A contribution to the faunistic study of Scarabaeoidea
(Coleoptera) from Mazandaran Province, northern Iran
Materiały do poznania fauny Scarabaeoidea (Coleoptera) prowincji Mazandaran w północnym Iranie
Marek BUNALSKI1, Najmeh SAMIN2, Hassan GHAHARI3 1
Department of Entomology and Environmental Protection, University of Life Sciences, Dąbrowskiego 159, 60-594 Poznań, Poland; email: bunalski@up.poznan.pl
2
Young Researchers and Elite Club, Science and Research Branch, Islamic Azad University, Tehran, Iran
3
Department of Plant Protection, Yadegar – e- Imam Khomeini (RAH) Branch, Islamic Azad University, Tehran, Iran; email: n_samin63@yahoo.com
ABSTRACT: In this faunistic work, the fauna of Scarabaeoidea from Mazandaran Province (northern Iran) is studied. In total, 23 species from 13 genera were collected and identified. Pleurophorus variolosus (KOLEN.) is a new record for the fauna of Iran.
KEY WORDS: Coleoptera, Scarabaeoidea, Glaphyridae, Geotrupidae, Scarabaeidae, Northern Iran, Mazandaran prov.
Introduction
The superfamily Scarabaeoidea comprises more than 35.000 species worldwide (RATCLIFFE & PAULSEN 2008). The superfamily Scarabaeoidea
includes the family Scarabaeidae – "scarab beetles," the Lucanidae – "stag beetles," Passalidae – "bess beetles," and several of the traditional subfamilies of Scarabaeidae that are now generally treated as separate families (RILEY & WOLFE 2003). Perhaps the most well-known features
of adult scarabaeoids are their 3-7-segmented, fan-like or lamellate antennal club and powerful legs armed with teeth on the outer edge, an adaptation for digging (BORROR et al. 1989). Scarabaeoids feed on most
types of dung and a wide range of plant and animal matter, from detritus through lower plants to virtually all higher plant tissues, and from carrion to predation on other insects. Their habits range from free-living through fairly sophisticated forms of brood care to sub-social behaviour (BORROR
et al. 1989; SCHOLTZ 1990; JAMESON & RATCLIFFE 2002).
The fauna of Iranian Scarabaeoidea has been poorly studied (PETROVITZ 1954, 1958, 1980; BARAUD 1968; BORTESI & ZUNINO 1974;
ZAIRI 1976; KABAKOV 1982; NIKODÝM & KRÁL 1998; BARARI et al. 1998a; 1998b; BARARI 2001; KEITH & AHRENS 2002; MODARRES AWAL
2006; ZIANI & GUDENZI 2000, 2006, 2007, 2009; ZIANI 2006, 2011;
MONTREUIL & SERRI 2007; KEITH & ULIANA 2008; MOWLAVI et al.
2008, MORADI GHARAKHLOO & ZIANI 2009, 2010; ZIANI & MORADI
GHARAKHLOO 2010; GHAHARI et al. 2011; YARMAND et al. 2012;
SAKENIN & SAMIN 2015). The first checklist of Iranian Scarabaeidae was
prepared by MODARRES AWAL (1997) with 150 species. The checklist of Iranian Scarabaeoidea with 509 species was prepared by BUNALSKI et al.
(2014).
Mazandaran Province (Fig. 1) is located on the southern coast of the Caspian Sea. Mazandaran Province is geographically divided into two parts: the coastal plains and the mountainous areas.
Fig. 1. Administrative division of Mazandaran Province. Ryc. 1. Podział administracyjny prowincji Mazandaran.
The Alborz Mountain Range surrounds the coastal strip and plains of the Caspian Sea. Given the climatic changes and varying rates of rainfall in different parts of Mazandaran Province, this region has a variety of climates, including the mild and humid climate of the Caspian shoreline and the moderate and cold climate of the mountainous regions. The
western and central plains of the province, up to the northern foothills of the Alborz Mountain Range, experience the mild climate of the Caspian region. The province contains a moderate, subtropical climate with an average temperature of 25°C in summer and about 8°C in winter. This paper presents the faunistic work on the Scarabaeoidea of Mazandaran Province in order to determine step by step the fauna of these insects in Iran.
Materials and Methods
The materials of this research were collected from some regions of Mazandaran Province (northern Iran) during occasional field surveys. The methods for collecting included sweeping net, light traps, and knockdown. All the collected specimens were put in alcohol (ethanol 75%) and determined by the authors. Information concerning the date of collection, locality, coordinates, altitude, and number of specimens are given in brackets.
The classification and nomenclature of scarab beetles suggested by LAWRENCE & NEWTON (1995), RATCLIFFE et al. (2002), and LÖBL
& SMETANA (2006) have been followed.
Results
In total, 23 species from 13 genera were collected and identified in Mazandaran Province. The list of species is given below alphabetically.
