Stenohelops (Helopelius) aeneipennis ( Allard, 1876 ) Nabozhenko & Mpamnaras & Kalaentzis, 2020

Nabozhenko, Maxim V., Mpamnaras, Athanasios & Kalaentzis, Konstantinos, 2020, Contribution to the knowledge of Mediterranean lichen-feeding darkling beetles of the genus Stenohelops Reitter, 1922 (Coleoptera: Tenebrionidae), Zootaxa 4896 (2), pp. 292-300 : 295-296

Stenohelops (Helopelius) aeneipennis ( Allard, 1876) , comb. n.

( Figs 1 , 2A, B )

= Helopelius disgregus ( Reitter, 1922) , syn. n.

= Stenohelops (Stenomaleis) gayirbegi ( Nabozhenko & Keskin, 2009) , syn. n.

Type material. The lectotype (♀) of Stenomax aeneipennis Allard, 1876 is designated here, deposited in NHML ( Figs 1A, B ). Allard (1876, 1877) didn’t indicate how many specimens are in the type series. The lectotype is designated according to the articles 61.1 and 74.1 of ICZN (1999): “ Hedyphanes aeneipennis . Mill. Rhodes. (V. Schaufuss)—”, “ Stenomax aeneipennis V all: Mill:”, “ Stenomax aeneipennis ” (handwritten label of Allard), “F. Bates Coll. 81—19.”, “ Helopelius aeneipennis, All. ”, label with QR-code and number “NHMUK 014380366”.

The lectotype (♂) of Cylindrinotus (Helopelius) disgregus Reitter, 1922 is designated here, deposited in NHMB ( Figs 1 E–H). Reitter (1922) indicated that the species is deposited in the collection of A. Schuster under the name “ gratus ”, but didn’t indicate how many specimens are in the type series. The lectotype is designated according to the articles 61.1, 74.1 of ICZN (1999): “TYPUS”, “Rhodus”, “ gratus ”, “Winkler”, “ disgregus Rtt det.” (handwritten label of A. Schuster).

The holotype and paralectotypes of Gunarus gayirbegi Keskin & Nabozhenko, 2009 are designated in the original description, as well as figures and photos (Keskin & Nabozhenko, 2009).

Other studied material: 1♂ ( CMN): Greece, Dodecanese , Rhodes, Koskinou, N 36°22′56″, E 28°12′56″, 29.iii.2020 (leg. K. Kalaentzis) ( Fig. 2A ); 1♀ from Attaviros Mt. ( Emponas ), Rhodes was examined alive, photographed and released ( Fig. 2B ); 1 ♂ ( NHML): “ Hedyphanes Aeneipennis Mill. Rhodes ”, “ Pascoe Coll. 93—60”, label with QR-code and number “ NHMUK 011520988 ” ( Figs. 1C, D ); 1♂, 1♀ ( CMN): Turkey, Denizli Prov., Turkey, Babadağ Distr., Akdağ ridge, N 37°47′740″ / E 28°48′493″, 1425–1500 m, 6.05.2009 (leg. M.V. & S.V. Nabozhenko, B. Keskin); 20♂, 25♀ ( CMN): Turkey, Isparta Prov., Davraz Dağı , N 37°47′827″ / E 30°45′505″, 1603–1650 m, 11.05.2009 (leg. M.V. & S.V. Nabozhenko, B. Keskin) .

Notes. We compared specimens from Rhodes and Turkey and found that the structure of male protarsi, male apical antennomere and aedeagus are identical in all populations of S. aeneipennis . The following characters can be variable even within one population: elytral shape, convexity of elytral interstriae and the degree of expression of elytral tubercles with coeloconic sensillae.

Distribution. The species is distributed in West Turkey (Denizli, Isparta, Mugla and Antalya provinces) and Greece (Rhodes Island). Maxwell Barclay and Keita Matsumoto also sent us photograph of one female with labels “ Syria de Brulerie”, “ aeneipennis ”, “Sharp Coll. 1905-313” (NHML). This specimen is very similar to S. aeneipennis but additional material from Syria is necessary to examine; the geographic label is possibly erroneous and we cannot yet confirm the record of this or other species in Syria.

Figures

FIGURE 1. Stenohelops (Helopelius) aeneipennis (Allard, 1876), habitus (A–D—© photographs, Natural History Museum London; E–H—© photographs, Naturhistorische Museum, Basel):A—lectotype of Stenomax aeneipennis, female; B—labels of the lectotype of S. aeneipennis; C—labels of non-type male from Rhodes (NHML); D—non-type male from Rhodes (NHML); E—lectotype of Cylindrinotus disgregus, male dorsally; F—the same, laterally; G—the same, ventrally; H—labels of the lectotype of C. disgregus.

FIGURE 2. Stenohelops (Helopelius) habitus:A—S. aeneipennis (Allard, 1876), male, alive (Rhodes: Koskinou); B—the same species, female in the nature (Rhodes: Attaviros Mt.); C—S. otini (Antoine, 1949) (Morocco, Sidi-Ali Lake).