Lacon modestus ( Boisduval, 1835 )

Kundrata, Robin, Mertlik, Josef & Németh, Tamás, 2019, Unexpected diversity of Lacon Laporte, 1838 (Coleoptera: Elateridae: Agrypninae) in the Levant: revised species concepts, new species, and an identification key, Zootaxa 4679 (3), pp. 401-449 : 410-411

Lacon modestus ( Boisduval, 1835)

( Figs 31–35 , 194 )

Elater modestus Boisduval, 1835: 108 .

= Elater castanidens Gyllenhal, 1817: 134 .

= Agrypnus pruinosus Fairmaire, 1849: 35 .

= Agrypnus squalidus Fairmaire, 1849: 35 .

= Agrypnus nigroplagiatus Blanchard, 1853: 85 .

= Adelocera guadulpensis Fleutiaux & Sallé, 1890: 407 .

= Adelocera vicina Candèze, 1891: 772 .

= Adelocera tessellata Candéze, 1893: 6 .

= Lacon coomani Fleutiaux, 1927: 66 .

Lacon modestus: Fleutiaux (1926: 94) ; see Hayek (1973: 14, 71).

For more information on synonyms see Hayek (1973: 71, 1979: 198) and Cate (2007: 101).

Type material. Lectotype, female, „Dej., N. Holl. [New Holland, = Australia], ♀, Lectotype, Agrypn. modestus Boisd. Dej. Cat. (ex. coll. Dejean), Adelocera modesta Boisd. Cand. Type. Cdze., Janson coll. 1903–130, BMNH(E) #1024892“ ( BMNH). 2 paralectotypes, females, „same data as for lectotype, only labelled as „ Paralectotype “ and one with „BMNH(E) #1024893“ ( BMNH).

Type locality. Australia; but see Calder (1996) .

Other material examined. Israel, 8 ex., „4811, Israel: Gerofit , 5.ix.2002, V. Kravchenko, V. Chikatunov [leg.] [one specimen with an additional label: „ Lacon modestus (Boisd.) , det. Preiss 2003 ”]” ( SMNH); 1 ex., “ Israel: Tel Aviv, 2.X.2002, Light trap, V. Kravchenko, V. Chikatunov [leg.]” ( SMNH) ; 3 ex., “ Israel: Gerofit , 5.X.2002, Light trap, V. Kravchenko, V. Chikatunov [leg.]” ( SMNH). Additionally, we examined 15 specimens from the Comoros, Iraq, Iran , French Polynesia ( Rangirca ), Saudi Arabia and Morocco (all PCJM). Platia (2010: 25) reported one specimen from Israel with the following data: “Israel: Hazeva Field School, 16.VII.1999, I. Yarom & V. Kravchenko (light trap BL)”, but it was not examined here .

Comparative remarks. This species can be distinguished from all other Lacon species in the region by the following unique characters: body shiny, dorsally covered with white-yellowish and golden-ferruginous setae forming patterns, oblique keels on elytra near scutellar shield covered with thinner reddish setae, pronotal posterior angles with a distinct sublateral carina, and elytra with smaller punctures of about less than half size of larger punctures ( Figs 31, 32, 34, 35 ).

Diagnostic characters. Male. Body 9.5–13.0 mm long and 3.0–4.0 mm wide. Body shiny, reddish brown to dark brown; covered with combination of white-yellowish and golden-ferruginous setae forming patterns, all rather long and thick. Antenna short, slightly surpassing half of pronotal length. Antennomere III 1.15–1.25 times as long as antennomere IV, median antennomeres serrate, about 1.15–1.20 times as wide as long, with more or less rounded margin. Pronotum convex, short, about as long as wide, sides rounded, anteriorly more convergent, with posterior angles with short but distinct sublateral carina, slightly divergent; disk densely covered with large, deep punctures, separated usually by about 0.5–1.0 times their diameter. Scutellar shield about 1.35 times as long as wide, with anterior margin slightly concave. Elytra 2.05–2.15 as long as wide, and 2.15–2.20 times as long as pronotum, with punctures of two sizes; smaller punctures of about less than half size of larger punctures; each elytron with oblique keel running from outer margin to suture near scutellar shield, covered with thin, long, reddish setae (different from remaining ones). Aedeagus ( Fig. 41 in Prosvirov (2016b)) with median lobe slightly surpassing lateral subapical hook of paramere; parameres apically slightly diverging; apical lobe short, robust, apically rounded, subapical hook short but distinct.

Female ( Figs 31, 32, 34, 35 ) similar to male, slightly more robust, body 10.5–14.0 mm long and 3.1–4.4 mm wide (lectotype: 13.0 mm long, 4.0 mm wide); antennae reaching about half of pronotal length; median antennomeres less serrated; pronotum about as wide as long or slightly wider than long. Large sclerite of bursa copulatrix ( Fig. 46 in Prosvirov (2016b)) strongly transverse, basally almost straight, with distinct median gap between long apical spines.

Immature stages unknown.

Distribution. Cosmopolitan species; described from Australia. In Levant known only from Israel ( Platia 2010) ( Fig. 194 ). For more information see e.g., Calder (1996), Cate (2007), and Prosvirov (2016b).

Literature. Boisduval (1835: 108): original description [as Elater ]; Candèze (1857: 71): revision [as Adelocera ]; Candèze (1874: 27): revision [as Adelocera ]; Schwarz (1906: 13): catalogue [as Adelocera ]; Schenkling (1925: 12): catalogue [as Adelocera ]; Fleutiaux (1926: 94): catalogue, nomenclatural note; Binaghi (1941: 118): comparison with other species, figures of genitalia; Hayek (1973: 71): revision; Hayek (1979: 198): revision; Calder (1996: 97): distributional note; Cate (2007: 101): catalogue; Platia (2010: 25): distributional note; Prosvirov (2016b: 293): systematic remarks.

Figures

FIGURE 194. Distribution of Lacon spp. in the mainland Levant. Dots representing L. candezei in Lebanon and Syria are only approximate since there are no exact data for these countries.

FIGURES 31–35. Morphology of Lacon modestus, female lectotype. 31, habitus, dorsal view; 32, habitus, lateral view; 33, labels; 34, pronotum, dorsal view; 35, detail of elytral surface. Scale bars = 2.0 mm (Figs 31, 32, 34); Figs 33 and 35 not to scale.

FIGURES 36–51. Morphology of Lacon candezei. Habitus: 36–37, lectotype, male, dorsal and lateral view, respectively; 38, male from Jordan, dorsal view; 39, female from Jordan, dorsal view. Pronotum, dorsal view: 40, lectotype, male; 41, male from Jordan; 42, female from Jordan. 43, lectotype, male, detail of elytral surface. Male genitalia: 44, lectotype; 45, specimen from Jordan; 46, specimen from Israel. Female pregenital segments and genitalia of specimen from Jordan: 47, tergite VIII; 48, sternite VIII; 49, ovipositor; 50, sclerites of bursa copulatrix. 51, female from Israel, sclerites of bursa copulatrix. Scale bars = 2.0 mm (Figs 36–39), 1.0 mm (Figs 40–42, 48–49), 1.5 mm (Figs 44–47), 0.2 mm (Figs 50–51); Fig. 43 not to scale.