Lethrus (Lethrus) strymonensis, Král & Hillert, 2013

Král, David & Hillert, Oliver, 2013, Three new Lethrus species close to L. raymondi (Coleoptera: Geotrupidae) from the Balkan Peninsula, Acta Entomologica Musei Nationalis Pragae 53 (1), pp. 219-244 : 234-240

Lethrus (Lethrus) strymonensis sp. nov.

( Figs 10–12 , 22–24 , 34–36 , 42 , 46 , 50)

Type locality. Greece, Séres distr., N of Séres (by road to Laíliás), 226 m [a. s. l.], 41°06.630′N 023°33.458′E ( Fig. 50 ).

Type material (714 specimens). GREECE: CENTRAL MACEDONIA PROVINCE: HOLOTYPE (♂) and ALLOTYPE (♀) ( DKCP), ‘GR, Serrés distr., 15.iv.2003 / N of SERRÉS, 226m / 41°06.630N 023°33.458E / [GPS] David Král lgt. [p]’. PARATYPES: 33 ♂♂ 17 ♀♀ ( DKCP), same data ; 11 ♂♂ 5 ♀♀ ( SJCP), same data but ‘ Radek Dunda lgt. [p]’; 64 ♂♂ 22 ♀♀ ( JSCP), same data but ‘ Jan Schneider lgt. [p]’; 18 ♂♂ 3 ♀♀ ( OHCB), ‘ Greece , (C. Macedonia) / 226m, N of Serres / N 41°06´63,0´´/E 023°33´45,8´´ [GPS] / 15.IV.2003, leg. O. Hillert [p]’, 1 ♂ 1 ♀ ( ARCL), 1 ♂ 1 ♀ ( DACB), 1 ♂ 1 ♀ ( DEIC), 1 ♂ 1 ♀ ( ERCS), 1 ♂ 1 ♀ ( HKCS), 1 ♂ 1 ♀ ( JSCB), 1 ♂ 1♀ ( LSCN), 1 ♂ 1 ♀ ( MHCM), 1 ♂ 1 ♀ ( NNML), 1 ♂ 1 ♀ ( SMNS), 1 ♂ 1 ♀ ( SMTD), 1 ♂ 1 ♀ ( USCK), 1 ♂ 1 ♀ ( ZMHB), all same data; 2 ♂♂ 1 ♀ ( DKCP), ‘GR, Serés pr. / 5 km E of Serés / 17.5.2001, lgt. David Král [p]’; 18 ♂♂ 12 ♀♀ ( JSCP), same data but ‘ Jan Schneider lgt. [p]’; 25 ♂♂ 37 ♀♀ ( DKCP), ‘ Greece, Serrés prov. / 5 km E of Serrés / 10.v.2002, David Král lgt. [p]’, 3 ♂♂ 3 ♀♀ ( JSCP), 4 ♂♂ 4 ♀♀ ( OHCB), 3 ♂♂ 3 ♀♀ ( SJCP), all same data; 12 ♂♂ 13 ♀♀ ( VNCP), same data but ‘ V. Novák lgt. [p]’; 2 ♀♀ ( TRCP), same data but ‘lgt. T. Růžička [p]’; 14 ♂♂ 21 ♀♀ ( VVCK), same data same data but ‘ Vl. Vrabec lgt. [p]’; 6 ♂♂ 3 ♀♀ ( DKCP), ‘GR, Seres distr., 12.iv.2006 / N of SERÉS (road to Lailiás ) / 282m, N41°07’47’’E 023°32’13’’ / [GPS], David Král lgt. [p]’; 2 ♂♂ ( RCCP), same data but ‘ Radek Červenka lgt. [p]’; 4 ♂♂ 1 ♀ ( SJCP), same data but ‘ Radek Dunda lgt. [p]’; 4 ♂♂ ( OHCB), same data but ‘ Oliver Hillert lgt. [p]’; 2 ♂♂ 2 ♀♀ ( DKCP), ‘GR, Seres distr., 12.iv.2006 / N of SERÉS (road to Ano Vrontou) / 226m, N41°06’63’’E 023°33’46’’/ [GPS], David Král lgt. [p]’; 15 ♂♂ 9 ♀♀ ( RCCP), same data but ‘ Radek Červenka lgt. [p]’; 5 ♂♂ 3 ♀♀ ( SJCP), same data but ‘ Radek Dunda lgt. [p]’; 10 ♂♂ 5 ♀♀ ( OHCB), same data but ‘ Oliver Hillert lgt. [p]’, 1 ♂ 1 ♀ ( GNCA), 1 ♂ ( NNML), 1 ♂ 1 ♀ ( RPCM), 1 ♂ 1 ♀ ( SZCM), 1 ♂ 1 ♀ ( TBCP), 1 ♂ 1 ♀ ( VMCP), all same data ; 21 ♂♂ 19 ♀♀ ( NMPC), ‘GREECE – SERRES / ca. 3 km N SERRES / 41°07.4’N, 23°33.5’E; ca. 250 m / (field, pasture - steppe) / Jiří Hájek leg. 26.IV.2007 [p]’; 20 ♂♂ 12 ♀♀ ( TRCP), same data but ‘ Tomáš Růžička lgt. [p]’; 43 ♂♂ 32 ♀♀ ( JSCP), same data but ‘ Jan Schneider lgt. [p]’; 23 ♂♂ 13 ♀♀ ( RCCP), ‘GR bor. MACEDONIA / SERRES distr. 26.4. 2007 / ca. 3 km N Serres (by rd. to Ano Vrontou ) / 41°07.4’N, 23°33.5’E; ca. 250 m (field, pasture / - steppe) R. Červenka lgt. [p]’; 13 ♂♂ 8 ♀♀ ( RCCP), ‘GR bor. MACEDONIA, SERRES distr. 26.4. 2007, ca. 4 km N Serres (by rd. to Lailias), R. Červenka lgt. [p]’; 1 ♂ 1 ♀ ( DKCP), ‘GR, C Macedonia, Serres dist. , 21.iv. / SERRES, 41°07.50’N 23°32.15’E / D. Král, D. Drožová, H. Podskalská / P. Šípek & A. Venderová lgt., 2009 [p] ’; 1 ♂ 1 ♀ ( DKCP), ‘GR, C Macedonia, Serres dist. , 21.iv. / SERRES, 41°06.61’N 23°33.45’E / D. Král, D. Drožová, H. Podskalská / P. Šípek & A. Venderová lgt., 2009 [p]’; 52 ♂♂ 50 ♀♀ ( OHCB), ‘GR, Seres distr. / 12.iv.2011, N of SERÉS (road to Lailiás) / O. Hillert lgt. [p]’.

