Helops, Fabricius, 1775

Nabozhenko, M. V. & Keskin, B., 2017, Taxonomic review of the genus Helops Fabricius, 1775 (Coleoptera: Tenebrionidae) of Turkey, Caucasian Entomological Bulletin (Caucas. entomol. bull.) 13 (1), pp. 41-49 : 42

Genus Helops s. str. Fabricius, 1775

Type species Helops caeruleus (Linnaeus, 1875) .

General morphology of adults. Body large (length 14– 27 mm), slender, weakly or moderately convex, completely or partly with blue, purple or green-blue shade (Color plate 1: 1–6; Color plate 2: 7–9). Eyes large, strongly transverse. Punctation of head often dense and very coarse. Mentum with strongly protruded elevation at middle.Antennae long, reaching elytral third or quarter. Male antennomere 11 larger than 10 th one, female antennomere 11 smaller or subequal to 10 th one. Pronotum cordiform, margins with thickened bead, disc with coarse and dense punctation. Prothoracic hypomera with coarse large punctures, with punctures and wrinkles or with only coarse short irregular wrinkles. Elytra with protruded humoral angles, distinct striae. Epipleura not reaching thickened (not flattened) apex. Flightless, wings strongly reduced, very small, without costal and rarely radial veins. Mesocoxal cavities closed externally by mesepimera and metaventrite, trochantin presented. Abdominal ventrites with coarse and dense punctation, without hair brush; ventrite 5 beaded apically, without long and strong suberected setae near apex. Legs slender. Pro- and mesotibiae of male with very dense line of erected brush. Male protarsomeres 1–3 weakly widened.

Male genitalia and terminalia ( Figs 19–23 , 24–28 , 29– 33 , 34–38 , 39–43 ). Aedeagus long; apical piece lanceolate, without longitudinal impression dorsally, covered with short spines only at widest apical part. Ventral alae of apical piece merged and completely conceal penis. Basal piece near 2 times longer than apical piece. Penis with two narrow baculi merged and broadened at basal third and with pair sclerotized part at middle. Apical lobes of gastral spicula large, pubescent apically; rods of gastral spicula straight, not merged apically and with long, often involute processes near base of lobes. Inner sternite VIII densely pubescent with long strong setae marginally; lobes with dense fine punctation and structures for rigidity of construction: pair sclerite at middle and additional sclerotized parts at middle, coming from lateral sides to middle.

Female genital tubes. Spermatheca long, strongly branched, main duct with 3 additional long branched ducts and 2–3 short not branched ducts; basal duct short. Accessory gland long, with one-way valve, which has very short branch externally.

Note. Male genitalia of Helops poorly differ because species of the genus Helops are allopatric (at least in the Middle East).

Figures

Figs 19–23. Helops caeruleus sevenii, male genitalia and terminalia. 19 – aedeagus, ventral view; 20 – median piece (penis); 21 – aedeagus, lateral view; 22 – lobe of gastral spicula, lateral view; 23 – male inner sternite VIII, ventrally. Рис. 19–23. Helops caeruleus sevenii, генитаΛии и терминаΛии самца. 19 – эΑеагус вентраΛьно; 20 – пенис; 21 – эΑеагус ΛатераΛьно; 22 – Λопасть гастраΛьной спикуΛы, ΛатераΛьно; 23 – VIII внутренний стернит самца, вентраΛьно.

Figs 24–28. Helops rossii, male genitalia and terminalia. 24 – aedeagus, ventral view;25 – median piece (penis);26 – aedeagus,lateral view;27 – lobe of gastral spicula,lateral view;28 – male inner sternite VIII, dorsally. Рис. 24–28. Helops rossii, генитаΛии и терминаΛии самца. 24 – эΑеагус вентраΛьно; 25 – пенис; 26 – эΑеагус ΛатераΛьно; 27 – Λопасть гастраΛьной спикуΛы, ΛатераΛьно; 28 – VIII внутренний стернит самца, ΑорсаΛьно.

Figs 29–33. Helops glabriventris glabriventris, male genitalia and terminalia. 29 – aedeagus, ventral view; 30 – median piece (penis); 31 – aedeagus, lateral view; 32 – lobe of gastral spicula, lateral view; 33 – male inner sternite VIII, ventrally. Рис. 29–33. Helops glabriventris glabriventris, генитаΛии и терминаΛии самца. 29 – эΑеагус вентраΛьно; 30 – пенис; 31 – эΑеагус ΛатераΛьно; 32 – Λопасть гастраΛьной спикуΛы, ΛатераΛьно; 33 – VIII внутренний стернит самца, вентраΛьно.

Figs 34–38. Helops cyanipes, male genitalia and terminalia. 34 – aedeagus,ventral view;35 – median piece (penis);36 – aedeagus,lateral view;37 – lobe of gastral spicula,lateral view;38 – male inner sternite VIII, ventrally. Рис. 34–38. Helops cyanipes, генитаΛии и терминаΛии самца. 34 – эΑеагус вентраΛьно; 35 – пенис; 36 – эΑеагус ΛатераΛьно; 37 – Λопасть гастраΛьной спикуΛы, ΛатераΛьно; 38 – VIII внутренний стернит самца, вентраΛьно.

Figs 39–43.Helops punctatissimus sp. n., male genitalia and terminalia. 39 – aedeagus, ventral view; 40 – median piece (penis); 41 – aedeagus, lateral view; 42 – male inner sternite VIII, ventrally; 43 – gastral spicula. Рис.39–43. Helops punctatissimus sp. n., генитаΛии и терминаΛии самца. 39 – эΑеагус вентраΛьно; 40 – пенис; 41 – эΑеагус ΛатераΛьно; 42 – VIII внутренний стернит самца, вентраΛьно; 43 – гастраΛьная спикуΛа.