Graphipterus sharonae Renan & Assmann

Renan, Ittai, Assmann, Thorsten & Freidberg, Amnon, 2018, Taxonomic revision of the Graphipterusserrator (Forskal) group (Coleoptera, Carabidae): an increase from five to 15 valid species, ZooKeys 753, pp. 23-82 : 55-58

Graphipterus sharonae Renan & Assmann sp. n. Figs 9n, 15, 19, 27a

Types.

Holotype, ♂ (White labe, black typewritten): <51780 ISRAEL/ Karmiya N.P/ 7.4.2011/ I. Renan>. (red label): <Holotype>(ae). Deposited in SMNHTAU [examined].

Paratypes: (79♂, 70♀): All material collected in Israel. Ashdod: 6.V.2015, I. Renan (7♂, 14♀); 5.XII.2014, I. Renan (6♂, 3♀); 16.III.2011, (♂) (CAB); 3.IV.1998, H. Ackerman (♂) (SMNHTAU); 16.III.2011 leg. Th. Assmann, (♂,♀), W. Starke leg. (♂,♀) (CAB). Ashkelon [Ashqelon]: 7.IV.2017, I. Renan (6♂, 4♀) (SMNHTAU). Avshalom: 24.III.2012, M. Bologna (2♂) (AVTC). Ayalon: 1.IV.1943 (♂) (KCE). Bat Yam: 14.III.1940, Bytinski- Salz (3♂); 24.III.1940, Bytinski- Salz (2♂); 23.IV.1959, J. Wahrman (2♂, 2♀) (SMNHTAU). Bene’ Berack [Bene Beraq]: 26.II.1954 (♂) (SMNHTAU). 'En Sarid: 22.IV.2015, I. Renan (2♀) (SMNHTAU). Holon: 14. IV.1981, A. Freidberg (♂) (SMNHTAU). Jaffa [Yafo]: 21.I.1900 (♀) (BMNH). Jaffa-Rehoboth [Rehovot]: 14.VII.1913, S.G.J. Aharoni (♂) (RMRAC). Karmiyya N.P: 07.IV.2011, I. Renan (4♂, 2♀) (SMNHTAU). MiqWeYisra’el: 14. IV.1934, F.S. Bodenheimer (♂, 3♀); 11.IV.1946, J. Wahrman (♀); 20. IV.1934, F.S. Bodenheimer (♂) (SMNHTAU). Nachalat Jischack, Palestina [Tel Aviv, Nahalat Yizhaq], 5.VI.1942, Housk (4♂) (NMP). Netanya: III.-IV. 1996, R. Rod (♀) (DWC); 15.II.1955, S. Nothiltz (♂); 11. IV.1957, J. Machlis (♂, ♀); 03.V.1997, R. Hoffman (♂, ♀); 04. IV.2010, I. Renan (5♂, 1ae, ♀) (SMNHTAU); III.IV.1996, leg. R. Rod (♀) (CWD); III.2016, leg. Th. Assmann (3♂, 4♀) (CAB). Nizzanim N.P: 29. IV.2015, Renan I. (14♂, 10♀); 19.V.2009, I. Renan (3♂,2ae, ♀); 15.V.2009, I. Renan (5♂, 2ae, 4♀,) 7.4.2011, I. Renan (♂ae) (SMNHTAU). 22.III.2012, M. Bologna (♂) (AVTC). 25.II.2009, L. Friedman (♀) (BMNH); 07.VI.2007, leg. J. Buse (♀) (CAB). Palmahim: 25.III.1978, Tedeschi (3♂, 1♀) (AVTC). Porat: 22.I.2015, I. Renan (♂); 09.IV.2014, I. Renan (5♂); 19.IV.2015, I. Renan (2♂); 22.IV.2015, I. Renan (8♂, 8♀) (SMNHTAU). Ra’ananna: 11.IV.1947, Bytinski-Salz (♂) (SMNHTAU). 13.VI.1940, Bytinski-Salz (♀) (SMNHTAU). Rafha [Rafiah]: (♂) (ae) (BMNH). Rishon Leziyyon: 17.III.2003, M. Yogev (♂) (BMNH); 10.III.1942, Bytinski-Salz (♀); 29.VI.1979, D. Furth (♂); 1.III.1938 (♂) (SMNHTAU). Tel Aviv: 11.I.1900 (♂) (BMNH); 2.I.1900 (♂) (KCE). Ziqim N.P: 4.VI.2015, I. Renan (2♂, 4♀); 5.V.2015, I. Renan (♂, ♀); 7.IV.2011, I. Renan (2♂, 1♀) (SMNHTAU).

Diagnosis.

Medium-sized species with 12-18 white elytral spots; the anterior and central ones usually elongated, the posterior ones rounded; six marginal extensions, extension II triangular. Median lobe of aedeagus with bent tip.

Comparisons.

