Lampromeloe pantherinus, Sánchez-Vialas & López-Estrada & Ruiz & García-París, 2024

Sánchez-Vialas, Alberto, López-Estrada, Estefany Karen, Ruiz, José L. & García-París, Mario, 2024, Taxonomy of West-Palaearctic Lampromeloe (Coleoptera: Meloidae) with the description of a new species, European Journal of Taxonomy 917, pp. 19-49 : 29-38

Lampromeloe pantherinus sp. nov.

urn:lsid:zoobank.org:act:53F43B51-16B2-4B96-82C2-98BB583AD42E

Figs 3I–J , 4G–H , 5A , 7 , 9 , 11A–C

Diagnosis

Lampromeloe pantherinus sp. nov. can be differentiated from the other species of Lampromeloe by the following combination of characters: elytra with medium-sized and glossy areolas, which are separated by a rugose and radiate space; pronotum lacking the median longitudinal depression, transverse, similar to L. variegatus ; male genitalia with gonostyli narrow, markedly converging towards the apex in dorsal view and wide in lateral view, with the apical notch deep, gonocoxal plate distinctly wide and short in dorsal view, and aedeagus with ventral hooks straight (not curved), directed posteriorly and well separated from each other.

Etymology

The specific epithet pantherinus (adjective, ‘panther-like’) refers to the areolar pattern of the elytra, somewhat reminiscent of the fur pattern of a leopard, Panthera pardus ( Linnaeus, 1758) , a species on the verge of extinction (if not already extinct) in Morocco ( Aulagnier et al. 2017). Our intention with the species name is to remember the last known wild Barbary lion, Panthera leo leo ( Linnaeus, 1758) , which was shot in 1942 near Tizi n’Tichka ( Black et al. 2013), the type locality of the newly described Lampromeloe .

Type material

Holotype

MOROCCO • ♂; “ 2 km north of Aguelmouse , Tizi n’Tichka , High Atlas, Morocco, 31°16’25’’N 7°22’41’’W, 2180 m, 21-II-2010, M. García-París leg. // mel 81011 // MNCN_Ent 325513 // Holotypus Lampromeloe pantherinus Sánchez-Vialas, López-Estrada, Ruiz & García-París des. 2023” [white label, printed]; MNCN_Ent 325513. Preserved in absolute ethanol, stored in the Entomological collection of the MNCN-CSIC.

Paratypes

MOROCCO • 1 ♂; “ 2 km north of Tizi n’Tichka , High Atlas, Morocco, 31°18’30’’N 7°22’17’’W, 2088 m, 21-II-2010, M. García-París leg. // MNCN_Ent 325514 // mel 81010” [white label, printed; preserved in absolute ethanol]; MNCN_Ent 325514 • 1 ♂; “ El Hajeb, Azrou , Morocco, 33°38’14.71’’N- 5°22’22.6’’W, 1231 m, 12-III-2018, K. López-Estrada, E. Recuero and M. Gª-París leg. // MNCN_Ent 325515 ” [white label, printed; preserved in absolute ethanol]; MNCN_Ent 325515 ( Fig. 7 ) • 1 ♀; “ Aguelmane de Sidi Ali , Medio Atlas, Marruecos, 33°04’N- 5°00’W, 2050 m, 30-III-1993, M. Tierno de Figueroa leg. [white label, printed] // MNCN_Ent 324812 [bluish grey label, printed]”; MNCN_Ent 324812 [preserved dried] • 1 ♀; “ Tizi n’Tichka , Alto Atlas, Marruecos, 8-IV-1992, J.L. Ruiz leg. [white label, printed] // MNCN_ Ent 324813 [bluish grey label, printed]”; MNCN_Ent 324813 [preserved dried] • 1 ♂; “ 20/02/2021, Jbel Tsiwant, 33.32998 / -4.06199, G. Liénart, T. Dieuleveut, A. François // 1929 m, steppe à alfas et buis au bord d’un oued, 24078” [two beige labels, printed and handwritten; preserved dry]; ECWP .

