Table Of ContentZOOSYSTEMATICA ROSSICA, 23(1): 118–121 25 JUNE 2014
First record of sap beetles Epuraea ocularis and Stelidota geminata
(Coleoptera: Nitidulidae) from Caucasus
Первая находка жуков-блестянок Epuraea ocularis and Stelidota
geminata (Coleoptera: Nitidulidae) на Кавказе
V.A. TSINKEVICH* & I.A. SOLODOVNIKOV
В.А. ЦИНКЕВИЧ, И.А. СОЛОДОВНИКОВ
V.A. Tsinkevich, Department of Zoology, Belarusian State Pedagogical University, 18 Sovetskaya Str., Min sk
220030, Belarus. E-mail: [email protected]. *Соrresponding author.
I.A. Solodovnikov, Department of Zoology, Vitebsk State University, 3 Moskovski Prosp., Vitebsk 210038, Belarus.
E-mail: [email protected]
Two invasive species of the sap beetles, Epuraea ocularis Fairmaire, 1849 and Stelidota gemi-
nata (Say, 1825), are recorded from Caucasus for the first time: from Abkhazia and from Russia
(Krasnodar Territory) and Abkhazia, respectively. Stelidota geminata is also a new species for
the fauna of Russia.
Два инвазивных вида жуков-блестянок – Epuraea ocularis Fairmaire, 1849 and Stelido-
ta geminata (Say, 1825) – впервые обнаружены на Кавказе: в Абхазии и в Абхазии и
Краснодарском крае России соответственно. Stelidota geminata впервые указан также для
фауны России.
Key words: sap beetles, alien species, Caucasus, Russia, Abkhazia, Coleoptera, Nitidulidae,
Epuraea, Stelidota, new records
Ключевые слова: жуки-блестянки, инвазивные виды, Кавказ, Россия, Абхазия, Coleo-
ptera, Nitidulidae, Epuraea, Stelidota, новые указания
In Europe, the beetles predominate E. ocularis and S. geminata can be found on
among the terrestrial invasive arthropods. the Internet (Benisch, 2014).
Twenty-six species of the alien sap beetles
were recorded from Europe, and a few from
Epuraea ocularis (Fairmaire, 1849)
them have economic importance (Denux &
Zagatti, 2010). During the field studies in
Material examined. Abkhazia, Gudauta Dis-
the northwestern part of the southern slope
tr., Pitsunda, Riapshi Valley, 5–6 km SE from
of the Greater Caucasus mountain range Ludzava Vill., 43°10´43.33´´N 40°25´37.21´´E,
in 2013–2014, the junior author collected 2–14 May 2012, about 40 specimens, leg.
two invasive species of the sap beetles, Epu- I.A. Solodovnikov.
raea ocularis Fairmaire, 1849 and Stelidota Remarks. Beetles were collected in
geminata (Say, 1825), which are new for the the river valley overgrown with decidu-
Caucasian fauna; S. geminata is also a new ous trees: walnut (Juglans regia), chestnut
species for Russia. The most beetles were (Castanea sp.), boxtree (Buxus colchica), at
caught in pitfall traps with nine-percent elevations of 58–70 m (Fig. 1). Each ely-
acetic acid. All the captured specimens are tron of all the captured specimens has dark
deposited in the collections of both authors. maculae (oval at the base, trapezoid at the
The photographs of general appearance of apex, and transverse at the middle).
© 2014 Zoological Institute, Russian Academy of Scienсes
V.A. TSINKEVICH & I.A. SOLODOVNIKOV. SPECIES OF NITIDULIDAE NEW FOR CAUCASUS 119
Figs 1, 2. Abkhasia: 1, sample site of Epuraea ocularis and Stelidota geminata, 43°10´43.33´´N 40°25´37.21´´E; 2,
sample site of Stelidota geminata, 43°12´35.07´´N 40°31´30.60´´E.
