Latridiidae and Endomychidae Beetles (Coleoptera) from Ant Nests in Bulgaria

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LATRIDIIDAE Heft 8 ISSN 1613-2440 1. Dezember 2011

Latridiidae and Endomychidae beetles (Coleoptera) from ant nests in Bulgaria

ALBENA LAPEVA-GJONOVA &WOLFGANG H. RÜCKER

Abstract There are not true guests (symphiles) from family Latridiidae and as mycophagous insects they are Three species from family Latridiidae: Dienerella much more facultative associated with nests of ants. costulata (REITTER, 1877), D. vincenti JOHNSON, In contrast, from family Endomychidae the majority 2007 and Corticaria longicollis (ZETTERSTEDT, of genera in Merophysiinae (Cholovocera, Mer- 1838), and three species from family Endomychi- ophysia, Reitteria) and Pleganophorinae (Plega- dae: Cholovocera major REITTER, 1887, Merophysia nophorus, Trochoideus) are closely-related with ants oblonga KIESENWETTER, 1872 and Mycetaea subter- as myrmecophiles (RÜCKER, 2011). ranea FABRICIUS, 1801, are reported for the first time from ant nests in Bulgaria. Cholovocera major Here, for the first time, we present results from has not been found in Europe up to now and it is faunistic investigation on both families – Latridiidae the first representative of genus Cholovocera in Bul- and Endomychidae, collected in ant nests in garia. The species Dienerella costulata and Corticar- Bulgaria. ia longicollis are also new to the country. Three of the recorded beetle species – Corticaria longicollis, Material and methods Cholovocera major and Merophysia oblonga are The studied material from family Latridiidae con- known as closely-related with ants and live in their tains adult specimens of three species, which were nests permanently. Comments on the ant-host rang- collected from nests of four ant species: Formica es and localities are given. pratensis RETZIUS, 1783, F. rufa LINNAEUS, 1761, F. exsecta NYLANDER, 1846 and F. lugubris ZETTER- Key words STEDT, 1838. All these ant species form anthills, Ant-associated fauna, myrmecophiles, Latridiidae, which allows the application of unified methodology Endomychidae, Merophysiinae, Bulgaria. for investigation of species diversity and spatial dis- tribution of their myrmecophilous fauna (ILIEFF & Introduction LAPEVA, 1997). Four samples, each comprising 500 cm3 of nest material, were taken from different stra- Many species from different taxonomical groups of tum of anthills selected to be subequal in size. The the invertebrates are closely connected with ants. first stratum 1 came from the top of the nest and They get into extremely variable relationships as consisted mostly of dry foliage components. The predators, scavengers, temporary commensals as second and fourth stratum (2 and 4) covered the well as ecto- and endoparasites. Some of them are centre and a periphery of the nest, respectively. The dependent on ant communities during their entire third stratum (3) was taken from below the soil sur- life circle or during part of it and are known as myr- face, i.e. it was the deepest. The fifth stratum (5) mecophiles. contains soil material one meter off from the ant The most numerous groups from myrmecophiles nest. All material was extracted with Tullgren fun- are mites and beetles. In the Palaearctic region dif- nels for a period of 48 hours. Prior to that, all ants ferent beetle species mainly from families Cara- were hand-removed from the samples. In addition, bidae, Histeridae, Ptiliidae, Leiodidae, Scydmaeni- beetle specimens were collected by hand-searching dae, Staphylinidae, Scarabaeidae, Nitidulidae, of ant nests. Monotomidae, Endomychidae, Latridiidae and Te- The material from family Endomychidae was col- nebrionidae live in ant nests (HÖLLDOBLER &WIL- lected mainly by hand-searching in ant nests, but SON, 1990).

