Eodorcadion consentaneum (Jakovlev, 1899)

Karpinski, Lech, Szczepanski, Wojciech T., Boldgiv, Bazartseren & Walczak, Marcin, 2018, New data on the longhorn beetles of Mongolia with particular emphasis on the genus Eodorcadion Breuning, 1947 (Coleoptera, Cerambycidae), ZooKeys 739, pp. 107-150 : 121-122

Eodorcadion consentaneum (Jakovlev, 1899) Figs 3A-C , 12D-G

Material examined.

Govi-Altai Aimag: 10 km NW of Biger [ Бигэр] (45°47'N, 97°02'E), 1331 m a.s.l., 15 VIII 2015, 29♂♂, 35♀♀ (18♀♀ striped form, 17♀♀ black form), leg. MW; 24♂♂, 15♀♀ (6♀♀ striped form, 9♀♀ black form), leg. LK; 32♂♂, 25♀♀ (13♀♀ striped form, 12♀♀ black form), leg. WTS; 30 km NW of Biger [ Бигэр] (45°50'N, 96°45'E), 1688 m a.s.l., 15 VIII 2015 , body remains, leg. LK, WTS.

Remarks.

This is an endemic Mongolian species with its known distribution limited to a few localities in the northeastern part of Gobi-Altaj Aimag and southern Khovd Aimag. The imagines are active in July and August ( Danilevsky 2007).

In the late evening (around 5-7 p.m.), despite the quite cold (15 °C) and cloudy weather with extremely gusty winds, we observed plenty (more than two hundred) of imagines that were rather active. Most of the observed specimens were mating (Fig. 12G ); the ratio of males (Fig. 12D ) and females was approximately equal. This was probably the climax of the appearance of this species. This was also confirmed by the very small number of dead individuals that have been found in the locality. Among the females, the black forms dominated (Fig. 12E ) over the striped ones (Fig. 12F ). The species inhabits the periphery of a drying lake with a sandy substrate and tufts of high grass growing out of ground elevations (Fig. 12H ). The dominant plant species on the plot was Achnatherum splendens (Fig. 13A ) and it is most probably the host plant of the larvae. Numerous emergence holes of the beetles were also observed in the sand (Fig. 13B ).

Our own observations indicate that the species of the genus Eodorcadion seem to be more resistant to difficult weather conditions compared to other Dorcadionini . However, in the case of this taxon, although these conditions were extremely difficult, they apparently did not disturb the functioning and copulation of the beetles.

Figures

Figure 3. Photos of longhorn beetles specimens collected during the expedition to Mongolia in 2015: A Eodorcadion consentaneum (male) B E. consentaneum (female, black form) C E. consentaneum (female, striped form) D Eodorcadion dorcas scabrosum (male) E E. dorcas scabrosum (female, black form) F E. dorcas scabrosum (female, striped form) G Eodorcadion dorcas dorcas (male) H E. dorcas dorcas (female) I Eodorcadion maurum australe (male).

Figure 12. Field photos of imagines in nature and habitats of typical Mongolian cerambycid species: A semi-desert in Khukhmorit environs, the habitat of Eodorcadion dorcas scabrosum B detailed view of the habitat of E. dorcas scabrosum C tuft of perennial Iris tenuifolia, the most likely host plant of larvae of E. dorcas scabrosum D male of Eodorcadion consentaneum E female of E. consentaneum (black form) F female of E. consentaneum (striped form) G pair of E. consentaneum in copula H periphery of a drying lake with a sandy substrate and tufts of high grass, the habitat of E. consentaneum.

Figure 13. Field photos of imagines in nature and habitats of typical Mongolian cerambycid species: A tuft of needlegrass Achnatherum splendens, the possible host plant of larvae of Eodorcadion consentaneum B adults emergence holes of E. consentaneum in the sand C male of Eodorcadion intermedium intermedium (reddish form) D male of Eodorcadion intermedium intermedium (blackish form) E female of E. intermedium intermedium (reddish form) F pair of E. intermedium intermedium in copula G steppe in Baruunbayan-Ulaan environs, one of the habitat types of E. intermedium intermedium H semi-desert in Bogd environs, one of the habitat types of E. intermedium intermedium.