Amblystomus orpheus (Laferté-Sénectère, 1853)

Felix, Ron F. F. L., Farkač, Jan & Suleiman, Ahmed Saeed, 2012, Annotated checklist of the Carabidae (Coleoptera) of the Socotra Archipelago, Insect biodiversity of the Socotra Archipelago. (Acta Entomologica Musei Nationalis Pragae 52), pp. 75-106 : 87-89

Amblystomus orpheus (Laferté-Sénectère, 1853)

Material examined (199 spec.). YEMEN: SOCOTRA ISLAND: Adho Dimelho , 12°34′N, 54°02′E, 940 m a.s.l., 3.ii.1999, 1 spec., lgt. H. Pohl, det. W. Lorenz ( HLMD) ; Homhil , 12°34′N, 54°19′E, 540 m a.s.l., 9.ii.1999, 1 spec., lgt. H. Pohl, det. W. Lorenz ( HLMD) ; E Socotra, 6.–24.iv.1999, 2 spec., lgt. V. Bejček & K. Šťastný, det. S. Facchini ( JFCP) ; Dixam , 3.–6.iii.2000, 1 spec., lgt. V. Bejček & K. Šťastný, det. J. Farkač ( JFCP) ; Ayhaft ,

15.iii.2000, 1 spec., lgt. V. Bejček & K. Šťastný, det. J. Farkač ( JFCP); Noged, 12.318N, 53.678E, 250 m a.s.l., 27.ii.–1.iii.2000, 1 spec., lgt. V. Bejček & K. Šťastný, det. J. Farkač ( JFCP); Shuab, 10.iii.2000, 1 spec., lgt. V. Bejček & K. Šťastný, det. J. Farkač ( JFCP); Firmihin, 12.474N, 54.015E, 530 m a.s.l., x.2000, 3 spec., lgt. V. Bejček & K. Šťastný, det. J. Farkač ( JFCP, CULS); Diksam, camp, 12°31.401′N, 53°57.204′E, 26.–27.x.2000, 3 spec., lgt. H. Pohl, det. M. Persohn ( HLMD); same data, 2 spec., lgt. A. van Harten, det. M. Persohn ( HLMD); Homhil, 12°34′13″N, 54°18′32″E, 29.x.2000, 3 spec., lgt. H. Pohl, det. M. Persohn ( HLMD); Hadiboh, near Suq, 12°26′N, 54°01′E, 28.x.2000, 1 spec., lgt. H. Pohl, det. M. Persohn ( HLMD); Hadibo, village and environment, 12°36′57″N, 54°01′01″E, 20.x.–1.xi.2000, 12 spec., lgt. H. Pohl, det. M. Persohn ( HLMD); Shibon, 12°46′79″N, 54°00′23″E, 16.xi.2000, 4 spec., lgt. V. Bejček & K. Šťastný, det. J. Farkač ( JFCP, CULS); Noghed Moghar, 31.iii.2001, 4 spec., lgt. V. Bejček & K. Šťastný, det. J. Farkač ( JFCP, CULS); Zerik, 25.–27.iii.2001, 3 spec., lgt. V. Bejček & K. Šťastný, det. J. Farkač ( JFCP, CULS); Diksam plateau, Diksam lake, 12°31′23″N, 53°57′12″E, 1000 m a.s.l., 12.v.2004, 4 spec., lgt. A. Reiter, det. O. Hovorka ( JFCP, NMPC); Marshim cave, Diksam plateau, 12°30′32″N, 53°56′19″E, 970 m a.s.l., 9.v.2004, 2 spec., lgt. A. Reiter, det. J. Farkač ( JFCP); Wadi Esgego, Dixam plateau, 12°28′09″N, 54°00′36″E, 300 m a.s.l., 2.–3.xii.2003, 45 spec., lgt. & det. J. Farkač ( JFCP, CULS); Hadiboh environment, 12°65′02′N [sic!], 54°02′04′E, 10–100 m a.s.l., 21.xi.–12.xii.2003, 17 spec., lgt. P. Kabátek, det. J. Farkač ( JFCP, CULS); same data, 2 spec., det. O. Hovorka ( JFCP, OHCP); Qalansiyah environment, Khayrha mountains, N slopes, 12°38′50″N, 53°27′45″E, 85–592 m a.s.l., 9.–10.xii.2003, 5 spec., lgt. P. Kabátek, det. J. Farkač ( JFCP, CULS); same data, 1 spec., det. O. Hovorka ( CULS); same data, 14 spec., J. Farkač lgt. ( CULS); Dixam plateau, Firmihin area, 12°47′40″N, 54°01′53″E, 428 m a.s.l., 3.xii.2003, 4 spec., lgt. P. Kabátek, det. J. Farkač ( JFCP, CULS); same data, 1 spec., det. O. Hovorka ( CULS); Qaareh (waterfall), Noged plain, 12°20′10″N, 53°37′56″E, 57 m a.s.l., 5.–6.xii.2003, 3 spec., lgt. & det. J. Farkač ( JFCP, CULS); same data, 2 spec., lgt. P. Kabátek; Homhil protected area, 12°34′27″N, 54°18′32″E, 364 m a.s.l., 28.