Nebrioporus ressli ( Wewalka, 1974 )

Toledo, Mario, 2009, Revision in part of the genus Nebrioporus Régimbart, 1906, with emphasis on the N. laeviventris-group (Coleoptera: Dytiscidae), Zootaxa 2040, pp. 1-111 : 87-89

Nebrioporus ressli ( Wewalka, 1974)

Fig. 37

Potamonectes ressli Wewalka (1974: 108) (orig. descr.).

Nebrioporus (s.str.) ressli (Wewalka) ; Nilsson & Angus (1992: 288); Nilsson (2001: 172; 2003: 66); Hájek & Fery (2004: 38).

Type locality. Iran > Bahram, 20 Km E Teheran, 1100 m ,

Type material. Holotype ♂ ( NHMB) " Iran, Bahram , 20 km östl. Teheran, 1100 m 28.VIII.1948 leg. P. Aellen " . Paratypes: ( NHMB, NMW, GWW, FPR) 3 ♂♂, 8 ♀♀ same locality ; 1 ♂ " Iran 4 km süd-östl. Robat–Tork [in Khorasan Prov. near Bojnurd ?] 30.III.1970 leg. Ressl " .

Additional material examined. Afghanistan: N. Afghanistan, Prov. Maimana, coll. O. Jakesh, Rashíd, 18.5. 1964, 700 m (17) (12 exs. —1 of which bearing additional label " R. Mouchampas det. 67 Potamonectes sulphuricola Zaitz. "— MMBC) ; N. Afghanistan, Prov. Maimana, coll. O. Jakesh, Cashma –i– Yambulaq, 19.5.1964, 650- 800 m (18/1) (5 exs. MMBC) ; N. Afghanistan, Prov. Herat, coll O. Jakesh, Bala Murghab, 1.5– 10.5.1964, 470 m (13) (4 exs. MMBC) .

Iran: E. Azerbayjan, rd. Tabriz-Maineh , 23 km E Khoy, 9.5.76, (2 exs. MTP) ; E Azerbayjan, 22 km E Khoy, 1820 n, 5.IX.1976, by Sh. Hosseinie University of Shiraz , Potamonectes ressli det. Pederzani (2 exs. MTP, FPR) ; NE Mazandaran, Karim Ishan, 37´26N/56´23E, 70 km NE Gonbad-Kavus , leg. J. Rejsek, 4- 7.IV.1999 (50 exs. JSL, MTP) ; In addition I have seen in CBSU specimens from a number of localities of the following provinces:

E. Azerbajian (55 exs.); Kordestan (1 ex.) ; Markazi (28 exs. from 2 localities) ; Khorasan (90 exs. from 9 localities) ; Yazd (11exs.) ; Esfahan (16 exs.) ; Golestan (43exs.) .

Tajikistan: SW Kurgan, Tiube distr. , Gandhzapa, 21.IV.1991, coll. H. Hebauer (5 exs. HHRN, MTP) .

Turkmenistan: Turkmenien , warmer Bach , 26° V.G.Dolin, Kugi tang Umg., V. Karljuk, 490-520 m, 1.V.89 (1 ex. HNHM) ; Turkmenia mer., Chr. , Cigi Tang Tau, Svinsovij Rudnik, 29.V.1992, leg. Snìzek, Sichuan.? [sic. hw.] (1 ex. JSL) ; Kopet–Dag , Geok–Tepe, 500 m 28.X.88, Turkmenien, V.G. Dolin (1 ex. HNHM) ; " Transcaspi. [ Turkmenistan?], Coll. Lichtn., sub. laeviventr. [Guéorguiev hw.] coll. Gueorguiev " (1 ex. MIZIT) .

Uzbekistan: Aman–Kutau [Aman–Kutan], 1200 m, 7.V.19.789 , Uzbekistan, V.G.Dolin (3 exs. HNHM, MTP); Turkistan, Kyzil Arvat, 20– 26.4.1992, lgt Snízek (1 ex. PMB) .

