Cerocoma (Mesocerocoma) scovitzi Faldermann, 1837

Turco, Federica & Bologna, Marco A., 2011, Systematic revision of the genus Cerocoma Geoffroy, 1762 (Coleoptera: Meloidae: Cerocomini) 2853, Zootaxa 2853 (1), pp. 1-71 : 44-47

Cerocoma (Mesocerocoma) scovitzi Faldermann, 1837

Figs 2L , 3L , 4L , 5B , 6L

Cerocoma scovitzi scovitzi Faldermann, 1837 :

Cerocoma scovitzi Faldermann, 1837: 117 .

Cerocoma scovitzi var. lateralis Reitter, 1890: 174 .

Cerocoma scovitzi var. rufiventris Reitter, 1890: 173 ; Reitter, 1913: 191; Mařan, 1944: 83.

Cerocoma scovitzi ab. obscuriventris Mařan, 1944: 83, 93.

Cerocoma scovitzi ab. maculicollis Mařan, 1944: 83, 93.

Cerocoma (Mesocerocoma) scovitzi scovitzi, Kaszab, 1951: 261 , 266, 271.

Cerocoma scovitzi ab. mirabilis Kaszab, 1968: 751 (invalid name).

Cerocoma scovitzi mirabilis Dvořák, 1993: 7 . syn. n.

Cerocoma scovitzi intermedia Mařan, 1944 :

Cerocoma scovitzi intermedia Mařan, 1944: 84 , 94.

Cerocoma scovitzi jureceki Mařan, 1944: 84 , 94. syn. n.

Cerocoma (Mesocerocoma) scovitzi intermedia, Kaszab, 1951: 261 , 266, 271; Bologna, 1979: 185.

Cerocoma (Mesocerocoma) scovitzi jureceki, Kaszab, 1951: 261 , 266, 271.

Cerocoma (Mesocerocoma) scovitzi marani Kaszab, 1951: 262 , 266, 271. syn.n.

Type locality. Cerocoma scovitzi scovitzi : “Transcaucasia” ( Faldermann 1837); C. scovitzi intermedia : “Kleinasien, Ak-Chehir” ( Mařan 1944).

Type specimens. The following type material has been examined: lectotype and 14 paralectotypes of C. scovitzi intermedia ; lectotype and 2 paralectotypes of C. scovitzi jureceki ; holotype, allotype, and 1 paratype of C. scovitzi marani ; holotype and allotype of C. scovitzi ab. mirabilis (invalid name, see Taxonomy); the lectotype and 4 paralectotypes of C. scovitzi ab. lateralis; holotype and 5 other types of C. scovitzi var. rufiventris .

Cerocoma scovitzi intermedia . Five males and ten females, all showing the same labels as follows, except for the inventory number on third label (increasing from 18231 to 18245) and the symbol for the gender on fourth ( CNM). From the type series we designate herein the lectotype and 14 paralectotypes as follows :

Lectotype ♂: Anatolien / Ak-Cheir / 1900. Korb. (white, printed) // Cotypus (pink, handwritten) // Mus. Nat. Pragae / Inv. 18231 (pink, printed and handwritten) // Cerocoma scov . ♂ / intermedia m. / Dr. J. Mařan det. 1944 (white, printed and handwritten) // LECTOTYPE ♂ / Cerocoma scovitzi / intermedia Mařan, 1944 / Turco & Bologna des. 2009 (red, printed). Left mesotarsomeres and right metatarsomeres are missing.

Other specimens’ inventory numbers, sex and missing or damaged parts: 18232, ♂, last three abdominal segments (genitalia glued on a separate card); 18233, ♂; 18234, ♂, left protarsomere V and right mid leg; 18235, ♂, right metatarsomeres; 18236, ♀, right protarsomeres II – V; 18237, ♀; 18238, ♀; 18239, ♀, left mesotarsomeres IV– V and right mesotarsomeres; 18240, ♀, right metatarsomeres III –IV, part of left coxae and femora and part of the head; 18241, ♀, right antenna; 18242, ♀, right eye and left mesofemur; 18243, ♀; 18244, ♀; 18245, ♀, left labial palp and antenna. All specimens have been added with the following label: PARALECTOTYPE / Cerocoma scovitzi / intermedia Mařan, 1944 / Turco & Bologna des. 2009 (red, printed) .

