Zonitoschema pallidissima ( Reitter, 1908 )

Batelka, Jan & Bologna, Marco A., 2014, A review of the Saharo-Sindian species of the genus Zonitoschema (Coleoptera: Meloidae), with description of new species from Tunisia, Yemen and Socotra Island, Acta Entomologica Musei Nationalis Pragae 54, pp. 241-268 : 260-261

Zonitoschema pallidissima ( Reitter, 1908)

( Figs 19 , 30–32 , 40–42 , 53 )

Stenoderistella pallidissima Reitter, 1908: 50 .

Zonitoschema pallidissima: PEYERIMHOFF (1929: 126) ; KASZAB (1957: 229).

Material examined. EGYPT: 1 ♂ 1 ♀ ( NMPC), Mariout – El Ayami , 11.x.1974, V. Zouhar lgt., M. Dvořák det. 1976 ; 2 ♂♂ ( NMPC), Heluán , 2.x.1959, Veselý lgt., V. Günther det. ; 1 spec. ( TAUC), Alexandrie, Z. Kaszab det. ; 2 ♂♂ ( MNHN, Peyerimhoff coll.), Mamoura Abou Kir, 21.ix.1924, ex coll. Min.Agric. (Egypt), A. Alfieri [lgt.], P. Peyerimhoff det. ISRAEL: 1 spec. ( TAUC), Haifa checkpost, 2.iii.1997, T. Pavlicek ; 10 spec. ( TAUC), Tel Aviv, 1.x.1969, Bytinsky-Salz lgt .; 6 spec. ( TAUC), same data, but 2.ix.1971 + 6.–12.ix.1971 ; 2 spec. ( TAUC), same data, but 1.x.1969 ; 2 spec. ( TAUC), same data, but 23.ix.1980 ; 4 spec. ( TAUC), same data, but 10.ix.1969 ; 6 spec. ( TAUC), same data, but 25.ix.1969 ; 4 spec. ( TAUC), same data, but 15.ix.1969 ; 5 spec ( TAUC), same data, but 20.ix.1969 ; 2 spec. ( TAUC), same data, but 19.ix.1969 ; 1 spec. ( TAUC), Ashdod , 14.ix.1996, R. Hoffman lgt .; 2 spec. ( TAUC), Ramat Aviv, 10.vi.1995, V. Chikatunov lgt .; 1 spec. ( TAUC), Gvulot , 1.ix.1983, E. Shney-Dor lgt .; 1 spec. ( TAUC), idem 30.vi.1986, E. Shney-Dor lgt .; 1 spec. ( TAUC), Nhal Tirza Res., zor Deir Shaman, Yordan Store , 15.iii.2005, V. Chikatunov lgt .; 2 spec. ( TAUC), Rosh ha’Ayn, 15.x.1994, V.Chikatunov lgt .; 1 spec. ( TAUC), Shalom , 19.vi.1997, R. Hoffman lgt .; 2 spec. ( TAUC), Jordan Valley Udja 16.iii.2005, V. Chikatunov lgt .; 1 spec. ( TAUC), Ein Hub , 12.x.1953, Fishelsohn lgt .; 1 spec. ( TAUC), E. Gedi, 10.ix.1964, D. Furth, donated by En Gedi Field School ; 3 spec. ( TAUC), same data, but 10.vii.1969 ; 3 spec. ( TAUC), same data, but 11.vii.1969 ; 2 spec. ( TAUC), En-zin , 30°53.60′N, 35°09.17′E, 13.xii.1999, I. Yarom & V. Kravchenko lgt .; 2 spec. ( TAUC), Nahal Peres , 1.vi.1998, A. Freidberg lgt., light trap ; 1 spec. ( UTA), Shizzafon , 7.viii.1995, V. Chikatunov lgt .; 1 spec. ( UTA), Shezaf N.R., Nahal Shezaf , 30°44.96′N, 35°16.28′E, 6.xi.1999, I. Yarom & V. Kravchenko lgt., ligth trap . MOROCCO: 1 ♂ ( MNHN, Peyerimhoff coll.), Maroc Saharien, Tissint [Anti Atlas, between Foum-Zguid and Tata ], Ch. Rungs lgt .

