Karumia Escalera, 1913

Ivie, Michael A. & Barclay, Maxwell V. L., 2011, The Familial Placement and Specific Membership ofEscalerinaBolívar Y Pieltain andPaulusiellaLöbl (Coleoptera: Elateridae, Dascillidae, Drilidae), with New Synonymies, The Coleopterists Bulletin 65 (2), pp. 167-172 : 169-170

Karumia Escalera, 1913

Karumia Escalera, 1913: 320 . Type species: Karumia estafilinioides Escalera , subsequent designation by Bolívar y Pieltain 1926: 195. Pic, 1927: 8, Arnett 1964: 68, Mandl 1967: 448, Crowson 1971: 14, Paulus 1972: 52, Mandl 1974: 643, Lawrence 2005: 451, Löbl 2006: 324.

Kuramia Winkler, 1925: 524. misspelling.

Drilocephalus Pic,1918:3 . Type species: Drilocephalus pallidipennis Pic,1918:3 ,bymonotypy. Blackwelder 1944: 362, Arnett 1964: 68, Crowson 1971: 14, Paulus 1972: 52. New synonymy.

Zarudniola Semenov and Martynov, 1925: 74 , 77. Type species: Zarudniola staphylinus Semenov and Martynov , by monotypy. Mandl 1967: 448, Paulus 1972: 52, Mandl 1974: 643, Lawrence 2005: 451.

Escalerina Bolívar y Pieltain, 1926: 196 , 199. Pic 1927: 8. Type species: Karumia microcephala Escalera , by original designation. Arnett 1964: 67, Mandl 1967: 448, Paulus 1972: 52, Mandl 1974: 635, Lawrence 2005: 451, Löbl 2006: 324. New synonymy.

Notes. Karumia and Zarudniola were synonymized by Bolívar y Pieltain (1926), which was followed by Pic (1927) and Arnett (1964). Mandl (1967), Paulus (1972), and Mandl (1974) recognized both genera, but they were again treated as synonyms by Lawrence and Newton (1995). Ten years later, Lawrence again recognized both as genera ( Lawrence 2005), after which Löbl (2006) most recently treated them as synonyms.

Included species (original citations only):

Karumia eberti Mandl Karumia eberti Mandl, 1967: 450 . Afghanistan. Karumia estafilinoides Escalera Karumia estafilinoides Escalera, 1913: 320 . Wittmer 1983: 269. Iran, Afghanistan. Karumia spinigera Mandl Karumia spinigera Mandl, 1967: 448 . Afghanistan.

Karumia staphylinus (Semenov and Martynov) Zarudniola staphylinus Semenov and Martynov, 1925: 74 . Wittmer 1983: 269. Iran.

Karumia microcephala Escalera

Karumia microcephala Escalera 1913: 322 . Iran.

Karumia pallidipennis (Pic) New combination Drilocephalus pallidipennis Pic, 1918: 3 . Argentina.

Karumia iliarensis (Bruch) New combination Drilocephalus iliarensis Bruch, 1930: 35 . Argentina.

Karumia loeflleri (Mandl) New combination Zarudniola loeflleri Mandl, 1967:450 . Iran.

Karumia loeflleri kermanensis (Wittmer) New

combination

Zarudniola loeflleri kermanensis Wittmer, 1983: 269 . Iran.

Karumia vartianorum (Mandl) New combination Zarudniola vartianorum Mandl, 1967:451 . Wittmer 1983: 269. Iran.

Karumia inaequalis Pic

Karumia inaequalis Pic, 1929: 1 . See Wittmer 1979: 192. Arabia. [missed by Löbl 2006]

The Paulusiella Question. During this study, we examined several species within the current understanding of Paulusiella (see listing of material below), and found considerable evidence for elaterid affinities, including the nearly definitive prosternal intercoxal process extending ventrad and between the procoxae and then as an acute, elongate process received into a deep pit on the mesoventrite, the hidden protrochantin, smooth tibial spurs, the non-divided and long (relative to the parameres) aedeagus, and the bisetose empodium. In the true karumiines, the prosternal process may be absent, incomplete, or complete, but if complete, it is located far below the venter of the procoxae, and the mesoventrite does not have a pit to receive the intercoxal process. In the true karumiines, the protrochantin is at least partially exposed, the tibial spurs serrate, the median lobe is divided into dorsal and ventral lobes, and there is no empodium. Thus, Paulusiella is correctly placed in the Elateridae .

