Distenia gracilis (Blessig, 1872)

Bi, Wen-Xuan & Lin, Mei-Ying, 2013, Description of a new species of Distenia (Coleoptera, Disteniidae, Disteniini) from Southeastern China, with records and diagnoses of similar species, ZooKeys 275, pp. 77-89 : 77-79

Distenia gracilis (Blessig, 1872) Figs 1 -15 37-38

Apheles gracilis Blessig, 1872: 168, pl. VIII, fig. 1; Ganglbauer 1887: 131.

Distenia gracilis : Kraatz 1879: 91; Plavilstshikov 1936: 105, 492, fig. 70; Gressitt 1951: 45 [part]; Chen et al. 1959: 32, Pl. III, fig. 16 [part]; Lee 1987: 9, pl. I, fig. 1; Švácha and Danilevsky 1987: 38 [part]; Cherepanov 1990: 68; Hua 2002: 189 [part]; Hua et al. 2009: 448 [part]; Lin et al. 2010: 120 [part]; Danilevsky 2012: 902.

Host plant.

Alnus sp. (BETULACEAE), Chosenia sp. (SALICACEAE) ( Danilevsky 2012).

Remarks.

This species was first recorded from Northeastern China (Manchuria) by Plavilstshikov (1936). Gressitt (1951) cited this information and added Zhejiang (Tianmushan) as a new locality, which was the first misidentification. Then, Chen et al. (1959) followed Gressitt (1951) and made a drawing based on specimens from Tianmushan, which misled subsequent Chinese longicornists to misidentify Distenia orientalis sp. n. as Distenia gracilis . Therefore, the record from Zhejiang and Jiangxi is incorrect, as it was based on misidentification of Distenia orientalis sp. n. The records from Hubei and Anhui are doubtful and may also be based on misidentification of Distenia orientalis sp. n. (or another species) but we did not have specimens available from these two provinces. Chou (2004) didn’t include Distenia gracilis in his book on Taiwanese fauna. Records of Distenia gracilis from Japan were based on misidentification of Distenia japonica .

We did not have specimens from Korea for study. We consider the record by Ganglbauer (1887) and Lee (1987) correct based on the pictures by Lee (1987).

The holotype of Apheles gracilis Blessig, 1872 is a male from Russia, Sibérie (Amurland), collected by P. Wulffius. It was supposed to be deposited in ZMAS. We could not reach the curators in ZMAS. According to personal communication by Mikhail Danilevsky, he could not find the type in the collection of ZMAS.

Distribution.

North China (Heilongjiang, Jilin, Liaoning), Korea (including South Korea and North Korea), Russia (Far East).

Specimens examined.

China, Liaoning: 2 females, Benxi, Guanmenshan, 2011.VIII.21, coll. Xinlei Huang (IZAS); 1 male 1 female, Dandong, Saima, Wendong, 2006.IX.1, 3, coll. Haicheng Shan (IZAS, ex CCCC); 2 males, Dandong, Saima, Pushihe, 2008.VII.30, coll. Haicheng Shan (CBWX).

Russia, Far East: 1 male, Arsenyev env., 44°7'27"N, 133°20'00"E, 2007.VII.21, coll. S. Ivanov (MD); 1 male, Primorie Reg., Chernigovka distr., Merkushevka Env., 44°22'2.52"N, 132°48'0.42"E, 2011.VII.28-30, coll. S. Ivanov (MD).

Figures

Figures 1 - 4. Distenia gracilis (Blessig, 1872). 1 male, from Far East Russia 2 female, from Far East Russia 3 male, from Liaoning, China a dorsal view b ventral view 4 female, from Liaoning, China. Scale 5 mm.

Figures 12 - 15. Genitalia of Distenia gracilis (Blessig, 1872), male, from Liaoning, China 12 median lobe 13 rods of endophallus, including hair-like thin rod of ejaculatory duct 14 tegmen a ventral view b lateral view c dorsal view 15 tergite VIII in dorsal view. Scale 1 mm.

Figures 29 - 36. Genitalia of Distenia orientalis sp. n. 29 - 33 male, from Xitianmushan, Zhejiang, China 29 median lobe 30 rods of endophallus and hair-like thin rod of ejaculatory duct 31 whole median lobe, showing the position of rods of endophallus, not to scale 32 tegmen a ventral view b lateral view c dorsal view 33 tergite VIII in dorsal view 34 - 36 female, spermathecal capsule 35 from Fengyangshan, Zhejiang, China 34 & 36 from Tianmushan, Zhejiang, China. A & B from different sides. Scale 1 mm.