Mycetochara ( Ernocharis ) zolotareffi Reitter, 1896

Nabozhenko, Maxim V., Martynov, Vladimir V. & Bulysheva, Natalia I., 2025, Two new species of Mycetochara Guérin-Méneville, 1827 (Coleoptera: Tenebrionidae: Alleculinae) from the Northern Cis-Azov region and the Northwestern Caucasus (Russia) with a new synonymy and a key to species of the European part of Russia, Zootaxa 5706 (3), pp. 397-425 : 414-418

Mycetochara ( Ernocharis) zolotareffi Reitter, 1896

( Figs 13 , 14 , 15 )

= Mycetochara ( Ernocharis) gracilicornis Roubal, 1935 , syn. nov.

Type material. Syntype of M. zolotareffi , 1♀ ( HNHM), examined by photo images courtesy Vladimír Novák .

Syntypes of M. gracilicornis , 1♂, 1♀ ( ZMMU) pinned on one pin: “Ca. b. Teberda VI. 912 Roubal”, 2 red labels “ Syntypus ”, 2 pink labels “№ ZMMU Col 02840 Zool. Mus. Mosq. Univ. ( Mosquae, ROSSIA)”, “№ ZMMU Col 02841 Zool. Mus. Mosq. Univ. ( Mosquae , ROSSIA)” . Syntypes were received by N.N. Dubrovin in an exchange with his Czech colleagues.

Material. Russia. 1♀ ( ZMSFU), Krasnodar Region, Mezmay , vi.1990 ( P. Bagin) ; 1♀ ( ZMSFU), same place, 15– 20.vi.1992 (E.A. Khachikov) ; 1♀ ( ZMSFU), same place, 20.voo.1996 ( Yu. G. Arzanov) ; 1♀ ( ZMSFU), Krasnodar Region, Verkhnee Makopse , 10.viii.1996 ( M.V. Nabozhenko) ; 1♂ ( ZMSFU), Krasnodar Region, Temnolesskaya , 17–22.vii.1999 ( V. Grebennikov) ; 1♂ ( ZMSFU), Krasnodar Region, Novoprokhladnyy , 27.v.2007 ( M. Saprykin) ; 7♂♂, 13♀♀ ( ZIN, PCMN), Krasnodar Region, Goryachy Klyuch env., 6–7.v.2019 (M. V. and S.V. Nabozhenko) ; 2♂♂, 2♀♀ ( PCMN), Krasnodar Region, Sochi, Adler District, Imereti lowland, 22.iv.–3.v.2021 ( E.A. Khachikov) ; 1♂, 6♀♀ ( PCMN), Krasnodar Region, Kabardinks , 9–10.v.2022 (M. V. and S.V. Nabozhenko) ; 5♀♀ ( PCMN), Krasnodar Region, Bakinskaya , 44.7411ʹN / 39.2887˚E, 18–19.v.2023 ( I.A. Zabaluev) ; 1♂ ( ZMSFU), Krasnodar Region, Sukko environs, 26–30.iv.2018 ( E.A. Khachikov) ; 1♀ ( PCMN), Krasnodar Region, 4 km E Sukko village , 44.7892˚N / 37.4794˚E, 15.v.2023 ( I.A. Zabaluev) ; 1♀ ( PCMN), Krasnodar Region, Gelendzhik, Yashamba River , 44.5916˚N / 37.9866˚E ( I.A. Zabaluev) ; 1♂ ( PCMN), Krasnodar Region, Novokrymsky , 44.9246˚N / 37.7946˚E, 22.v.2023 ( I.A. Zabaluev) ; 1♂ ( PCMN), Krasnodar Region, Ubinskaya , 44.7225˚N / 38.5330˚E, 20.v.2023 ( I.A. Zabaluev) ; 1♀ ( ZMSFU), Adygea, Maykop env., N coast of Belaya River , 21.vi.1997 (collector unknown) ; 1♂ ( ZMSFU), Adygea, environs of Guzeripl , window trap on pine, 1.vi–22.vi.2001 ( A.R. Bibin) ; 1♀ ( ZMSFU), Adygea, Maykop Distr., sanatorium “Lesnaya skazka” ( Forest tale), environs of ravin “Polkovtitskaya”, 44˚20.724ʹN, 40˚11.368ʹ, soil traps, 1–25.v.2014 ( A.R. Bibin) ; 1♂ ( PCMN), Stavropol Region, Zheleznovodsk, road to Zheleznaya Mt., 44.1437˚N / 43.02230˚E, litter, 6.v.2023 ( I.A. Zabaluev); Karachay-Cherkessia, Teberda , 20.vi.1993 ( Yu. G. Arzanov) ; 4♂♂, 3♀♀ ( ZIN, PCMN), Karachay-Cherkessia, Zakan , 43˚41ʹ56ʺN / 40˚47ʹ35ʺE, 1250–1300 m, 15–19.vi.2025 (M. V. and S.V. Nabozhenko) . Georgia. 1♂, 8♀♀ ( PCMN), Abkhazia, Gudauta, Dzindzaria Street , 6.v.2022 ( O.S. Guskova, S.V. Nabozhenko) ; 1♀ ( ZMSFU), Adjara, “Batum” ; 2♀♀ ( PCMN), Oni District, Utsera , 42°38ʹ43.8ʺN / 43°32ʹ52.1ʺE, 1050 m, 14– 15.06.2013 (M. V. and S.V. Nabozhenko) .