Cerocoma scovitzi jureceki . Three cotypes were examined ( CNM), now designated as lectotype and paralectotypes as follows :

Lectotype ♂: Akbes / Syrien / Em. Reitter (white, printed) // J. Fleischer / Mus. Praha (white, printed) // Cer. Scowitzi (white, handwritten) // COTYPUS (pink, handwritten) // Mus. Nat. Pragae / Inv. 18228 (pink, printed and handwritten) // Cerocoma scovitzi ♂ / jureceki Mařan / Dr. J. Mařan det. 19 (white, printed and handwritten) // LECTOTYPE ♂ / Cerocoma scovitzi / jureceki Mařan, 1944 / Turco & Bologna des. 2009 (red, printed). Left mesotarsomeres II – V are missing .

1 paralectotype ♂: Akbes / Syrien / Em. Reitter (white, printed) // COTYPUS (pink, handwritten) // Mus. Nat. Pragae / Inv. 18227 (pink, printed and handwritten) // Cerocoma scovitzi ♂ / jureceki Mař. / Dr. J. Mařan det. 19 (white, printed and handwritten) // PARALECTOTYPE ♂ / Cerocoma scovitzi / jureceki Mařan, 1944 / Turco & Bologna des. 2009 (red, printed). Genitalia are on a separate card. Abdomen is partially damaged, right protarsomere V and right and left apical mesotarsomeres are missing .

1 paralectotype ♀: same data as the first specimen, except for “18229” on the third label, “ ♀ ” on the fourth and the paralectotype label.

Cerocoma scovitzi marani . The holotype, allotype and 1 paratype were examined.

Holotype ♂: Bagdad 1913. / Mattanovich (white, printed) // Holotypus 1951 ♂ / Cerocoma Scovitzi / Ma ř ani / Kaszab (white with red frame, printed and handwritten) ( HNHM) .

Allotype ♀: Bagdad 1913. / Mattanovich (white, printed) // Allotypus 1951 ♀ / Cerocoma Scovitzi / Ma ř ani / Kaszab (white with red frame, printed and handwritten) ( HNHM). The following parts are missing in the allotype: antennae (except for the first two right antennomeres), left protibia and tarsomeres, left meso- and metatarsomeres, right fore leg (except for coxa and trochanter), last two right mesotarsomeres, right metatarsomeres, and part of the abdomen .

1 paratype ♂: Bagdad 1913. / Mattanovich (white, printed) // Paratypus 1951 ♂ / Cerocoma Scovitzi / Ma ř ani / Kaszab (white with red frame, printed and handwritten) ( HNHM). Part of the abdomen is missing .

Cerocoma scovitzi ab. mirabilis. As previously indicated, the name mirabilis Kaszab, 1968, described as infraspecific form, is invalid, whereas the subspecies designation made by Dvořák (1993) based on Kaszab’s types is valid; the ssp. mirabilis is indeed a synonym of the nominate subspecies. Holotype and allotype were examined:

Holotype ♂: Bandar Abbas / 6.IV.49 / Fassiki (white, handwritten) // 336 (white, printed) // Holotypus 1967 ♂ / Cerocoma scovitzi / ab. mirabilis / Kaszab (white with red frame, printed and handwritten) // Cerocoma scowitzi / ab. mirabilis Kasz. / Dr Z. Kaszab det., 1968 (white, printed and handwritten) ( HNHM). The following parts are missing: both antennae (except for the first two antennomeres), protarsomeres (first tarsomere still present on both legs; right protarsus glued on the first label), left mesotarsomeres, right metatarsomeres, and last two left metatarsomeres.

Allotype ♀: Firouzabad / 11- IV-53 / Kachkouli (white, handwritten) // 336 (white, printed) // Allotypus 1967 ♀ / Cerocoma scovitzi / ab. mirabilis / Kaszab (white with red frame, printed and handwritten) ( HNHM). The specimen lacks both antennae (except for the first two antennomeres), right stipe (including palpus), left protarsomeres, and last two protarsomeres of right leg .

As explained for C. prochaskana , we accept the unpublished selection of Reitter’s types, probably made by Kaszab, and we designate them lectotype and paralectotypes, leaving other syntypes preserved at MNHN as paralectotypes .

Cerocoma scovitzi ab. lateralis: Lectotype ♂: Caucasus. / Araxesthal. / Leder. Reitter. (white with black frame, printed) // Holotypus 1890 / Cerocoma Skowitzi / v. lateralis ♂ / Reitter (white with red frame, printed and handwritten) // Scovitzi / v. lateralis / m. 1890. (azure, handwritten, turned upside down) // LECTOTYPE ♂ / Cerocoma scovitzi / v. lateralis Reitter, 1890 / Turco & Bologna des. 2009 (red, printed) ( HNHM).