–29.xi.2003, 1 spec., lgt. & det. J. Farkač ( JFCP); same data, 1 spec., lgt. P. Kabátek; Hadiboh env., 12°65′ 02″N [sic!], 54°02′04″E, 10–100 m a.s.l., 21.xi.–12.xii.2003, 1 spec., lgt. P. Kabátek, det. J. Farkač ( JFCP); Wadi Esgego, Dixam plateau, 12°28′09″N, 54°00′36″E, 300 m a.s.l., 2.–3.xii.2003, 1 spec., lgt. & det. J. Farkač ( JFCP); Wadi Ayhaft, 24.–26.xi.2003, 12°36′38″N, 53°48′49″E, 190 m a.s.l., 1 spec., lgt. P. Kabátek, det. J. Farkač ( JFCP); same data, 4 spec., lgt. J. Farkač ( JFCP); Wadi Ayaft, 12°36′38″N, 53°58′49″E, 190 m a.s.l., 24.–26.xi.2003, 1 spec., lgt. D. Král, det. R.F.F.L. Felix ( NMPC); Wadi Zeeriq, 12°31′08″N, 53°39′09″E, 750 m a.s.l., 3.xii.2003, 1 spec., lgt. D. Král, det. R.F.F.L. Felix ( NMPC); Noged plaine, Qaareh (waterfall), 12°20′10″N, 53°37′56″E, 75 m a.s.l., 5.–6.xii.2003, 3 spec., lgt. D. Král, det. R.F.F.L. Felix ( NMPC); plain south of airport, 12°35′32.6″N, 53°49′07.8″E, 21.ii.2009, 25 spec., lgt. & det. R.F.F.L. Felix ( RFBE); Homhil, 23.–24.ii.2009, 1 spec., lgt. P. Lo Cascio & F. Gritta, det. R.F.F.L. Felix ( PLFG); cenote Ghubbah, 12°39′44.5″N, 53°38′21.2″E, 28.ii.2009, 9 spec., lgt. & det. R.F.F.L. Felix ( RFBE); Wadi Ayeft, 28.ii.–1.iii.2009, 1 spec., lgt. P. Lo Cascio & F. Gritta, det. R.F.F.L. Felix ( PLFG); Firmihin, 400–500 m a.s.l., 12°28′27″N, 54°00′54″E, 6.–7.ii.2010, 1 spec., lgt. L. Purchart & J. Vybíral, det. R.F.F.L. Felix ( NMPC); Homhil area, 400–510 m a.s.l., 9.–10.ii.2010, 1 spec., lgt. L. Purchart & J. Vybíral, det. R.F.F.L. Felix ( NMPC); Wadi Ayaft, 12°36′21.7″N, 53°59′33.9″E, 265 m a.s.l., 26.x.2010, 1 spec., lgt. & det. R.F.F.L. Felix ( RFBE); on the way from Wadi di-Negehen to Adhoh di Melhoh, 31.x.2010, 2 spec., lgt. & det. R.F.F.L. Felix ( RFBE); Rokeeb environment, 12°35.154′N, 54°09.358′E, 600 m a.s.l., 6.–8.ii.2001, lgt., V. Neumann, 2 spec., det. D.W. Wrase ( DWCB).

Diagnosis. Body length 3.5–4.5 mm. Dorsum lustrous, black, with distinct isodiametric microsculpture and sharply delimited pale lyra-shaped marking on elytra. Only three inner striae distinct. The specimens from Socotra are very similar to those from mainland Yemen and United Arab Emirates, but differ in the following aspects:

– Little variation in form of the lyre-shaped marking in the Socotran specimens. In almost all cases the longitudinal part of the marking is slender, only 1 interval wide (the 4 th), in a few cases somewhat wider with part of the 3 rd and part of the 5 th interval. In specimens from the mainland the variation is much greater: mostly 1.5 interval (4 th with parts of 5 th and 3 rd), in many cases 2 intervals (3 rd and 4 th) and sometimes even 3 intervals (5 th, 4 th and 3 rd interval).

– The specimens from Socotra are shinier having a more superficial microsculpture. This characteristic is only obvious when the specimens from both populations are compared together.

Collection circumstances. In 2009, this species was very abundant on the northern coastal plain, underneath stones in a rather dry habitat.

Distribution. From West and East Africa and Arabia. First record from Socotra Island.