Variability. Specimens from foothills and the Caucasian coastal zone of Black Sea have dorsal pubescence of light yellowish setae (correspond to syntypes of M. zolotareffi from Uch-Dere) ( Fig. 15 ). Specimens from mountain areas of the Caucasus and mountain Crimea (to 1400 m both in the Caucasus and Crimea) are different entirely black pubescence (correspond to syntypes of M. gracilicornis from Teberda) ( Figs 13 , 14 ). Crimean specimens often have elytra pubescent by black or dark-brown setae and lighter pubescence of pronotum and head (although specimens with entirely light pubescence are also presented). The body colouration is also variable: from ochre, light brown or brown body and yellowish legs and distal and proximal antennomeres in foothills and coastal micropopulations to black body and reddish legs and proximal and distal antennomeres in mountain micropopulations. Middle antennomeres are also darker in mountain individuals. The male pronotum is also very variable: from almost square in foothill and coastal specimens to trapezoidal in several mountain micropopulations. It is worth noting that a wide range of the pronotal shape can be represented even in a single series of beetles collected together or in different years. Males from Karachay-Cherkessia have antennomeres slightly thinner, than males from other territories (compare Figs. 13A and 15C ), but this character variable in different micropopulations with thickest ones in some Crimean specimens. The male genitalia are identical throughout all the range.

Synonymy. Roubal (1935) described darker mountain specimens of M. zolotareffi from Teberda ( Karachay-Cherkessia, Russia) as a separate species. Two examined syntypes have dark-brown body with brown dorsal pubescence. Thus, the following synonymy is established: Mycetochara ( Ernocharis) zolotareffi Reitter, 1896 = Mycetochara ( Ernocharis) gracilicornis Roubal, 1935 , syn. nov.

Notes. Novák (2020a) recorded M. obtusicollis Reitter, 1899 for Armenia based on the female holotype and Russia ( Karachay-Cherkessia: Zakan) based on five males. We conducted a comprehensive collection of beetles in Zakan village and environs in 2025 and found three species: M. zolotareffi (dark form), M. angustifrons and M. ingushetica . This is the largest number of sympatric species we have found in a very small area. We collected seven specimens of the M. zolotareffi , including females, which are distinctly different from the female holotype of M. obtusicollis by the shape of the pronotum. The contour of parameres drawn by Novák (2020a) corresponds to those in M. zolotareffi , but without spines on lateral sides. In our experience, spines can easily fall off during dissection, so we are confident that the five males from Zakan listed as M. obtusicollis belong to M. zolotareffi .

Iablokoff-Khnzorian (1983) incorrectly synonymized M. obtusicollis ( type locality “Alagoes” = Aragats Mt.) with M. linearis Illiger, 1794 (now the junior synonym of M. maura (Fabricius, 1792)) . He mentioned that in Armenia this species occurs in open habitats, mountain steppes, under stones and in gerbil burrows. Only one Transcaucasian species, M. armeniaca Novák, 2022 , was collected in such habitats ( Nabozhenko & Gadaborsheva 2023), which sharply distinguishes it from the forest xylobiont M. maura . We checked specimens in the collection of Iablokoff-Khnzorian (PCMK) from the type locality Aragats as well as specimens from other localities. All of them belong to M. obtusicollis / M. armeniaca . We have not found any significant differences between M. obtusicollis and M. armeniaca and believe that these names should be synonymized. In any case, M. obtusicollis should be excluded from the fauna of Russia.

Distribution. Russia: Krasnodar (foothills and low mountains, coast of Black Sea) ( Nikitsky et al. 2008; as M. gracilicornis ) and Stavropol (Caucasian Mineral Waters area) regions ( Nabozhenko 2022, as M. gracilicornis ; PCMN), Karachay-Cherkessia (Teberda, Zakan), Crimean peninsula: southern part, Yalta, Alma valley, Baydar valley (ZIN); Georgia, Abkhazia ( Nabozhenko 2022, as M. gracilicornis ), Kazbek Mt. ( Reitter 1896), Utsera, Batumi (present material). The species was erroneously listed also for Turkey (Klein-Asien) by Seidlitz (1896) based on specimens from Reitter’s collection and repeatedly in several catalogues, including the last one ( Novák 2020b). Reitter (1908) already wrote about this error of G. Seidlitz and once again reminded that the species originates from the Caucasus. Thus, the species must be excluded from Turkish fauna. Since the species was collected in Batumi 20 km from the Turkish border, it may be found in northeastern Turkey in the future.

Figures

FIGURE 13. Mycetochara (Ernocharis) zolotareffi, mountain dark form, habitus, details.A = male habitus; B = female habitus; C = aedeagus, dorsal view; D = aedeagus, lateral view; E = male, head and pronotum; F = female, head and pronotum.

FIGURE 14. Mycetochara (Ernocharis) zolotareffi, syntypes of M. gracilicornis (new junior synonym), habitus, labels (ZMMU). A = male; B = female; C = labels.

FIGURE 15. Mycetochara (Ernocharis) zolotareffi, foothill and coastal form, syntype, habitus, details. A = male, habitus (Goryachy Kluch, Krasnodar Region, Russia); B = ditto, female; C = male, habitus (Crimean Peninsula) (photograph of K.V. Makarov from https://www.zin.ru/Animalia/coleoptera/rus/myclinkm.htm); D = female, syntype; E = male, head and pronotum (Goryachy Kluch, Krasnodar Region, Russia); F = aedeagus dorsal view; G = aedeagus, lateral view.