Ecologica Montenegrina 41: 15-34 (2021) This journal is available online at: www.biotaxa.org/em http://dx.doi.org/10.37828/em.2021.41.4 Bugs (Heteroptera) of treeless areas of Chukotka (Russia) NIKOLAY N. VINOKUROV1* & OLGA A. KHRULEVA2 1Institute for Biological Problems of Cryolithozone, Siberian Branch RAS, 677980 Yakutsk, 41 Lenin Av., Russia *Corresponding author: E-mail: [email protected] 2A.N. Severtsov Institute of Ecology and Evolution RAS, Leninsky pr. 33, Moscow, 119071, Russia. E-mail: [email protected] Received 4 March 2021 │ Accepted by V. Pešić: 26 March 2021 │ Published online 4 April 2021. Abstract The article summarizes the data on bugs in the treeless areas of the Chukotka Autonomous Okrug (tundra zone and the elfin wood subzone). Taking into account the available literary sources, as well as new materials (obtained in 2010s), 62 species of Heteroptera from 41 genera and 12 families are known here; 18 species recorded for these landscapes for the first time and 11 — for the Chukotka AO as a whole. There are: Saldula fucicola (J. Sahlberg, 1970) (Saldidae), Acompocoris brevirostris Kerzhner, 1979 (Anthocoridae); Apolygus lucorum (Meyer-Dür, 1843), Leptopterna ferrugata (Linnaeus, 1758), Teratocoris saundersi Douglas et Scott, 1869, Plagiognathus obscuriceps (Stål, 1858), Plagiognathus pini Vinokurov, 1978, Psallus anticus (Reuter, 1876) (Miridae); Kleidocerys resedae (Panzer, 1797) (Lygaeidae); Aelia frigida Kiritshenko, 1926, Rhacognathus punctatus (Linnaeus, 1758) (Pentatomidae). The number of known Heteroptera species for the tundra region of Chukotka increased from 39 to 51; for the elfin wood subzone — from 10 to 32 species. Some distribution features of bug species within zonal and climatic gradients of Chukotka are revealed. Key words: Heteroptera, Far East, Chukotka Autonomous Okrug, tundra zone, elfin wood subzone, fauna, new record, habitat distribution. Introduction Heteroptera is a large order of Hemimetabola sucking insects, with 40,000 species in the worldʼs fauna, whose taxonomic diversity decreases dramatically north of the forest boundary (Kiritshenko 1960; Chernov 1978; Danks 1981; Scudder 1997; Vinokurov 1998). The article summarizes the results of long-term studies of Heteroptera inhabiting treeless areas of the mainland of Chukotka Autonomous Okrug. The first mention of a bug from this region (Chiloxanthus stellatus Curt. listed as Salda borealis Stål) is given in an article by J. Salberg (1887); it was later included in the report Hemiptera and Anoplura of Arctic Eurasia and America (Breddin 1902). Then Kirichenko (1926) noted for Chukotka Chiloxanthus arcticus J. Sahlb., Anthocoris limbatus Fieb. (as Anthocoris nemorum F.), Lygocoris rugicollis Fall. and Lygus rugulipennis Popp. Later, in a generalizing work on the Heteroptera of the Arctic part of Russia (Kirichenko 1960), he added 7 more species for the Chukotka fauna: Callicorixa producta Reut., Calacanthia trybomi J. Sahlb., Salda littoralis L., Orthotylus artemisiae J. Sahlb., Chlamydatus wilkinsoni Dgl. Sс., Aradus lugubris Fall., Nysius ericae groenlandicus Zett. Ecologica Montenegrina, 41, 2021, 15-34 BUGS OF TREELESS AREAS OF CHUKOTKA In subsequent years, information about bugs in Chukotka continued to accumulate (Matis 1986; Kerzhner 1988; Vinokurov et al. 1988; Vinokurov 1990, 2005a, b, 2009, 2014; Marusik 1993; Shuh et al. 1995; Berman 2001; Berman et al. 2002; Kanyukova 2006; Kanyukova & Vinokurov 2009). Some of these publications (Vinokurov et al., 1988; Berman, 2001) indicated the presence of species in the region without data on their location. The most significant contribution in this study was made by Matis (1986), who particularly expanded the list of bugs of the tundra and north taiga landscapes of Western Chukotka (17 species in the vicinity of the Chaunsky Bay and 42 in the Omolon River basin, respectively). Total for the entire period of research (about 150 years) 68 species of bugs have been recorded on the territory of the Chukotka Autonomous Okrug (44 — from treeless areas of this region). All this data were contained in the faunal reports of larger regions or in taxonomic and ecological articles. This paper summarizes information about Heteroptera in treeless areas of Chukotka on the basis of field research materials, literature sources, as well as collections of the Zoological Institute of the Russian Academy of Sciences, St. Petersburg (hereinafter — ZIN) and of the Institute for Biological Problems of Cryolithozone, Siberian Branch RAS, Yakutsk (hereinafter — IBPC). Material and methods Chukotka Autonomous Okrug (further Chukotka) is located in the extreme north east of Asia and includes the Chukchi Penunsula, neighboring areas in the continent, and some islands (Wrangel, Ayon, Ratmanova and others). It is bounded by East-Siberian and Chukchi Seas to the north and the Bering Sea to the east. This territory has diverse climatic conditions due to its geographic position, the influence of two oceans, the complex atmospherical circulation, and a diverse