Turkish Journal of Zoology Turk J Zool (2017) 41: 178-180 http://journals.tubitak.gov.tr/zoology/ © TÜBİTAK Short Communication doi:10.3906/zoo-1601-30 Research on Alleculinae (Coleoptera: Tenebrionidae: Alleculinae) in tugai forests of the Almaty region in Kazakhstan using window traps 1 2 1, Oto NAKLÁDAL , Vladimír NOVÁK , Yuliya KOLESNICHENKO * 1 Department of Forest Protection and Entomology, Faculty of Forestry and Wood Sciences, Czech University of Life Sciences Prague, Prague, Czech Republic 2 Nepasické Náměstí 796, Prague, Czech Republic Received: 14.01.2016 Accepted/Published Online: 28.05.2016 Final Version: 25.01.2017 Abstract: We used 140 passive flight interception window traps for survey of alleculines in tugai forests of the Almaty region in Kazakhstan. Traps were set on Fraxinus sogdiana (Bunge, 1854), Populus diversifolia (Schrenk, 1842), P. pruinosa (Schrenk, 1845), and Elaeagnus angustifolia (Linnaeus, 1753), which are the main tree species of tugai forests. Two species of alleculines were captured: Mycetochara flavipes (Fabricius, 1792) and Steneryx dejeani (Faldermann, 1836). Mycetochara flavipes significantly prefers areas of the tugai forests with dominancy of Elaeagnus angustifolia. Faunistic data for both species are given. Mycetochara flavipes was recorded as a new species and genus for the territory of Kazakhstan. Key words: Mycetochara flavipes, Tenebrionidae, Alleculinae, Alleculini, new record Kazakhstan is one of the largest countries in the world with Tugai forests are intrazonal forest formations, which an area of 2.725 million km2, but the fauna of Alleculinae is grow along bottoms of river valleys in arid regions of still poorly explored. We know members of only seven genera Central Asia and Kazakhstan. These forests are called with 13 species (Novák and Pettersson, 2008; Kozminych, intrazonal forests because they are not separate zones 2015). The tribe Alleculini is represented by two species (Prochorov, 1982). They belong to a special relic type of of the genus Mycetocharina Sedilitz, 1891: Mycetocharina vegetation, which preserves archaic features of tertiary deserticola Semenov, 1893 and Mycetocharina macrophthalma flora, and its center of origin is Central Asia (Treshkin, (Gebler, 1859). Tribe Cteniopodini Solier, 1835 is represented 2011). The total area of Kazakhstan tugai forests is 400,000 by 11 species belonging to six genera. These species are km2, but only 150,000 km2 are covered by forests (Baizakov Cnecosochara filia Znojko, 1936; Cteniopinus altaicus altaicus et al., 2007). (Gebler, 1829); Cteniopus sulphureus (Linnaeus, 1758); The study of alleculines in the tugai forests was Omophlina arcuata (Gebler, 1829); Omophlina corva (Solsky, conducted in the Almaty region at four localities in 2013 1881); Omophlina hirtipennis (Solsky, 1881); Omophlus and at three localities in 2014. We set 20 passive window deserticola Kirsch, 1869; Omophlus lividipes Mulsant, 1856; traps (Figure 1) at each locality at breast high of the Omophlus pilicollis pilicollis (Faldermann, 1832); Steneryx main tree species of the tugai forests: Fraxinus sogdiana dejeanii (Faldermann, 1836); and Steneryx hauseri Sedlitz, (40 traps), Populus diversifolia (40), P. pruinosa (20), and 1896. While Mycetocharina, Cnecosochara, and Steneryx Elaeagnus angustifolia (40). Beetles were trapped from the species have evening or night activity (Ogloblin and Znojko, beginning of May to the end of August. Vladimir Novák 1950), species of the genera Cteniopus, Omophlina, Omophlus determined that all were Alleculinae beetles. The chi- prefer daytime activity. square test was performed for the analysis of recorded Species of the genus Mycetochara Berthold, 1827 species of tree species preference. were not found in Kazakhstan, so Mycetochara flavipes Using 140 window traps, we caught 23 specimens of (Fabricius, 1792) is the first record for this genus from alleculines from two species. There were 16 specimens Kazakhstan. The species exerts evening activity, lives of Mycetochara flavipes (Figure 2) and seven specimens under bark, in hollow trees, and in wood infested with of Steneryx dejeani. In the following, faunistic data are molds (Novák, 2014). presented. * Correspondence: [email protected] 178 NAKLÁDAL et al. / Turk J Zool Mycetochara flavipes: Ashen Grove, N43 34.855, E79 19.562, 693 m a.s.l., on Fraxinus sogdiana, 2.–20.v.2013, 1 spec.; Ashen Grove, N43 38.815, E79 22.352, 647 m a.s.l., on Elaeagnus angustifolia, 4.–16.v.2014, 10 spec.; Ashen Grove, N43 38.933, E79 22.463, 637 m a.s.l., on Populus diversifolia, 4.–16.v.2014, 3 spec.; Ashen Grove, N43 40.249, E79 23.240, 619 m a.s.l., on Elaeagnus angustifolia, 4.