Lacon lithophilus ( Candèze, 1857 )

Kundrata, Robin, Mertlik, Josef & Németh, Tamás, 2019, Unexpected diversity of Lacon Laporte, 1838 (Coleoptera: Elateridae: Agrypninae) in the Levant: revised species concepts, new species, and an identification key, Zootaxa 4679 (3), pp. 401-449 : 421-424

Lacon lithophilus ( Candèze, 1857)

( Figs 80–99 , 194 )

Adelocera lithophila Candèze, 1857: 60 .

Lacon lithophilus: Fleutiaux (1926: 94) ; see Hayek (1973: 14, 69).

Lacon freidbergi Platia, 2010: 25 ; syn. nov.

Type material. Adelocera lithophila . Described based on the material from Egypt. Exact number of specimens unknown; one syntype (without abdomen) present in RBINS, Brussels ( Figs 80, 81 ). For more details see Hayek (1973: 69, 1979: 197).

Lacon freidbergi . Holotype, male, „ Israel, N Negev, Hazerim, 28.II.1989, E. Orbach [leg.], Holotypus Lacon freidbergi n. sp., G. Platia descr.” ( SMNH). Paratype, female, “Israel — Central Negev, 6 km sud [south] Sede Boqer, 21.3.[19]95, G. Sama leg., Paratypus Lacon freidbergi n. sp., G. Platia descr.” ( PCGP); 2 paratypes, males, “Israel — Central Negev, 4/ 20 km. est [east] Dimona, 22.2.[19]97, G. Sama leg., Paratypus Lacon freidbergi n. sp., G. Platia descr.” ( PCGP); Paratype, male, “Israel, N Negev, Hazerim, 26.I.1990, E. Orbach [leg.], Paratypus Lacon freidbergi n. sp., Platia-Preiss” ( SMNH); Paratype, female, “Dimona, Israel, 30.IV.1959, J. Wahrman, No. 28/IX-00 TU coll, Paratypus Lacon freidbergi n. sp., Platia-Preiss” ( SMNH); Paratype, male, “Israel — Negev, Strada Beer Sheva — Dimona, 15/3/2008, Leg Tedeschi, Paratypus Lacon freidbergi n. sp., G. Platia descr.” ( PCGP); Paratype, female, “Israele-strada, Dimona — Beer Sheva, IV-1994, Leg. Tedeschi, Paratypus Lacon freidbergi n. sp., G. Platia descr.” ( PCGP); Jordan, paratype, male, „[Jordan] Amman Transj., 12.4.[19]35, W. Wittmer, Paratypus Lacon freidbergi n. sp., G. Platia descr.” ( PCGP). Remaining paratypes with the following data were not examined in this study: “Israel, N Negev, Hazerim, 5.IV.1987; 28.III.1991, 6.III.1993, E. Orbach; on road between Hazerim-Ofaqim, 23.IV.1997, E. & B. Orbach; Gvulot, 6.IV.1985, leg. E. Shney-Dor; Nahal Boqer, 5.IV.1999, V. Chikatunov; Negev, Hazerim, 12.III.2008, Tedeschi; Jordan: 10 km NNE of Jarash, 20.IV.2002, M. Snizek”. For more information see Platia (2010). Four paratypes of L. freidbergi from Jordan (50 km S Amman) were transferred to the newly established L. platiai sp. nov.

Type locality. Egypt .

Other material examined. Egypt, 1 male, „ Aegyptia [Egypt], Coll. Stierlin, A. lithophila Cand., Mars. “ ( SDEI); 1 female, „ lithophila Cand. , Egypt, Coll. Kraatz “ ( SDEI); Israel, 1 male, „[Israel] Ramla, Coll. Stierlin ” ( SDEI); 1 male, “ Israel: Mizpé Har, Horesha, 17.iv.1998, on Brassicaceae, A. Freidberg [leg.] , Paratypus Lacon fre- idbergi n. sp., Platia & Preiss 2000 [labelled as paratype but not mentioned in the original description ( Platia 2010: 25)]” ( SMNH); 1 male, “DFF Leuthner , Jerusal. , 3.85, Coll. Kraatz, Adelocera lithophila Candèze , det. Dr. Pečírka “ ( SDEI); 1 male, „ Israel: Ezuz, 15.iii.2007, V. Kravchenko [leg.], light trap,? Lacon freidbergi ? det. V. Chikatunov “ ( SMNH); 1 male, „ Coll. Kraatz, det. Fleutiaux [no locality data]” ( SDEI); country unknown , 1 female, „Syria, coll. Schwarz, lithophila “ ( SDEI) ; 1 male, „ lithophila, As. m. Leder, Coll. Kraatz, Adeloc. lithophila Candèze , det. Dr. Pečírka “ ( SDEI) .