Specimens intermediate between N. ressli and N. lanceolatus (see above, in the discussion on the lanceolatus -subgroup)

Iran: Sistan va Baluchistan: road. Byjar to Doustmohammad Khan , 17 km E Byjar, pond 480 m, 29.III.1997 (#1900), leg. K. Elmi (1 ex. CBSU) ; Road. Zahedan to Zabol , 165 km N Zahedan, running water (man-made canal) 500 m, 28.III.1997 (#1894), leg. K. Elmi (71 exs. CBSU) ; Road. Zahedan to Zabol , 45 km N Zahedan, pond 840 m, 28.III.1997 (#1891) leg. K. Elmi (3 exs. CBSU) ; Road. Khash to Iranshahr , 9 km S Khash, pond 1400 m, 1.IV.1997 (#1910), leg. K. Elmi (21 exs. CBSU) ; 51 km NE Bam , river 520 m, 27.III.1997 (#1890), leg. K. Elmi. (47 exs. CBSU) ; Esfahan: road. Naein to Anarak, 26 km E Naein, Spring water, 1340 m., 16.VIII.1978 (#890) leg. K. Elmi (82 exs. CBSU) ; Road. Choopanan to Robat –e– Posht –e– Badam ( Aliabad ), 88 km E Choopanan, 17.VIII.1978 (#895) leg. K. Elmi (4 exs. CBSU) ; Yazd: rd. Choopanan to Robat –e– Posht –e– Badam , 182 km E Choopanan, spring water, 1320 m, 17.VIII.1978 (#896) leg. K. Elmi. (47 exs. CBSU) ; Road Robat –e– Posht –e– Badam to Tabas , 8 km E Robat –e– Posht –e–Badam, Pond, 1200m, 18.VIII.1978 (#898) leg. K. Elmi (12 exs. CBSU) .

Description. TL 4.6–5.5 mm; MW 2.3–2.7 mm. Oblong-oval, slightly convex. Dorsal colouration dark yellow with brown patterns not very extended on elytra.

Head yellow, without dark markings. Mouthparts reddish, with last article of maxillary palpi darkened; antennae testaceous with last 5-6 articles widely darkened, especially last ones. Genae black.

Pronotum rather transverse, maximum width near half of its length. Sides rounded, bordered, posterior angles rahter rounded. Posterior side slightly sinuate, angle between pronotum and elytra slightly developed.

Elytra oblong-oval, with maximum width near middle, covered by fine yellow pubescence. Longitudinal rows of punctures hardly visible. Subapical spines not or hardly visible.

Dorsal colouration pale ( Fig. 37a–d): pronotum yellow with a thin brown band along anterior and posterior margins, with two poorly defined darker areas on disc. Elytra yellow with a brown pattern composed by longitudinal vittae, more or less confluent and broken, especially in subapical half, plus an external one reduced to a elongate macula. Sutural line very thin, black.

Underside black, prosternal process and distal portion of metacoxal process and third sternite reddish. Surface covered by dense and finely impressed punctuation. Reticulation hardly visible between punctures. Sternites with apical comb of small setae. Epipleuron yellow.

Legs dark, brownish-yellow, tarsi slightly darkened. Metatibiae with long row of setigerous punctures.

Male: Subapical spines on elytra almost invisible. Protarsi dilated. Anterior claws ( Fig. 37e–g) straight and acuminate: outer twice or three times as long as inner. Genitals ( Fig. 37h,i) as in N. lanceolatus .

Female: Posterior angles and lateral sides of pronotum slightly more rounded. Subapical spines on elytra more visible. Elytral apex slightly produced.

Distribution ( Fig. 51). This species, considered endemic to Northern Iran, has been recently recorded also for Afghanistan ( Hajek & Fery 2004); here it is recorded for the first time for eastern Turkmenistan, eastern Uzbekistan, and western Tajikistan. It seems associated with mountainous areas, but at lower altitude (max 700 m a.s.l. in Afghanistan).