and Iran with observations on feeding habits Author Nabozhenko, Maxim Author Keskin, Bekir text Zootaxa 2016 4202 1 1 97 journal article 10.11646/zootaxa.4202.1.1 726c8af4-e8a8-46cb-ab0b-0ef22e432dae 1175-5326 192220 E89680AA-E413-4110-965E-F4084D45D4C3 Odocnemis recticollis ( Allard, 1877 ) Figs. 32 , 47 G,H, 52 recticollis Allard, 1876 : 53 ( Stenomax , description); Allard 1877 : 34 , 138 ( Stenomax , in key, redescription); Gebien 1911 : 552 ( Helops ( Stenomax ) , in catalogue); Seidlitz 1896 : 729 ( Helops ( Stenomax ) , in key). = kurdistanus Reitter, 1902 : 221 ( Stenomax , description), syn.n. kurdistanus Reitter, 1902 : 221 ( Stenomax , description); Gebien 1911 : 545 ( Helops ( Stenomax ) , in catalogue); Reitter 1922 : 139 ( Cylindronotus ( Omaleis ) , in key); Winkler 1928 –1929: 1019 ( Cylindronotus ( Omaleis ) , in catalogue); Gebien 1943 : 429 (808) ( Cylindronotus ( Omaleis ) , in catalogue); Nabozhenko 2008: 37 ( Odocnemis in catalogue); Nabozhenko & Löbl 2008 : 244 ( Cylindronotus ( Omaleis ) , in catalogue). Other bibliographic data and synonymy of the name “ Odocnemis recticollis ” are related to misidentifications (see Odocnemis allardi sp. n. ). Type material (studied). Lectotype Stenomax recticollis (♂) (MNHP) is designated here: “ recticoll . Armenia” (yellow, handwritten), “Ex Musaeo E. Allard 1899”, “Muséum Paris 1952, coll. R. Oberthür”, “Syntype” (red, printed curator’s label). Paralectotypes (3♂♂, 1♀) with the same labels are deposited in MNHP. Holotype Odocnemis kurdistanus (♂) (HNHM): “Armenien. Erzerum, Reitter”, “Holotypus, 1901 Cylindronotus kurdistanus Reitter ”, “ Stenomax kurdistanus m”. FIGURE 31. Odocnemis seducta sp. n. A) Aedeagus, ventral view. B) Aedeagus, lateral view. C) Inner sternite VIII. D) Gastral spicula. E) Protibia. F) Mesotibia. G–I) Pronotum. A–F), H), I) Male. G) Female. Scale bars—1 mm. FIGURE 32. O. recticollis . A) Aedeagus, ventral view. B), C) Aedeagus, lateral view. D) Inner sternite VIII. E) Gastral spicula. F) Protibia. G) Mesotibia. H) Metatibia. I–L) Pronotum. A–I), K) Male. J), L) Female. I), J) Buğlan (Muş prov.). K), L) Çabani (Kars prov.). Scale bars—1 mm. Other studied material. TURKEY : Çabani [now Turkey , probably Kars Province ], 0 6.1917, leg. Poltoratsky , 3♂♂ , 2♀♀ ( ZIN ) ; Turkey , Tatvan , Bourian , 15.v.1974 , 1800 m (without collector), 1♂ ( HNHM ) ; Turkey , Erzurum , under stones, 13.iv.1990 , leg. D. Szalóki , 2♂♂ , 2♀♀ (CS) ; Turkey , Bitlis Province , 3 km NE Tatvan , Van Lake coast, 24–26.iv.2009 , leg. M.V. and S.V. Nabozhenko , 1♂ (CN) ; Turkey , Muş Province , Buğlan Pass , 7 km E Solhan , 38°56′N 41°07′E , 1725–1930 m , 19–22.v.2009 , leg. I.V. Shokhin , D.G. Kasatkin , 6♂♂ , 12♀♀ ( ZIN ), 1♂ , 3♀♀ (dry material) and 1♀ (in ethanol) ( ZDEU ) .