Comparative remarks. This species resembles L. candezei , L. ganglbaueri , and L. solai based on the body size, habitus, reddish brown to brown coloration, and elongate pronotum in males. It differs in having a usually slightly lighter body and pubescence, male antennae shorter, not reaching posterior angles of pronotum, aedeagus with longer median lobe and differently shaped parameres, ovipositor in females only about 2.0–2.5 times as long as the width of a large sclerite of bursa copulatrix (about 3–4 times in the above mentioned species), and a large sclerite of bursa copulatrix relatively larger, more transverse, and with denser spines and spinules ( Figs 36–38, 44–46, 49–51 , 52–54, 59, 62–64 , 70, 71, 77–79 , 80–87 , 95–99 ).

Diagnostic characters. Male ( Figs 80–85 , 88–90, 92–96 ). Body 7.5–13.4 mm long and 2.4–3.8 mm wide (syntype of A. lithophila : 7.2 mm long, 2.2 mm wide; holotype of L. freidbergi : 10.8 mm long, 2.9 mm wide). Body moderately shiny to shiny, reddish brown to brown (in some cases dark brown), with antennae, pronotal posterior angles and legs slightly lighter; covered with combination of white and greyish to pale brown setae (in some cases pronotum covered only with white setae), all moderately long and thick. Antenna moderately long, surpassing 3/4 of pronotal length or almost reaching pronotal posterior angles. Antennomere III about 1.3 times as long as antennomere IV, median antennomeres serrate, about 1.00–1.15 times as wide as long. Pronotum 1.2–1.3 times as long as wide, sides almost subparallel, with posterior angles subparallel to slightly divergent, disk moderately densely to densely covered with large, moderately deep punctures, intervals between punctures usually 0.5–1.0 times as a diameter of puncture. Scutellar shield about 1.35–1.50 times as long as wide, with anterior margin slightly concave. Elytra 2.2–2.4 as long as wide, and 2.15–2.40 times as long as pronotum, with punctures of two sizes; smaller punctures of about 2/3 of size of larger punctures. Aedeagus with median lobe almost reaching apices of parameres, gradually narrowing toward apex; paramere subparallel-sided in more than basal half, then sinuate, apically with inner sides slightly diverging; apical parameral lobe robust, rounded; subapical hook short and sharp.

Female ( Figs 86, 87 , 91, 97–99 ). Body 10.0–13.0 mm long and 2.7–3.8 mm wide. Body more robust than in male. Antenna shorter, not reaching 2/3 of pronotal length. Antennomere III 1.15–1.20 times as long as antennomere IV, median antennomeres serrate, about as long as wide. Pronotum relatively shorter and wider, 1.10–1.15 times as long as wide, sides widely to equally rounded, posterior angles subparallel to slightly convergent. Elytra combined 2.10–2.25 times as long as wide, about 2.1 times as long as pronotum. Ovipositor and sclerites of bursa copulatrix as in Figs 97–99 , respectively.

Immature stages unknown.

Intraspecific variability. This species is slightly variable in the body size, the shape of pronotum and the density of spines in the large sclerite of bursa copulatrix ( Figs 80–90, 98, 99 ). Most males are only up to about 11 mm long, including both available specimens from Egypt ( Figs 80–83 ). One male specimen from Israel: Ezuz resembles a female with his large size (13.4 mm long, 3.8 mm wide), habitus and a relatively shorter and more robust pronotum.

Distribution. Egypt, Israel (new country record), Jordan (new country record) ( Fig. 194 ).

Literature. Candèze (1857: 60): original description of A. lithophila ; Schwarz (1906: 12): catalogue [as Adelocera ]; Schenkling (1925: 10): catalogue [as Adelocera ]; Fleutiaux (1926: 94): catalogue, nomenclatural note; Hayek (1973: 69, 1979: 197): revision; Cate (2007: 101): cataogue; Platia (2010: 25): original description of L. freidbergi .

