Platyderus (Eremoderus) taghizadehi Morvan, 1974

Gueorguiev, Borislav, Wrase, David W., Assmann, Thorsten, Muilwijk, Jan & Machard, Patrice, 2022, Taxonomic revision of the African and Southwest Asian species of Platyderus Stephens, subg. Eremoderus Jeanne (Coleoptera, Carabidae, Sphodrini), Deutsche Entomologische Zeitschrift 69 (1), pp. 71-122 : 71

11. Platyderus (Eremoderus) taghizadehi Morvan, 1974

Figs 2E , 5F , 7G , 8I , 10I , 12H , 14C , 17

Platyderus taghizadehi Morvan, 1974: 147 (type locality: “l’Elburz, massif du Sutak-kuh, Dizine 3500 m").

Notes on type locality.

The Mount Sutak Kuh is situated in the province of Mazandaran (southwestern part of Nur County), and lies in the Central Alborz Range, at ca. 3500 m altitude. Its approximate GPS coordinates are 36.153, 51.456, referring to a point situated ca. 300 m higher than the height Morvan mentioned (ibid.). The type locality locates somewhere between the Sutak Kuh Peak, in the north, and the Dīzīn Ski Resort, in the south. Roughly, it may be defined as a site in the plot Kandovān Tunnel - Āzād Kuh Peak - Kholeno Lake - Dīzīn Ski Resort. Spatially, it is a point geographically situated midway between the type localities of P. ledouxi (vicinities of Rudbarak) and P. klapperichi sp. nov. (vicinities of Damavand City).

References.

Platyderus taghizadehi : Lorenz 1998: 375; Hovorka and Sciaky 2003: 523; Lorenz 2005: 396; Azadbakhsh and Nozari 2015: 84; Hovorka 2017: 759.

Type material.

Holotype ♂ in private collection Pierre Morvan (Carentoir, France). Not examined.

Other material examined.

Iran: Tehran Province: 1♀, ʻIR Alburz Dizin / 36°2'00.6"N, 51°26'00.5"E / 3300-3600m 10.06.17 / Muilwijk J // Platyderus taghizadehi / Morvan / Muilwijk 2017' (cMUI); 1♂, 'IR Tehran Tochal / 35°53'26.2"N, 51°24'25.1"E / 3550m 27.06.17 / Seiedy / Muilwijk // Platyderus taghizadehi / Morvan / Muilwijk 2017' (cMUI) .

TME: 2 specimens. TGE: 1♂, 1♀.

Diagnosis.

A species of medium size for Platyderus , with anterior side of mesofemur ventrally with three setiferous punctures. It is distinct from the closely related P. ledouxi by pronotum about a third wider than head (PW/HW= 1.31-1.33), with apex compared with widest point less constricted (PW/PA <1.40), and elytra in relation to pronotum significantly wider (EW/PW>1.38). See also “Diagnosis” under P. ledouxi .

Redescription

(based on non-type material). Habitus. Moderately large-sized specimens for Platyderus species (BL: 7.10-7.20 mm; BW: 2.40 mm), with elongate and slender body (Fig. 2E ). Measurements and ratios. See Table 2 . Color and lustre. Integument of body orange-brown, appendages slightly lighter than body. Surface moderately shiny. Microsculpture and punctation. Pronotum largely with reduced sculpticells or without microsculpture, traces of isodiametric sculpticells present only laterally. Ventral surface (excluding gula and prosternal process) microsculptured, genae, mentum, submentum, proepisternum and ventrites 2-3 medially with regular isodiametric meshes, abdominal ventrites laterally and legs with slightly stretched isodiametric sculpticells. Prosternum scarcely punctate. Head. Two thirds as wide as pronotum (mean PW/HW= 1.32). Head. Significantly narrower than pronotum (mean PW/HW= 1.48). Antennae long, with last three antennomeres exceeding base of pronotum. Eyes long, little convex. Labrum subrectangular, with anterior margin concave. Frontal furrows small, subfoveolate. Paraorbital sulci moderately deep, ending slightly before level of posterior supraorbital pore. Thorax. Pronotum sub-quadrate, barely wider than long (mean PW/PL= 1.09), widest at second quarter. Anterior and posterior transverse impressions indistinct. Sides rather sinuate, convex anteriorly, concave posteriorly; mean PW/PA= 1.35, mean PW/PB= 1.18; bead of anterior margin present laterally, reduced in medial 1/6; bead of posterior margin reduced to absent in medial 1/5 to 1/3. Metepisternum longer than wide, MA/MI about 0.9. Elytra. Long, cylindrical, one and two thirds as long as wide (mean EL/EW= 1.67), wider and much longer than pronotum (mean EW/PW= 1.42; mean EL/PL= 2.57). Stria 7 not reach basal margin. Elytral interval 3 with three discal setiferous punctures (specimen from Dizin with four punctures on left elytron, as an additional one between second and third normal puncture) located as follows: anterior puncture adjoining stria 2, stria 3 or in middle of interval 3, medial puncture adjoining stria 2 or in midst of interval 3, posterior puncture adjoining stria 2. Umbilicate setiferous series consisting of 16 punctures on each elytron in specimen from Tochal, and with 15 punctures on each elytron in specimen from Dizin. Legs. Posterior side of profemur with one seta in basal third and one in medial third. Mesofemur with three setiferous punctures on anterior side ventrally (Fig. 5F ), but one specimen has two punctures on one mesofemur. Anterior side of metafemur ventrally with two long setae, one in basal third and one in medial third. Male genitalia. Urite IX small, suboval, with proximal margin slightly asymmetrical (Fig. 7G ). Median lobe of aedeagus in lateral view with shaft shorter than that in P. ledouxi and more curved than that in P. lassallei sp. nov., and with apex turned up; median lobe in ventral view straight, ca. 3.7 times longer than wide, with apical lamella slightly asymmetrical. Internal sac of same structure as in P. ledouxi , but dorsal sclerite in ventral view with left-sided protuberances somewhat larger. Right paramere shorter and more crooked than that of P. ledouxi (Fig. 12H ). Female genitalia (Fig. 14C ). Apical gonocoxite with pointed apex and two dorsolateral ensiform setae. Bursa copulatrix smaller than that of P. ledouxi . Spermathecal canal connected in medial third of receptaculum.

