Carabus, Linnaeus, 1758

Assmann, Thorsten, Buse, Jörn, Drees, Claudia, Friedman, Ariel-Leib-Leonid, Levanony, Tal, Matern, Andrea, Timm, Anika & Wrase, David, 2008, The Carabus fauna of Israel – updated identification key, faunistics, and habitats (Coleoptera: Carabidae), ZooKeys 1, pp. 9-22 : 10-15

Identification key with notes on distribution and habitats of the species

The members of the genus Carabus are easily recognizable by the lack of a typical antennal cleaner, posterior coxae contiguous in midline of body, mandibles not transversally furrowed, and third antennal segment without keel. Moreover, the species living in Israel are characterized by their body size (BL> 15 mm) and entirely black colour (without any spots or markings or metallic luster). For a general characterisation of ground beetles see Trautner & Geigenmüller (1987) and Ball (2001).

1 (15) Pronotum without marginal setiferous pores ( Fig. 1a, b, c ) .........................2

2 (3) Labrum divided into three lobes ( Fig. 2 ). Elytra with or without punctuation and granulation, habitus variable. BL: 25-36 mm. An eurytopic species in woodlands (Fig. 15), forests, batha (open and semi-open habitats, Fig. 16 ), arable land, dunes ( Fig. 17 ), steppe and desert-like, overgrazed, semi-arid habitats of the northern Negev ( Fig. 18 ), up to 1200 m above sea level. In northern and central Israel southwards to the northern Negev south of Be`er Sheva (e.g. Noqdim Plateau). 1 Fig. 1a , 7a and 8 ................................................................ ............................................................. C. ( Procrustes ) impressus Klug, 1832 ;

in Israel: ssp. carmelita Lapouge, 1907

ssp. palaestinus Lapouge, 1907

ssp. hybridus Ganglbauer, 1887

ssp. negevensis Schweiger, 1970

3 (2) Labrum divided into two lobes ( Fig. 2 ).......................................................4

4 (5) Larger in size (BL: 37-44mm). Head and pronotum rugously wrinkled. Protarsus in male not dilated. Last segment of maxillary palpi triangular or axeshaped. In open and semi-open habitats (up to 1600 m above sea level). Exclusively in the north (Mount Hermon, Golan Heights, Upper Galilee) and very rare. Fig. 7b and 9 ........................... C. ( Procerus ) syriacus Kollar, 1843 in Israel only ssp. galilaeus Schweiger, 1970

5 (4) Smaller in size (BL: <37 mm), if larger then at least head and pronotum smooth, not rugously wrinkled. Three segments of protarsus in male dilated. Last segment of maxillary palpus not triangular or axe-shaped.................... 6

6 (7) Elytral sculpture with punctures and striae. Slender species. BL: 25-36 mm. In woodlands (Fig. 15), forests, and batha ( Fig. 16 ), not in arable land (̴ 500 to 2000 m above sea level, Fig. 19 ). In the north (Mount Hermon, Golan Heights, Upper and Lower Galilee). Fig. 7c and 10 ...................................... ...................................................... C. (Chaetomelas) piochardi Géhin, 1884 in Israel: ssp. labruleriei Géhin, 1884 ssp. pinguis Lapouge, 1914

7 (6) Elytron without punctures or striae, smooth. Wider species........................ 8

8 (9) Elytron less rounded in lateral view ( Fig. 3 ). Pronotum wider ( Fig. 1b ) ....11

9 (10) Elytron more rounded in lateral view ( Fig. 3 ). Pronotum slender ( Fig. 1c ).... ................................................................................................................. 13

11 (12) Tooth of mentum broad, tip truncate ( Fig. 4a ). Median lobe of aedeagus rounded at apex ( Fig. 7d ). BL: 32-39 mm. Mainly in open and semi-open habitats (especially batha, Fig. 16 ), rarely in woodlands or forests (from 200 m below sea level to 1400 m above sea level, Fig. 15 ). From Mount Hermon and Golan Heights to Upper Galilee (Mt. Meron, first finding in 2005). Fig. 1b , 2 , 3 and 11 .................................. C. ( Lamprostus ) syrus Roeschke, 1898 in Israel only ssp. cheikensis Deuve, 1992

12 (11) Tooth of mentum sharpened ( Fig. 4b ). Median lobe of aedeagus sharpened at apex ( Fig. 7e ). BL: 32-37 mm. Distribution area still poorly known, described from Lebanon. Listed by Schweiger & Rapuzzi (2004) from northeastern Israel.................................... C. ( Lamprostus ) lecordieri Deuve, 1992

Note: C. lecordieri was degraded as a subspecies of C. syrus by Kleinfeld & Rapuzzi (2004), but the species status was re-established by Deuve (2005). Deuve (2004b) treated the taxon as a subspecies of C. syrus . Some specimens from Israel cannot be classified as one of the species due to variability of the mentum tooth and small differences of the aedeagus.

