Eodorcadion (Ornatodorcadion) exaratum argali (Jakovlev, 1889)

Karpiński, Lech, Enkhnasan, Davaadorj, Boldgiv, Bazartseren, Kruszelnicki, Lech, Iderzorig, Badamnyambuu, Gantulga, Temerlen, Dorjsuren, Altanchimeg & Szczepański, Wojciech T., 2021, Longhorned beetles (Coleoptera: Cerambycidae) of southeastern Mongolia with particular emphasis on the genus Anoplistes Audinet-Serville, 1833 (Cerambycinae: Trachyderini), Zootaxa 5081 (4), pp. 451-482 : 470

* § Eodorcadion (Ornatodorcadion) exaratum argali (Jakovlev, 1889)

Figs 8D–G , 10C–E

New records. Dornogovi: Choiriin Bogd Mountain [Чойрын Богд Уул] env., 30 km SEE of Choir [Чойр] [46.246, 108.771] , 1400 m a.s.l., 18.07.2019, 1 ex., leg. et coll. LKr; 01.08.2019, 2 exx., leg. et coll. LKr.

Literature data. Dornogovi: Khar-Airag [Хар-Айраг] [45.813, 109.310], 31.08.1958, 2 exx. ( Namhaidorzh 1972: as Eodorcadion argali and E. ornatum ); 38 km SE Choir [46.101, 108.728], 1200 m a.s.l., 30.06.1963, exp. Dr. Z. Kaszab (HNHM) ( Heyrovský 1964: as Eodorcadion oryx m. inconstructum; Danilevsky 2007).

Remarks. Eodorcadion exaratum argali is endemic to Mongolia and it is distributed mainly in the central part of the country, and the Airag District of Dornogovi aimag is one of the easternmost known localities of this subspecies ( Danilevsky 2007).

Adults occur at the turn of July and August and according to Danilevsky (2007) they feed on stems of Caragana . Adults were observed in the late evening hours hidden under rocks and cow dung ( Karpiński, Szczepański, Boldgiv et al. 2018), although in a typical pasture habitat, without Caragana bushes.

In 2019, we collected this taxon in big numbers, however, mostly in Khentii aimag (not considered in this paper), and in Dornogovi aimag only single specimens were found ( Fig. 10C ). In the former locality, individuals of E. e. argali were observed in a typical steppe habitat with high tufts of Achnatherum P. Beauv. (Poaceae) , with which larvae are undoubtedly associated. There were no Caragana bushes. Numerous imagines were found hiding under cow dung ( Fig. 10D ). A few melanistic females ( Figs 8H , 10E ) have also been observed, however, they were extremely rare (approx. one in a hundred individuals).

Figures

FIGURE 8. Habitus of longhorned beetle taxa distributed in the region of SE Mongolia (genus Eodorcadion). A, Eodorcadion intermedium intermedium (male); B, E. intermedium intermedium (female); C, Eodorcadion zichyi (male); D, Eodorcadion exaratum argali (male); E, E. exaratum argali (male); F, E. exaratum argali (female); G, E. exaratum argali (female, melanistic form); H, Eodorcadion chinganicum darigangense (female); I, Eodorcadion carinatum involvens (male); J, E. carinatum involvens (female); K, Eodorcadion humerale impluviatum (male); L, E. humerale impluviatum (female). Scale bar: 5 mm.

FIGURE 10. Photographs of adults and larvae in situ and habitats of typical SE Mongolian cerambycid species. A, stony hills with dense shrub vegetation, including Zygophyllum, most likely habitat of Anoplistes kaszabi; B, saxaul and tamarisk shrubs in strongly desertified area in southern Mongolia, most likely typical habitat of Anoplistes mongolicus; C, male of Eodorcadion exaratum argali; D, female of E. exaratum argali under cow dung; E, melanistic female of E. exaratum argali; F, Achnatherum splendens enclave in semi-desert area, habitat of Eodorcadion gorbunovi; G, freshly digged larva of E. gorbunovi; H, male of E. gorbunovi climbing onto stems of grasses.