— IRAN : Azarbaijan-e Sharqi Province , Marand , 8.v.2002 , leg. S. Kadlec , 1♂ ( NMP ) . Redescription, male. Body length 10–12 mm , body width 3.6–4.3 mm . Body slender, strongly elongated, dull (body weakly shining in population from Tatvan), dark-brown, legs and antennae brown. Head widest at level of eyes. Eyes large, convex. Ratio of head width at eyes to distance between eyes: 1.7. Genae strongly rounded. Lateral margins of head with emargination between gena and clypeus. Punctation of head moderately coarse and sparse. Antennae long (reaching 1/3 of elytral length), with 4 apical antennomeres extending beyond base of pronotum, 1.2 × as short as elytra. Antennomeres 9–11 not widened. Pronotum strongly elongated with almost subequal width and length, widest before middle, 1.3 × as wide as head. Lateral margins straight and not sinuate or very weakly rounded and weakly widely emarginated in basal 1/3. Anterior margin straight or weakly rounded; base straight, often weakly sinuate at middle. Anterior angles obtuse, widely (rarely narrowly) rounded on apex; posterior angles straight, distinct. All margins narrowly beaded. Disc moderately regularly convex. Punctation of disc fine, not dense; diameter of punctures less than distance between punctures in middle and subequal to distance on sides. Hypomera not flattened laterally, with very fine irregular wrinkles. Elytra strongly elongated (1.8 × as wide as long), widest at middle, 1.4 × as wide and 2.7 × as long as pronotum, 1.9 × as wide as head. Strial punctures merged in entire fine furrows; strial furrows interrupted in basal 1/4 of elytra. Elytral intervals flat, with moderately coarse and sparse punctation, without tubercles. Epipleural carinae completely visible dorsally, not reaching apex of elytra. Eighth intervals keel-shaped on apex and connected with elytral margin and 1st intervals apically. Epipleura reaching sutural angles of elytra. Ventral side of body (meso- and metaventrite, abdominal ventrites) pubescent with short recumbent setae. Abdominal ventrites 1–4 with fine dense punctation, ventrites 3–5 convex; ventrite 5 with finer punctation, without depression, very narrowly beaded apically. Legs long and slender. Inner side of femora smooth, without punctation and pubescence on inner side. Pro- and mesotibiae straight, with 3–5 weakly visible granules and tubercles; metatibiae weakly curved inwards, without granules or tubercles. Each trochanter with single long seta. Redescription, female. Body length 10.2–14 mm , body width 4.1–5.6 mm . Body larger. Pronotum weakly transverse (1.15–1.2 × as wide as long), often very weakly narrowly flattened on margins. Antennae shorter, only 3 apical antennomeres extending beyond the base of pronotum. Abdominal ventrites 3–5 not convex. Bionomics. The species was found under stones with lichens in alpine zone and in biotopes with rhododendron near Tatvan. New record for Iran . Odocnemis allardi sp. n. Figs. 33, 34, 40M,N, 47I ,J, 52, 54D,E luridus Ménétriés, 1848 : Allard 1877 : 258 ( Stenomax ). exaratus Germar, 1817: Schneider & Leder 1878 : 243 ( Stenomax , faunistic record). recticollis Allard, 1876 : Heyden et al . 1891 : 252 ( Helops ( Stenomax ) in catalogue); Reitter 1922 : 135 ( Cylindronotus ( Odocnemis ) , part, in key); Winkler 1928 –1929: 1018 ( Cylindronotus ( Odocnemis ) , in catalogue); Bogachev 1938 : 142 ( Cylindronotus ( Odocnemis ) , faunistic record); Gebien 1943 : 427 (806) ( Cylindronotus ( Odocnemis ) , in catalogue); Iablokoff-Khnzorian 1964 : 311 ( Helops , faunistic record); Medvedev & Abdurakhmanov 1988 : 98 ( Cylindronotus , in catalogue); Abdurakhmanov & Medvedev 1994 : 194 ( Cylindronotus , in catalogue); Abdurakhmanov et al . 