ZOOSYSTEMATICA ROSSICA, 18(1): 62-64 3 JULY 2009 Two desert species of beetles new to the Russian fauna (Coleoptera: Rhipiphoridae, Curculionidae) B.A. KOROTYAEV & M.A. KHRISANOVA B.A. Korotyaev, Zoological Institute, Russian Academy of Sciences, Universitetskaya nab. 1, St. Petersburg 199034, Russia. M.A. Khrisanova, I.N. Ulyanov Chuvash State University, Moskovskii pr. 15, Cheboksary 428015, Russia. Two species of beetles previously known only from the desert zone of Middle and Central Asia, Macrosiagon medvedevi Iablokoff-Khnzorian, 1973 (Rhipiphoridae) and Anthypurinus basicornis (Schultze, 1898) (Curculionidae: Ceutorhynchinae), have been found in Volgograd Province. Key words: Coleoptera, Curculionidae, new records, Russia INTRODUCTION Family Rhipiphoridae The lower Volga area is well known for Genus Macrosiagon Hentz, 1830 its diversified and heterogeneous insect fau- This widely distributed genus includes na. It is an area where the Turanian (= Mid- 14 species in the Palaearctic (Löbl & Smeta- dle Asian) deserts reach their northwestern na, 2008) and occurs throughout the Saha- border. The ranges of many desert insects ro-Gobian Desert Region (Konstantinov et extend into this region, mostly of those with al., 2009). No member of this genus has been the northern Turanian distribution, i.e., oc- recorded for Russia before. curring in northern part of Middle Asia, in Central and Southern Kazakhstan deserts and desert-steppe (= semideserts), and in Macrosiagon medvedevi southern Mongolia. A typical example of Iablokoff-Khnzorian, 1973 a species with this kind of distribution is a Material. Russia. Volgograd Prov., Pallasov skii wedge-shaped beetle, Macrosiagon medve- Distr., Lake Bulukhta, 8 August 2006, 1 spec. devi Iablokoff-Khnzorian, recently found Distribution. The species was described in Volgorad Province by M.A. Khrisanova. from Central Kazakhstan and subsequently The occurrence of southern Turanian spe- recorded from southern Mongolia – Ömnögo- cies with ranges mostly restricted to south- vi (= Southern Gobi) (Iablokov-Khn zo rian, ern areas of Middle Asia and not extending 1976) and Bayan-Hongor (Konstantinov et to northern deserts (in particular, into Ka- al., 2009) aimaks. zakhstan and Mongolia except its south- westernmost part) is less common. Thus, the Family Curculionidae finding of a weevil, Anthypurinus basicornis (Schultze), previously known only from the Genus Anthypurinus Colonnelli, 1979 Tedzhen and Murgab oases and southern Uzbekistan, is of a particular interest as an Genus Anthypurinus with 15 known spe- example of an extralimital distribution of a cies is distributed in the Saharo-Gobian southern Middle Asian desert species in the Desert and Mediterranean Evergreen For- northernmost desert. est regions; no species has ever been record- © 2009 Zoological Institute, Russian Academy of Scienсes B.A. KOROTYAEV & M.A. KHRISANOVA. TWO DESERT SPECIES OF BEETLES NEW 63 ed from the steppe zone. All known hosts yet he found there weevils with the steppe are succulent Chenopodiaceae (Korotyaev, northern Central Asian (Ceutorhynchus po- 2005). tanini Korotyaev, 1980) and predominantly The genus has not been recorded for desert Irano-Turanian (Sibinia bipunctata Russia. Kirsch, 1870) ranges. A noteworthy point of the new records Anthypurinus basicornis is an unexpected finding of a supposedly (Schultze, 1898) southern Turanian weevil, Anthypurinus basicornis, not known from northern des- Material. Russia. Volgograd Prov., Pallas- erts, at the very northern boundary of the ovskii Distr., Lake Bulukhta, 1-7 May 2007, desert zone. This should warn against great 1 spec.; as above, but 7-17 June 2007, 4 specs. confidence to the data on the distribution Habitat. All specimens were collected of beetles except those few species whose in pitfall traps on the shore slope with salt ranges are really well known. Surprisingly, cedar (Tamarix ramosissima Ledeb.) asso- even many weevils developing on ruderal ciation; Salsola sp. and Limonium gmelinii or pioneer plants which often form dense (Willd.) O. Kuntze were abundant in the and long-standing populations over large herbage. Collection was also made in the territories are rarely found. This is true, plain solonetz above the slope with the veg- in particular, for A. basicornis; the same etation dominated by Atriplex cana C. A. has been reported for A. biimpressus Ch. Mey., and from the slope bottom toward the Brisout, 1869 (Korotyaev, 2005), and can lake depression with zonal saline vegetation be said about A. loginovae Korotyaev, 1990. including Salicornia sp. young growth and This latter species occurs in Northeastern Aster tripolium L. spots. No specimens of Turkey on Seidlitzia florida (M. B.) Boiss., A. basicornis were found in the plains or in but is distributed very unevenly; sometimes other parts of the Lake Elton area. a few number of individuals may be found Biology. A few specimens were collected at roadside but subsequent examination of a in Uzbekistan near Bukhara on Salsola mi- several square kilometre area dominated by cranthera Botsch., Suaeda crassifolia Pall., S. florida provides no material. or resting under Suaeda turkestanica Litw. and an unidentified succulent chenopod (Korotyaev, 2005). ACKNOWLEDGEMENTS We greatly appreciate identification of the DISCUSSION specimen of Macrosiagon medvedevi by M.Yu. Kalashian (Yerevan) and A.V. Bykov’s (Insti- The new additions to the Russian fauna tute of Dendrology, Russian Academy of Sci- emphasize the productivity of the faunistic ences, Moscow Province) help in organization research in the areas along the significant of the field research by M.A. Khrisanova. The biogeographic boundaries. The best exam- study by B.A. Korotyaev was supported by a ple of such a survey is that carried out by the grant No. 07-04-00482а of Russian Foundation late A.Yu. Isaev (Ulyanovsk) in the middle for Basic Research and was performed with the Volga area: he found in the plain Ulyanovsk use of the collection of the Zoological Institute, Russian Academy of Sciences, supported by Ros- Province about 600 species (Isaev et al., nauka (UFC ZIN No. 2-2.20). 2005) of Curculionoidea (excepting Sco- lytidae) which is only slightly less than in REFERENCES the Northwestern Caucasus with its Pon- tian steppes, rich Euxine forests, and alpine Colonnelli, E. 2004. Catalogue of Ceutorhynchi- landscapes (B.A. Korotyaev unpublished nae of the World, with a key to genera (Insecta: data). Largest part of the province is situ- Coleoptera: Curculionidae). Argania editio, ated in the European mixed forests subzone, Barcelona. 124 p. © 2009 Zoological Institute, Russian Academy of Scienсes, Zoosystematica Rossica 18(1): 62-64 64 B.A. KOROTYAEV & M.A. KHRISANOVA. TWO DESERT SPECIES OF BEETLES NEW Iablokov-Khnzorian, S.M. 1976. Wedge-shaped (Eds). 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