1 paralectotype ♂: Caucasus. / Araxesthal. / Leder. Reitter. (white with black frame, printed) // Scovitzi / v. lateralis m / 1890 (white, handwritten) // v. lateralis Reitt. (white, printed) // C. Scovitzi / v. lateralis / Rttr // MUSEUM PARIS / 1942 / COLL. D R. A. CHOBAUT (white, printed) // PARALECTOTYPUS / Cerocoma scovitzi / var. lateralis Reitt. / F. Turco & M. Bologna des. 2007 (red, printed and handwritten) // Cerocoma (Mesoc.) / scovitzi scovitzi Fald. / M.A. Bologna det. 2007 (white, printed and handwritten) ( MNHN).

At MNHN 2 additional males and 1 female paralectotypes are also preserved, and labeled as follows: Caucasus. / Araxesthal. / Leder. Reitter. (white with black frame, printed) // MUSEUM PARIS / 1942 / COLL . D R. A. CHO- BAUT (white, printed) // PARALECTOTYPE ♂ (or ♀) / Cerocoma scovitzi / v. lateralis Reitter, 1890 / Turco & Bologna des. 2009 (red, printed) ( MNHN) .

Cerocoma scovitzi var. rufiventris : Lectotype ♂: Caucasus. / Araxesthal. / Leder. Reitter. (white with black frame, printed) // Holotypus 1890 / Cerocoma Skowitzi / v. rufiventris ♂ / Reitter (white with red frame, printed and handwritten) // Scovitzi / v. rufiventris (white, handwritten, turned upside down) // Cerocoma ♂ / ab. rufiventris Rtt. / det. dr. Kaszab (white, printed and handwritten) // LECTOTYPE ♂ / Cerocoma scovitzi / v. rufiventris Reitter, 1890 / Turco & Bologna des. 2009 (red, printed) ( HNHM). Left fore leg is missing, except for the coxa.

The following other five paralectotypes are preserved in the MNHN (Chobaut’s collection) .

1 ♂: Caucasus. / Araxesthal. / Leder. Reitter. (white with black frame, printed) // Scovitzi. / v. rufiventris / m. 1889 (azure, handwritten) // v. rufiventris Reit (white, long and folded, printed) // C. Scovitzi / v. rufiventris / Rttr. / / MUSEUM PARIS / 1942 / COLL. D R. A. CHOBAUT (white, printed) // PARALECTOTYPUS / Cerocoma scovitzi / var. rufiventris Reitt. / F. Turco & M. Bologna des. 2007 (red, printed and handwritten) // Cerocoma (Mesoc.) / scovitzi scovitzi Fald. / M.A. Bologna det. 2007 (white, printed and handwritten) ( MNHN).

1 ♀: Caucasus. / Araxesthal. / Leder. Reitter. (white with black frame, printed) // Scovitzi / v. rufiventris / m. 1889. (azure, handwritten) // v. rufiventris Reit (white, printed) // C. Scovitzi / v. rufiventris / Rttr. (white, handwritten) // MUSEUM PARIS / 1942 / COLL. D R. A. CHOBAUT (white, printed) // PARALECTOTYPE ♀ / Cerocoma scovitzi / v. rufiventris Reitter, 1890 / Turco & Bologna des. 2009 (red, printed) ( MNHN).

2 ♀♀: Caucasus. / Araxesthal. / Leder. Reitter. (white with black frame, printed) // MUSEUM PARIS / 1942 / COLL. D R. A. CHOBAUT (white, printed) // PARALECTOTYPE ♀ / Cerocoma scovitzi / v. rufiventris Reitter, 1890 / Turco & Bologna des. 2009 (red, printed) ( MNHN). Left antenna is missing on one specimen (except for the first two antennomeres).

1 ♂: Caucasus. / Araxesthal. / Leder. Reitter. (white with black frame, printed) // 2 (white, printed) // v. rufiventris Rttr. (white, handwritten) // MUSEUM PARIS / 1937 / COLL. CH. DEMAISON (white, printed) // PARALEC- TOTYPE ♂ / Cerocoma scovitzi / v. rufiventris Reitter, 1890 / Turco & Bologna des. 2009 (red, printed) ( MNHN).