Additional material examined (341 specimens). GREECE: CENTRAL MACEDONIA PROVINCE: 10 ♂♂ 8♀♀ ( DKCP), NW of Neo Petrítsi , 41°16.759′N 023°18.656′E, 98 m, 15.iv.2003, David Král leg. ; 6 ♂♂ 4 ♀♀ ( SJCP), same data but Radek Dunda leg. ; 10 ♂♂ 6 ♀♀ ( JSCP), same data but Jan Schneider leg. ; 8 ♂♂ 7 ♀♀ ( OHCB), S slope of Mt. Kerkini, Neo Petritsi , 41°16′75.9″N 023°18′65.6″E, 98 m, 15.iv.2003, O. Hillert leg. ; 12 ♂♂ 12 ♀♀ ( DKCP), NW of Neo Petritsi env., 41°16′23″N 23°21′59″E, 98 m, 11.iv.2006, David Král leg. ; 9 ♂♂ 11 ♀♀ ( RCCP), same data but Radek Červenka leg. ; 2 ♂♂ 3 ♀♀ ( SJCP), same data but Radek Dunda leg. ; 5 ♂♂ 1 ♀ ( OHCB), same data but Oliver Hillert leg. ; 8 ♂♂ 7 ♀♀ ( DKCP), Kefalohóri env., 41°02′42″N 23°17′58″E, 110 m, 19.iv.2005, David Král leg. ; 7 ♂♂ 5 ♀♀ ( JSCP), same data but Jan Schneider leg. ; 10 ♂♂ 8 ♀♀ ( OHCB), same data but Oliver Hillert leg. ; 2 ♂♂ 3 ♀♀ ( DKCP), Néa Máditos env., 40°37′12″N 23°30′30″E, 120 m, 23.iv.2005, David Král leg. ; 4 ♂♂ 4 ♀♀ ( JSCP), same data but Jan Schneider leg. ; 1 ♂ 1 ♀ ( OHCB), same data but Oliver Hillert leg. ; 10 ♂♂ 10 ♀♀ ( LNCB), Mts.Kerkini, Petrici , 41°16.959′N 023°19.441′E, 80 m, 8.iv.2007, László Nádai leg. ; 3♂♂ 3♀♀ ( LNCB), Mts. Kerkini, Petrici , 41°16.959′N 23°19.441′E, 80 m, 14.iv.2007, László Nádai leg. ; 2 ♂♂ 3 ♀♀ ( NMPC), Therma env., thermal springs, 40°53.6′N, 23°33.0′E, ca. 70 m, pools near the river; steppe, 26.–27.iv.2007, Jiří Hájek leg.; 6 ♂♂ 4 ♀♀ ( TRCP), same data but Tomáš Růžička leg. ; 7 ♂♂ 2 ♀♀ ( JSCP), same data but Jan Schneider leg. ; 1 ♂ 3 ♀♀ ( VRCH), Petrici , 41°18′47″N, 23°20′16″E, 27.–29.v.2008, Vladislav Řebíček leg. ; 9 ♂♂ 7 ♀♀ ( VRCH), Petrici , 41°18′47″N 23°20′16″E, 28.–29.iv.2009, Vladislav Řebíček leg. ; 7 ♂♂ 4 ♀♀ ( JRCO), same data but Jaroslav Ryšánek leg. ; 4 ♂♂ 2 ♀♀ ( MTCK), same data but Miloslav Turčín leg. ; 2 ♂♂ 2 ♀♀ ( RECJ), same data but Richard Erben leg. ; 13 spec. ( IBCF), Gazoros env., 41°01′54″N 23°46′32 ″E, ca. 110 m, 4.v.2009, Ivo Boščík leg. ; 9 spec. ( LBCB), same data but Lukáš Bureš leg. ; 5 ♂♂ 1 ♀ ( PPCB), 2 ♂♂ ( DKCP), same data but Pavel Průdek leg.; 14 spec. ( PVCP), same data but Petr Včelička leg. ; 25 ♂♂ 7 ♀♀ ( OHCB), S slope of Mt. Kerkini , Neo Petritsi, 12.iv.2011, O. Hillert leg.

