Aplocnemus (Aplocnemus) reitteri Schilsky, 1894

Liberti, Gianfranco, 2019, The Aplocnemus Stephens, 1830, of Greece (Coleoptera, Cleroidea, Dasytidae). A contribution to their knowledge, Natural History Sciences 6 (1), pp. 3-26 : 22-23

Aplocnemus (Aplocnemus) reitteri Schilsky, 1894

(Figs. 13, 42-46)

Haplocnemus (Holcopleura) reitteri Schilsky, 1894 a: 59, loc. typ. Izmir ( Turkey); Schilsky , 1894b: 234; Schilsky, 1897: 34 BB; Reitter, 1907: 209; Pic, 1937: 40; Peacock, 1987: 156 [ Aplocnemus (Holcopleura) ]; Mayor, 2007: 413.

= Haplocnemus (Holcopleura) turcicus Schilsky, 1897: 30 , 34 CC [syn. n.], loc. typ. Burgas ( Bulgaria), Edirne (TK), Turkey; Pic, 1937: 43; Peacock, 1987: 157 [ Aplocnemus ]; Mayor, 2007: 413 [ Aplocnemus (Holcopleura) ].

Types - Two Syntypes are kept at ZMB and can be identified as follows:

1 ♂, dissected by Majer, labelled: “ Smyrna / Reitter” hw by Schilsky; “Reitteri / Schils.” hw by Schilsky ; a further red label “ Holotypus ”, possibly added by Majer .

1 ♀: “ Smyrna ” hw; “morio ” hw; “ Holcopleura / Reitteri / Schils.” hw by Schilsky; “ Aplocnemus / reitteri / Schilsky 1894 / K. Majer det. 1996” pr .

6 Syntypes of A. turcicus , 3 ♂♂ and 3 ♀♀, are in collection Schilsky, at ZMB. They are labelled:

1 ♂ (dissected by K. Majer): “Apfelbeck / Burgas [BG]” pr.; “ * turcicus / Schils.” hw by Schilsky; “Haplocnemus / ( Holcopleura ) / turcicus / Schilsky 1897 / Lectotypus / Karel Majer design. 1996” prr., up.

1 ♂ (dissected by the writer) and 1 ♀ (dissected by K. Majer): “Adrianopel [now Edirne, TK] / Flach” hw by Schilsky; “Haplocnemus / ( Holcopleura ) / turcicus / Schilsky 1897 / Paralectotypus / Karel Majer design. 1996” prr., up .

1 ♂ (dissected by K. Majer) and 2 ♀♀: “Turcia / Merkl” hw by Schilsky; “Haplocnemus / ( Holcopleura ) / turcicus / Schilsky 1897 / Paralectotypus / Karel Majer design. 1996” prr., up .

All of them have been fitted with a further label: “ Syntypus / not a Lectotype / A. turcicus Schilsky / Liberti, jan. 2015 ” prr .

The symbol “*” often found on Schilsky handwritten name labels means new species. Such symbol does not (in the writer’s opinion) mean a holotype status for the relevant specimen. It is believed that such “*” mark was simply pinned, by Schilsky, on the first specimen of a new species row.

Describing this species, the Author reports 5 ♀♀ from “ Turkey, Burgas and Adrianopel”; given the similarity between sexes it is easy to believe that Schilsky did not recognize the males. No doubt these are all syntypes, they all belong to the same species and there is no need to select a lectotype.

A. turcicus perfectly corresponds to A. reitteri , both for external and for aedeagical characters.

Description - Please refer to the above description under “Systematics”. Rather variable in size, entirely black, legs and antennae included. Antennae rather short; articles 4-6 triangular, trasverse; 7-9 slightly trasverse to balanced; articles 4-6 gradually increasing in size; article 3 triangular, slightly narrower than 4. Pronotum lateral sides finely crenulated, mainly in basal half. Elytral apices separately rounded although, at times, an obtuse angle may be perceived. Penultimate sternite straight on rear border; last sternite median process very short. The median lobe appears rather variable depending on populations as shown, as an example, in Figs. 42 and 43.

Dimensions in mm. TL: ♂♂ 4.9-6.8; ♀♀ 5.4-6.0.

♂♂. TL = 5.50±0.78, PL = 1.08±0.22, EL = 3.78±0.52, PW = 1.70±0.22, EW = 2.16±0.24.

♀♀. TL = 5.62±0.27, PL = 1.14±0.06, EL = 4.02±0.15, PW = 1.78±0.10, EW = 2.26±0.10.

Distribution and comments - A Turkish species, common in central and western Asiatic Turkey, also present in the European part of the Country and, marginally, in south-east Bulgaria. In Greece only on Lesvos. Can be found by grass sweeping.

Materials studied

Bulgaria Ahtopol (Gren, 2012, CGz); Burgas (see syntypes of A turcicus ).

Greece Lesvos prov.: Agios Paraskevi , Lesvos (Erhard, 1995, SMNS); Antissa, Lesvos ( Grimm , 1995, SMNS); Eressos, Lesvos ( Erhard , 1995, SMNS); Filia, Lesvos (Mus. Helsinki, 2007, MZF); Loutrà, Lesvos ( Biström , 2009, MZF); Mantamados, Lesvos ( Erhard , 1995, SMNS) Mitilini, Lesvos ( Grimm , 1995, SMNS).

Turkey (European) Canakkale prov.: Eceabat (Liberti, 2010, CLi)(F); Gelibolu (Liberti, 2010, CLi).

Turkey (Asiatic) Bolu prov.: Abant Gölü near Bolu (Saltini, 1997, CLi). Corum prov.: Bogazkale (Malkin, 1979, CCo)*. Canakkale prov.: Ayvacik (Liberti, 2010, CLi); Yenice (Liberti, 2010, CLi, Angelini, 2011, CAn). Balikesir prov.: Akbas (Liberti, 2010, CLi); Bandirma (Poot, 1989, CCo)*; Gölcük (Angelini, 2011, CAn); Gönen (Wittmer, 1970, CCo; Kanaar, 1989, CCo)*. Bursa prov.: Kaynarca near Iznik (Wittmer, 1967, CCo)* Izmir prov.: Bergama (Klapperich, 1967, CCo; Malkin, 1981, CCo)*; Dikili (Liberti, 2010, CLi). Manisa prov.: Akcakertigbeli Gecidi near Demirci (Liberti, 2010, CLi). Aydin prov.: Kocarli (Ponel, 2005, CPn). Denizli prov.: Çivril (Angelini, 2011, CAn). Isparta prov.: Sarki Karagaç (Angelini, 2011, CAn).