5 LATRIDIIDAE Heft 8 ISSN 1613-2440 1. Dezember 2011 also by soil pitfall traps. Both Merophysiinae species Corticariinae Curtis, 1829 were found in dry xerothermophylous places under Corticaria longicollis (Zetterstedt, 1838) stones in South Bulgaria, but Mycetea subterranea FABRICIUS, 1801 – in a nest of Formica rufa LINNAE- Material examined from ant nests of Formica pra- US, 1761. tensis: Vitosha Mt., Bistrica vill., 1000 m, 07.IX.1994: stratum 3 – 2 ex.; 30.I.1995: stratum 2 Results – 1 ex.; 15.X.1995: stratum 3 – 1 ex.; 11.IV.1998: stratum5 – 1 ex. Latridiidae ERICHSON, 1842 Material examined from ant nests of Formica rufa: Latridiinae ERICHSON, 1842 Vitosha Mt., Konyarnika locality, 1650 m, Dienerella costulata (REITTER, 1877) 18.VII.1998: 1 ex.; Pirin Mt., above Bansko, 1050 Material examined from ant nests of Formica m, 01.V.2001: 9 ex.; Rila Mt., Panichishte vill., pratensis: Vitosha Mt., Bistrica vill., 1000 m, 1400 m, 24.VII.1998: 2 ex.; 29.VII.1998: 8 ex.; 20.VI.1997: stratum 2 – 6 ex., stratum 4 – 1 ex.; Osogovo Mt., above Pamuka hut, 1400 m, 16.VIII.1997: stratum 4 – 5 ex.; 09.IV.1998: stratum 09.VI.2002: 1 ex. 4 – 1 ex.; 11.IV.1998: stratum 1 – 25 ex., stratum 2 Material examined from ant nests of Formica – 1 ex., stratum3 – 1 ex.; 27.VI.1998: stratum 2 – 1 exsecta: Vitosha Mt., above Aleko hut, Stenata loca- ex., stratum 3 – 2 ex.; 16.VIII.1998: stratum 3 – 3 lity, 2000 m, 05.VII.1998: 3 ex.; Vitosha Mt., Turf ex. reserve, 1900 m, 06.X.1998: stratum 4 – 2 ex. Material examined from ant nests of Formica rufa: Material examined from ant nests of Formica lug- Lozenska Mt., above Lozen vill., 900 m, 23.II.2002: ubris: Vitosha Mt., Malak Rezen peak, 2150 m, 22 ex.; Rila Mt., Panichishte vill., 1400 m, 11.VII.1998: stratum 5 – 1 ex. 24.VII.1998: 1 ex. Note. New species for the Bulgarian fauna. WAS- Note. New species for the Bulgarian fauna. This MANN (after LOKAY, 1905) established this species in species is known more often out of ant nests. nests of Formica rufa. It has been found by FRANC (1992) in nests of F. rufa in Slovakia and the author Dienerella vincenti JOHNSON, 2007 wants to add that C. longicollis also lives in F. poly- ctena FÖRSTER, 1850 and F. pratensis-nests. (Formerly Dienerella elongata CURTIS, 1830; PÄIVINEN et al. (2002) add Lasius niger (LINNAEUS, (JOHNSON 2007, JOHNSON &RÜCKER 2007)). 1758) and Formica aquilonia YARROW, 1955 to the Material examined from ant nests of Formica pra- host range of the myrmecophilous C. longicollis. tensis: Vitosha Mt., Bistrica vill., 1000 m, 16.VIII.1998: stratum 2 – 1 ex.; 09.IV.1998: stratum Endomychidae LEACH, 1815 5 – 2 ex.; 27.VI.1998: stratum 5 – 1 ex. Merophysiinae SEIDLITZ, 1872 Cholovocera major REITTER, 1887 Material examined from ant nests of Formica (figs 1−3) exsecta: Vitosha Mt., Goli vrah, 1900 m, 27.VI.1998: stratum 1 – 1 ex., stratum 2 – 1 ex., Localities. Zemen gorge, 2 km western from Zemen stratum 5 – 2 ex.; 10.VIII.1998: stratum 1 – 1 ex. vill., 580 m, 23.V.1998: 9 ex., leg. A. LAPEVA- GJONOVA; Zemen gorge, Polska Skakavitsa vill., 530 Note. Facultative myrmecophile. LOKAY (1905) re- m, 19.V.2002: 1 ex., leg. A. LAPEVA-GJONOVA; Ma- ported Dienerella vincenti (as D. elongata) with leshevska Mountain, Tsaparevo vill., 480 m, 02- Lasius fuliginosus (LATREILLE, 1798) and Tetramori- 31.VII.2002, soil pitfall traps: 1 ex., leg. S. LAZAROV um caespitum (LINNAEUS, 1758); and SIEBER (1982) and T. LJUBOMIROV; Maleshevska Mountain, wes- as winter guest in nests of Formica rufa in Germany. tern from Mikrevo vill., 250 m, 02-31.VII.2002, soil The species has been reported from Bulgaria traps: 1 ex., leg. S. LAZAROV and T. LJUBOMIROV; (Razgrad) by MARKOVICH (1909). Eastern Rhodopes Mountain, Momchilgrad,

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1 2 3

Figs 1−2 Aedeagus of Cholovocera major REITTER, 1887. Fig. 3. Cholovocera major REITTER, 1887. 1. Aedeagus lateral, 2. Aedeagus ventral.

30.IV.2003: 4 ex., leg A. LAPEVA-GJONOVA; Eastern Mycetaeinae JACQUELIN DU VAL, 1858 Rhodopes Mountain, Madjarovo vill., 02.V.2003: Mycetaea subterranea FABRICIUS, 1801 50 ex., leg A. LAPEVA-GJONOVA; Eastern Rhodopes Mountain, Meden buk vill., 04.V.2009, 7 ex., A. Locality. Rila Mt., Panichische, 1400m, 27.VII.1998: 4 ex. in a Formica rufa nest, leg. D. GRADINAROV. LAPEVA-GJONOVA. Note. Usually M. subterranea lives out of ant nests, Note. First record for Europe after its description in but SIEBER (1982) reported it from Formica rufa Anatolia. This is also the first time when species of nests in Germany. In Bulgaria it was established also genus Cholovocera have been found in the country. in caves as troglophyle (GUÉORGUIEV &BERON, All material was collected from ant nests of Messor 1962; BERON, 1972). It is the first finding of this spe- structor (LATREILLE, 1798). cies in an ant nest in Bulgaria.