Habitat.

All specimens hitherto known were found in open places at high altitudes between 3300 m and 3600 m. The two specimens collected by JM in June 2017 were caught from under stones in rather steep green mountain meadows (without bushes or trees). At the time of its collection the place was not dry, probably due to the thaw just a few weeks before and to some water streamed down.

Distribution.

North Iran, Central Alborz Range (Fig. 17 ). The species occurs in the area where three Iranian provinces, Mazandaran, Alborz and Tehran, are touching each other.

Notes.

Three metric measurements made by Morvan (1974: 147), i.e. width (1.15 mm), length (1.13 mm) of pronotum and length of elytra (2.1 mm), are certainly wrong. If these are correct, then we should have a total length of the pronotum and elytra 3.23 mm, but then the length of head should be at least 4 mm as far as the holotype of P. taghizadehi has length of body 7.5 mm (ibid.: 147).

Being a male specimen, the holotype of P. taghizadehi (or topotypic males) must be studied for two reasons. Firstly, this investigation can support the current taxonomic affinity with P. ledouxi because the distance in a straight line between the population of P. ledouxi southwest of Rudarbak and the type locality of P. taghizadehi is only about 50 kilometers and it is unclear whether the Chalus River acts as a biogeographical barrier. Furthermore, it is necessary to confirm the conspecificity of the populations from Sutak Kuh Peak and Tochal Peak (here last referred to as P. taghizadehi ), so that the two local forms of P. taghizadehi can be distinguished from P. klapperichi sp. nov. (from Damavand County).

" Platyderus Eremoderus afghanistanicus " species group

Figures

Figure 2. Dorsal habitus. A. Platyderus (Eremoderus) sp., female specimen, Karabet Pass, Turkey; B. P. (E.) lassallei, sp. nov., female paratype, E Qolqol, Mazandaran Province, Iran; C. P. (E.) klapperichi, sp. nov., holotype; D. P. (E.) ledouxi Morvan, 1974, male specimen, 10 km S Hasan Keif, Mazandaran Province, Iran; E. P. (E.) taghizadehi Morvan, 1974, male specimen, Tochal, Tehran Province, Iran. Scale bars: 1 mm.

Figure 5. Mesofemora, anterior side (A-D: left mesofemur, E-I: right mesofemur; white arrows and dots indicate position of setiferous punctures). A. Platyderus (Eremoderus) weiratheri Maran, 1940, female specimen, Boz dag koey env., Izmir District, Turkey; B. P. (E.) felixi, sp. nov., topotype female paratype; C. P. (E.) iranicus, sp. nov., topotype female paratype; D. P. (E.) lassallei, sp. nov., female paratype, Iran, Mazandaran Province, E Qolqol; E. P. (E.) klapperichi, sp. nov., holotype; F. P. (E.) taghizadehi Morvan, 1974, male specimen, Tochal, Tehran Province, Iran; G. P. (E.) afghanistanicus, sp. nov., holotype; H. P. (E.) brunneus ferrantei Reitter, 1909, lectotype; I. P. (E.) languidus (Reiche & Saulcy, 1855), female specimen, Netanya 1.3.97, Central District, Israel. Scale bars: 0.5 mm.