Where to place Paulusiella within the complex and currently fluid Elateridae is not at all clear. Females of this group are unknown, but following the neotenic syndrome, they are expected to be physogastric, incapable of flight, and with short elytra. This is apparently why they were placed (with little comment) in the Cebrioninae (Lawrence and Newton 1995; Costa et al. 2010), although there is no indication of actual synapomorphies between Paulusiella and Cebrio Olivier and the latter’ s actual relatives, nor between Paulusiella and the other group currently included in the subfamily, the Aplastini ( Costa et al. 2010). The convergent, soft-bodied, probably neotenous form of all these taxa is exactly the type of problematic issue with which molecular data have been so helpful ( Bocakova et al. 2007; Bocak et al. 2008), but, unfortunately, appropriate fresh material of Paulusiella is not available for molecular study. Ongoing work by Ladislav Bocak and his colleagues will provide molecularly supported definitions of the subfamilies of the Elateridae (L. Bocak, personal communication). Therefore, we place the genus incertae sedis in the Elateridae , until such time as molecular data become available to help place it properly. Species level identification of species of Paulusiella is difficult at present, which is aggravated by a lack of material and a number of apparently undescribed species scattered in various collections.

One species-level matter can be addressed at this time. In 2009, Geisthardt published a paper on the Drilidae of the United Arab Emirates, in which he described a new species of Selasia Castelnau. The very nice, large photo of the holotype shows clearly that it is in fact an elaterid of the genus Paulusiella . His description, diagnosis, and illustrations support this placement. We take this opportunity to move his species to the Elateridae and to Paulusiella .

Material of Paulusiella studied included a paratype of Paulusiella holzschuhi Mandl [Iran, Ze ntra lpro vinz; Ka sha n Abuz ed- aba d; 25- 27.5.1976; leg. Holzschuh & Ressl ( BMNH)], three specimens of P. nr. serraticornis ( OMAN Rumais; from light trap / No. 17; coll. A.M.Mokhtar; CIE coll A. 12254 [ BMNH]) , one specimen of Paulusiella sp. (Iran S. Homorzgan;prov. Bandahare-Abas; [120 km NNW]; GAKHOM, 18.5.2006; S. Prepsl leg. [ BMNH]) , two specimens of Paulusiella sp. (W. PAKISTAN; 23mi. E. Turbat; 8-10.III.1965; J.W.Neal / Makran Prov. ; Camp 53, [ MAIC]) , 12 specimens standing as P. serraticornis : one specimen (Bandar Abass; Umg., A. IV.70/Iran; Pretzmann ; Bilek [ MAIC]) , one specimen (Bandar Abass; Umg. /am licht/ Iran; III.IV.72; F. Ressl [ MAIC]) , one specimen (8.4.1972. S-Iran.; 8 km östl.; Bandar- Abbas. ; Exped. Mus.Vind. [ MAIC]) , two specimens (S-IRAN 25.4.1974; 22km N Bandar-; Abbas (7)/ Exped. Mus.Vind.; leg. Pretzmann / Paulusiella ; serraticornis; (Paulus); det. M.A. Ivie 2000. [ MAIC]) , one specimen (10.4.1972.S-Iran.; Dünen 17 km östl. Bandar-Abbas.; Exped. Mus.Vind. [ MAIC]) , two specimens (S-IRAN 23.4.1974; 8km E Bandar- Abbas ; Lichtlang (12)/ Exped. Mus.Vind. leg. Pretzmann [ MAIC]) , one specimen (S Iran, 12km; NW Minab; 18- 19.5.1973 / Loc. no.202; Exp.Nat. Mus. ; Praha / Paulusiella ; serraticornis; Paulus; det. W. Wittmer [ MAIC]) , three specimens (S.Iran; Bilai; 23-24.5 1973/ Loc. no.209; Exp.Nat.Mus. ; Praha [ MAIC]) , six specimens standing as P. richteri : three specimens (SE Iran, 25 km; W Ghasre-ghand; 9- 10.4.1973 / Loc. no.153; Exp.Nat.Mus. ; Praha / Paulusiella ; richteri; Mandl; det. W. Wittmer. [ MAIC]) , two specimens (SE Iran, 9 km; S Espakeh; 10.4.1973 / Loc. no.155; Exp.Nat.Mus.; Praha [ MAIC]) , one specimen (SE Iran, Bahu Kalat; 3- 4.4.1973 / Loc. no.147; Exp.Nat.Mus.; Praha [ MAIC]) .

All these actions are summarized as: