Zorochros parvus Nasserzadeh & Platia, 2023

Nasserzadeh, Hiva, Platia, Giuseppe & Serri, Sayeh, 2023, A new species of Zorochros from Iran, with additional records and an updated checklist of Iranian species of this genus (Coleoptera: Elateridae, Negastriinae), Fragmenta entomologica 55 (2), pp. 191-194 : 191-193

Zorochros parvus Nasserzadeh & Platia , sp. nov.

( Figs 1–2 , 5 )

triangular, approximately 1.5 times longer than width; last antennomere slightly longer than penultimate, ellipsoidal.

Pronotum 1.1 × wider than long, widest at middle, convex; sides arcuate, from posterior third narrowing, distinctly sinuated before the posterior angle, the latter stout, divergent and not carinate; the entire surface is punctured-granulated, punctures dense and coarse, granules more densely distributed over the central part of the disk.

Scutellum as long as wide, slightly sinuated at apex and convex.

Elytra approximately two times longer than pronotum and as wide as pronotum at widest length; flat on the central part, abruptly sloping at sides; sides parallel from apical base to posterior third, then converging to the apices;

Type locality. Iran: Lorestan province, Pol-e Dokhtar County, ca. 5 km. West of Saramad village .

Type material. Holotype: ♂ ( HMIM): Iran: “ Lorestan prov. / Andimeshk to Khorramabad / hwy., ca. 50 km N Andimeshk, 586 m., N32 57 47.7 E48 08 43.1, 10.VI.2019, leg. H. Nasserzadeh ” . Paratypes: 2 ♂♂ ( HMIM) , 1 ♂ ( CGP): same data as holotype. [aedeagi of all three type specimens mounted in Euparal® on transparent card] .

Diagnosis: The species is characterized by its small size and coloration, and by the acarinate posterior angles of pronotum. It is comparable with Z. pallicrus (Desbrochers des Loges, 1875) , from which it can be easily distinguished by the less convex body and the coarser and granulated punctuation of pronotum.

Description. Male ( Fig. 1a ). Body shiny black to brown with four yellowish or pale spots (a first pair on humeral angles, a second one before the elytral apex; Fig. 1a ); first to third antennomeres yellow; tibia, tarsus and distal end of the femurs yellow; body covered by short, very fine, whitish pubescence.

Head with flat frons, moderately granulated with sem- icircular anterior margin. Antennae not reaching the posterior pronotal angles, being shorter by approximately one antennomere; slightly serrated from fourth antennomere; second and fourth antennomeres equal in length, third slightly smaller than both; fourth to tenth antennomeres

Material examined. 1 ♀ ( HMIM): Iran: Kermanshah province, Javanrood to Tazeh-abad Rd., 13km. W. Javanrood, Aliabad , 34.47.57.7N, 46.23.54.4E, 1127 m, 29 May 2007, leg. H. Nasserzadeh, R. Zahiri, O. Montreuil ; 2 ♀♀ ( HMIM): Iran: Ilam province, Dehloran to Abdanan rd., Cham Kabood , 32.55.0.5N, 47.31.31.9E, 743 m, 6 May 2008, leg. H. Nasserzadeh, M. R. Nematian, O. Montreuil .

Distribution. Europe: Azerbaijan, Armenia, Georgia, Russia (South European Territory); Asia: Kyrgyzstan, Turkmenistan, Turkey ( Cate 2007). New record for Iran ( Fig. 5 ).

eight striae regularly marked, the three lateral ones not complete, interstriae flat and finely punctured.

Femurs simple; tibiae sub-straight, not dilated.

Aedeagus as in Fig. 1b, c (length 0.35–0.40 mm).

Female. Unknown.

Size. Length 1.9–2.1 mm; width 0.6–0.7 mm.

Distribution: Western Iran ( Fig. 5 ).

Etymology. The name refers to the small size of the species (from the Latin parvus , meaning small).

Habitat. Riverbanks, in gravel and/or under stones.

Figures

Fig. 1 – Zorochros parvus sp. nov., male holotype. a, Dorsal habitus; b, aedeagus, dorsal view, photography by compound microscope, 40×; c, aedeagus, dorsal view, photography by compound microscope, 10×.

Fig. 2 – Habitat of Zorochros parvus sp. nov. in its type locality.

Fig. 5 – Distribution map of Zorochros parvus sp. nov. and Z. murinus (Reitter, 1895) in Iran.