Figure 7. Urite, ventral view. A. Platyderus (Eremoderus) chatzakiae, sp. nov., holotype; B. P. (E.) weiratheri Maran, 1940, E: topotype male specimen; C. P. (E.) felixi, sp. nov., holotype; D. P. (E.) vrabeci, sp. nov., holotype; E. P. (E.) lassallei, sp. nov., holotype; F. P. (E.) ledouxi Morvan, 1974, male specimen, 10 km S Hasan Keif, Mazandaran Province, Iran; G. P. (E.) taghizadehi Morvan, 1974, male specimen, Tochal, Tehran Province, Iran; H. P. (E.) afghanistanicus, sp. nov., holotype; I. P. (E.) brunneus brunneus Karsch, 1881, male specimen, 50 km W of Ben Gardane, Medenine Governorate, Tunisia; J. P. (E.) brunneus ferrantei Reitter, 1909, male specimen, Holot Haluza, Southern District, Israel; K. P. (E.) jordanensis, sp. nov., holotype; L. P. (E.) languidus (Reiche & Saulcy, 1855), lectotype; M. P. (E.) languidus (Reiche & Saulcy, 1855), male specimen, Na ẖal Prat, Judea and Samaria Area, Israel; N. P. (Platyderus) sp., male specimen, Boz Daglar Mtn., Turkey; O. P. (P.) reticulatus (Chaudoir), male specimen, Tashehzeh, Nowshahr County, Mazandaran Province, Iran. Scale bars: 0.5 mm.

Figure 8. Median lobe of aedeagus, left lateral view. A. Platyderus (Eremoderus) chatzakiae, sp. nov., holotype; B. P. (E.) weiratheri Maran, 1940, lectotype; C. P. (E.) felixi, sp. nov., holotype; D. P. (E.) iranicus, sp. nov., holotype; E. P. (E.) vanensis, sp. nov., holotype; F. P. (E.) vrabeci, sp. nov., holotype; G. P. (E.) lassallei, sp. nov., holotype; H. P. (E.) ledouxi Morvan, 1974, male specimen, 10 km S Hasan Keif, Mazandaran Province, Iran; I. P. (E.) taghizadehi Morvan, 1974, male specimen, Tochal, Tehran Province, Iran; J. P. (Platyderus) sp., male specimen, vicinity of Izmir City, Turkey. Scale bars: 0.2 mm.

Figure 10. Median lobe of aedeagus, ventral view. A. Platyderus (Eremoderus) chatzakiae, sp. nov., holotype; B. P. (E.) weiratheri Maran, 1940, lectotype; C. P. (E.) felixi, sp. nov., holotype; D. P. (E.) iranicus, sp. nov., holotype; E. P. (E.) vanensis, sp. nov., holotype; F. P. (E.) vrabeci, sp. nov., holotype; G. P. (E.) lassallei, sp. nov., holotype; H. P. (E.) ledouxi Morvan, 1974, male specimen, 10 km S Hasan Keif, Mazandaran Province, Iran; I. P. (E.) taghizadehi Morvan, 1974, male specimen, Tochal, Tehran Province, Iran; J. P. (Platyderus) sp., male specimen, vicinity of Izmir City, Turkey; K. P. (P.) sp., male specimen, Boz Daglar Mtn., Turkey. Scale bars: 0.2 mm.

Figure 12. Right paramere, external face. A. Platyderus (Eremoderus) chatzakiae, sp. nov., holotype; B. P. (E.) weiratheri Maran, 1940, lectotype; C. P. (E.) felixi, sp. nov., holotype; D. P. (E.) iranicus, sp. nov., holotype; E. P. (E.) vrabeci, sp. nov., holotype; F. P. (E.) lassallei, sp. nov., holotype; G. P. (E.) ledouxi Morvan, 1974, male specimen, 10 km S Hasan Keif, Mazandaran Province, Iran; H. P. (E.) taghizadehi Morvan, 1974, male specimen, Tochal, Tehran Province, Iran; I. P. (E.) afghanistanicus, sp. nov., holotype; J. P. (E.) brunneus brunneus Karsch, 1881, male specimen, 50 km W of Ben Gardane, Medenine Governorate, Tunisia; K. P. (E.) brunneus ferrantei Reitter, 1909, male specimen, Holot Haluza, Southern District, Israel; L. P. (E.) jordanensis, sp. nov., holotype; M. P. (E.) languidus (Reiche & Saulcy, 1855), lectotype; N. P. (E.) languidus (Reiche & Saulcy, 1855), male paralectotype, " Syria ". Scale bars: 0.5 mm.

Figure 14. Spermathecal complex and gonocoxites, ventral view. A. Platyderus (Eremoderus) lassallei, sp. nov., female paratype, Iran, Mazandaran Province, E Qolqol; B. P. (E.) ledouxi Morvan, 1974, female specimen, 10 km SW Rudbarak, Mazandaran Province, Iran; C. P. (E.) taghizadehi Morvan, 1974, female specimen, Alburz Dizin, Tehran Province, Iran; D. P. (Platyderus) umbratus (Menetries), female specimen, Iran, Kohgiluyeh va Boyer-Ahmad Province, Sisakht; E. P. (E.) arabicus, sp. nov., holotype; F. P. (E.) brunki, sp. nov., holotype. Scale bars: 0.5 mm. For abbreviations see captions on Fig. 13.

Figure 17. Distribution of species from subgenus Platyderus Eremoderus in Iran and Afghanistan: Platyderus felixi sp. nov. (red circle), P. iranicus sp. nov. (blue circles), P. lassallei sp. nov. (yellow circles), P. davatchii (green triangle), P. ledouxi (red triangle), P. taghizadehi (blue triangle), P. klapperichi sp. nov. (black triangle), and P. afghanistanicus sp. nov. (red question mark).