İsmail Şen

Checklist of leaf beetles (Coleoptera: Chrysomelidae) of Turkey, excluding Bruchinae

The leaf beetle fauna of Turkey is reviewed and a complete checklist with provincial distributions is presented for the first time. Seven hundred and seventy-six species are catalogued in total. This represents approximately 22% of the known Palaearctic leaf beetle fauna. The Turkish leaf beetle fauna is characterized by 81 endemic species. Distributions of the species in Turkey are given based on available literature records. Some new materials from new localities are also examined. Taxa in the list are arranged systematically under family, subfamily, genus, subgenus (when recognized) and species. The subspecies are not included in the list but mentioned in the notes given for certain species. The species whose occurrences in Turkey need conformation are not included in the list but are given separately. Additionally, two new synonymies are stated: Psylliodes diversicolor Nadein 2006 = P. kasnakensis Gök et Aslan, 2007 syn.nov.; Phyllotreta maculicornis Pic, 1906 = Ph. ispartaensis Gök, 2005 syn.nov.

Leaf Beetle Communities (Coleoptera: Chrysomelidae) of Two Mixed Forest Ecosystems Dominated by Pine—Oak—Hawthorn in Isparta Province, Turkey

Chrysomelid beetles inhabiting the herb, shrub and tree layers of two mixed forest ecosystems dominated by pine-oak-hawthorn were studied during April–October in 2005 and 2006 in Isparta province, Turkey. The leaf beetles of both sites were investigated in terms of species composition, dominance structure and vegetation preference. Frequency values and host plants were also provided for some species. A total of 127 Chrysomelidae species belonging to ten subfamilies were collected. Species composition similarity between the herb and tree layers was 3% at both sites, while similarity between the shrub and tree layers was 25% at site I and 44% at site II. In terms of vegetation structure, the herb layers of the two sites shared 60% of their chrysomelid species, the shrub layers shared 44% and the tree layers shared 50%, a result also reflected in a PCA analysis. The herb layer was the most diverse vegetation stratum in terms of leaf beetle diversity, and it appears that vegetation cover is the main factor influencing leaf beetle species composition at both forest stands studied.

Calomicrus velai sp. nov. from Iran and Redescription of C. Koenigi (Jacobson, 1897) (Chrysomelidae, Galerucinae, Luperini)

Abstract. Calomicrus velai Bezděk sp. nov. from Iran is described, illustrated and compared with related species. Calomicrus koenigi (Jacobson, 1897) is redescribed based on primary type material and recently collected specimens. Luperus kasikoporanus (Pic, 1912) is confirmed as synonym of Calomicrus koenigi. Lectotypes are designated for Luperus koenigi Jacobson, 1897 and L. kasikoporanus Pic, 1912.

Variation in Cryptocephalus (Protophysus) wehnckei Weise, 1882 with a redescription of the poorly known female (Coleoptera: Chrysomelidae).

Abstract A detailed redescription is given of the poorly known female of the chrysomelid beetle Cryptocephalus (Protophysus) wehnckei Weise, 1882, which is endemic to Turkey. Based on a large number of samples collected from Isparta province, we noticed some conspicuous colour variation between and within the males and females of this species, and we illustrate this colour variation. Photographs of the habitus and genital structures are also presented. Some biological features of the species (e.g. mating behaviours, phenology, habitat and host plant information) are described here for the first time.

Seasonal activity of adult leaf beetles (Coleoptera: Chrysomelidae, Orsodacnidae) occurring in Kovada Lake and Kızıldağ National Parks in Isparta province (Turkey)

Abstract Leaf beetles were studied in the Kovada Lake National Park (KL) and Kızıldağ National Park (KD) in Isparta province (Turkey) during April–October in 2009 and 2010. A total of 131 leaf beetle species were collected. In total, 88 species were detected from KL and 95 species from KD. Adult activity periods of the collected leaf beetle species were determined and their frequency and dominancy values were provided. The results showed slight differences in terms of the seasonal activity of the species in the two national parks. According to Shannon-Wiener index, the highest leaf beetle diversity among the studied months was found in early June (H’: 4.23) and late May (H’: 4.17). Sørensen similarity index of the species according to different seasonal periods showed three distinct seasonal periods: a) early April, b) late April to early July, c) late July to late October. Almost all leaf beetles showed a seasonal distribution, with the highest dominance during spring and early summer. The main reason for these different seasonal activities is that leaf beetle species are related to the quality and availability of host-plants.

Occurrence of Chrysochus asclepiadeus (Pallas, 1773) (Coleoptera: Chrysomelidae) in Turkey: two distinct subspecies or the same taxon with slightly different populations?

According to the literature, Chrysochus asclepiadeus (Pallas, 1773) is represented by two subspecies in the western Palaearctic, including C. asclepiadeus asiaeminoris De Monte, 1948, which was described from south-western Turkey but has not been recorded since 1948. Recently collected specimens from the provinces of İzmir and Isparta (not far from the type locality of C. asclepiadeus asiaeminoris) were compared with specimens of the nominate subspecies from Kiev (Ukraine). It is concluded that C. asclepiadeus asiaeminoris is a synonym of the nominate subspecies (syn. n.). The distribution of the species in Turkey is discussed.

A new species of the genus Chrysolina Motschulsky, 1860 from Turkey (Coleoptera: Chrysomelidae: Chrysomelinae).

A new leaf beetle species, Chrysolina (Lopatinica) kabalaki sp. n., from Northeast Turkey is described and compared with closely related species. Habitus and male genitalia of the species are photographed. A key is provided for the species. http://www.zoobank.org/urn:lsid:zoobank.org:pub:89CEE108-138D-4D38-837D-A8C3682BB773

Leaf beetle (Coleoptera: Chrysomelidae) communities of Kovada Lake and Kızıldağ national parks (Isparta, Turkey): assessing the effects of habitat types

Leaf beetle species composition, diversity and community structure were investigated and compared among three different habitat types (herbaceous open area, forest area without shrubs, forest area with shrubs) included in Kovada Lake (KL) and Kızıldağ (KD) national parks in Isparta province, at the Mediterranean region of Turkey. In total, 132 leaf beetle species (88 from KL and 96 from KD) belonging to ten subfamilies were collected. Spatial distribution of the leaf beetles and estimated species number were compared between study sites and some environmental factors affecting the determined species were analyzed. The highest leaf beetle diversity among the habitat types was in the forest areas with abundant shrubby understory at the KL with diversity values of 2.67 (Shannon–Wiener index) and 0.87 (Simpson index). The most similar habitats in terms of the leaf beetle communities were herbaceous open areas at both national parks with similarity values 50% (Sørensen index) and 34% (Jaccard index). Nonparametric estimators ICE, Chao2, Jackknife1 and Jackknife2 show that the percentages of the detected leaf beetle species during field surveys in the KL were between 85% and 93%, and in the KD were between 67% and 78%. Canonical correspondence analysis indicates that the most effective environmental variables on the leaf beetle species diversity were covers of the herbaceous and tree layers. Also, these results show that the most important environmental variable affecting the leaf beetle species diversity was floristic structure of the sites.