Rosemary beetle Chrysolina americana: A new invasive leaf beetle (Coleoptera: Chrysomelidae: Chrysomelinae) in Israel

This is the first record of Chrysolina americana from Israel and from the eastern Medi­terranean south of Antalya, Turkey (37°N). C. americana (Figs 1, 3, 4) generally resembles the Chrysolina coerulans an­ge­lica (Reiche & Saulcy, 1858) (Fig. 2), widely distributed in Israel and feeding and breeding on wild mint (Mentha longifolia (L.) Huds.). C. americana is si­milar to C. c. angelica particularly in its size, body form and rainbow-like bright glowing coloration of the head, pronotum and elytra, with green, purple and blue longi­tudinal stripes. However, these species can be easily distinguished by the following characters: elytral punctation is arranged in double rows of punctae in C. americana, while not arranged in any order in C. c. angelica; punctae on the pronotum are concentrated on the sides, leaving the medial area of the pronotum completely smooth in C. americana, while they are spread evenly in C. c. angelica; the longitudinal stripes display two colours—bluish green and purple—in C. ame­ricana, and three colours—green, red and blue (mainly medio-laterally)—in C. c. angelica. The two facts—that C. americana was not found in Israel before 2014 and all findings to date have been in Haifa or in close proximity to Haifa—lead to the conclusion that C. americana is not a previously overlooked local species, but, rather, an invasive species, which has passively arrived in Israel in recent years, possibly through the Haifa Port, Israel’s main maritime gateway in the eastern Mediterranean

The ground beetle tribe platynini bonelli, 1810 (Coleoptera, carabidae) in the southern levant: dichotomous and interactive identification tools, ecological traits, and distribution

The carabids of the tribe Platynini from the southern Levant (Egypt: Sinai Peninsula, Israel, Jordan) and adjacent regions of Egypt, Lebanon, Syria, Iraq, and Saudi Arabia are reviewed in terms of species tax-onomy, ecological, distributional traits, and conservation biology. In addition to a classical dichotomous identification key to the 14 species of the region, identification tools are made freely available via the Xper3 knowledge database “Platynini, southern Levant”. Besides an interactive identification key, a matrix with character states for the species and single access identification keys are available. A database includ-ing all available records from the southern Levant is also provided. First faunistic records are recorded for Anchomenus dorsalis infuscatus from Sinai (Egypt), Olisthopus fuscatus from Lebanon and Iraq, and for O. glabricollis from Iraq. Threatened species are discussed, also with regard to the reasons of their decline. The majority of species lives in wetlands, especially on the shore of winter ponds and streams, which have been extremely degraded in the last decades

Review of the Hygrophilous Weevils in Israel (Coleoptera: Curculionoidea)

Forty-one species in 20 genera of hygrophilous weevils belonging to Brentidae and Curculionidae, associated with inland aquatic habitats, have been recorded recently from Israel, eight of them for the first time. Thirty-four species are extant, while five species have probably become extinct recently, and two are fossil species, known from Late Cretaceous deposits. Sixteen species are either aquatic or semi-aquatic, while the rest occur only or predominantly on riparian vegetation. Distributional and biological data for most of the species are provided. A key to all hygrophilous weevil taxa and illustrations for most of the species are provided

Indophyes yaromi Friedman, n. sp.