relief. Chukotka AO is situated in the arctic (along the northern sea coast) and subarctic climate zones. Within the territory, climate conditions vary from maritime on the north-eastern and eastern coasts to continental in the west coastal and interior sections. The mean January temperature varies from –18°C to –42°C, the mean July temperature from 4 to 14°C, and the annual rainfall precipitation varies from 200 to 500 mm. The winter lasts 10 months and vegetation grows for only 80–100 days, even in the southern part. The permafrost is abundant on a majority part of this area. A mountainous relief predominates, with lowlands only occupying coastal areas and large river valleys (e.g., Anadyr River). The territory of Chukotka includes the tundra zone, as well as elfin wood subzone and northern taiga (Yurtsev et al. 2010). The article presents only information about bugs of treeless (without northern taiga) landscapes, where a large new material was collected (Fig. 1). An analysis of their distribution is given using the administrative division of this territory, since the main material (both previously assembled and new) was obtained only from certain areas. In the western Chukotka with most continental climate (Continental-Chukchi Subprovince by floral division (Yurtsev et al., 2010)), bugs were collected in the Chaunsky District and in one locality of Iultinsky District (Bolshaya Osinovaya River). In Beringium- Chukchi Subprovince, they were collected in the eastern part of the Iultinsky District (Central Chukotka with a transitional climate) and from Chukotsky District lies on Chukchi Peninsula in the marine climate area. In the Southern-Chukchi Subprovince material was collected in the Anadyr District. The article includes the material on Heteroptera collected by the second author in 2011 and 2013, as well as specimens obtained at different times for the study of I.M. Kerzhner (ZIN, St. Petersburg) and the first author from D.I. Berman, Yu.M. Marusik, S.P. Bukhkalo and A.V. Stekolshchikov. In addition, at the request of the second author, the collection of bugs was carried out by N. I. Vartanyan and A. G. Dondua in 2015 during ornithological research in northern Chukotka. The main part of the studied material was collected in the localities indicated below (their zonal position is given by Yurtzev et al. 2010). Localily 1. Chaunsky District, environs of Pevek (subzone of the middle hypoarctic tundra). Material (about 800 specimens) was collected by O.A. Khruleva in late May–July 2011 using pitfall traps, sweep nets, sifting litter and hand collection. Five areas were studied. The first of them, the lower course of the Apapelgyn River, 20 km NE of Pevek (69º48ʹ N, 170º39ʹ E), is located in a flat landscape (Fig. 2). The rest areas located within a small mountain range on the peninsula (Fig. 3, 4). There are: Yanrapaakenay Hill, 1 km N of Pevek, 69º42ʹ N, 170º21ʹ E; Pekiney Hill, 1 km S of Pevek, 69º40ʹ N, 170º16ʹ E; Pekiney Hill, 7 km S of Pevek, 69º38ʹ N, 170º15ʹ E; vicinity of the Valkumey village, 18 km S of Pevek, 69º36ʹ N, 170º13ʹ E. 16 VINOKUROV & KHRULEVA Figure 1. Collection points of Heteroptera on the mainland part of Chukotka. 1 — vicinity of Pevek; 2 — middle course of the Palyavaam River; 3 — Bolshaya Osinovaya River; 4 — Belyaka Spit; 5 — lower course of the Anadyr River; 6 — environs of Beringovskiy vill.; 7 — Vulvoveem River; 8 — Egvekinot vill.; 9 — middle course of the Amguema River; 10 — middle course of the Chegitun River; 11 — Markovo vill.; 12 — Utesiki; 13 — Anadyr town. Large circles are the main gathering points, small circles — the other points. The solid line is the boundary of the subzone of the northern taiga, the dotted line — the elfin wood subzone (by Yurtzev et al. 2010). Abbreviation of the zonal divisions: NT — the northern taiga subzone, EW — the elfin wood subzone; TZ — the tundra zone. Locality 2. Chaunsky District, middle course of Palyavaam River, 68°35ʹ N, 174° E (subzone of southern hypoarctic tundra). Bugs were collected by D.I. Berman in June 2011, about 75 specimens in total. Locality 3. Iultinsky District, Bolshaya Osinovaya River (on the maps of Chukotka it is designated as Left Telekay, personal communication of Yu.M. Marusik), Telekay Grove area, 67°44ʹ N, 178°44ʹ E. The study area contains a floodplain forest enclave from Chosenia arbutifolia in the close intermountain valley, located within of the middle hypoarctic tundra subzone. Bugs were collected by Yu.M. Marusik in July 1989, and by Yu.M. Marusik and D.I. Berman in June–July 1991. The material collected in 1989 was partially published without detailed label data (Marusik, 1993). This article includes the data of bug labels (about 20 ex.) stored in the collection of the ZIN, St.-Petersburg. Locality 4. Chukotsky District, Kolyuchin Bay, northwestern part of the Belyaka Spit, 67°04ʹ N 174°36ʹ E (subzone of middle hypoarctic tundra). The bugs were collected by N.I. Vartyanian and A.G. Dondua in June–August 2015 using pitfall traps, about 5000 specimens in total.