All paratypes labelled: “ Lampromeloe pantherinus Sánchez-Vialas, López-Estrada, Ruiz & García-París des. 2023” [white labels in ethanol preserved specimens and red labels in dry preserved specimens, all printed].

Additional material studied

ALGERIA – Batna • 1 ex.; Batna [“Batna, Buen ” // Meloe purpurascens ]; MNCN_Ent 255286 (dry preserved) • 1 ex.; Batna [“Batna, Buen ”]; MNCN_Ent 255287 (dry preserved) .

Description

Adult male (holotype, MNCN_Ent 325513)

MEASUREMENTS. Total body length: 33 mm. Length from frons to posterior margin of elytra: 18 mm. Maximum body width (at level of last third of elytra): 12 mm.

APPEARANCE. General appearance robust. Voluminous and elongated abdomen. Reduced, convex, and basally imbricated elytra; functional wings absent.

COLOURATION. Tegument mostly metallic green, shiny, with purplish, dark greenish and blackish hues (same as in paratype in Fig. 7 ). Head and pronotum dark-purple, with greenish central area; elytra darker, with very dark purple, almost blackish areolas and very dark greenish hues between areolas; appendages dark purple; abdomen dorsally black, with each of sclerotized tergal areas (both on dorsal and ventral surfaces) two-coloured, greenish anteriorly and purple posteriorly; abdominal ventrites dark greenish with purple highlights. Tibial spines and tarsal claws brownish. Setation black over the body, short and very sparse on dorsal areas of head, thorax and abdomen, denser and longer in the ventral region of thorax and abdomen.

HEAD. Voluminous, slightly wider than pronotum (maximum width, in frontal view: 6 mm), broadly trapezoidal, almost flat in frontal surface, with wide and rounded temples, and weakly depressed longitudinal area behind eyes. Head surface densely punctured; punctures rounded, deeply marked, close to each other, mostly confluent and homogeneously distributed, from large to medium-sized; very short longitudinal midline weakly impressed from middle half of frons to fronto-clypeal suture. Eyes relatively small, kidney-shaped and weakly swollen, barely emarginated at level of antennal insertions, with upper and lower lobes of similar size; minimum interorbital distance: 3.6 mm. Frons and temple mostly glabrous, with very short seta on each puncture and longer setae on upper margin of antennal insertion; back of head bearing moderately long and semierect setae. Clypeus-frontal suture marked, arcuate. Clypeus flat, sub-rectangular, transverse (2.5 mm wide, 1.3 mm long); clypeal punctures medium-sized, close to each other, absent in distal region, turning brown coloured; clypeal setation made up of long setae, following puncture pattern in which they are inserted, directed forward. Clypeuslabrum suture almost straight. Labrum transverse (2.3 mm wide, 1.7 mm long), broadly emarginated in distal middle with small punctures; setae longer and widest in lobes, following puncture pattern, oriented forward and towards centre. Mandibles robust, longitudinally concave on outer side and notched at distal margin, basally pilose. Maxillary and labial palpi unmodified. Maxillary palps elongated; palpomere I very short, wide, subcylindrical (0.1 mm long, 0.2 mm wide), almost hidden by mentum; II longer, subtroncoconical (0.6 mm long, 0.2 wide); III short, sub-cylindrical (0.6 mm long, 0.3 mm wide); IV sub-trapezoidal (0.7 mm long, 0.3 wide), widest, apically truncate, with narrow excavation along distal margin, which is brown coloured. Labial palpi with palpomere I very short, sub-cylindrical (0.09 mm long, 0.1 mm wide); II longer, troncoconical (0.2 mm long, 0.1 mm wide); III sub-trapezoidal (0.3 mm long, 0.15 mm wide); IV sub-trapezoidal (0.4 mm long, 0.2 mm wide), truncate at apex.

ANTENNAE. Length: 7.7 mm, made up of 11 antennomeres, robust, moniliform, relatively short, not reaching the pronotum base when extended backward, with very short, decumbent black setae on segments I–VII, hardly noticeable among the rest antennomeres; antennomere I enlarged forward, sub-cylindrical (1 mm long); II very short, sub-globose (0.4 mm long); III (1 mm long) cylindrical slightly dilated apically; IV–X (0.6 mm long) similar in shape, sub-cylindrical, but IX and X slenderer; XI (1 mm long) sub-conical, narrowed forward, with a blunt tip.

