Anaulacus ( Aephnidius ) ruficornis (Chaudoir, 1850)

Pavlou, Christoforos, Bolanakis, Giannis, Kardaki, Ljubitsa & Trichas, Apostolos, 2025, Forty years of ground-beetle sampling in Crete. A major contribution to the Carabidae (Coleoptera, Adephaga) fauna of Crete (Greece), Contributions to Entomology 75 (2), pp. 269-288 : 269-288

11. Anaulacus ( Aephnidius) ruficornis (Chaudoir, 1850)

Figs 3 B , 5 D

Habitat and general distribution.

A. ruficornis occurs in Near and Middle East ( Bousquet 2017 a), barely reaching Europe, only from its north-eastern region bordering with Asia (e. g. south Russia) ( Bousquet 2017 a). This rare ( Austin et al. 2008) species dwells in wetlands and coastal habitats with fresh or saline water ( Assmann et al. 2015).

Material examined.

• Chania: Frangokastello wetland , 35.184786°N, 24.227804°, 4 m elev., 23.IV.2017 – 8.VI.2017, pitfall traps, 4 spms, leg. Amyntas A. ( NHMC) .

Comments.

This is the first record of the genus Anaulacus W. S. Macleay, 1825 from Greece, establishing its presence in the southern parts of Europe. Notably, A. ruficornis was found in the south-western part of Crete, while a more eastern locality would be more expected given the species’ distribution. We should highlight that Egypt is excluded from the species’ distribution in Bousquet (2017 a), while it is included in Assmann et al. (2015) who cite an old reference ( Alfieri 1976). More research is recommended in order to clarify whether the species also occurs in the Greek mainland and the Aegean, as well as to clarify its distribution in Crete.

Figures

Figure 3. Α. Chlaenius dejeanii; B. Anaulacus ruficornis; C. Masoreus aegyptiacus; D. Cymindis andreae; E. Cymindis ornata; F. Trichis maculata; G. Anisodactylus intermedius; H. Ophonus puncticeps; I. Parophonus hirsutulus. Scale bars: 4 mm (A); 1.75 mm (B); 1.75 mm (C); 2.55 mm (D); 2 mm (E); 1.8 mm (F); 3 mm (G); 2.2 mm (H); 2.1 mm (I).

Figure 5. Aedeagii. Α. Brachinus plagiatus; B. Brachinus psophia; C. Sirdenus grayii; D. Anaulacus ruficornis; E. Cymindis andrae; F. Ophonus puncticeps; G. Dicheirotrichus obsoletus; H. Parophonus hirsutulus; I. Pterostichus anthracinus; J. Calathus cinctus. Scale bars: 0.53 mm (A); 0.41 mm (B); 0.28 mm (C); 0.72 mm (D); 0.49 mm (E); 0.61 mm (F); 0.47 mm (G); 0.56 mm (H); 1.17 mm (I); 0.63 mm (J).