Description of holotype. Maximally developed (hyperthelic) male with well developed ventral mandibular processes. Total body length 28 mm. Oblong, strongly convex; dorsal surface black, except moderately shiny pronotum almost alutaceous; ventral surface black with fine blue tinge, moderately shiny, claws black-brown; setation black.

Head ( Figs 10 , 22 , 34 , 42 ). Labrum bilobed, asymmetrical, right lobe remarkably more developed; surface rugosely and coarsely, shallowly and sparsely punctate, each puncture bearing short recumbent macroseta; anterior margin with dense row of long macrosetae. Clypeus transverse, trapezoidal with anterior angles round. Frontal impressions vague, frontal tubercles indistinct. Frontoclypeal suture present only laterally; keels separating eye canthus from frons only slightly developed but distinct, slightly divergent posteriad. Eye canthus exceeding eyes, projecting anterolaterad, almost rectangular, lateral margins divergent posteriad, anterolateral angle round, oblique keel above eyes absent. Pleurostomal process evenly arcuate, hardly exceeding ventrolateral mandibular outline. Punctation of frons double, consisting of coarse, transversally rugose and densely distributed punctures, intermixed with fine, irregularly distributed ones; coarse punctures separated by approximately less than their diameter, punctation becoming distinctly sparser posteriad and on occiput; clypeus and eye canthus distinctly rugose.