Acknowledgements Merophysia oblonga Kiesenwetter, 1872 We want to thank S. LAZAROV,T.LJUBOMIROV and Locality. East Rhodopes Mt., Meden buk vill., N41 D. GRADINAROV for the material kindly provided by 22 56 E26 01 04, 230 m, 04.V.2009: 2 ex., leg. A. them, which was used in this paper. LAPEVA-GJONOVA. Note. M. oblonga was found in the nests of Tetra- morium cf. caespitum located in an extremely dry References habitat. Known ant hosts are Aphaenogaster testace- BERON, P. (1972): Essai sur la faune cavernicole de Bul- opilosa (LUCAS, 1849) and Pheidole pallidula garie. III. Resultats des recherches biospeologique (NYLANDER, 1849) (RÜCKER, 1980). It is the second de 1966 à 1970. International Journal of record of this species from Bulgaria (Sliven) after Speleology 4, p. 317. ROUBAL (1932). Merophysia oblonga is distributed FRANC, V. (1992): Myrmecophilous beetles of Slovakia in the Mediterranean countries from Asia Minor to with special reference to their endangerment and Italy (RÜCKER &LÖBL, 2007). perspectives for protection. Acta Universitatis Carolinae Biologica 36: 299- 324.

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GUÉORGUIEV,V.&BERON, P. (1962): Essai sur la faune lungsblatt für Systematik und Taxonomie der cavernicole de Bulgarie. Extrait des Annales de Latridiidae 8: 11−20. Speleologie, XVII, 2-3, p. 333. SIEBER, M. (1982): Ergebnisse einer Siebeprobe zum HÖLLDOBLER,B.&WILSON, E. O. (1990): The ants. quantitativen Verhältnis von Coleopteren in For- Cambribdge, Massachusetts: Harvard Universi- mica rufa Nestern. Entomologische Nachrichten ty Press. 732 pp. und Berichte 26: 137-138. ILIEFF,O.&LAPEVA, A. (1997): Rove beetles (Coleoptera, Staphylinidae) from nests of the meadow ant For- Author‘s addresses mica pratensis RETZ. (Hymenoptera, Formicidae). ALBENA LAPEVA-GJONOVA Acta Zoologica Bulgarica 49: 102-104. Sofia University JOHNSON C. (2007): Latridiidae, pp. 74–80, 635–648. In Faculty of Biology LÖBL, I. & SMETANA, A. (eds) Catalogue of Pa- Department of Zoology and Anthropology laearctic Coleoptera, Vol. 4. Stenstrup: Apollo 8 Dragan Tzankov blvd Books, 935 pp. 1164 Sofia JOHNSON C. & RÜCKER H. W. (2007): Änderungen zur Bulgaria Nomenklatur der Latridiidae und Endomychidae, e-mail: [email protected]; Merophysiinae in Mitteleuropa nach Revisionen im „Catalogue of Palaearctic Coleoptera“ Band 4, WOLFGANG H. RÜCKER Juni 2007. (Coleoptera: Latridiidae). Latridiidae – Von-Ebner-Eschenbach Str. 12 Mitteilungsblatt für Systematik und Taxonomie der D-56567 Neuwied Latridiidae 5: 7–10. Germany LOKAY, E. (1905): Coleoptera myrmecophila bohemica. e-mail: [email protected] Časopis České Společnosti Entomologické 2: 33- 50.

MARKOVICH, A. (1909): Contribution to the insect fauna of the Razgrad-district. Sbornik za narodni umot- vorenia, nauka i knizhnina 25: 8.

PÄIVINEN, J., AHLROTH,P.&KAITALA, V. (2002): Ant- associated beetles of Fennoscandia and Denmark. Entomologica Fennica 13: 20-40.

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RÜCKER,H.W.&LÖBL, I. (2007): Endomychidae, Mero- physiinae: pp. 557-559. - In I. LÖBL &SMETANA, A. (eds): Catalogue of Palaearctic Coleoptera, Vol. 4. Stenstrup: Apollo Books, 935 pp.

RÜCKER, W. H. (2011): Ergebnisse von Typenstudien der Gattungen Metophthalmus MOTSCHULSKY, 1850 (Coleoptera: Latridiidae), Cholovocera MOT- SCHULSKY, 1838, Reitteria LEDER, 1872, Merophy- sia LUCAS, 1852 (Endomychidae: Merophysiinae) und Holoparamecus CURTIS, 1833 (Endomy- chidae: Holoparamecinae). Latridiidae – Mittei-