Hycleus sexmaculatus ( Olivier, 1811 )

Serri, Sayeh, Bologna, Marco A. & Riccieri, Alessandra, 2020, Revision of the Hycleus sexmaculatus species group (Coleoptera: Meloidae Mylabrini), Zootaxa 4790 (1), pp. 1-42 : 26-29

Hycleus sexmaculatus ( Olivier, 1811)

Figs 10, 22, 91–97

Mylabris sexmaculata Olivier, 1811: 98 .

Mylabris superba Faldermann, 1837: 123 .

Mylabris bimaculata Klug, 1845: 32 .

Mylabris ledereri Marseul, 1870: 57 .

Zonabris ledereri var. onerata Escherich, 1899: 109 .

Hycleus sexmaculatus, Bologna & Turco, 2007: 17 .

Type material. The type of this species is lost, but we examined at MNHN specimens in the Marseul’s collection from the XIX century, which contain samples probably compared with the Olivier’s types.

Five possible syntypes of Mylabris bimaculata Klug, 1845 , housed at MNHB, which was always considered as a distinct species of the same group, were studied by one of us ( MABC) and synonymized with H. sexmaculatus ( Bologna & Turco 2007) . One female (with left antennae broken) along with four other specimens (some without antennae, one without head and pronotum), probably syntypes (two from Arabia and two from Syria), have the following labels: “ bimaculata N. Arab. Ol. ” [yellow, original, handwritten], “28658” [printed]; “Hist. Coll. Nr. 28658” [printed]; Zool. Mus. Berl.” [printed].

Type locality: “Arabia” ( Olivier 1811).

Additional material examined. Armenia. 4 exx. Armenia ( MRSN) . Azerbaijan . 1 ex. Elisabetpol ( SMNS) . Caucasus. Caucasus , 2 exx. ( MRSN) , 2 exx. ( MCZR), 10 exx. ( MNHN). Iran. 1 ♂ 1 ♀ NW Iran, 26 km, SSE Khoy , 6.VII.1973, Loc. No. 267, Exp. Nat. Mus. Praha ( NMPC) ; 1♀ NW Iran, 25 km, SE Shahpus, 27–28.VII.1977, Loc. No. 406, Exp. Nat. Mus. Praha ( NMPC) ; 2 ♂ East Azarbaijan prov., Tabriz , VII.1959, leg. Manuchehri ( HMIM) ; 2 ♂ East Azarbaijan prov., Tabriz , VII.1959, leg. Goudarzi ( HMIM) ; 5 ♂ 1 ♀ Hamedan prov., E Malayer, Zangeneh, Lashgardar protected region, Golparabad area, up to the end of the road, nr. Department of environment station, N 34 12 25.9 E 49 00 57.5, 2404 m, 6.VII.2017, leg. Serri ( HMIM) ; 2 ♂ 1 ♀ Kordestan prov., 23 km NE Baneh, Saghez- Baneh , 1750 m, 2.VII.1975, leg. Pazuki ( HMIM) ; 1 ♂ Kordestan prov., Marivan, Dare Toofi , 1370 m, 21.VIII.2011, leg. Mofidi & Ebrahimi ( HMIM) ; 1 ♂ Semnan prov., Tape Gerayeli, Dasht-e Danial , 10. VI.1957, leg. Mirzayans ( HMIM) ; 1 ex. Perse ( MNHN) . Israel - Palestine. 1 ex. Arad-Mazada rd. ( MUH) ; 2 exx. Jericho ( MSNV) ; 12 exx. Jericho ( MNHN) ; 1 ex. Maale Hdanmin (Haadnmin) ( MUH) ; 1 ex. H. Fasayil, Lower Jordan valley ( MUH) ; 1 ex. Mash’abbe Sade ( MUH) . Russia. 1 ex. Crimea ( MSRSN) . Syria. 1 ♂ 1 ♀ Akbes, coll Reitter ( HNHM) ; 2 ♂ 1 ♀ Akbès , summer 1890, leg. Delagrange, Slg. R. Oberthür, coll. E. Martin ( HNHM) ; 1 ex. Syrie ( MNHN) . Turkey. 2 exx. Asia Minor ( MRSN) ; 1 ex Adana ( BMNH) ; 1 ex. Adana, Aladağ Büyüksofulu Köyü 12.VII ( COZ) ; 1 ex. Adana, Gülek ; 2 exx. Adana, Osmanye, Pinus forest ; 2 ♂ 3 ♀ Turkey, Adiyaman prov., 21 Gölbazi dint., 900 m, 14.6.1986, leg. Bologna ( MABC, HMIM) ; 4 exx Akşhehir ( SMNS) ; 1 ♂ 1 ♀ SE Anatolia, Osmanye ( Pinus Forest ), VII.1976, leg. A. Casale ( MABC) ; 1 ex. Antakya ( ZSM) ; 1 ♂ Antalia, 7. VI.1969 ( MABC) ; 1 ex. Antalya ( ZSM) ; 1 ex. Beylik Köprü ( MNHB) ; 1ex. Elazig ( BMNH) ; 2 exx. Kayseri ( MNHB) ; 8 exx. Malatya ( MCNV) ; 1 ex. Malatya, Eskimalatya ( MABC) ; 1 ♂ 1 ♀ Malatya, 23. VI.1965, leg. Pierotti & Perissinotto ( MABC) ; 1 ♀ Turkey, Mersin prov., 10 Mut , ca 400 m, 8.6.1980, leg. Bologna ( MABC) ; 1 ♂ SE Turkey, Gülek (Adana), 8.VIII.1976, leg. Casale ( MABC) ; 1♀ Gaziantep, 16.VII.1984 ( MABC) ; 1 ♀ Bitlis prov., Tatvan Benckli köyu, 5.VIII.2000, leg. Crucitti, Vignoli & Facheris ( MABC) ; 1 ♀ Tauro , 1300 m, 12.VIII.1966, leg. Sbordoni ( MABC) ; 1 ♀ Elazig prov., Gözeli , 24. VI.1968, leg. Sbordoni ( MABC) ; 3 ♂ 3 ♀ Turkey , Van, 1700 m, 5.VIII.67, leg. G. Gardini ( MABC, HMIM) .