1995 : 213 ( Cylindronotus , distribution); Nabozhenko 2000 : 53 ( Odocnemis , distribution); Nabozhenko 2001 : 662 , 665, figs. 46–49 ( Odocnemis , in key); Abdurakhmanov & Abdulmuslimova 2002 : 46 ( Odocnemis , in check-list); Nabozhenko & Löbl 2008 : 244 ( Odocnemis , in catalogue); Abdurakhmanov & Nabozhenko 2011 : 142 , 296, figs. 350–353 ( Odocnemis , in key, in catalogue). Type material. Holotype , ♂ : Armenia , southern slope of Aragats Mt. , near Byurakan , 7–8.vi.1995 (leg. M. Kalashian ) ( ZIN ) . — In total 113 paratypes . ARMENIA : Caucasus , Armen. Geb., Leder , Reitter , 2♂♂ , 1♀ ; Yerevan , leg. Malyushenko , 2♂♂ , 2♀♀ ( ZIN ) ; Sevan Lake , vii.1923, 1 ♂ ( ZIN ), 1♂ ( ZMMSU ) ; Armenia , Aragats mont., 2300 m , 13.vi.1960 , leg. G.M. Dlussky , 1♀ ( HNHM ) ; Aragats Mt. , 21.ix.1982 , leg. O. Merkl and L. Ronkay , 1♂ ( HNHM ) ; Egvard , Mt. Arailer , 21.v.1991 , leg. M. Kalashian , 1♀ (CK); Hosrov Reserve , 24– 26.vii.1991 , leg. M. Kalashian , 2♀♀ ( ZIN ) ; Nairi District , Mt. Arailer , 20.v.1995 , leg. M. Kalashian , 1♂ (CK); the same locality, 9–10.v.1997 , 1♂ (CK); southern slope of Aragats Mt. , near Byurakan , 7–8.vi.1995 , leg. M. Kalashyan , 3♂♂ , 2♀♀ ( ZIN ), 1♂ , 1♀ ( BMNH ) ; the same locality, 16.vi.1997 , leg. I. Mel’nik , 1♀ ( MPSU ) ; southern slopes of Aragats Mt. , Antarut , 26–29.vi.1995 , leg. M. Kalashyan , 1♂ ( ZIN ) ; Razdan District , Arailer Mt. , 9–10.v.1997 , leg. M. Kalashyan , 3♂♂ ( ZIN ) ; S slope of Aragats Mt. , Amberd fortress ruins, ~ 2500 m , 5.v.2001 , leg. M. Kalashian , 2♂♂ , 4♀♀ (CK) ; Aragatsotn Province , env. Aparan , 20.v.2002 , leg. K. Yeranyan , 3♂♂ , 1♀ (CK) ; Aragatsotn Province , ~ 5 km N Antarut , Amberd fortress, 2370 m , 40°24′N 44°15′E , 24.v.2005 , leg. M. Kalashian , 2♀♀ (CK) . AZERBAIJAN : Caucasus , Araxesthal [ Leder collected in Nakhchivan ], Leder , Reitter , 2♂♂ , 1♀ ( HNHM ) ; Negram , 5.11.1911 , 1♂ ( ZIN ) .— TURKEY : Kars Province , Sarykamysh , leg. M. Poltoracky , 8♂♂ , 15♀♀ ( ZIN ) ; Kars Province , Kızılköy , leg. Malyushenko , 1♀ ( ZIN ), 1♀ ( ZMMSU ) ; Karsskaja oblast’ [ Kars Region], vii.1911 , leg. K.A. Satunin , 1♂ , 2♀♀ ( ZMMSU ) ; Kars , 1.iv.1912 , leg. V. Kozlovsky , 1♀ ( ZIN ), 1♀ ( ZMMSU ) ; Kasikoporan [now Kazkoporan , Kars Province ], Peril Dagh , leg. Korb , coll. Reitter , 1♂ ( HNHM ) ; Peril Dagh , Russ. Armen. Kasikoporan [now Kazkoporan , Kars Province ], 1901, leg. Korb , 2♂♂ , 2♀♀ ( HNHM ) ; Transcauc. Kagysman [now Kağızman , Kars Province ], v–vi.1916 , leg. E. v B., 4♂♂ ( ZMMSU ) ; Osmankoi [now Osmanköy , Tuzluca District , Iğdır Province ], 2.vi.1913 , leg. Vasilin , 2♂♂ ( ZIN ) ; Karadzhaveran [now Kacaören , Tuzluca District , Iğdır Province ], 3.vi.1913 , leg. Vasilin , 2♂♂ , 1♀ ( ZIN ) ; Ağrı Province , near Tahir , 4.vii.1971 , leg. A. Vigna , 3♂♂ , 3♀♀ ( HNHM ) ; Erzurum Province , Loc. 26, 4.3 km N Şenkaya , 1754 m , 40°25′78″N 42°20′92″E , 9.vi.2001 , leg. M.G. Volkovitsh , 1♂ , 2♀♀ ( ZIN ) ; Erzurum Province , Şenkaya District , Gaziler , 40°25′04.6″N 42°20′11″E , 1920 m , 23.v.2010 , leg. M.V. and S.V. Nabozhenko , B. Keskin , 1♂ , 2♀♀ (CN), 3♂♂ , 4♀♀ (dry material) and 2♀♀ (in ethanol) ( ZDEU ) ; Turkey , Ardahan Province , Mozeret Geçid , 2211 m , 41°09′31.1″N 43°08′53.7″E , 21.iv.2014 , under stones, leg. M.V. and S.V. Nabozhenko , B. Keskin , 8♂♂ , 2♀♀ in ethanol ( ZDEU ) .