–16.v.2014, 2 spec. Known distribution: Austria, Belarus, Czech Republic, Denmark, Estonia, Finland, France, Georgia, Germany, Hungary, Italy, Latvia, Lithuania, Norway, Poland, Romania, Russia, territory of Serbia and Montenegro, Slovakia, Sweden, Switzerland, and Caucasus as well as Figure 1. Shelek. Window trap on stem of Populus pruinosa in tugai forest – habitat of Steneryx dejeani occurrence. Photo by from Mongolia, Southern Siberia, and Far East (Novák Oto Nakládal. and Pettersson, 2008). New genus and new species record for Kazakhstan fauna. Steneryx dejeani: Shelek, N43 48.298, E78 15.726, 488 m a.s.l., on Populus pruinosa, 25.v–7.vi 2013, 1 spec.; Bakanas, N45 03.282, E75 17.250, 367 m a.s.l., on Populus diversifolia, 24.v–29.vi 2013, 6 spec. Known distribution: Kazakhstan, Mongolia, Turkmenistan, Uzbekistan (Novák and Pettersson, 2008). Generally, we captured a low number of alleculines in 140 traps. Therefore, our data suggest a low abundance of both recorded species. Mycetochara flavipes was recorded only in the area of the Ashen Grove. These localities represent habitat with larger and more continuous areas of tugai forests with more complex tree species composition. On the other hand, Steneryx dejeani was found only in Bakanas and Shelek with very sparse vegetation at both localities (Figure 1). The landscape consists of many small fragments of forest or single trees. Mycetochara flavipes was strongly related to Elaeagnus angustifolia (Figure 3) in comparison with other examined tree species (Fraxinus Figure 3. Ashen Grove. Tugai forest with Elaeagnus angustifolia Figure 2. Male of Mycetochara flavipes. Photo by Stanislav – typical habitat of Mycetochara flavipes occurrence. Photo by Krejčík. Hana Brinkeová. 179 NAKLÁDAL et al. / Turk J Zool sogdiana, Populus diversifolia, and P. pr uinosa) (n = 16, Acknowledgments χ2 = 16.90, P < 0.0001). Obvious preference for this tree The authors give special thanks to Kenneth D MacHarg species was also significant when we tested only localities (Carrollton, Georgia, USA) for checking the English with the proven presence of Mycetochara flavipes (here language, Stanislav Krejčík (Ruda near Rýmařov, Czech only in comparison with Fraxinus sogdiana and Populus Republic) for the photo of Mycetochara flavipes, and diversifolia) (n = 16, χ2 = 8.17, P = 0.0043). This issue could Hana Brinkeová (Nové Strašecí, Czech Republic) for the be the object of a future investigation. The low number of photo of the locality. We would like to thank the Head captured Steneryx dejeani did not satisfy the chi-square of Charyn State National Nature Park (SNNP), Elnur M test assumption and therefore trees species were not tested. Akhmetov, for permission to stay in the territory of the The genus Mycetochara is widely distributed in Europe, Ashen Grove and to conduct field observations. We are Asia, North Africa, and North America. Borchmann grateful to the employees of the Scientific Department of (1910) identified 55 species from the world; Mader (1928) Charyn SNNP, Arsen Nurgaliyev, Maxim Akramov, and listed 41 species while Novák and Pettersson (2008) Zhiger T Satrbayev, for their great help in conducting mentioned 51 species from the Palearctic region. Most of the entomological field work and providing cartographic them belong to the subgenus Ernocharis (C. G. Thomson, material of survey areas. We would like to thank Galym, 1859). Ten species of the next subgenus, Mycetochara the forester of Charyn SNNP, and his family for the s. str., are distributed in the Palearctic region (Novák possibility of staying at their house and help with the field and Pettersson, 2008). Mycetochara flavipes is one of the research. This study was financially supported by the grant widely distributed species. As a result of our research, 14 IGA No. B03/15 of the Czech University of Life Sciences species of Alleculinae are known now for the territory of in Prague, Faculty of Forestry and Wood Sciences, and the Kazakhstan. Erasmus Mundus Action 2 CASIA Project. References Baizakov SB, Medvedev AN, Iskakov SI, Mukanov BM (2007). Lesnye Novák V (2014). Brouci čeledi potemníkovití (Tenebrionidae) Kultury v Kazahstane. Second book. Almaty, Kazakhstan: střední Europy; Beetles of the Family Tenebrionidae of the Agrouniversitet (in Russian). Central Europe. Prague, Czech Republic: Academia (in Czech and English). Borchmann F (1910). Pars 3: Alleculidae. In: Junk W, Schenklin S, editors. Coleopterorum Catalogus. Berlin, Germany: W. Junk, Novák V, Pettersson R (2008). Alleculinae. In: Löbl I, Smetana pp. 1-80 (in Latin). A, editors. Catalogue of Palaearctic Coleoptera. Vol. 5. Tenebrionoidea. Stenstrup, Denmark: Apollo Books, pp. 319- Fabricius JC (1792). 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