Rafał Ruta

Sex pheromones as a tool to overcome the Wallacean shortfall in conservation biology: a case of Elater ferrugineus Linnaeus, 1758 (Coleoptera: Elateridae)

The “Wallacean shortfall”—lack of distributional information—is one of the main problems when trying to assess the threats to and planning conservation strategies for many invertebrate species. Based on published and unpublished records since 1840, as well as on our own field survey, we attempted to estimate if and to what extent the use of pheromone traps increased the detectability of a rare, saproxylic click beetle Elater ferrugineus. The significant increase in the number of records in 2011–2013 shows that the pheromone method made it much easier to detect the occurrence of the species. Advantages of the pheromone method are that it does not disturb the habitat, can be used by non-specialists, is less costly and less time-consuming, and thus providing a useful tool for conservation research (studying biology, ecology and genetics of local populations).

Erotylidae (Insecta, Coleoptera) of Poland – problematic taxa, updated keys and new records

Abstract New data concerning the occurrence of pleasing fungus beetles (Coleoptera: Erotylidae) in Poland are given, with a focus on rare and difficult to identify Central European taxa. Cryptophilus cf. integer (Heer) (Cryptophilinae) is reported from the Polish territory for the first time based on adult and larval specimens collected in the Wielkopolska-Kujawy Lowland. Identification problems concerning species of Cryptophilus introduced to Europe are discussed. Triplax carpathica Reitter (Erotylinae) is recorded from the Białowieża Primeval Forest, which is the first known non-Carpathian finding of this species, located in the close proximity of the Polish-Belarussian UNESCO World Heritage Site “Białowieża Forest”. Discussion of Triplax carpathica being conspecific with Siberian Triplax rufiventris Gebler is provided. New Polish localities of several other Erotylidae are reported, and an updated key to Central European species of Triplax is given. The Triplax key is supplemented with dorsal and ventral habitus images of all treated Triplax species. One of the rarest Central European erotyline species Combocerus glaber (Schaller) is recorded from xerothermic grasslands in North-West Poland.

Chilarboreus gen. nov., a new genus of Chilean Scirtidae (Coleoptera: Scirtoidea), with descriptions of three new species

The genus Chilarboreus gen. nov. is described from Nothofagus forests of Chile to accommodate three new species: Chilarboreus fossulatus sp. nov., Chilarboreus acuticollis sp. nov. and Chilarboreus darwini sp. nov. The genus is subdivided into two subgenera: Chilarboreus subgen. nov. (type species: C. fossulatus) and Pictarboreus subgen. nov. (type species: C. darwini). Identification keys to the genera of Chilean Scirtidae and the species in the genus Chilarboreus are provided. The state of knowledge of Chilean Scirtidae is summarized. The position of Chilarboreus within Scirtidae and the phenomenon of wing reduction in Scirtidae are discussed.

Revision of the Genus Calvarium Pic, 1918 (Coleoptera: Scirtidae). Part 1. Redescription of the Genus and Catalogue of Described Taxa

Abstract. The genus Calvarium Pic is redescribed and morphological characters discussed. A catalogue of the world species is presented and several new combinations are proposed. Indiocyphon Pic is regarded as a junior synonym of Calvarium Pic. Calvarium maxi Pic is designated the type species of Calvarium Pic. Calvarium inimpressum Pic, 1955 and Calvarium semiobscurum concoloripenne Pic, 1953 are junior synonyms of Calvarium latithorax (Pic, 1950). Several species are transferred from Cyphon to Calvarium: Calvarium carolinense (Blair) comb. nov., C. cautum (Klausnitzer) comb. nov., C. dentatum (Klausnitzer) comb. nov., C. foncki (Pic) comb. nov., C. fouqueti (Pic) comb. nov., C. gredleri (Klausnitzer) comb. nov., C. hashimotorum (Yoshitomi) comb. nov., C. johorense (Yoshitomi et Satô) comb. nov., C. latithorax (Pic) comb. nov., C. longior (Yoshitomi et Satô) comb. nov., C. notabile (Yoshitomi et Satô) comb. nov., C. paui (Pic) comb. nov., C. primitum (Klausnitzer) comb. nov., C. rotundatum (Klausnitzer) comb. nov., C. rufopacum (Klausnitzer) comb. nov., C. samuelsoni (Yoshitomi et Satô) comb. nov., C. sulawesicum (Yoshitomi et Satô) comb. nov., C. takahashii (Yoshitomi et Satô) comb. nov. Two species are transferred from Calvarium to Cyphon: Cyphon massarti (Pic) comb. nov. and C. semiobscurum (Pic) comb. nov.