Remarks. We found no morphological differences between Lacon lithophilus ( Candèze, 1857) and L. freid- bergi Platia, 2010, and therefore we synonymize here the latter with L. lithophilus .

The data in the locality label „As. m. Leder“ (i.e., Asia Minor, leg. Leder) under one of the examined specimens is dubious taking into consideration the currently known distribution of L. lithophilu s (i.e., the southern Levant and Egypt; Fig. 194 ). Additionally, there is a female specimen from „ Syria “ (collection of O. Schwarz, SDEI) which is not possible to assign to the country where it was collected since historical Syria included also other present-day countries.

Figures

FIGURE 194. Distribution of Lacon spp. in the mainland Levant. Dots representing L. candezei in Lebanon and Syria are only approximate since there are no exact data for these countries.

FIGURES 80–87. Habitus of Lacon lithophilus. 80–81, syntype, male, dorsal and lateral view, respectively; 82–83, male from Egypt, dorsal and lateral view, respectively; 84–85, holotype of L. freidbergi, male, dorsal and lateral view, respectively; 86, female from Egypt, dorsal view; 87, female paratype of L. freidbergi, dorsal view. Scale bars = 2.0 mm.

FIGURES 88–99. Morphology of Lacon lithophilus. Pronotum: 88, syntype, male; 89, male from Egypt; 90, holotype of L. freidbergi, male; 91, paratype of L. freidbergi, female. Detail of elytral surface: 92, male from Egypt; 93, holotype of L. freid- bergi, male. 94, abdominal terminal segments of male from Egypt. Male genitalia: 95, specimen from Egypt; 96, holotype of L. freidbergi. 97, female paratype of L. freidbergi, ovipositor. Sclerites of bursa copulatrix: 98, female from Egypt; 99, female paratype of L. freidbergi. Scale bars = 1.0 mm (Figs 88–91), 0.5 mm (Figs 94–99); Figs 92 and 93 not to scale.

FIGURES 36–51. Morphology of Lacon candezei. Habitus: 36–37, lectotype, male, dorsal and lateral view, respectively; 38, male from Jordan, dorsal view; 39, female from Jordan, dorsal view. Pronotum, dorsal view: 40, lectotype, male; 41, male from Jordan; 42, female from Jordan. 43, lectotype, male, detail of elytral surface. Male genitalia: 44, lectotype; 45, specimen from Jordan; 46, specimen from Israel. Female pregenital segments and genitalia of specimen from Jordan: 47, tergite VIII; 48, sternite VIII; 49, ovipositor; 50, sclerites of bursa copulatrix. 51, female from Israel, sclerites of bursa copulatrix. Scale bars = 2.0 mm (Figs 36–39), 1.0 mm (Figs 40–42, 48–49), 1.5 mm (Figs 44–47), 0.2 mm (Figs 50–51); Fig. 43 not to scale.

FIGURES 52–64. Morphology of Lacon ganglbaueri. Habitus: 52–53, lectotype, male, dorsal and lateral view, respectively; 54, male from Lebanon, dorsal view; 55, female from Lebanon, dorsal view. Pronotum, dorsal view: 56, male lectotype; 57, female paralectotype. Lectotype, male: 58, detail of elytral surface; 59, aedeagus. Female paralectotype, pregenital segments and genitalia: 60, tergite VIII; 61, sternite VIII; 62, ovipositor; 63, large sclerite of bursa copulatrix. 64, female from Lebanon, large sclerite of bursa copulatrix. Scale bars = 2.0 mm (Figs 52–55), 1.0 mm (Figs 56–57), 0.5 mm (Figs 59–62), 0.2 mm (Figs 63–64); Fig. 58 not to scale.

FIGURES 70–79. Morphology of Lacon solai. Habitus: 70–71, holotype, male, dorsal and lateral view, respectively; 72–73, female, dorsal and lateral view, respectively. Pronotum, dorsal view: 74, holotype, male; 75, female. 76, holotype, male, detail of elytral surface. 77, holotype, male genitalia. 78, female, ovipositor. 79, female, sclerites of bursa copulatrix. Scale bars = 2.0 mm (Figs 70–73, 78), 1.0 mm (Figs 74–75), 0.5 mm (Figs 77, 79); Fig. 76 not to scale.