Indophyes yaromi Friedman n. sp. (Figs. 1–19) Material examined. HOLOTYPE, 3, INDIA: Karnataka, Bilukoppa, 800 m, 40 km W Mudigere, 13 o 21.6 'N 75 o 30 'E, 20.x. 2006, A. Freidberg (TAUI); PARATYPES (9 3, 5Ƥ): INDIA: same as holotype (13; TAUI); Karnataka, 600 m, 16 km W Dandeli, 15 o 11.15 'N 74 o 31.37 'E, 10.xii. 2003, I. Yarom (1 Ƥ; TAUI). Fraserpet, Coorg./ F. R. I. Sandal/ Insect Survey/ 25.ii. 30 // 1599 (13; BMNH), 7.vii. 30 // 2289 (13; BMNH), 8.vii. 30 // 2290 (13; BMNH), 24.vii. 30 // 2291 (31; BMNH), 26.vii. 30 // 1601 (1 Ƥ; BMNH), 28.vii. 30 // 1600 (1 Ƥ; BMNH), 16.viii. 30 //Plot 2 // 2105 (13; BMNH), 3.ix. 30 //Plot 6 // 2106 (1 Ƥ; BMNH), 7.ix. 30 //Plot 3 // 2107 (13; BMNH), 15.ix. 30 //Plot 4 // 1602 (13; BMNH), 26.ix. 30 //Plot 1 // 1603 (13; BMNH), 7.xii. 30 //Plot 3 // 2108 (13; BMNH). All specimens from "Fraserpet, Coorg" bear an additional label: Pres./ by Comm Inst Ent/ B. M. 1981 - 315. The holotype is glued to a triangular cardboard point pinned on an entomological pin, not dissected; with a red paper label " HOLOTYPE: Indophyes yaromi Friedman "; deposited in TAUI; in excellent condition. Most of the paratypes deposited in the BMNH are covered with dust and mold. Description. Body length 2.0– 2.1 mm, body width at widest point (at humeri) 1.30 mm in male and 1.25 mm in female. Measurements: Rostrum length 3 0.63 mm, Ƥ 0.65 mm, length of narrow apical part of female rostrum 0.20 mm, rostrum width at apex 3 0.10–0.14 mm, Ƥ 0.09–0.10 mm, rostrum width at antennal insertion 3 0.16 mm, Ƥ 0.15 mm, rostrum width at base 3 0.15–0.16 mm, Ƥ 0.15 mm, frons width 3 0.02 mm, Ƥ 0.03 mm, pronotum length 3 0.60 mm, Ƥ 0.63 mm, pronotum width at anterior margin 3 0.50 mm, Ƥ 0.50 mm, pronotum width at basal margin 3 1.00 mm, Ƥ 1.05 mm, elytra length 3 1.80 mm, Ƥ 1.75 mm, elytra width at humeri 3 1.30 mm, Ƥ 1.25 mm. Body strongly convex in lateral view and ovoid in dorsal view, tapered posteriorly. Body and appendages dull yellow to light brown with dark brown markings: rostrum, head and pronotum yellow medially and lateroventrally and brown to black laterodorsally. Profemur with subapical brown spot dorsally and larger brown spot ventrally, reaching the largest denticle posteriad. Tibia often with dorsomedian dark brown spot. Pubescence comprised of white pilliform appressed scales; pubescence of pronotum dorsolaterally even, medially ordered in distinct white longitudinal stripe, lateroventrally more dense, comprised of thicker scales; pubescence of elytra fasciate, particularly dense at base of 2 nd and 4 th interstriae; pubescence of ventrolateral part of pronotum, mesoventrite and metaventrite thick, comprising lateral white patch; pubescence of abdominal segments and legs sparse; tibia comb setae dark brown. Erect semi-transparent straight scales, referred to as specialized setae by Alonso-Zarazaga (1989): one mediofrontal on head, one apical and one basal on pronotum, four to five on 1 st, 3 rd, 5 th and 7 th elytral interstriae, one or two on base of 9 th elytral interstria. Rostrum abruptly narrowed apically (subulate), in female cylindrical in basal 2 / 3 and gradually tapered at apical third, basal part 1.5 times as wide as apical part, in male cylindrical in basal 3 / 4 and strongly tapered in apical 1 / 4. Male rostrum slightly bowed, female rostrum slightly angled between narrow and wide parts. Rostrum slightly incrassate at antennal insertion point, more distinctly in male, dorsomedially with longitudinal shallow groove along wide part, particularly in female. Rostrum on the wider part black dorsolaterally, yellow ventrally, occasionally with longitudinal dorsomedial narrow yellow stripe; on the narrowed apical part yellow or testaceous, the extreme apex, including mouthparts, black; black parts rough, granulated, yellow parts glabrous, smooth, in female particularly shiny, dorsomedially often with weak longitudinal stripes. Rostrum on wider part covered by white curved piliform scales, arranged in more or less distinct longitudinal rows, dorsomedially devoid of scales; on narrower part devoid of scales. Antenna inserted posteriad to apical third of rostrum, yellow to testaceous, covered by straight erect whitish setae, longer on club. Scape elongate, clavate at apex, 2 / 3 as long as rostrum, slightly longer than funicle. Funicle five-segmented, 1 st funicular segment 2.5 times as long as wide, obovate, 2 nd funicular segment 4 times as long as wide, cylindrical, funicular segments 3–5 globular. Club three-segmented, as long as funicle, apical club segment slightly longer than two basal club segments combined. Head globular, covered by white scales dorsally, laterally and under eye, but not producing distinct subocular patch, ventrally entirely devoid of scales, lustrous, basically yellow, with large dorsolateral dark spot posterior to eye. Eye rounded, moderately convex. Frons 0.2 times as wide as base of rostrum, moderately convex, bearing two rows of white setae. Pronotum trapezoid, 1.7 times as wide as long, laterally straight, posterior margin of pronotum distinctly crenulate. Elytra