PRONOTUM. Sub-rectangular, transverse (3.5 mm long, 6 mm wide), lateral margins slightly converge backwards, with lateral angles broadly rounded; anterior margin slightly curved and base concavely emarginated ( Fig. 3I ). Pronotal surface with three shallow depressed areas: wide and weak hemi-elliptical basal depression extending to second third and two oval-shaped depressions, with diffuse boundaries, next to antero-lateral margins. Pronotum densely and homogeneously punctured, similar to those on head; punctures large, circular and deep, close to each other, mostly confluent and forming subrugose pattern. Dorsal surface of pronotum almost glabrous in appearance, with very short, almost indistinct isolated seta in each puncture; anterior margin showing narrow band with numerous, moderately long setae. Mesonotum covered by pronotum, barely visible, showing only posterior margin. Metanotum completely covered by elytra. Prosternum very narrow, arcuate. Mesosternum relatively wide and transverse (width: 4 mm; length in middle: 1 mm); anterior margin marked and broadly arched, with small triangular prolongation backwards, ending in rounded tip extending to level of fore quarter of mesocoxae; surface with relatively large punctures (intermediate in size between those of pronotum and coxae) and long and diffuse oblique wrinkles; setation relatively dense consisting of long and semierect black setae, following puncture pattern in which they are inserted. Metasternum subtrapezoidal, wide, covered by mesocoxae, deep and closely notched in middle of posterior margin, between metacoxae.

ELYTRA. Reduced and convex, imbricated basally (right over left), longer than pronotum (11 mm long), strongly divergent posteriorly and reaching posterior e.g., of second tergum, covering first tergum almost completely; tegument glabrous, with sculpture based on medium-sized and glossy areolas, separated by micro-rugose narrow spaces between each other ( Fig. 4G ).

LEGS. Robust, surface with puncturation relatively fine and shallow, dense in the tibiae and scarcer in the femurs, covered by relatively dense setation, consisting of black, decumbent and relatively long setae, denser on tibiae. Holotype lacks middle and posterior left legs, and right tarsal claws. Metafemur longer than metatibia (metafemur: 6.5 mm long, 2 mm wide; metatibia: 5.4 mm long, 1.3 mm wide). Length (in mm) of pro-, meso- and metafemur as follows: 5.9, 6.1 and 6.5. Length (in mm) of pro-, meso- and metatibia as follows: 4.9, 5.1 and 5.4. Length (in mm) of the tarsomeres as follow (claws excluded): protarsus (4.9) (I: 1.5; II: 0.8; III: 0.8; IV: 0.7; V: 1.1), mesotarsus (mesotarsomere V is lacking in both legs) (I: 1.9 mm; II: 1; III: 0.8; IV:0.8; V: lacking), and metatarsus (6.3) (I: 3; II: 1; III: 0.8; IV: 1.5). Protibiae with two similar spurs, slender and straight; mesotibiae with inner spur slightly wider than outer; metatibial spurs dissimilar: outer spur spoon-shaped, inner spur similar to those of fore- and mesotibiae but little wider at base. Coxae dense and finely punctured, with dense setation, somewhat longer than that of femurs. Ventral pads of pro-, meso-, and meta- tarsus consisting on dense, short and thick tuft of semierected setae. Claws smooth, curved, with lower lobe slightly smaller.

ABDOMEN. Voluminous (maximum width: 12 mm at level of third abdominal segment). First tergite partly covered by elytra. Tergites with wide and well-sclerotized central semi-circular plate, metallic green in anterior half, turning purple in posterior; integumentary surface subcorrugated, with numerous small, fine wrinkles, longitudinally and obliquely arranged, and small, scattered, poorly printed punctures. Dorsal surface of abdomen almost glabrous, with sparse and very short setae on sclerotized plates. Distal margin of last tergite with dense short setae. Lateral areas of tergites, where spiracles are located, membranous and glabrous. Ventrites entirely sclerotized, with dense puncturation, made up of small, subcontiguous and relatively well marked rough punctures, that give them a subcorrugated appearance; setation dense, homogeneously dispersed, constituted by decumbent black setae, similar in length to that of femurs. Last ventrite markedly notched at apex.