— IRAN : Azarbaijan-e Sharqi Province , Marand , 8.v.2002 , leg. S. Kadlec , 1♂ ( NMP ) . Description, male. Body length 8.8–10.7 mm , body width 3.1–4.1 mm . Body slender, from dark to light brown; elytra mat, rarely dull shining; head and pronotum shining, often some more light than elytra; antennae and legs light-brown; scutum light or red-brown; ventral side red-brown. Head widest at level of eyes. Eyes dorsally small, weakly convex. Ratio of head width at eyes to distance between eyes: 1.4. Anterior margin of clypeus straight, with weakly projected angles, rarely weakly widely emarginated. Punctation of head fine and sparse. Genae strongly regularly rounded. Lateral margins of head with distinct emargination between gena and clypeus. Antennae long (reaching 1/3 of elytral length), with 4 apical antennomeres extending beyond base of pronotum. Antennae visibly widened to apex, antennomeres 9–11 wider than antennomeres 9 and 10. Pronotum weakly transverse (1.2–1.3 × as wide as long), widest at middle or before middle, 1.3 × as wide as head. Lateral margins weakly rounded, rarely almost straight, sometimes weakly sinuate in base. Anterior margin weakly rounded or straight, rarely weakly widely emarginated; base weakly rounded or straight. Anterior angles obtuse, rounded on apex; posterior angles weakly obtuse, rarely right, distinct on apex. All margins narrowly beaded. Disc regularly weakly convex, not flattened laterally. Punctation of disc fine and sparse. Hypomera not flattened laterally, with very fine irregular wrinkles. Elytra elongated (1.7–1.75 × as long as wide), widest at middle, 1.3 × as wide and 2.8 × as long as pronotum, 1.7 × as wide as head. Strial punctures longitudinally elongated, narrow, as dotted-lines or merged in entire furrows; rarely punctures deep and round, not merged in furrows (population from Azerbaijan— Nakhchivan ). Elytral intervals flat or very weakly convex, with fine and sparse punctation and distinct tubercles apically and laterally. Epipleural carinae completely visible dorsally, not reaching apex of elytra. Eighth intervals keel-shaped on apex and connected with elytral margin and 1st intervals apically. Epipleura reaching sutural angles of elytra. Ventral side of body (meso- and metaventrite, abdominal ventrites) pubescent with short recumbent setae. Abdominal ventrites 1–4 with fine dense punctation, ventrites 3–5 convex; ventrite 5 with finer punctation, without depression, very narrowly beaded apically. Legs long and slender. Inner side of femora smooth, mat. Tibiae straight; sometimes mesotibiae weakly curved. All tibiae with small granules and tubercles on inner side. Each trochanter with single long seta. Description, female. Body length 10–12.5 mm , body width 4–4.8 mm . Body larger. Pronotum sometimes more transverse (population from Nakhchivan ), weakly flattened laterally. Antennae and legs shorter than in male. Head often widest at level of the eyes and temples. Abdominal ventrites 3–5 not convex. Etymology. The species is named in honour of the famous French entomologist Ernest Allard (1820–1900). Bionomics. The species is widespread in alpine zone, where it inhabits stony biotopes with