Records from literature. Armenia. Armenia ( Baudi di Selve 1878a as ledereri ; Baudi di Selve 1878b as superba and ledereri ; Bologna 2008; Ghahari & Campos-Soldini 2019). Azerbaijan. Azerbaijan (Bologna 2008; Ghahari & Campos-Soldini 2019). Central Asia. Central Asia ( Bologna 1979); Turkestan ( Dokhtouroff 1889 as ledereri ; Sumakov 1930; Bologna 2008; Ghahari & Campos-Soldini 2019). Caucasus. Caucasus ( Marseul 1870, 1872, both also as ledereri ; Sumakov 1915, 1930 also as bimaculata ; Mader 1927a; Kuzin 1954; Bologna 1979; Chikatunov, 1999, 2003; Bologna & Turco 2007; Koçak & Kemal 2015). Egypt. Sinai ( Chikatunov 2003). Georgia. Georgia (Bologna 2008; Ghahari & Campos-Soldini 2019). Iran. Iran ( Marseul 1870, 1872, both also as bimaculata ; Sumakov 1915, 1930 also as bimaculata ; Mader 1927a as bimaculata ; Bologna 1979; Chikatunov 1999 also as bimaculata, 2003 ; Bologna & Turco 2007; Bologna 2008; Koçak & Kemal 2015; Ghahari & Campos-Soldini 2019); East Azarbaijan, Khorasan, Khuzestan ( Mirzayans 1970; Modarres Awal 1997, 2012); Khorasan ( Farahbakhsh 1961); Khorassan, Chahroud, Dacht-danial; Azarbaidjan, Tabriz; Khouzestan, Dagionbadan ( Mirzayans 1970). Iraq. Assur; Badija ( Holdhaus 1920 also as bimaculata ). Israel - Palestine. Syro-Palaestinian region ( Bologna 1988 also as bimaculata ); Golan Heights, Central Coastal plain, Southern Coastal plain, Judean desert, valley of Yizre’d, Dead Sea area, northern Negev, central Negev ( Chikatunov 1999 also as bimaculata, 2003 ); Israel-Palestine (Bologna 2008; Ghahari & Campos-Soldini 2019); Levant ( Bologna & Turco 2007). Jordan. Jordan (Bologna 2008; Ghahari & Campos-Soldini 2019). Kazakhstan. Kazakhstan ( Bologna & Turco 2007; Bologna 2008; Ghahari & Campos- Soldini 2019). Saudi Arabia. Arabia ( Olivier 1811 type locality of Mylabris bimaculata Klug ; Baudi di Selve 1878a as superba ; Baudi di Selve 1878b also as superba ; Bologna 1979, doubtful record, which could refer to some areas of the northern Arabian Desert in Jordan or Iraq); Saudi Arabia (Bologna 2008; Ghahari & Campos-Soldini 2019). Syria. ( Baudi di Selve 1878a as ledereri and bimaculata ; Baudi di Selve 1878b also as ledereri ; Marseul 1870, 1872, both also as ledereri and bimaculata ; Sumakov 1915 also as bimaculata ; Mader 1927a; Kuzin 1954; Bologna 1979, 2008; Chikatunov 1999; Koçak & Kemal 2015; Ghahari & Campos-Soldini 2019 Russia. Southern Russia ( Olivier 1811, type locality; Bologna 1979; Bologna & Turco 2007; Bologna 2008; Koçak & Kemal 2015; Ghahari & Campos-Soldini 2019); Crimea ( Baudi di Selve 1878a, 1878b); Cherson ( Sumakov 1930); Dagestan ( Kuzin 1954). Turkey. Turkey ( Bologna 1979; Chikatunov 1999 also as bimaculata ; Koçak & Kemal 2009 also as bmaculata; Koçak & Kemal 2010; 2015); Anatolia ( Baudi di Selve, 1878a as bimaculata ; Bologna & Turco 2007); Asia Minor ( Marseul 1870, 1872, both also as ledereri ; Baudi di Selve 1878a as superba ; Baudi di Selve 1878b also as superba ; Sumakov 1915, 1930 also as bimaculata ; Mader 1927a; Kuzin 1954); Kisilgye-Aolle ( Marseul 1870, 1872, both as ledereri ); Malatya prov. ( Koçak & Kemal 2015); Elazig, Harput ( Özbek & Szaloki 1998 as bimaculata ); Içel, Silifke ( Özbek & Szaloki 1998 as bimaculata ). Ukraine. Ukraine ( Kuzin 1954; Bologna & Turco 2007; Bologna 2008; Ghahari & Campos-Soldini 2019); Tauria ( Sumakov 1930 as bimaculata ).