MALE GENITALIA ( Fig. 5A ). With gonoforceps brownish; moderately elongated (4 mm long). Gonocoxal plate slightly enlarged in middle, wider but shorter than parameres on dorsal view (1.6 mm long, 1.7 mm wide). Gonostyli longer than wide (2.4 mm), sub-cylindrical, with short series of very small punctures followed by some hardly noticeable small setae on dorsal view; in lateral view, shape of gonostyli wide and ending on very wide rounded tip of parameral lobes. Distal portion of gonostyli separated by short longitudinal notch, and distantly convergent in dorsal view; apices rounded. Aedeagus long (2.3 mm), robust, flattened, truncate at apex, with two hooks, close to each other, similar in size but distal one slightly shorter and relatively close to apex. Hooks straight and directed posteriorly (as opposed and curved in L. variegatus ). Uncus visible ( Fig. 5A ).

Female

Similar to male, but with last abdominal ventrite rounded and not emarginated in posterior margin, and with slightly shorter antennae.

Variability

Body length (frons to posterior border of elytra) variable: 13.2–18 mm (mean: 15.65; n = 6); maximum width: 9.4–14.2 mm (mean: 11.61; n = 6); pronotum length: 2.8–3.5 mm (mean: 3.14; n =6); pronotum maximum width: 4.85–6 mm (mean: 5.30; n = 6); head maximum width: 4.7–6.1 mm (mean: 5.37; n = 6); elytra length: 6.2–11.1 mm (mean: 9.30 mm; n = 6). There is a little morphological variability between the studied specimens ( Figs 3–4 , 6–7 ), such as the extension of both dark purple and green metallic hues over the head and pronotum ( Fig. 3 ). The variability of the pronotum shape is shown in Fig. 6 .

Comparisons

Lampromeloe pantherinus sp. nov. can be diagnosed from its sister species L. variegatus by the medium-sized and glossy elytral areolas, which are separated by a rugose and radiate space (similar to L. cavensis , but in general with closer and smaller areolas in L. pantherinus ), whereas in L. variegatus it is formed by very small areolas or tubercles, shiny only on top ( Fig. 4 ). Pronotum of L. pantherinus ( Figs 3 , 6 ) similar to L. variegatus ; no differences were found in the GM analysis ( Fig. 6 ). Male genitalia show significant differences between these species: gonostyli are narrower and more converging towards the apex in L. pantherinus , with their distal portions on either side of the apical notch (which is shorter and wider in L. variegatus ; Fig. 5B ), narrower, longer, and markedly more converging in L. pantherinus ; the gonocoxal plate clearly more elongated and narrow in dorsal view in L. variegatus ; and the aedeagus with ventral hooks more robust and closer to each other and to the apex in the latter species ( Fig. 5 ).

Lampromeloe pantherinus sp. nov. differs from L. cavensis in the morphology and macro-sculpture of the pronotum, markedly more transverse in L. pantherinus (similar to L. variegatus ), lacking the marked entire median longitudinal depression characteristic of L. cavensis ( Fig. 2 ). It also differs from L. cavensis in the smaller size of the punctures over the head and pronotum, the usually smaller areolas in L. pantherinus , and in the male genitalia, with gonostyli wider in dorsal and lateral view and gonocoxal plate distinctly wider and shorter in L. pantherinus , distal hooks of the aedeagus more separated from each other and closer to the apex in L. pantherinus (see Fig. 5 , and Bologna 1991: 368, fig. 128e–f).