Brachycyphon Fairmaire, 1896, A Neglected Genus of Afrotropical Scirtidae (Coleoptera)

Abstract. Brachycyphon anthracinus Fairmaire, the type species of Brachycyphon Fairmaire is redescribed, its lectotype is designated. The genus Brachycyphon Fairmaire is compared with other Cyphon-like scirtid genera, a differential diagnosis and an identification key is provided. The following afrotropical taxa are transferred to Brachycyphon: Cyphon alberti Pic, Cyphon alexandri Pic, Cyphon atriceps Pic, Cyphon atricolor Pic, Cyphon atrofasciatus Pic, Cyphon atrovittatus Pic, Cyphon aymerichi Pic, Cyphon aymerichi tananarivanus Pic, Cyphon fairmairei Pic, Cyphon fasciatosinuatus Pic, Cyphon fuscopictus Fairmaire, Cyphon gerardi Pic, Cyphon gerardi basilewskyi Pic, Cyphon gerardi insuturalifer Pic, Cyphon grandenotatus Pic, Cyphon humerosus Fairmaire, Cyphon jeanneli Pic, Cyphon jeanneli innotaticollis Pic, Cyphon kijabensis Pic, Cyphon luteosignatus Pic, Cyphon oblongulus Fairmaire, Cyphon ovatulus Fairmaire, Cyphon plurisignatum Pic, Cyphon uviranus Pic, Cyphon villiersi Pic, Cyphon villiersi insignatus Pic, Elodes clemenceaui Pic, Elodes lloydi Pic, Elodes petaini Pic, Scirtes lippensi Pic, Scirtes seminiger Pic. Cyphon mimodiversicolor rutovuensis Pic and Cyphon mimodiversicolor semimarginatum Pic are elevated to species level and transferred to Brachycyphon. Brachycyphon afrosuturalis nom. nov. is proposed for Cyphon suturalis Pic, 1952 (nec Cyphon suturalis Tournier, 1868). Cyphon leoni Klausnitzer, 1974 is a new objective synonym of Cyphon fairmairei Pic, 1913. A catalogue of Brachycyphon is included.

South American terrestrial larva of Scirtidae (Coleoptera: Scirtoidea): the adaptation of Scirtidae larvae to saproxylic habitat is more common than expected: Terrestrial Scirtidae larvae

Terrestrial larvae of Scirtidae were found in southern South America (Chile) for the first time. The morphology of the larvae is described in detail and compared with terrestrial larvae known from Borneo, New Zealand and Australia. Special attention is paid to the prothoracic sclerites, which were examined for the first time in the family and compared with selected genera of Scirtidae. Large presternal sclerites seem to be a typical feature of terrestrial larvae of Scirtidae. Chilean saproxylic larvae seem to be specialised detritus feeders, feeding in water trapped in wood cavities.

Reconstructed historical distribution and phylogeography unravels non-steppic origin of Caucasotachea vindobonensis (Gastropoda: Helicidae)

Existing data on the phylogeography of European taxa of steppic provenance suggests that species were widely distributed during glacial periods but underwent range contraction and fragmentation during interglacials into “warm-stage refugia.” Among the steppe-related invertebrates that have been examined, the majority has been insects, but data on the phylogeography of snails is wholly missing. To begin to fill this gap, phylogeographic and niche modeling studies on the presumed steppic snail Caucasotachea vindobonensis were conducted. Surprisingly, reconstruction of ancestral areas suggests that extant C. vindobonensis probably originated in the Balkans and survived there during the Late Pleistocene glaciations, with a more recent colonization of the Carpatho-Pannonian and the Ponto-Caspian regions. In the Holocene, C. vindobonensis colonized between the Sudetes and the Carpathians to the north, where its recent and current distribution may have been facilitated by anthropogenic translocations. Together, these data suggest a possible non-steppic origin of C. vindobonensis. Further investigation may reveal the extent to which the steppic snail assemblages consist partly of Holocene newcomers.