Mandibles symmetrical, external outline pointed subapically, in dorsal aspect obogival ( Figs 34 , 42 ), maximum width at anterior third of mandibular length.

Ventral mandibular processes ( Figs 10 , 22 , 42 ) symmetrical, distinctly longer than length of mandible; base thickened, not exceeding lateral mandibular outline in dorsal aspect, with approximately straight external outline in basal third in frontal aspect; longitudinal keel on base laterally present, in dorsal aspect straight and approximately parallel to lateral mandibular outline, not as broad as maximum width of mandibular outline basally; in lateral aspect very weakly arcuate, approximately parallel to lateral mandibular outline; anterior subbasal tooth absent; posterior subbasal tooth absent (lateral aspect); inferiobasal tooth absent; both processes bent inward approximately in basal third of mandibular length in frontal view; anterior subapical tooth present, visible in lateral aspect, distinctly extended in frontal aspect; apical emargination present; apical tooth simply round, not extended apically.

Pronotum transverse, distinctly broader than base of elytra, broadest just behind middle; margin entirely bordered, slightly crenulate in anterior parts. Anterior angles not projecting anterolaterad, with evenly arcuate outline; lateral margin approximately straight to round posterior angle; posterior margin straight. Punctation of dorsal surface simple, consisting of deep, sparsely and irregularly distributed punctures; punctures separated by approximately two to four their diameters discally, surface near lateral margins considerably shagreened and alutaceous.

Scutellar shield widely triangular, finely shagreened.

Elytra almost semicircular, apices not prominent, each apex forming independent arcus. Epipleuron strongly narrowed apicad, epipleural keel not reaching elytron apex. Whole surface alutaceous, finely transversally rugose; striae not indicated, entirely vanishing in rugosities.

Legs. Profemur not armed, protibia with nine gradually diminishing external denticles proximad, and with row of tubercles on ventromedial edge.

Aedeagus of typical shape of species closely related to L. raymondi (see Figs 37–38 ).

Variability in males. Body length 20–28 mm. Mandibular processes in medium developed ( Figs 11 , 23 , 35 ) and underdeveloped (hypothelic) males ( Figs 12 , 24 , 36 ) short, more or less straight with only indicated teeth or entirely without them, simply round to almost acute apically.

Females (body length 19–28 mm, allotype 28 mm) differ from males as follows: external outline of mandibles almost straight, in apical quarter round in dorsal aspect; ventral mandibular process absent; protibia broader, row of tubercles on ventromedial edge less pronounced.

Differential diagnosis. For differential diagnosis see the character matrix ( Table 1 ).

Etymology. Derived from the area of origin for the new species, the Strymónas (Στρυμόνας) river.

Collecting circumstances. The type series was collected on an uncultivated field and adjacent partially abandoned vineyard and surrounding sparse pine forest with shrubs. The substrate consisted of a relatively deep layer of loess soil ( Fig. 50 ).

Distribution. Greece: the Strymónas river basin south of the defile between the Kerkíni and the Orvilos mountain ranges ( Fig. 46 ).

Figures

Figs 1–12. Head, frontal aspect.Maximally developed males:1 – Lethrus (Lethrus) halkidikensis sp. nov. (holotype); 4 – L. (L.) perun sp. nov. (holotype); 7 – L. (L.) raymondi Reitter, 1890 (Greece: Néa Filadélfia – OHCB); 10 – L. (L.) strymonensis sp. nov.(holotype). Medium developed males: 2 – Lethrus (L.) halkidikensis sp. nov.(paratype, Greece: Tagarádes – OHCB); 5 – L.(L.) perun sp. nov.(paratype, Bulgaria:Khotovo – OHCB); 8 – L. (L.) raymondi (Greece: Néa Filadélfia – OHCB); 11 – L.(L.) strymonensis sp.nov.(paratype,Greece:Séres – OHCB).Underdeveloped males: 3 – Lethrus (L.) halkidikensis sp. nov. (paratype, Greece: Tagarádes – OHCB); 6 – L. (L.) perun sp. nov. (paratype, Bulgaria: Khotovo – OHCB); 9 – L. (L.) raymondi (Greece: Néa Filadélfia – OHCB); 12 – L. (L.) strymonensis sp. nov. (paratype, Greece: Séres – OHCB). Lettering: b – subapical tooth of ventral mandibular process, c – apical tooth of ventral mandibular process, d – inferiobasal tooth of ventral mandibular process, e – apical emargination of ventral mandibular process. Schematically, not to scale.