Family: Geotrupidae LATREILLE, 1802 Subfamily: Lethrinae MULSANT et REY, 1871
Genus: Lethrus SCOPOLI, 1777
Lethrus (Lethrus) acutangulus BALLION, 1871
Distribution: Iran.
Material examined: Babol, 36°30′ N / 52°35′ E, 25 m, (2), VI 2012.
Family: Glaphyridae MAC LEAY, 1819 Genus: Glaphyrus LATREILLE, 1807
Glaphyrus (Glaphyrus) luristanus REITTER, 1903
Distribution: Iran.
Family: Scarabaeidae LATREILLE, 1802 Subfamily: Aphodiinae LAECH, 1815
Tribe: Aphodiini LAECH, 1815 Genus: Aphodius ILLIGER, 1798
Aphodius (Acanthobodilus) immundus (CREUTZER, 1799)
Distribution: Europa, North Africa, Iran, North & Central Asia, Western China.
Material examined: Tonekabon, 36°38′ N / 50°49′ E, 55 m, (2), VIII 2011; Noor, 36°19′ N / 52°00′ E, 8 m, (2), VI 2012.
Aphodius (Acrossus) luridus (FABRICIUS, 1775)
Distribution: Europa, North Africa, Iran, North & Central Asia.
Material examined: Savadkooh, 36°05′ N / 52°55′ E, 550 m, (1), IX 2009.
Aphodius (Mesontoplatys) arabicus HAROLD, 1875
Distribution: Egypt, Arabia, Israel, Iran.
Material examined: Savadkooh, 36°05′ N / 52°55′ E, 550 m, (3), IX 2009; Sari, 36°30′ N / 53°30′ E, 10 m, (4), IV 2013.
Tribe: Psammodiini MULSANT, 1842 Genus: Platytomus MULSANT, 1842
Platytomus variolosus (KOLENATI, 1846)
Distribution: Crimea, Transcaucasssus, Afghanistan, Central Asia.
Material examined: Amol, 36°28′ N / 52°21′ E, 198 m, (2), VI 2012. New record for the fauna of Iran.
Subfamily: Cetoniinae LEACH, 1815 Tribe: Cetoniini LEACH, 1815 Genus: Oxythyrea MULSANT, 1842
Oxythyrea cinctella cinctella (SCHAUM,1841)
Distribution: Europe SE, Transcaucasssus, Turkey, Near & Middle East, Afghanistan, Kazakhstan, Central Asia, Western China.
Material examined: Ghaemshahr, 36°28′ N / 52°52′ E, (3), IX 2007; Marzanabad, 36°27′ N / 51°18′ E, (1), VIII 2008.
Genus: Protaetia BURMEISTER, 1842
Protaetia (Netocia) ungarica armeniaca (MENETRIES, 1832)
Distribution: Turkey, Iran.
Material examined: Babol, 36°30′ N / 52°35′ E, 25 m, (2), VI 2012; Sari, 36°30′ N / 53°30′ E, 10 m, (1), IV 2013.
Genus: Tropinota MULSANT, 1842
Tropinota (Epicometis) hirta suturalis REITTER, 1913
Distribution: Balkans, Turkey, Near East, Iran, Iraq, Afghanistan.
Material examined: Ghaemshahr, 36°28′ N / 52°52′ E, 8 m, (1), VII 2010.
Tropinota (Epicometis) senicula (MÉNÉTRIES, 1832)
Distribution: Transcaucasssus, Turkey, Iran.
Material examined: Tonekabon, 36°38′ N / 50°49′ E, 55 m, (2), VIII 2011.
Tropinota (Epicometis) spinifrons REITTER
Distribution: Transcaucasssus, Syria, Iran, Central Asia, Afghanistan. Material examined: Ghaemshahr, 36°28′ N / 52°52′ E, (3), IX 2007.
Tropinota (Epicometis) turanica REITTER, 1889
Distribution: Iran, Afghanistan, Central Asia, Northwest China. Material examined: Sari, 36°30′ N / 53°30′ E, 10 m, (3), IV 2013.
Subfamily: Melolonthinae SAMOUELLE, 1819 Tribe: Melolonthini SAMOUELLE, 1819
Genus: Polyphylla HARRIS, 1841
Polyphylla (Polyphylla) olivieri LAPORTE, 1840
Distribution: Balkans, Turkey, Transcaucassus, Iran, Syria, Israel.
Material examined: Tonekabon, 36°38′ N / 50°49′ E, 55 m, (4), VIII 2011; Ramsar, 36°47′ N / 50°32′ E, 9 m, (7), VIII 2011; Amol, 36°28′ N / 52°21′ E, 198 m, (2), VI 2012; Behshahr, 36°41′ N / 53°44′ E, 57 m, (6), IV 2013; Sari, 36°30′ N / 53°30′ E, 10 m, (4), IV 2013.
