Saprinus (Saprinus) caerulescens caerulescens (Hoffmann, 1803)

Shayya, Salman, Degallier, Nicolas, Nel, Andre, Azar, Dany & Lackner, Tomas, 2018, Contribution to the knowledge of Saprinus Erichson, 1834 of forensic relevance from Lebanon (Coleoptera, Histeridae), ZooKeys 738, pp. 117-152 : 121

2. Saprinus (Saprinus) caerulescens caerulescens (Hoffmann, 1803) Figs 3 , 82 , 85a

Hister caerulescens Hoffmann, 1803

Hister caerulescens = Hister semipunctatus Fabricius, 1792

Hister caerulescens = Saprinus chobauti Auzat, 1926

Type locality.

Germany: Baden-Württemberg.

Distribution.

Southern Europe, Mediterranean subregion, Portugal (including the Azores Archipelago), Cape Verde Islands, Central Asia, introduced to Peru ( Mazur 2011). Newly reported from Lebanon (Fanar, Deir El-Ahmar, Badghan, Naas, Hasbaya; Fig. 82 ).

Biology.

This species is found frequently on carrion, with a preference for larger carcasses (e.g., those of dogs, sheep, cattle, camels, etc. - T. Lackner pers. observ.). According to Kryzhanovskij and Reichardt (1976) S. (S.) caerulescens caerulescens was collected on rotten fish, where it preyed upon the beetles of the family Dermestidae . In our samples, we collected 47 specimens. S. (S.) caerulescens caerulescens was abundant during the active decay stage of carcass decomposition and coincides with the presence of Diptera larvae.

Comment.

This species has another subspecies S. (S.) caerulescens punctisternus Lewis, 1900 that occurs in China, Mongolia, Korean peninsula and Russian Far East ( Mazur 2011).

Figures

Figure 3. Saprinus (S.) caerulescens caerulescens (Hoffmann, 1803) habitus, dorsal view.

Figure 82. Distribution of S. (S.) caerulescens caerulescens, S. (S.) calatravensis, S. (S.) chalcites, and S. (S.) godet in Lebanon.

Figure 85. Abundance of Saprinus (S.) caerulescens caerulescens (85 a), and S. (S.) calatravensis (85 b) during the decomposition stages in different Lebanese localities.