According to the original description, L. variegatus mandzhuricus is characterized by the body colouration and the pronotum shape ( Pliginskij 1930). Lampromeloe pantherinus sp. nov. and L. v. variegatus present green hues in the central areas of the head and pronotum, which are totally cupreous or reddish in L. v. mandzhuricus . The pronotum macrosculpture in L. v. mandzhuricus differs from that of L. v. variegatus and L. pantherinus since it includes a deep mid-longitudinal depression in the first, much shallower in the other two taxa. In addition, L. pantherinus presents well-marked lateral depressions, especially in the anterior half of the pronotum, which are absent in L. v. mandzhuricus . Lampromeloe pantherinus can also be differentiated from L. v. mandzhuricus by the elytral macrosculpture, which in L. v. mandzhuricus is similar to that of L. v. variegatus .

Lampromeloe stellatus ( Fig. 8 ) is morphologically similar to L. cavensis . Thus, most of the aforementioned diagnostic traits used to differentiate L. pantherinus sp. nov. from L. cavensis are also valid for distinguishing from L. stellatus (morphology and macro-sculpture of the pronotum, size of punctures over the head and pronotum, and size of the elytral areolas).

It is necessary to study in detail the central Italian populations of L. variegatus (very scarce if not extinct; see Bologna 1991: 367) to elucidate their taxonomic assignment, since specimens from these populations show an elytral sculpture pattern similar to that of L. pantherinus .

Geographic distribution and notes on natural history and conservation

Lampromeloe pantherinus sp. nov. has been found, to date, in the Atlas Mountains and adjacent areas (Northwestern Africa). Despite its relatively wide range, it is only known from scattered localities in Morocco, Algeria and Tunisia ( Fig. 9 ), usually in high or medium altitude regions. Known records of the species are detailed in Table 2 . The geographic range of this species remains tentative at this stage, as new studies are required to clarify the taxonomic status of the central Italian populations of L. variegatus (see Bologna 1991).

Lampromeloe pantherinus sp. nov. inhabits different types of open habitats (alpine grasslands, agricultural fields and forest edges) mostly on calcareous soils, from wetland surroundings with peatbog formations and close to forests of Cedrus atlantica (Endl.) Manetti ex Carrière , as at Aguelman Sidi-Ali (Middle Atlas) ( Ruiz & Ávila 1994, sub L. variegatus ) to drier and abruptly changing landscapes at Tizi n’Tichka (M. García-París and J.L. Ruiz pers. obs.) ( Fig. 10 ) and Jbel Tsiwant (A. François pers. com.). The ombrotype of its geographic area of occupancy varies from sub-humid to humid, at bioclimatic levels from Meso- to Mountainous-Mediterranean ( Benabid 1985; Le Houérou 1989).

Biological aspects of this species are expected to be similar to L. variegatus ( Bologna 1991) . The observations described by Cros (1941) for North African Meloe variegatus should be referred to L. pantherinus sp. nov. Adults are found from February to April, during day time ( Fig. 11 ). Two specimens of the type series (MNCN_Ent 325513 and MNCN_Ent 325514) were found under shrubs of Erinacea anthyllis Link in the second half of February in Tizi n’Tichka; the paratype MNCN_Ent 325515 from El Hajeb (Central Middle Atlas) was found walking on an open grassland, near a ploughed field close to the road, in March; and the single specimen from Jbel Tsiwant (northeastern Middle Atlas) ( ECWP 24078) ( Table 2 ) was found on 20 February 2021 in a steppe on the margin of a dry river, dominated by Stipa L. However , adult activity seems to be related to altitudinal gradients and likely extends from February to the end of April or May in higher areas.

Lampromeloe pantherinus sp. nov. seems to be mainly associated with the montane climatic conditions prevailing in the medium-highlands of Morocco, Algeria, and Tunisia. Therefore, it could be considered a candidate for threatened species within the current global warming scenario ( Malcolm et al. 2006). Nevertheless, the extreme scarcity of historical data including bibliographic records and specimens preserved in collections (that represent a useful tool to detect historical changes in the conservation status of taxa; e.g., Suarez & Tsutsui 2004; Grixti et al. 2009; Doadrio et al. 2019; Salvador & Cunha 2020), impedes the inference of population trends or variations in its area of occupancy (sensu IUCN 2001). However, the pronounced decline reported for other species of the genus, at least in the Iberian Peninsula, even with regional extinction events ( García-París et al. 2006; García-París & Ruiz 2011; Prieto et al. 2016), and its smaller and possibly fragmented geographic range, suggest that L. pantherinus requires a detailed evaluation to determine its vulnerability to extinction. In any case, it is necessary to increase the prospective effort to determine its current area of occupancy, which is essential to carry out an evaluation of its threat status in accordance with the IUCN (2001) generalized use criteria.