Tribe: Rhizotrogini BURMEISTER, 1855 Genus: Holochelus REITTER, 1889
Holochelus (Holochelus) fallax fallax (MARSEUL, 1879)
Distribution: Balkans, Turkey, Transcaucasssus, Syria, Iran, Turkmenistan. Material examined: Ramsar, 36°47′ N / 50°32′ E, 9 m, (2), VIII 2011.
Subfamily: Rutelinae MAC LEAY, 1819 Tribe: Adoretini BURMEISTER, 1844
Genus: Adoretus LAPORTE, 1840
Adoretus persicus REITTER, 1889
Distribution: Iran.
Material examined: Behshahr, 36°41′ N / 53°44′ E, 57 m, (2), IV 2013.
Subfamily: Scarabaeinae LATREILLE, 1802 Tribe: Coprini LEACH, 1815
Genus: Copris GEOFEROY, 1762
Copris lunaris (LINNAEUS, 1758)
Distribution: Europa, Turkey, Iran, Central Asia, Western China. Material examined: Noor, 36°19′ N / 52°00′ E, 8 m, (5), VI 2012.
Tribe: Onitini LAPORTE de CASTELNAU, 1840 Genus: Onitis FABRICIUS, 1798
Onitis humerosus (PALLAS, 1771)
Distribution: Transcaucasia, Turkey, Near East, Iran, Central Asia, Western China.
Material examined: Savadkooh, 36°05′ N / 52°55′ E, 550 m, (1), IX 2009; Tonekabon, 36°38′ N / 50°49′ E, 55 m, (2), VIII 2011.
Tribe: Onthophagini BURMEISTER, 1846 Genus: Onthophagus LATREILLE, 1802
Onthophagus (Paleonthophagus) fracticornis (PREYSSLER, 1790)
Material examined: Tonekabon, 36°38′ N / 50°49′ E, 55 m, (3), VIII 2011; Noor, 36°19′ N / 52°00′ E, 8 m, (2), VI 2012.
Onthophagus (Paleonthophagus) lemur (FABRICIUS, 1781)
Distribution: Europa, Turkey, Syria, Iran, Central Asia.
Material examined: Amol, 36°28′ N / 52°21′ E, 198 m, (4), VI 2012.
Onthophagus (Paleonthophagus) ponticus HAROLD, 1883
Distribution: Balkans, Crimea, Transcaucasia, Turkey, Levant, Iran, Iraq. Material examined: Ramsar, 36°47′ N / 50°32′ E, 9 m, (3), VIII 2011.
Onthophagus (Paleonthophagus) ruficapillus BRULLE, 1832
Distribution: Europa, Turkey, Levant, Iran, Iraq.
Material examined: Ghaemshahr, 36°28′ N / 52°52′ E, 8 m, (2), VII 2010; Sari, 36°30′ N / 53°30′ E, 10 m, (2), IV 2013.
Tribe: Scarabaeini LATREILLE, 1802 Genus: Scarabaeus LINNAEUS, 1758
Scarabaeus (Scarabaeus) carinatus (GEBLER, 1841)
Distribution: Kazakhstan, Central Asia, Afghanistan, Iran.
Material examined: Ghaemshahr, 36°28′ N / 52°52′ E, 8 m, (2), VII 2010; Sari, 36°30′ N / 53°30′ E, 10 m, (1), IV 2013.
Scarabaeus (Scarabaeus) pius ILLIGER, 1803
Distribution: Southern Europe, Transcaucasia, Balkans, Turkey, Levant, Iran, Central Asia, Western China.
Material examined: Behshahr, 36°41′ N / 53°44′ E, 57 m, (3), IV 2013.
Discussion
In this research, some regions of Mazandaran Province were sampled and in total 23 species were collected. With attention to the high floral diversity and various agricultural and forest ecosystems of Mazandaran Province, the fauna of Scarabaeoidea is surely more diverse in the mentioned region. Continuing of faunistic surveys is necessary for discovering new records and new distribution data on this taxon in Mazandaran Province. In addition to the species listed in this paper, there are many other species which were given in the checklists MODARRES
AWAL (1997) and BUNALSKI et al. (2014); some of them are important
agricultural pests (e.g. Oxythyrea cinctella (SCHAUM, 1841)).
Acknowledgements
The authors are grateful to Dr. M. ULIANA and Dr. S. ZIANI from Italy
for providing some papers. The research was supported by Islamic Azad University (Yadegar– e- Imam Khomeini (RAH) Branch) and Poznań University of Life Sciences.
STRESZCZENIE
W trakcie badań faunistycznych prowadzonych w prowincji Mazandaran w pół-nocnym Iranie zarejestrowano występowanie 23 gatunków Scarabaeoidea należących do 13 rodzajów. Pleurophorus variolosus (KOLEN.) został po raz pierwszy wykazany
z terytorium Iranu.
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