Chitona cretica Fairmaire, 1863

Švihla, Vladimír, 2006, Revision of Chitona species (Coleoptera: Oedemeridae) from the eastern Mediterranean, Acta Entomologica Musei Nationalis Pragae 46, pp. 107-121 : 116

publication ID	https://doi.org/ 10.5281/zenodo.5176666
persistent identifier	https://treatment.plazi.org/id/81105509-FFD9-540A-DF17-FEDE4A35FEDF
treatment provided by	Carolina
scientific name	Chitona cretica Fairmaire, 1863
status

Treatment

Chitona cretica Fairmaire, 1863 sp. restit.

( Figs. 22-27 View Figs , 32 View Fig )

Chitona cretica Fairmaire, 1863 in JACQUELIN DU VAL (1863): 199; type locality: ‘Candia’ [= Crete]. Dolichopyga cretica: SEIDLITZ (1899) : 833. Probosca acuminata Reitter, 1890: 152 ; type locality: ‘Amasia’ [= Turkey, Amasya prov., Amasya], syn. nov. Dolichopyga balcanica Pic, 1913: 169 ; type locality: ‘Balkans’ [?], syn. nov.

Type material examined. Chitona cretica . SYNTYPE: J, ‘ Chitona cretica Fairm , Crète [Lethierry’s handwritting] / / type [red label, printed] // Museum Paris [printed]’ ( MNHN). Probosca acuminata . SYNTYPE: J, ‘ Amasia [handwritten] // Holotypus [sic!], Probosca acuminata Reitter [red bordered label, red printed and black handwritten] // coll. Reitter [printed]’ ( HNHM). Dolichopyga balcanica . SYNTYPE: J, ‘Balcan [handwritten] // type [red label, printed] // type [yellow label, Pic’s handwritting] // Dolichopyga balcanica Pic [Pic’s handwritting] // Museum Paris, coll. M. Pic [printed]’ ( MNHN).

Additional material examined. GREECE: without further data, 2 JJ 2 ♀♀ ; THESSALY prov., Vólos , Stussiner lgt., 1J ; CENTRAL GREECE prov., Lamía , 23.-27.vi.1974, J. Horák & V. Švihla lgt., 3 JJ 4♀♀ ; ATTICA prov., Athens, 1 J 2 ♀♀ ; Néon Fáliron, 1909, Schatzmayr lgt., 29.vi.1915, 1 J ; TURKEY: ANKARA prov., Ankara, Staněk lgt., 1 J ; 95 km SW of Ankara , 17.-18.vi.1950, Museum Leiden Exp. Turkey, 1 ♀ ; Moğan Gölü , 15 km S of Ankara, 9.vii.1947, Exp. N. Mus. ČSR, 2 ♀♀ (all NMPC) .

Differential diagnosis. Very similar and closely related to C. macedonica sp. nov., so that only the differences between them are mentioned (see also the key). Antennomere 1 rusty basally, sooty in its terminal part, antennomere 2 entirely rusty, 3-5 more or less rusty basally, sooty terminally. Middle tibiae mostly entirely terra-cotta, rarely darkened terminally or on its outer side, posterior tibiae mostly terra-cotta, darkened terminally, rarely, more or less darkened to entirely sooty. Colour forms similar as in C. cretica with white or yellow pubescence. Surface of head and pronotum more finely imbricate-punctate or punctate, almost semilustrous. Last abdominal segment very similar to that of C. macedonica sp. nov. in male, pygidium longer and at most very slightly angulate laterally ( Fig. 25 View Figs ) in female, aedeagus, parameres and projections of urite VIII as in Figs. 22-24 and 26-27 View Figs .

Length J ♀: 7.0-10.4 mm.

Distribution. Eastern part of central Greece, Crete, northern and central Turkey (see also Fig. 32 View Fig ).

Comments. SEIDLITZ (1899) synonymized Chitona cretica with Dolichopyga incana . However, he did so without any explanation and was followed by other authors.After the examination of the types, C. cretica is here restituted as a valid species. The syntype of C. cretica (greenish, yellow-pubescent form) was somewhat damaged. Only the basal portions of both tegmen and aedeagus are preserved; fortunately, the projections of urite VIII are complete, allowing the determination of this specimen. The syntype of Probosca acuminata is extremely damaged, with the middle and hind legs and abdomen missing. The synonymy with C. cretica proposed here is based on the type locality, which is geographically more consistent with the known distribution of C. cretica than that of C. incana in Turkey (see Fig. 32 View Fig ). This synonymy should be fully confirmed or rejected when another male from the type locality becomes available for study. The examination of the male terminalia of a syntype of D. balcanica confirmed its identity with C. cretica .