13 (14) Hind angles of pronotum rounded, a little bit more pronounced, very similar to its sister species ( C. hemprichi ). Apical part of aedeagus deflexed, narrow and more distinctly set off ( Fig. 7f ). BL: 31-35 mm. In woodlands (Fig. 15), forests, and batha (up to 1200 m above sea level, Fig. 16 ). Northern and central Israel, southwards up to Jerusalem. Fig. 1c , 3 , 4c and 12 ........................ ...................................................... C. (Lamprostus) sidonius Lapouge, 1907 in Israel: ssp. elonensis Schweiger, 1970 ssp. c heikhermonensis Deuve, 1992

14 (13) Hind angles of pronotum rounded, only slightly prolongate. Apical part of aedeagus not distinctly deflexed, wider and not distinctly set off ( Fig. 7g ). BL: 31- 37 mm. In woodlands, batha and arable fields. In north-eastern Israel (Mount Hermon and Golan Heights).......... C. ( Lamprostus ) hemprichi Dejean, 1826 in Israel only damascenus Lapouge, 1924

Note: A zone of sympatry between C. hemprichi and C. sidonius in Lebanon led Deuve (2004) to consider both taxa as valid species. In previous publications these taxa were ranked as subspecies of C. hemprichi . The distinction of both species is extremely difficult. Moreover, in the last years two additional sibling species of the subgenus Lamprostus were described from Lebanon.

15 (1) Pronotum with marginal setiferous pores (if seta broken, the pupillate insertion is visible) ( Fig. 1d, e, f )......................................................................16

16 (17) Last segment of maxillary palpus in males triangular or axe-shaped ( Fig. 5a ). BL: 17-20 mm. In montane and subalpine altitudes of Mount Hermon (semiopen woodlands with Quercus libani and tragacanth vegetation, pastures, Fig. 19 ). Fig. 1d , 5b , 7h and 13 ...... C. ( Tomocarabus ) rumelicus Chaudoir, 1867 in Israel only ssp. syriensis Breuning, 1943

17 (16) Last segment of maxillary palpus in males more elongate, slightly dilated ( Fig. 5c ).................................................................................................... 18

18 (19) Submentum thickened. Hind angles of pronotum prolongate ( Fig. 1e ). Shoulder of elytra rounded ( Fig. 6a ). BL: 17-25 mm. In Israel exclusively known from Upper Galilee (Mt. Meron), in woodlands (Fig. 15). Fig. 13 .... ..................................................... C. ( Archicarabus ) phoenix Lapouge, 1924

19 (20) Submentum not thickened. Hind angles of pronotum more rounded ( Fig. 1f ). Shoulder of elytra angulate ( Fig. 6b ). BL: 15-20 mm. In montane and subalpine altitudes of Mount Hermon (semi-open woodlands with Quercus libani and tragacanth vegetation). Fig. 5c, 5 d and 7k ................................... ....................................................... C. ( Mimocarabus ) maurus Adams, 1817 in Israel only ssp. hermonensis Schweiger, 1970

Figures

Fig. 1. Pronotum without (a, b, c) and with (d, e, f) marginal setiferous pores.

Fig. 2. Labrum divided into three lobes (above: C. impressus) and two lobes (below: C. syrus).

Fig. 16. Batha (Mount Meron). Habitat of C. impressus, C. piochardi, C. syrus, and C. sidonius.

Fig. 17. Dune habitat (south of Ashdod). Habitat of C. impressus.

Fig. 18. Steppe habitat (west of Be’er Sheva). Habitat of C. impressus.

Fig. 7. Aedeagus of C. impressus (a), C. syriacus (b), C. piochardi (c), C. syrus (d), C. lecordieri (e), C. sidonius (f), C. hemprichi (g), C. rumelicus (h), C. phoenix (i), and C. maurus (k).

Fig. 8. Carabus impressus (Negev).

Fig. 9. Carabus syriacus (Mount Meron).

Fig. 19. Montane to subalpine pasture (Mount Hermon). Habitat of C. piochardi and C. rumelicus.

Fig. 10. Carabus pio- chardi (Mount Meron).

Fig. 3. Elytron in lateral view, less rounded (above: C. syrus) and more rounded (below: C. sidonius).

Fig. 4. Mentum of Lamprostus species (a: C. syrus; b: C. lacordieri; c: C. sidonius).

Fig. 15. Quercus calliprinos dominated woodland (Ya’ar Bar’am). Habitat of C. impressus, C. piochardi, C. syrus, C. sidonius, and C. phoenix.

Fig. 11. Carabus syrus (Mount Meron).

Fig. 12. Carabus sidonius (Mount Meron).

Fig. 5. Last segment of maxillary palpi (a, b: C. rumelicus; c, d: C. maurus; a, c: male; b, d: female).

Fig. 13. Carabus rumelicus (Mount Hermon).

Fig. 6. Shoulder of elytron rounded (left: C. phoenix) and angulate (right: C. maurus).