Chikatunov (2003) generically cited this species from SE Mediterranean, and Koçak & Kemal (2015) erroneously recorded it from United Arab Emirates.

Description. Body length 9–17 mm. Body black, but elytra yellowish brown (in some specimens more reddish), with black pattern. Head subquadrate; antennomere III half longer than IV, V–VIII transverse and progressively widened, IX–X narrower than VIII, male ( Fig. 91 ) XI curved and elongated and longer than antennomere X; in female ( Fig. 92 ) shorter than X. Pronotum ( Fig. 22 ) as long as wide and strongly convex; mesosternun as in Fig. 96 . Each elytron with two black spots on anterior third, one sinuate middle fascia, and one black narrow fascia on apical part ( Fig. 97 ); male last ventrite regularly convex, posterior margin with one middle deep emargination; aedeagus ( Fig. 95 ) with endophallic hook narrow, distal aedeagal hook curved, far from proximal one and close to apex, proximal hook short and slightly curved; gonoforceps ( Figs 93–94 ) narrow from middle both ventral and lateral view; sinuate posteriad on apical third.

Taxonomic remarks. Bologna (1979) figured and described male genitalia, antennae and mesosternum of specimens from Turkey. The variability of elytral pattern, with the apical black margin more or less extended, was described by Escherich (1899) who synonymized ledereri Marseul with sexmaculatus ; this pattern of variability is also present in other populations. The variability concerns the shape of pronotum, more or less parallel in front, but was unable to define discrete differences among populations.

This species is very close to Hycleus pirata and to H. hayki . It can be distinguished by the shape of antennae, pronotum and the male genitalia. The shape of pronotum is a constant feature, but the shape of last antennomere and of apical fascia of elytra show variability among specimens.

The synonymy of this species is quite complex. One of us ( Bologna & Turco 2007) studied types of Mylabris bimaculata Klug and synonymized it with H. sexmaculatus ; moreover, the name bimaculata is preoccupied by Mylabris bimaculata Olivier, 1811 belonging to the complex of M. (Eumylabris) calida (Pallas 1871) .

Distribution. This species is widely distributed in the eastern Mediterranean regions ( Turkey, Levant and Sinai), southern Ukraine and southern Russia, Caucasian region, Iraq and possibly northern Arabian peninsula, Iran; it is recorded generically from Kazakhstan.

Figures

FIGURES 91–97. Hycleus sexmaculatus (Olivier): 91. male antenna; 92. female antenna; 93. tegmen, ventral view; 94. tegmen, lateral view; 95. aedeagus, lateral view; 96. mesosternum; 97. elytral pattern. Scale bar: 1 mm.

FIGURES 13–24. Head and pronotum of: 13. Hycleus apicipennis; 14. H. balteatus; 15 H. bipunctatus; 16. H. cingulatus; 17. H. colligatus; 18. H. hayki; 19. H. lindbergi; 20. H. pirata; 21. H. schauffelei; 22. H. sexmaculatus; 23. H. tenuepictus; 24. H. trianguliferus.