Anoplistes jacobsoni Baeckmann, 1904 *

Karpinski, Lech, Szczepanski, Wojciech T., lewa, Radoslaw, Walczak, Marcin, Hilszczanski, Jacek, Kruszelnicki, Lech, Los, Krzysztof, Jaworski, Tomasz, Marek Bidas, & Tarwacki, Grzegorz, 2018, New data on the distribution, biology and ecology of the longhorn beetles from the area of South and East Kazakhstan (Coleoptera, Cerambycidae), ZooKeys 805, pp. 59-126 : 78-80

Anoplistes jacobsoni Baeckmann, 1904 * Figs 3A, B, 11 A–C

Material examined.

Kyzylorda Region: Tartogay env. [ Тартогай] (44°25'N, 66°13'E), 135 m a.s.l., 7 VI 2017, 22♂♂, 11♀♀, leg. LK; 38♂♂, 16♀♀, leg. WTS; 20♂♂, 5♀♀, leg. MB; 40♂♂, 17♀♀, leg. MW.

Remarks.

This is an endemic Kazakh species that is only known from several localities along the lower and middle course of the Syr Darya River in the southern part of the country. According to Plavilstshikov (1940), A. jacobsoni is ecologically associated with Tamarix and Elaeagnus . However, Kostin (1974) and Kadyrbekov et al. (1996) barely mentioned the larval development in Halimodendron . Many aspects of the species biology including the duration of its life cycle remain unknown. The adults appear from the end of May to June and can be found on host plants ( Kadyrbekov et al. 1996).

Our own observations clearly indicate that Plavilstshikov’s data (1940) regarding the host plants are wrong. The species was observed in large numbers in a tugay habitat with Halimodendron , Tamarix and Elaeagnus (Fig. 11D). Anoplistes jacobsoni is ecologically associated with the common salt tree Halimodendron halodendron (Fig. 11E) and none of the individuals were observed on blossoming tamarisks or on oleasters despite the significant share of these plants in the habitat. Additionally, no emergence holes matching this longhorn beetle were found on the two last plant species mentioned, unlike the common salt tree on which many of them were observed. Therefore, Plavilstshikov probably recorded the main woody plants that formed the tugays in the habitat on which the species was found. According to our observations and based on the distribution of certain plant species, A. jacobsoni seems monophagous on Halimodendron halodendron . The larvae and feeding galleries (Fig. 11F) of this species were found in the stems and branches 2 to 5 cm in diameter. The adult emergence holes were located at heights that ranged from approx. 10 cm to 1 m above ground level. Although they were not usually concentrated, sometimes a few of them were situated about a dozen cm from each other. The larvae initially feed on living shoots, which died afterwards. The imagines were observed during a scorching (35 °C) day from around 10:30 a.m., when the males (Fig. 11A) were already actively but rather slowly flying in the upper parts of the most impressive shrubs (Fig. 11E). Most of females (Fig. 11B) that were collected were sitting on the shady leaves of the lower branches. However, some copulating pairs (Fig. 11C) were spotted before noon as well. The highest activity of the beetles occurred around noon and although the flight of the adults began to end after that, some individuals were still found sitting on the leaves and branches. At around 1 p.m., the number of visible individuals quickly started to decrease until about 1:30 p.m. when most of the beetles were already hidden from the heat. No adults were observed again until late in the afternoon (about 4 p.m.) and as time passed, their numbers began to gradually increase. Most of the specimens were collected around 5-6 p.m. while they sitting or copulating in different parts of shrubs, mostly in exposed places but sometimes also in the shade. At that time, most of the mating couples were observed; however, despite the largest number of individuals, not many were actively flying. In the evening hours, the beetles started to hide again so the last specimens were observed before 8 p.m. This was clearly the climax of the appearance of this species despite the fact that the Halimodendron shrubs were already faded at that time. The males prevailed in the population (ratio of approx. 2:1). Nevertheless, freshly emerged individuals were also found. Anoplistes jacobsoni was observed sympatrically with Chlorophorus elaeagni , which visited the blossoming tamarisks exclusively.