Differential diagnosis. In this species, as in Z. chourriba sp. nov., sexual dimorphism is developed as follows: shortest distance between eyes dorsally in both species is equal to one third of total width of head in females, while it is almost one fourth in males. The male antennomere XI of Z. pallidissima is shorter than in female, while it is equal in both sexes of Z. chourriba sp. nov. Male genitalia ( Fig. 53 for Z. pallidissima ; Figs 58−59 for Z. chourriba sp. nov.). Elytra ca. 4.4 times as long as pronotum in both sexes, while in Z. chourriba sp. nov. the ratio is 4.1 in male, and 4.6 in female.

Distribution. Morocco ( KOCHER 1956), Algeria ( PEYERIMHOFF 1929), Tunisia ( NORMAND 1949), Libya ( BOLOGNA 2009), Egypt ( REITTER 1908, ALFIERI 1976), Israel ( KASZAB 1957). In Israel it is distributed not only in the desert of Negev, as recorded by KASZAB (1957), where it is syntopic with Z. iranica and Z. rubricolor , but also along the sand coastal plain north to Haifa.

The distribution of this species in Maghreb countries should be re-evaluated. The only known specimen from Morocco, mentioned by KOCHER (1956), was re-examined in the Peyerimhoff’s collection. This specimen has slightly different rugosity of elytra than it appears in Egyptian specimens, but this character could represent a clinal variability. We failed to find any specimen from Algeria in the Peyerimhoff’s collection; three specimens of uncertain identity from Djanet differing from Egyptian and Israeli populations of Z. pallidissima , are discussed below. Also the Tunisian specimen reported from Djerba by NORMAND (1949) should be re-examined, to evaluate whether or not it is conspecific with Z. chourriba sp. nov.

The citation from Saudi Arabia made by BOLOGNA & TURCO (2007) is uncertain and needs to be corroborated by voucher specimens.

Figures

Figs 19–21. 19 – Zonitoschema pallidissima (Reitter, 1908), dorsal habitus of the male from Morocco. 20 – Z. sp. cf. genicularis (Wellman, 1910), dorsal habitus of the female from Yemen. 21 – Z. iranica Kaszab, 1959 dorsal habitus of the male from the U.A.E.Not on the same scale.

Figs 28–34. Heads. 28 – Zonitoschema iranica Kaszab, 1959 from Iran. 29 – Z. griseohirta Pic, 1914 from Yemen. 30 – Z. pallidissima (Reitter, 1908) from Morocco. 31–32 – Z. pallidissima from Egypt: 31 – female; 32 – male. 33 – Z. arabica sp. nov., holotype (male). 34 – Z. kaszabi sp. nov., paratype (female). Not on the same scale.

Figs 35–49. Pronotal disc, dorsal view. 35–36 – Zonitoschema iranica Kaszab, 1959: 35 – male from the U.A.E.; 36 – female from Iran. 37 – Z. kaszabi sp. nov., paratype. 38–39 – Z. sp. cf. genicularis (Wellman, 1910): 38 – specimen from Somalia; 39 – specimen from Yemen. 40–41 – Z. pallidissima (Reitter, 1908) from Egypt: 40 – male; 41 – female. 42 – Z. pallidissima from Morocco. 43 – Z. rubricolor Pic, 1924 from Kenya. 44–45 – Z. chourriba sp. nov.: 44 – male paratype; 45 – female paratype. 46 – Z. arabica sp. nov., holotype. 47–48 – Z. oculatissima Peyerimhoff, 1929: 47 – holotype; 48 – specimen from Chad. 49 – Z. cf. pallidissima from Algeria. Not to the same scale.

Figs 50–59. Male genitalia, lateral view (57 and 59, dorsal view). 50–51 – Z. genicularis (Wellman, 1910): 50 – specimen from Zambia; 51 – specimen from Somalia (parameres only). 52 – Z. iranica Kaszab, 1959 from Israel. 53 – Z. pallidissima (Reitter, 1908). 54 – Z. gibdoana (Kaszab, 1956) from Kenya.55 – Z. sp. from Kenya (a species similar in colouration to Z. sp. cf. genicularis (Wellman, 1910)). 56–57 – Zonitoschema arabica sp. nov., holotype. 58–59 – Zonitoschema chourriba sp. nov., paratype. Not to the same scale.