lichens (Figs. 56E,D). FUGURE 33. O. allardi sp. n. , male. A) Left elytron. B) Apical part of left elytron. C), D) Coeloconic sensilla. E) Protibia. F) Mesotibia. G) Metatibia. FIGURE 34. O. allardi sp. n. A) Aedeagus, ventral view. B) Aedeagus, lateral view. C) Inner sternite VIII. D) Gastral spicula. E) Genital tubes (v—vagina, g—gland, s—spermatheca, b—branches of spermatheca). F), G) Pronotum. H) Protibia. I) Mesotibia. J) Metatibia. A–D), F), H–J) Male. E), G) Female. Scale bars—1 mm. Diagnosis. The new species is similar to O. recticollis , from which it differs by the presence of tubercles on elytra, visibly widened antennomeres 9–11, weakly transverse pronotum (pronotum of male in O. recticollis has subequal width and length), light-brown colouration of body and presence of granules on inner side of all tibiae). For differences from the close species O. dichroa sp. n. see below. Comments. We studied the material on “ O. recticollis ” sensu Reitter ” from the collection of Edmund Reitter (deposited in HNHM). Reitter and subsequent entomologists (Bogachev, Iablokoff-Khnzorian, Nabozhenko) incorrectly interpreted this species, naming it Odocnemis recticollis . We also determined Armenohelops armeniacus Nabozhenko, 2002 , Odocnemis gloriosa ( Faldermann, 1837 ) , Eustenomacidius ( Caucasohelops ) svetlanae araxi Nabozhenko, 2006 , Odocnemis anatolica among Reitter’s series of “ Odocnemis recticollis ”. Allard (1877) misidentified O. allardi sp. n. as Stenomax luridus (Ménétriés, 1848) . The name “ luridus ” is a homonym and refers to the species Eustenomacidius laevicollis (Kraatz, 1882) (Nabozhenko 2008) . Odocnemis dichroa sp. n. Figs. 35 , 47 K,L, 52 Type material. Holotype , ♂ ( ZDEU ): Turkey , Erzurum Province , Köprüköy District , Güzelhisar , 39°48′02.7″N 42°04′12.6″E , 2160 m , 24.v.2010 , leg. M.V. and S.V. Nabozhenko , B. Keskin . Paratypes with the same label: 4♂♂, 2♀♀ (ZIN), 3♂♂, 9♀♀ (dry material) and 1♂, 1♀ (in ethanol) (ZDEU). Description, male. Body length 9–10 mm , body width 3.1–3.7 mm . Body slender, elytra black or dark-brown, with dull shine; pronotum, antennae and legs red-rufous, visibly shining; ventral side dark-rufous. Head widest at level of eyes. Eyes dorsally small, weakly convex, widely located. Ratio of head width at eyes to distance between eyes: 1.5. Genae regularly strongly rounded. Lateral margin of head with emargination between gena and clypeus. Head finely and sparsely punctured, covered with short recumbent hairs. Antennae long (reaching 1/3 of elytral length), with 4 apical antennomeres extending beyond base of pronotum, 1.4 × as short as elytra. Antennae visibly widened to apex, antennomeres 9–11 wider than antennomeres 9 and 10. Pronotum transverse (1.4 × as wide as long), rectangular, widest at middle, 1.4 × as wide as head. All margins weakly rounded. Anterior angles weakly obtuse, rounded on apex; posterior angles obtuse or right, distinct on apex. All margins narrowly beaded. Disc weakly convex, distinctly flattened laterally. Punctation of disc moderately coarse, not dense. Hypomera not flattened laterally, with very fine irregular wrinkles. Elytra elongated (1.8 × as long as wide), convex, 1.3 × as wide and 3.4 × as long as pronotum, 1.8 × as wide as head. Strial