Epuraea ocularis belongs to the subge- Stelidota geminata (Say, 1825)
nus Haptoncus Murray, 1864. Species of
Material examined. Abkhazia, Gudauta
this subgenus are rather common in tropi-
Distr.: 5–6 km SE of Ludzava Vill.,
cal and subtropical regions. Two of them, E.
43°10´43.33´´N 40°25´37.21´´E, 2–14 May
ocularis and E. luteola Erichson, 1843, were
2012, 9 specimens, leg. I. Solodovnikov; near
introduced to Europe in the first half of the Otkhara Vill., h = 180 m, 43°12´35.07´´N
20th century and now demonstrate very 40°31´30.60´´E, 13 May – 6 July 2013, 3 speci-
rapid expansion over the continent (Audi- mens, leg. I.А. Solodovnikov, S.V. Solodovniko-
sio, 1993; Kirejtshuk, 1998; Jelínek, 2007; va, V.M. Kotsur; near Mtsara Vill., Zashirbara
Jelínek & Audisio, 2007). Both species are Mountain Range, h = 680–690 m, Mtsara Val-
currently widely distributed over Europe: E. ley, 43°16´7.50´´N 40°8´46.0´´E, 11 May – 5
luteola is known from 19 countries (Jelínek July 2013, 2 specimens, leg. I.А. Solodovnikov,
& Audisio, 2007); E. ocularis is known from S.V. Solodovnikova, V.M. Kotsur, S.М. Pav-
luchuk, N.Yu. Pichugin. Russia, Krasnodar
Austria, France, Germany, Italy, Malta,
Terr., Khosta Distr.: Alek Mountain Range,
Portugal, Slovenia, Spain, Switzerland and
h = 650–670 m, head water (riverheads) of
Turkey (Jelínek & Audisio, 2007; Mifsud &
the Malaya Khosta River, 43°39´22.88´´N
Audisio, 2008), and was also recorded from 39°53´02.63´´E, 3 May – 9 July 2013, 1 speci-
Canary Islands, Israel, Hawai and the main-
men, leg. I.A. Solodovnikov, S.V. Solodovniko-
land of North America (Jelínek, 1997; Ew- va, V.M. Kotsur; Kraevo-Ar myan skoe Vill.,
ing & Cline, 2004; Cline & Audisio, 2011; Matsesta Valley, h = 110 m, 43°35´44.88´´N
Rittner & Nir, 2013). Nowadays both spe- 039°048´47.48´´E, in flight and on grapes
cies are considered as cosmopolitan. Epu- leaves, 11 July 2013, 4 specimens, leg. I.А.
raea ocularis is recorded here from Cauca- Solodovnikov.
sus (Abkhazia) for the first time. Remarks. Beetles were collected on the
Epuraea ocularis is associated with de- plains and in the mountains. In the moun-
caying fruits and other decomposing plant tains, all the finds were made in the decidu-
substrates; imagines frequently visit flowers ous forests (hornbeam, beech, oak, and ha-
of trees and bushes. Larvae were recorded zel) (Figs 2–3).
on fermenting fruits (peach, apple, orange Stelidota geminata originates from the
etc.), in fruit bodies of tree-fungi and simi- North American continent and is known
lar substrates, as well as on decaying flow- under the name “strawberry sap beetle”.
ers. Imagines occur during a whole year In 1980s it was firstly introduced to the
in the tropical regions (Kirejtshuk, 1998; Azores (Portugal) and later, to the conti-
Audisio et al., 2000; Tsukada et al., 2005). nental Europe (Israelson, 1985; Jelínek,
© 2014 Zoological Institute, Russian Academy of Scienсes, Zoosystematica Rossica 23(1): 118–121
120 V.A. TSINKEVICH & I.A. SOLODOVNIKOV. SPECIES OF NITIDULIDAE NEW FOR CAUCASUS
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Received April 17, 2014 / Accepted May 28, 2014
© 2014 Zoological Institute, Russian Academy of Scienсes, Zoosystematica Rossica 23(1): 118–121
