Smicronyx (Chalybodontus) fulvipes Reiche & Saulcy, 1858

Haran, Julien, Schütte, André & Friedman, Ariel-Leib-Leonid, 2017, A review of Smicronyx Schoenherr (Coleoptera, Curculionidae) of Israel, with description of two new species, Zootaxa 4237 (1), pp. 17-40 : 19-20

1. Smicronyx (Chalybodontus) fulvipes Reiche & Saulcy, 1858

( Fig. 21)

Material examined. Upper Galilee: Hula , 25.iv.1971, D. Furth (1, SMNHTAU); Hurfeish , batha, 675 m, 33°01’N 35°21’E, 24.iv.2005, A. Timm & T. Assman, pitfall (1, SMNHTAU); ' En Ya’aqov, 19.iii.2007, I. Shtirberg (2, SMNHTAU); Carmel Ridge: Ramat haNadiv, 2005, R. Kirschenbaum (1, SMNHTAU), 27.iv.2006, E. Groner (1, SMNHTAU) ; Jordan Valley: ' En Gev , 28.iii.1939, Y. Palmoni (1, SMNHTAU); Deganya A, 12.viii.1964, Y. Palmoni (2, SMNHTAU); Shermurat Yarden Dromi, W. Bet Zera', 32°41’27’’N 35°34’12’’E, 7.iii.2006, M. Vonchak & V. Chikatunov (10, SMNHTAU); Bet She'an, 23.vii.1981, Q. Argaman (2, SMNHTAU) ; Central Coastal Plain: Zomet Geliliot , 24.ii.2013, A. Nir (1, SMNHTAU) ; Southern Coastal Plain: Lower Nahal Soreq [Rubin], 23.ii.1920, I. Aharoni (1, SMNHTAU); Rehovot , 20.x.1936, on maize, E. Rivnay (5, PPIS) ; Dead Sea Area: Yeriho [Jericho], 13.ii.1975, F. Kaplan (7, SMNHTAU); Qalya [Kalia], 8.iii.1976, M. Kaplan (1, SMNHTAU), 29.iii.1976, M. Kaplan (9, SMNHTAU). SYRIA: Lattaguié, Jableh, Bet Yashout, vi-vii.2013, "sur Orobanche parasite de Tabac et de Tomates ", H. Habak (2, CBGP).

Biology. This species was recorded on Veronica cf. beccabunga L. ( Sahlberg 1902) and on Orobanche sp. in Syria. Months of collection. Species of the subgenus Chalybodontus commonly develop on Orobanchaceae , but we didn’t find such indications on the material examined, neither during recent collecting. Months of collection: mainly February–October. Most of the specimens were collected on the ground, under stones or from pitfall traps (those collected by Groner, Kirschenbaum, Shtirberg, Timm and Assmann, Vonchak and Chikatunov). The collection of five specimens on maize in October 1936 in Rehovot would seem to be an accidental association. Distribution. In addition to the records from Israel and Syria noted above, this species also occurs in Greece (near Athens) from where it was first described ( Reiche & Saulcy, 1858). Such a discontinuous distribution could originate from a lack of data. In Israel the species is distributed throughout the country, in both Mediterranean and desert areas, mainly at low elevations, but isn’t found in the Negev and Arava Valley.

Discussion. The original description of this species is quite clear (Reiche & Saulcy, 1 858) and underscores the validity of the placement of this species in the subgenus Chalybodontus . Therefore, the position of this species in the genus Smicronyx s. str. in the Catalogue of Palearctic Curculionidae ( Caldara 2013) is probably a mistake.