Idahelops, Keskin, Bekir & Nabozhenko, Maxim V., 2012

Keskin, Bekir & Nabozhenko, Maxim V., 2012, Idahelops alpagutae (Coleoptera: Tenebrionidae: Helopini): a new genus and species from the Aegean region of Turkey, Zootaxa 3207, pp. 63-67 : 63-67

Idahelops gen. n.

Type species: Idahelops alpagutae sp. n.

Description. Body slender, with light bronze shine, densely covered with recumbent light-grey setae. Temple grooves deep. Propleura with coarse short wrinkles and recumbent hairs. Intervals of elytra covered with large granules. Epipleural carina wide, completely visible dorsally, forming a horizontal platform at the elytral apex. Lateral margins of elytra not sinuated in base and near apex. Epipleura pubescent, flattened or weakly depressed, reaching apex of elytra. Interval 8 flattened apically and connected with interval 3. All tibiae straight, without teeth or granules on inner side. Tarsomeres of male not dilated. Parameres very short, weakly arcuate dorsally.

Gender. Masculine.

Etymology. The genus name refers to the type locality – the Ida Mountains (now Kaz Dagi).

Differential diagnosis. Idahelops gen. n. is close to Armenohelops , from which it differs by the presence of large granules on the elytral intervals, the epipleural carina reaching the elytral apex and forming a horizontal platform (elytral apex sloping in Armenohelops ), completely pubescent body ( Armenohelops is without pubescence) and the structure of the male genitalia. The parameres are very short and dorsally slightly arcuate in both Armenohelops and the new genus. This allows the parameres to turn strongly dorso-ventrally, facilitating guidance of the aedeagus during copulation. Armenohelops has a short penis and sclerotized rods, reaching only the level of the base of the parameres at rest. Idahelops , unlike Armenohelops , has a long penis and sclerotized rods which are located in the parameres at rest. Species of the genus Armenohelops also have rudimentary photosensitive sensillae on the elytra, but these are not specialized and poorly developed. Idahelops differs from the other genera of the cylindrinotoid group by the structure of the parameres, completely densely pubescent body, and by the absence of granules or teeth on the inner side of the tibia.

Idahelops alpagutae sp. n. ( Fig. 1–3 )

Description. Male (fig. 1b). Body slender, dark-brown, with light bronze shine, completely pubescent with dense recumbent light-grey hairs. Head widest at level of eyes. Eyes large, convex. Ratio of head width at eyes to distance between eyes:1.4 Genae regularly strongly rounded. Temple grooves deep. Head punctation coarse and dense, punctures round, their diameter about twice as wide as distance between punctures. Antennae long (reaching 1/3 of elytral length), densely pubescent, with 5 apical antennomeres extending beyond base of pronotum; antennomeres 8–11 flattened.

Pronotum transverse (1.25 times as wide as long), widest at middle or before middle, 1.45 times as wide as head (fig. 2a). Lateral margins of pronotum rounded, widely sinuate at base. Anterior margin bisinuate, sinuation sometimes weak. Base of pronotum weakly trisinuate. Anterior and posterior angles straight. All margins of pronotum narrowly rimmed, except for widely rimmed basal part of lateral margins. Disc of pronotum evenly convex, with smooth longitudinal middle line. Pronotal punctation same as head, with laterally denser connected punctation. Propleura covered with coarse short longitudinal wrinkles and recumbent hairs.

Elytra elongate (1.7 times as long as wide), 1.3 time as wide and 2.8 time as long as pronotum. Epipleural carina wide and clearly visible in dorsal view throughout entire length. Lateral margins of elytra straight (not sinuated) near base and apically. Humeral angles widely rounded. Intervals of elytra flattened, with coarse punctation and large granules, especially laterally and apically. Strial punctures merged in entire deep furrows (only punctures of stria 8 not merged). Epipleura not depressed or weakly depressed, pubescent, reaching apex of elytra.

Abdominal ventrites finely and densely punctate. Ventrite 5 not rimmed apically.

Legs slender, tibiae straight, tarsi narrow. Inner side of femora shining, rugose, but not pubescent. Spines on apical margins of tibiae long and narrow. Tarsi with hair brush on plantar surface.

Body length – 9–11.5 mm, body width – 3.7–4.3 mm.

Genitalia. Parameres very short, curved dorsally, without deep longitudinal depression dorsally. Sclerites of penis wide, connected by sclerotized membrane (fig. 2c, 2d). Inner sternite VIII see fig. 2b. Gastral spicula with: branches widely placed, not connected, straight in lateral view, without general trunk (fig. 2e).

Female (fig. 1c). Body larger than in male, length: 11–13 mm, width: 4.5–5.5 mm. Pronotum more transverse than in male (1.28–1.3 times as wide as long). Antennae shorter than in male, 3 last antennomeres extending beyond pronotal base, but reaching only 1/4 of elytral length.

Genitalia. Spermatheca of nalassoid type, short, without branches. Basal duct of spermatheca between gland and vagina absent. Gland of spermatheca short (fig. 3).

Material. Holotype, 3 ( ZDEU): Turkey, prov. Balikesir, Kaz Dagi, 39º44'45.6" N, 26º53'19.9" E, 1266 m, 25.05.2009 (leg. M.V. and S.V. Nabozhenko, B. Keskin). Paratypes: labelled as holotype, 83, 8Ƥ ( ZIN), 73, 5Ƥ ( ZDEU), 53, 10Ƥ (alcohol materials in ZDEU); Turkey, prov. Izmir, Bergama-Kozak Yaylasi, 39º14'23.7" N, 27º06'18.6" E, 650 m, 0 9.04.2011 (leg. B. Keskin, N. Suyolcuoglu), 13, 1Ƥ ( ZIN), 53, 2Ƥ (alcohol materials in ZDEU).

Etymology. Named in honor of our colleague Dr. Nursen Alpagut Keskin, Assistant Professor in Ege University who is working with us on the genetics of beetles.

Distribution. At present the species is known from two mountains in Western Anatolia: Kaz Dagi (Ida Mountains) in Balikesir province and Kozak Yaylasi of Madra Dagi in Izmir province.

Habitat. The specimens were found on Quercus sp. with dense lichens at night (between 21 and 22 o’clock) in Balikesir province and on Pinus brutia with lichens in Izmir province.

Figures

FIGURE 1. A) Localities of Idahelops alpagutae sp. n. B) I. alpagutae sp. n., habitus of male. C) Habitus of female.

FIGURE 2. Idahelops alpagutae sp. n., male. A) Pronotum. B) Inner sternite VIII. C) Aedeagus, ventral view. D) Aedeagus, dorsal view. E) Gastral spicula. Scale— 1 mm.

FIGURE 3. Idahelops alpagutae sp. n., female genital tube. A) Vagina. B) Oviduct. C) Spermatheca. D) Spermathecal accessory gland. Scale— 1 mm.