Description. Male. Body yellow-orange, except for thoracic sternites sometimes partially black; elytra metallic green; head, usually antennomeres V–VI (partially) and IX (entirely), mouthparts, meso- and metatarsi black.

Head distinctly transverse with protruding eyes ( Fig. 5B ). Maxillary palpi modified with palpomeres II–III wide, flattened and distinctly curved; IV flattened and curved and with base partially concealed by the apical edge of IV ( Fig. 3L ). Antennae strongly modified with antennomere I bearing a very wide and high dorsal keel partially curved at apex; III–VIII variously expanded and shaped; IX transverse with a deep dorsal concavity ( Fig. 2L ).

Pronotum transverse. Protibiae dorso-ventrally flattened and distally widened on the external side ( Fig. 4L ). Protarsomeres slightly enlarged, I–II in particular.

Gonostyli, in lateral view, straight, with apical lobes directed forward; apical lobes, in dorsal view, narrow and parallel. Apex of aedeagus rounded; aedeagal hooks equal in size. Sclerotised hooks of endophallus subequal in size (the subapical larger), both pointing backwards ( Fig. 6L ).

Female. Not distinctly modified. Refer to key for diagnostic characters.

Taxonomy. Cerocoma scovitzi is characterised by a great morphological variability, especially in relation to body colouration, leading to the description of several infraspecific forms, most of which resulted to be not taxonomically valid. Nevertheless, the species is still recognised in this revision as polytypic, being represented by two subspecies, clearly distinguished by the shape of male protarsomeres:

(a) C. scovitzi scovitzi : pronotum from completely black (Caucasus and north Iran) to partially or completely orange (central and south Iran); protarsomeres III–IV narrow and with subparallel sides, II 1.5 times as wide as III– IV and IV about as long as III; abdomen from completely black (Transcaucasia) to completely orange (south Iran), with intermediate conditions.

As briefly indicated above, Dvořák (1993) proposed a new subspecies mirabilis, drawing on an invalid name proposed by Kaszab (1968) as aberratio; this subspecies resulted a synonym to the nominate (syn.n.). The specimens described as ab. keyseri, an invalid name used by Kaszab (1963), are also referable to the nominate subspecies

(b) C. scovitzi intermedia : pronotum black; protarsomeres III–IV wider and slightly enlarged from base to apex, II only slightly wider than III and IV distinctly shorter than III; abdomen black ( Anatolia and Near East) or orange (Arabian Peninsula).

Distribution. S Russia, Turkey, Armenia, Azerbaijan, Syria, Israel-Palestine, Iraq, Iran, Saudi Arabia. The record from Greece (Evia island) is erroneous and that from Egypt probably refers to Sinai Peninsula.

Figures

FIGURE 2. Male right antenna, lateral view: A, C. schreberi; B, C. martae; C, C. ephesica; D, C. prevezaensis; E, C. festiva; F, C. graeca; G, C. malatyensis; H, C. albopilosa; I, C. longiseta; J, C. barthelemyi; K, C. vahli; L, C. scovitzi; M, C. latreillei; N, C. adamovichiana; O, C. confusa; P, C. azurea; Q, C. turcica; R, C. muehlfeldi; S, C. schaefferi; T, C. prochaskana; U, C. dahli; V,C. bernhaueri; W, C. simplicicornis; X, C. gloriosa; Y, C. rapillyi; Z, C. marginiventris; AA, C. macedonica; AB, C. kunzei; AC, C. bodemeyeri. Scale bar = 1 mm.

FIGURE 3. Male right maxillary palp, dorsal view: for lettering refer to caption to Fig. 1. Scale bars = 1 mm (1: C–E, G–J, L– R, Y, AA–AC; 2: B, F, K, S–T, X, Z; 3: A, U–W).

FIGURE 4. Male right protibia, lateral view: for lettering refer to caption to Fig. 1. Scale bar = 1 mm.

FIGURE 5. Male head, dorsal view: A, C. schreberi; B, C. scovitzi; C, C. vahli; D, C. adamovichiana; E, C. kunzei; F, C. schaefferi. Scale bar = 1 mm.

FIGURE 6. Male external genitalia (from left to right: tegmen, dorsal and lateral views; aedeagus, lateral view): for lettering refer to caption to Fig. 1. Scale bars = 1 mm (1: A–E, H, L–M, R; 2: F–G, I–K, N–P, S–T, X–Y, AA–AC; 3: Q, U–W, Z).