Figures

Fig. 3. Dorsal view of the pronotum. A–D. Lampromeloe variegatus (Donovan, 1793). E–H. L. cavensis (Petagna, 1819). I–J. L. pantherinus sp. nov. A. Tardáguila, Salamanca (Spain). B. Palencia de Negrilla, Salamanca (Spain). C. Fuente el Sauz, Ávila (Spain). D. Naharros de Valdeunciel, Salamanca (Spain). E. Ben Slimane (Morocco). F–G. Essaouira, Moulay Bouzerktoun (Morocco). H. Linares, Jaén (Spain). I. Holotype, ♂ (MNCN_Ent 325513) from Tizi n’Tichka (Morocco). J. Paratype, ♂ (MNCN_Ent 325515) from El Hajeb, Fès-Meknès region (Morocco). Photographs by AS-V.

Fig. 4. Lateral view of the elytra. A–C. Lampromeloe variegatus (Donovan, 1793). D–F. L. cavensis (Petagna, 1819). G–H. L. pantherinus sp. nov. A. Vértesszőlős (Hungary). B. Topas, Salamanca (Spain). C. Fuente el Sauz, Ávila (Spain). D. Mohamedia (Morocco). E. Linares, Jaén (Spain). F. Ben Slimane (Morocco). G. Holotype, ♂ (MNCN_Ent 325513) from Tizi n’Tichka (Morocco). H. Paratype, ♂ (MNCN_Ent 325515) from El Hajeb (Morocco). Photographs by AS-V.

Fig. 5. Male genitalia, from left to right: dorsal and lateral view of the tegmen, and lateral view of the aedeagus. A. Lampromeloe pantherinus sp. nov., holotype (MNCN_Ent 325513). B. L. variegatus (Donovan, 1793) from Salamanca, Palencia de Negrilla (MNCN_Ent 375546). Photographs by AS-V. Scale bar = 1 mm.

Fig. 7. Lampromeloe pantherinus sp. nov., paratype, ♂ (MNCN_Ent 325515) from El Hajeb, Morocco. A. Dorsal view. B. Frontal view. Photographs by AS-V.

Fig. 9. Distribution of Lampromeloe pantherinus sp. nov. Known records and type locality are depicted by red dots and a white star, respectively.

Fig. 11. Habitus of Moroccan living specimens of Lampromeloe. A–C. L. pantherinus sp. nov. D. L. cavensis (Petagna, 1819). A–B. Holotype, ♂ (MNCN_Ent 325513) and paratype, ♂ (MNCN_Ent 325514) from Tizi n’Tichka. C. Paratype (ECWP 24078) from Jbel Tsiwant. D. Sidi Ifni. Photographs by MG-P (A–B), A. François (C), and AS-V (D).

Fig. 6. Upper central: selected landmarks (red dots) in the pronotum (dorsal side) used in this study. Upper sides: deformation grids showing extremes of shape variation represented by L. cavensis (Petagna, 1819) (left) and L. variegatus (Donovan, 1793) (right). Below: Principal Component Analysis of pronotum shape among the three species of Lampromeloe Reitter, 1911. Empty red dots represent specimens of L. pantherinus sp. nov., empty blue dots L. variegatus, and empty green dots L. cavensis.

Fig. 2. Bayesian phylogenetic relationships based on mtDNA (COI and 16S) of the genus Lampromeloe Reitter, 1911. High bayesian posterior probabilities (> 98%) are denoted by a dot on each corresponding node.

Fig. 8. Meloe stellata Pliginskij, 1923, syntype (MNB). Photograph by AS-V.

Fig. 10. Surroundings of Tizi n’Tichka, Morocco. Type locality of Lampromeloe pantherinus sp. nov. Photograph by MG-P.