ovoid, strongly tapered towards apex, base of elytra distinctly crenulate. Shoulders prominent with distinct dark colored humeral calli. Ground coloration yellow to testaceous, with dark basal triangle produced by dark brown or black color of interstriae on basal 1 / 4 of elytra, on apical half tessellated, each interstria with two-three dark denudated spots, pubescence interrupted on darker places. Striae shallow; interstriae finely microreticulate, slightly convex, 8 th interstria not crenulate. Abdominal ventrites glabrous, less pubescent than thoracic ones. In male (Fig. 12) ventrites 1 and 2 fused, but suture clearly seen laterally, obsolete medially, laterally marked with dark brown or black stripe, ventrite 2 posterolaterally strongly recurved; ventrites 3–4 narrow; ventrite 5 apically truncate, basally slightly concave transversely. In female ventrites 1–2 fused, suture not seen, entirely yellow; ventrite 3 narrow subrectangular; ventrite 4 narrow medially, posterolaterally strongly drawn backwards, partly enveloping ventrite 5; suture between ventrites 4 and 5 distinct; ventrite 5 apically rounded. Lateral fovea distinct on segments 1, 2 and 4, more distinct in female. Legs stout, not sexually dimorphic. Femora moderately incrassate, with one large proximal and three small distal spines. Tibiae 1.2 times as long as femora, slightly flattened, proximally slightly bent, distally straight, widened, male tibia not armed. Tarsus slender, 1 st tarsomere cylindrical, 2 times as long as wide, 2 nd tarsomere conical, flatten dorsoventrally, 3 rd tarsomere notched nearly to base, produced apically into oblong rounded lobes, onychium slightly bowed, slender, 6 times as long as wide, claws equal, fused at basal third, apically sharply pointed (Fig. 11). Male genitalia: Aedeagus (Figs. 13–14) with tube parallel-sided, apically rounded, curved and slightly twisted, in basal 2 / 5 with rounded projection, seen in lateral view; endophallus with minute denticles and one ungulate sclerite, flagellum slender, twice as long as tube, clavate on proximal end, apodemes sclerotized, articulated to base of tube, 0.7 times as long as tube. Tegmen (Fig. 16–17) oblong, enveloping, parameral lobes divided by deep, narrow notch, apically with fringe of long macrochaetae, prostegium prominent, furcated. Linea arquata and fenestrae present, but unclear. Spiculum gastrale (Fig. 15) slender, furcated distally, with long apodeme and short pointed arms. Female genitalia: Coxites (Fig. 19) oblong, weakly sclerotized, styli apically with tuft of macrochaetae. Spiculum ventrale slender, weakly sclerotized, basal plate not developed. Spermatheca with narrow body, tail (cornu) widely rounded at apex (Fig. 18). Etymology. Named in honor of my good friend and colleague, the Israeli dipterist, Dr. Ilan Yarom, the collector of the first specimen studied by me. Comments. Biology unknown. The word "sandal" on the labels refers to the research project and not to the association of this species with the sandal tree. Investigations on spike disease of sandal were undertaken in Fraserpet (Coorg) in 1930–1933 by the Forest Entomology Branch, Forest Research Institute, Dehra Dun, India in fieldopened insectaries (Roonwal, 1957). Indophyes yaromi possesses a rare character among the known nanophyids – the subulate rostrum, i. e. rostrum wide basally and abruptly narrowed apically, with great difference between the diameters of these two parts. This character is particularly prominent in the female. Some nanophyid species possess a rostrum more or less distinctly tapering at the apex, but to my knowledge only two species have a comparable form of the rostrum: Kantohia taiwana Kantoh and Kojima (2009) from Taiwan and Nanodactylus obesulus Blatchley (Kissinger, 1968) from North America. There is probably no close phylogenetic relationship between I. yaromi and the aforementioned species. The subulate rostrum is found among the Apionidae, particularly in those taxa associated with legumes (Papilionaceae) and developing in the seeds, e. g. in the genera Oxystoma Dumeril (associated with seeds of Lathyrus L., Lens Miller, Vicia L.), Eutrichapion Reitter (associated mainly with seeds of Vicia L. and Lathyrus L.), some Mesotrichapion Györffy (associated with Astragalus) (Alonso-Zarazaga, 1990). The similarity in the form of rostrum might be an indication that the biology of I. yaromi resembles in some aspects that of the aforementioned genera. This is an assumption that needs to be tested. Distribution. All specimens were collected in southern India, in Karnataka State (known before 1973 as State of Mysore), predominantly in its southern part: in Kushalanagara (previously known as Fraserpet) and Bilukoppa (=Bylakuppe) in Kodagu district (previously known as Coorg); one specimen was collected near Dandeli, Uttara Kannada district, northern Karnataka.Published as part of Friedman, Ariel-Leib-Leonid, 2012, Indophyes yaromi, a new genus and species of Nanophyidae (Curculionoidea) from southern India, pp. 54-61 in Zootaxa 3219 on pages 56-60, DOI: 10.5281/zenodo.21455