Graphipterus sharonae sp. n. resembles G. multiguttatus , from which it differs mainly by the following characters: G. sharonae average body length 13mm; extension slightly elongated 1; median lobe of aedeagus short, unbent tip. G. multiguttatus average body length 17.05 mm; extension I triangular; median lobe of aedeagus with bent tip. Graphipterus sharonae resembles also G. reymondi , from which it differs mainly by the following characters: G. sharonae sp. n. mentum with two teeth, humeri rounded, 12-18 spots on elytra, widest line of elytra located at middle, elytra disc not seen, and elytra scales black while G. reymondi has the mentum with three teeth, humeri narrowed, 20-24 spots on elytra, widest line of elytra located at interior rear third, elytra disc seen, and elytra scales brown.

Description.

BL male: 15.0-18.0 mm, average 16.5 ± 0.8 mm; BL female: 16.0-193 mm., average 17.6 ± 0.8 mm;

Head medium; HW/PW: 0.74 mm; EYL: 1.2-1.7 mm; EYL/EL: 0.15. Mentum with two teeth and shallow depression between (cf. Fig. 3b). Frontal ridge slightly developed. In male, apical white frons stripes wider than exposed frons (Fig. 4b).

Pronotum cordiform; PL/PW: 0.66; BPW/PW: 0.66; posteromedially concave and without white margin; white lateral margin as wide as antennomere I long.

Elytra oval, humeri rounded; EL: 8.1-10.3 mm, average 9.2 mm; EW: 6.2-8.8 mm, average 7.8 mm, (EL/EW: 1.3). Lateral cross section flat. Dense black scales, disc not visible between scales (Fig. 6a). White lateral margin as wide as half antennomere I long and with six extensions; extension I triangular with rounded angels, as wide as or wider than elytra margin, wider and shorter than extension III; extension II smaller and usually shorter than two other ones; extension III often constricted at base. White posterior margin almost continuously rounded, only slightly becoming narrower, gap at suture smaller than lateral margin. Disc with 14, sometimes 12 or 18 spots; most anterior pair of spots slightly elongate to rounded, usually wide as extension I, second anterior pair of spots strongly elongate, nearly two times as long as wide; the two lateral pairs of spots rounded, adjacent or sometimes fused to extension II; the tow to four posterior pairs of spots rounded; the medial, most posterior pair of spots larger than all other spots; the outer most posterior pair of spots much smaller than the latter one. Apical sinuation slightly developed to straight, apex not protuberant, broadly rounded, especially on the medial side (Fig. 7c). Suture conspicuous.

Legs long; MTIL: 4.9-6.1 mm, average 5.6 mm; El/MTIL: 1.7. Metatibial secondary spur brown. MTAL: 4.0-5.0 mm, average: 4.5 mm; MTAL/MTIL: 0.8. Claws of hind legs black at base.

Median lobe of aedeagus with bent tip (Fig. 9n).

Etymology.

The species is dedicated to Sharon Renan, biologist, conservationist, and the first author’s wife.

Habitat.

In sand dunes and on calcareous sandstone habitats along the coast. Low, mostly vegetated and stabilized sand dunes are the preferred habitat ( Ramot 2008). Individuals are active as far as 50 meters from the shoreline, but seem to be more common further inland. The average annual rainfall in the coastal plain is approxemetly 450 mm (I.M.S, 2016). The dominant perennials of the habitats in Israel are Artemisia monosperma and Helianthemum stipulatum (Fig. 15).

Co-occurring species.

No sympatrically occurring species.

Distribution.

Endemic to the Mediterranean coastal plains from north-east Sinai (El Arish) to central Israel south of Nahal Alexander (Fig. 19).

Conservation.

The coastal plain sand dunes of Israel form the largest part of the entire distribution range of G. sharonae sp n. As a result of land use changes and urbanization, less than 25% of the Israel sandy habitats remain and a further decline can be expected. In addition, the remaining dune habitats are under extreme anthropogenic disturbance and highly fragmented ( Achiron-Frumkin et al. 2003). The following records are examples of sites that were populated by G. sharonae sp. n. in the past, but where their populations no longer exist: Kefar Bilu, Rehovot, Nes Ziyyona, Bat Yam, Holon, Tel Aviv, Ramat Gan, Bene Beraq, Ra’ananna, Yafo (based on SMNHTAU collection and the authors’ experience).

Despite having no precise data, the habitats in the Gaza Strip and north-eastern Egypt seem also to have declined as these areas feature a strong increase in human population density. In a faunistic survey of the ground beetles of the Sinai Peninsula, Abdel-Dayem et al. (2004) did not record Graphipterus from El-Arish, where it had been present nearly a century ago (records in London, cf. Schatzmayr 1936). El Surtasi et al. (2012) demonstrated the negative effect of urbanization on G. serrator population in Egypt. Both the restricted distribution range of the endemic species G. sharonae sp. n. and the decline in coastal sandy habitats threaten the long-term survival of the species.

Biology.

Seasonal and daily activity time, as well as diet, intraspecific behavior, including copulation and the chirping sounds produced by the stridulatory structure, are as in G. serrator . Graphipterus sharonae sp. n. prefers stabilized sands with high vegetation cover, and its population density is higher than that of G. serrator .