Figs 13–24. Head, lateral aspect. Maximally developed males: 13 – Lethrus (Lethrus) halkidikensis sp. nov. (holotype); 16 – L. (L.) perun sp. nov. (holotype); 19 – L. (L.) raymondi Reitter, 1890 (Greece: Néa Filadélfia – OHCB); 22 – L. (L.) strymonensis sp. nov. (holotype). Medium developed males: 14 – Lethrus (L.) halkidikensis sp. nov. (paratype, Greece: Tagarádes – OHCB); 17 – L. (L.) perun sp. nov. (paratype, Bulgaria: Khotovo – OHCB); 20 – L. (L.) raymondi (Greece:Néa Filadélfia – OHCB); 23 – L.(L.) strymonensis sp.nov. (paratype, Greece: Séres – OHCB). Underdeveloped males: 15 – Lethrus (L.) halkidikensis sp. nov. (paratype, Greece: Tagarádes – OHCB); 18 – L. (L.) perun sp. nov. (paratype, Bulgaria: Khotovo – OHCB); 21 – L. (L.) raymondi (Greece: Néa Filadélfia – OHCB); 24 – L. (L.) strymonensis sp. nov. (paratype, Greece: Séres – OHCB). Lettering: a – lateral longitudinal keel on base of ventral mandibular process, b – subapical tooth of ventral mandibular process, c – apical tooth of ventral mandibular process. Schematically, not to scale.

Figs 25–36. Head, dorsal aspect. Maximally developed males: 25 – Lethrus (Lethrus) halkidikensis sp. nov. (holotype); 28 – L. (L.) perun sp. nov. (holotype); 31 – L. (L.) raymondi Reitter, 1890 (Greece: Néa Filadélfia – OHCB); 34 – L. (L.) strymonensis sp. nov. (holotype). Medium developed males: 26 – Lethrus (L.) halkidikensis sp. nov. (paratype, Greece: Tagarádes – OHCB); 29 – L. (L.) perun sp. nov. (paratype, Bulgaria: Khotovo – OHCB); 32 – L. (L.) raymondi (Greece: Néa Filadélfia – OHCB); 35 – L. (L.) strymonensis sp. nov. (paratype, Greece: Séres – OHCB). Underdeveloped males: 27 – Lethrus (L.) halkidikensis sp. nov. (paratype, Greece: Tagarádes – OHCB); 30 – L. (L.) perun sp. nov. (paratype, Bulgaria: Khotovo – OHCB); 33 – L. (L.) raymondi (Greece: Néa Filadélfia – OHCB); 36 – L. (L.) strymonensis sp. nov. (paratype, Greece: Séres – OHCB). Lettering: a – lateral longitudinal keel on base of ventral mandibular process. Schematically, not to scale.

Figs 39–42. Habitus in frontolateral aspect. 39 – Lethrus (Lethrus) halkidikiensis sp. nov. (holotype), 40 – L. (L.) perun sp. nov.(holotype), 41 – L. (L.) raymondi Reitter, 1890 (Greece:Néa Filadélfia – OHCB, body length: 28 mm), 42 – L. (L.) strymonensis sp. nov. (holotype).

Fig. 46. Sketch map of the Stry- mónas river basin (Greece) with marked distribution of Lethrus (L.) strymonensis sp. nov., empty dot represents the type locality

Fig. 50. Type locality of Lethrus (L.) strymonensis sp. nov. (Greece: Séres, April 2003; photo David Král).

Figs 37–38.Lethrus (Lethrus) raymondi Reitter, 1890 (Greece:Néa Filadélfia – OHCB).37 – aedeagus in dorsal aspect; 38 – the same, but in lateral aspect. Schematically, not to scale.