punctures merged in entire deep furrows. Elytral intervals weakly convex, with fine and sparse punctation, with small distinct tubercles apically and laterally. Epipleural carinae completely visible dorsally, not reaching apex of elytra. Eighth intervals keel-shaped on apex and connected with elytral margin and 1st intervals apically. Epipleura reaching sutural angles of elytra. Ventral side of body (meso- and metaventrite, abdominal ventrites) pubescent with short recumbent setae. Metaventrite with large tubercle in middle. Abdominal ventrites with fine and moderately dense punctation; ventrites 3–5 convex; ventrite 5 without depression, narrowly beaded apically. Legs long, slender. Inner side of femora smooth, mat. Tibiae straight, narrow. All tibiae with small granules and tubercles on inner side. Each trochanter with single long seta. Description, female. Body length 10–10.3 mm , body width 3.6–3.9 mm . Body more robust, antennae shorter than in male, only with 2 apical antennomeres extending beyond base of pronotum. Lateral margins of pronotum weakly sinuate in base. Elytral intervals flat. Abdominal ventrites 3–5 not convex. Etymology. The species name refers to the bicoloration of the beetles. Bionomics. The species was found between stones with lichens. Diagnosis. O. dichroa sp. n. is close to O. allardi sp. n. , from which it differs by the presence of large tubercle in the middle of metaventrite, pubescent head, shorter pronotum (elytra 3.4 × as long as pronotum, while the elytra of O. allardi sp. n. are 2.8 × as long as the pronotum) and distinctly bicoloured body. From O. recticollis the new species differs by following characters: elytra with small distinct tubercles; antennae visibly widened to apex; antennomeres 9–11 considerably wide than antennomeres 3–8; metatibiae of male with granules and tubercles on inner side. FIGURE 35. O. dichroa sp. n. A), B) Pronotum. C) Aedeagus, ventral view. D), E) Aedeagus, lateral view. F) Inner sternite VIII. G) Gastral spicula. A), C–G) Male. B) Female. Scale bars—1 mm. Odocnemis merkli sp. n. Figs. 36 , 48A ,B, 52 FIGURE 36. O. merkli sp. n. A–D) Pronotum. E) Inner sternite VIII. F) Gastral spicula. G) Aedeagus, ventral view. H) Aedeagus, lateral view. I) Protibia. J) Mesotibia. K), L). Metatibiae. Type material. Holotype , ♂ ( ZDEU ) and 40 paratypes ( 15♂♂ , 3♀♀ in ZIN ; 1♂ in BMNH ; 2♂♂ , 2♀♀ (dry material), 2♂♂ , 1♀ (in ethanol) in ZDEU ): Turkey , Van Province , Ispiriz Dağı , 2.vi.2013 , 2400 m , 38°02′54.7″N 43°58′20.5″E , leg. M.V. and S.V. Nabozhenko , B. Keskin , A. Pektaş ; Turkey , Van Province , Güzeldere Pass , 3.vi.2013 , 2750 m, 38°10′45.6″N 43°54′26.6″E , leg. M.V. and S.V. Nabozhenko , B. Keskin , A. Pektaş , 1♂ , 2♀♀ ( ZIN ), 4♂♂ , 2♀♀ (dry material) and 3♂♂ , 3♀♀ (in ethanol) ( ZDEU ). Description, male. Body length 8.3–10.2 mm , body width 2.3–3.4 mm . Body slender, shiny (elytra less shining than other surface), red-brown, elytra brown; rarely small specimens have completely light-brown body; epipleura red-brown. Head widest at level of eyes. Eyes dorsally moderately large, convex. Ratio of head width at eyes to distance between eyes: 1.6. Genae regularly strongly rounded. Lateral margin of head with obtuse emargination between gena