Review of the Hygrophilous Weevils in Israel (Coleoptera: Curculionoidea)

Forty-one species in 20 genera of hygrophilous weevils belonging to Brentidae and Curculionidae, associated with inland aquatic habitats, have been recorded recently from Israel, eight of them for the first time. Thirty-four species are extant, while five species have probably become extinct recently, and two are fossil species, known from Late Cretaceous deposits. Sixteen species are either aquatic or semi-aquatic, while the rest occur only or predominantly on riparian vegetation. Distributional and biological data for most of the species are provided. A key to all hygrophilous weevil taxa and illustrations for most of the species are provided

Review of the biodiversity and zoogeographical patterns of the weevils (Coleoptera, Curculionoidea) in Israel

Volume: 31Start Page: 133End Page: 14

A review of Smicronyx Schoenherr (Coleoptera, Curculionidae) of Israel, with description of two new species

International audienceThe species of the genus Smicronyx sensu lato (Curculionidae, Curculioninae) occurring in Israel are reviewed. A total of seven species is recorded. Two species are newly recorded for the country (S. pauperculus Wollaston, 1864 and S. albosquamosus Wollaston, 1854), and two new species are described: S. jordanicus Haran and S. longitarsis Haran. A key to species, diagnosis of the new species, new biological and distribution data together with line illustrations of some characters, including male genitalia, and colour photographs of the habitus are provided

The first record of Propomacrus bimucronatus (Pallas, 1781) (Coleoptera, Scarabaeidae) from Iraq, with notes on its distribution and phenology in the Near East

Propomacrus bimucronatus (Pallas, 1781), the Mediterranean long-armed scarab, is a large saproxylic beetle, occurring in the east Mediterranean and south-east Europe, sparse throughout its entire distributional range, often considered as rare, threatened or extinct species.Propomacrus bimucronatus is recorded for the first time from Kurdistan, Iraq. The new data on its distribution and phenology in Iraq and in Israel is published for the first time, compared with the previously-published data and analysed

Revision of Trigastrotheca Cameron (Hymenoptera, Braconidae, Braconinae) with descriptions of 13 new species

The Old World braconine wasp genus Trigastrotheca Cameron is revised. The genus is recorded from the island of Madagascar for the first time based on two new species, T. christianhenrichi Quicke & Butcher, sp. nov. and T. formosa Quicke & Friedman, sp. nov. Trigastrotheca griffini Quicke, sp. nov. is described from Australia; T. aethiopica Quicke & Friedman, sp. nov. is described from Ethiopia; T. braeti Quicke & Butcher, sp. nov. is described from Congo; T. simba van Noort, sp. nov. is described from Tanzania; T. freidbergi Quicke & Friedman, sp. nov., T. carinata Ranjith, sp. nov., T. flava Ranjith, sp. nov. and T. similidentata Ranjith, sp. nov. are described from India; T. khaoyaiensis Quicke & Butcher, sp. nov., T. naniensis Quicke & Butcher, sp. nov., and T. sublobata Quicke & Butcher, sp. nov. are described from Thailand. Trigastrotheca tridentata is recorded from Thailand for the first time. A putative female of T. sureeratae is described for the first time. Acrocerilia tricolor Quicke & Ingram, 1993 is transferred into Trigastrotheca, as T. acroceropsis nom. nov. A key is provided for the identification of species