and clypeus. Punctation of head moderately coarse, not dense: diameter of punctures subequal to distance between them; transverse depression between frons and clypeus smooth, with sparser punctation; clypeus also with finer punctation. Antennae long (reaching 1/3 of elytral length), with 4 apical antennomeres extending beyond base of pronotum. Pronotum weakly transverse (1.08 × as wide as long) or with equal length and width, widest before middle, 1.28–1.35 × as wide as head. Lateral margins from weakly rounded to almost straight. Anterior margin weakly rounded or straight; base trisinuate. Anterior angles obtuse, weakly projected, with rounded apex; posterior angles right, with distinct apex. Lateral margins narrowly beaded; base with wider bead in middle; anterior margin not beaded in middle. Disc longitudinally convex, widely weakly depressed on sides and near posterior angles. Punctation of disc not coarse, moderately dense (distance between punctures 2 × as long as diameter of punctures), punctation on sides denser (distance between punctures subequal to diameter of punctures), with slightly elongated punctures. Hypomera with irregular wrinkles. Elytra elongated (1.7 × as long as wide), convex, 2.31 × as long and 1.23–1.44 × as wide as pronotum, 1.67–1.7 × as wide as head. Strial punctures round, sometimes merged in short furrows; some specimens with narrow pronotum with merged in entire deep furrows strial punctures. Elytral intervals flat, with moderately coarse and sparse punctation and small sparse distinct tubercles apically and laterally; 5th and 7th intervals have tubercles on all length. Epipleural carinae not completely visible dorsally, not reaching apex of elytra. Eighth intervals keel-shaped on apex and connected with elytral margin and 1st intervals apically. Epipleura reaching sutural angles of elytra. Ventral side of body (meso- and metaventrite, abdominal ventrites) pubescence with short recumbent setae. Abdominal ventrites with moderately coarse not dense punctation; ventrites 3 and 4 convex in apical half; ventrite 5 without depression, narrowly beaded apically. Legs narrow and long. Tibiae straight, sometimes meso- and metatibiae slightly bent. Pro- and mesotibiae with 4–5 small teeth on inner side; metatibiae without teeth or granules. Description, female. Body length 11.7–12.1 mm , body width 4.4–4.6 mm . Body greater and more robust. Pronotum more tranverse (1.2 × as wide as long). Antennae shorter (reaching 1/6–1/7 of elytral length), with 3 apical antennomeres extending beyond base of pronotum. Etymology. The species is named in honour of our friend and colleague Ottó Merkl (HNHM), who provided us with much material (including types ) of the genus Odocnemis and many other Tenebrionidae . Bionomics. The species was found at night (21:00–23:00) on dry stony biotopes with lichens. Diagnosis. The new species is close to O. recticollis , which also has the antennomeres not strongly widened apically, but which differs by the presence of distinct tubercles on the elytra, a bicoloured body with brown elytra and reddish or red-brown other surfaces, middle anterior margin of pronotum not beaded, lateral wide depressions on the pronotum, and the structure of inner sternite VIII of the male.