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REDESCRIPTION OF CHECKERED BEETLE, Trichodes ephippiger
Chevrolate, 1874 (Coleoptera: Cleridae)
3Hozan Q. Hamma Murad 1Abdulla Banaz S. 1Nabeel A. Mawlood
1,3 College of Agric., Salahaddin University, Iraq (nabeel_akm57@yahoo.com)
2 College of Education, Salahaddin University, Iraq (Banaz.Sdiq77@yahoo.com)
ABSTRACT
Redescription of checkered beetles, Trichodes ephippiger Chevrolate, 1874
is reviewed from Iraq. The species was collected from the flowers of some
weeds during the period of March until July- 2014. Some important taxonomic
parts, labrum, mandibles, antenna and male genitalia have been drawn.
Localities, plant hosts and date of the collection have been mentioned.
Key words: (Coleoptera;Cleridae), New record, Trichodes ephippiger Chevrolate, Iraq.
INTRODUCTION
The family Cleridae of the superfamily Cleroidea comprises approximately
4000 species and just over 300 genera worldwide (Gerstmeier, 2000). They are
commonly known as checkered beetles. The family has a worldwide
distribution, and a variety of habitats and feeding preferences. Ninety-one
species have been described, of which 70 are from the Palearctic (Corporal,
1950), 11 from Nearctic (Foster, 1976) and 10 from the Afrotropical regions
(Corporal, 1950). Most genera of the family are predaceous and feed on other
beetles and larvae; however, other genera are scavengers .some feed upon
pollen as adults, whereas larvae are predaceous, as is the general life history for
the genus Trichodes (Opitz, 2002).While, a few are considered pests of stored
animal products, dry carrion, or stored meat products (Furniss and Carolin, 1977
; Majka, 2006). Some species consisting predominately of predators of
hymenopteran larvae and orthopteran egg pods (Foster, 1976). Another species
are occasionally found on carrion in the later dry stages of decay. Some species
also are stored pest and are found infesting, many of the species are known as
"flower visitors", which prey on other flower visiting insects and also feed
on pollen. These species are found in moist, sunny environments, where
flowering plants are found in abundance (Ronald, 1998). Trichodes Herbst,
1792 is one of the very important genus belonging to the family, first appeared
in the literature when Herbst (1792) used it in place of Clerus Fabricius (1775).
Fabricius (1801) split Clerus and used the junior synonym Trichodesas a
generic name for Old World species. Latreille (1804) incorrectly used Clerus
Received: 22/11/2015
Accepted: 26/5/2016
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http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Cleroidea
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Habitat
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Predaceous
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Scavengers
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Decomposition
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Flower
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Insects
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Pollen
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for species Fabricius placed under Trichodes. Generally, are elongated
and oval in shape. Their entire bodies are covered with bristly hairs, and many
display an ornate body color pattern. These often brightly color patterns can be
red, yellow, orange, or blue. The antennae are clubbed at the tip for most
species, but others can be “clubbed, saw-tooth, or thread-like. (White, 1998 ;
Johnson and Triplehorn, 2004 ). In Iraq there are not any taxonomic study of the
family species except; Derwesh (1965) indicated 10 species in six genera and
Al-Ali (1977) recorded six species.
MATERIALS AND METHODS
The specimens were collected from the period of March till July/ 2014
from the flowers of some weeds and plants in different localities of Kurdistan
region - Iraq. The specimens were placed in boiling water for 10-15 minutes to
soften their parts. Then the parts were separated and put in 10% KOH, placed
on fire with shaking for about (4-5) minutes for dissolving of lipids materials of
the body and destroying the muscles. After that placed in distilled water for 2-3
minutes in order to neutralize the alkali. The parts were placed in ethyl alcohol
25% and dissected under microscope, then transferred to ethyl alcohol 50%,
75% and 100%, respectively for two minutes of each concentrations to
dehydration of water, then placed in xylol for two minutes, for translucency,
finely placed in Canada balsam to support slides for subsequent examination
under microscope. The species identified by using taxonomic key of (Foster,
1976 ; West, 2014).
RESULTS AND DISCUSSION
Trichodes ephippiger Chevrolate, 1874
Body: Subcylindrical shaped, brightly reddish, length 0.6-1 mm, width 0.3-
0.4mm.
Head: Oval, with narrow black suture edge. Vertex shine black, low concave,
with sparsely of fine punctures. Coronal suture present. Eyes dark brown, oval.
Frons shine black, convex, with sparsely of fine punctures. Clypeus triangular
slightly concave, laterally with dense of fine punctures and pale yellow setae.
Antennae (Fig.1e) clavate, dark brown, 2.8-3.4 mm .1st segment cup shaped, 2.2
times as long as 2nd segment, 2nd segment nearly rounded, segment 11th oval
shaped 2.4 times as long as 10th segment. Labrum (Fig.1b) brown, nearly oval,
length 0.3 – 0.4 mm, anterior margin moderately emarginated at middle with
row of pale yellow setae. Mandibles (Fig.1a) black, high sclerotized, apical part
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http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Oval
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with two denticle, inner denticle shorter than the outer, scrobe with 7-9 of pale
yellow setae. Maxilla (Fig.1c) pale brown, 1st segment of maxillary palp small
nearly rectangular shaped, 2nd segment nearly cup shaped, 1.2 times as long as
1st segment, 4th segment nearly oval elongated shaped 2.6 times as long as 3rd
segment, distal lacinia nearly rectangular, pale brown, apical part bearrow of
high pale yellow setae. Labium (Fig.1d) brown, prementum nearly spherical
shaped, 3rd segment of labial palp nearly triangular 1.1 times as long as 2nd
segment.
Thorax: Pronotum brightly black color, nearly cylindrical shaped, surface with
moderate dense of puncture, anterior margin slightly straight, posterior margin
nearly rounded at middle, anterior and posterior angle nearly round. Procoxal
cavity open, anterior margin of prosternal straight, prosternal process rounded at
the middle. Scutellum shine black, triangular shaped. Elytra (Fig.1f) shine
reddish, lateral margin dark brown reddish, quarter part of elytra shine black
randomly moderate pale black hair on surface. Legs shine black, fore and hind
femur nearly oval, one-fourth of apical part with row of short pale yellow
spines, spures present, hind tibia cylindrical shaped.
Abdomen: Shine black, nearly oval shaped, speculum gaster (Fig.1g) pale
yellow, Y-shaped, strongly jointed at ¼ of apical part.
Male genitalia: Aedeagus (Fig.1h) pale brown, length 2.0– 2.4mm, nearly bulb
shaped, and apical part acute. Basal hood pale yellow, slightly sclerotized,
nearly tubular shaped.
Specimens examined: The specimens were collected from of the flowers of
some weeds, Erbil (Salahhaden , Shaqlawa,Girdarasha and Ankawa, mustard,
Brassica rapa, Haory cress, Lepidium draba; and Dwarf rocket, Diplotaxis
sp.22.3.2014, 30.4.2014, 20.5.2014 and 4.6.2014 respectively; Kasnazan,
Brassica rapa, 4.5.2014). Sulaimani (wild mint, Mentha sp., 18.4.2014). Duhok
(Semil, malva, Malva sylvestris, 22.6.2014).
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Figure 1. Trichodes ephippiger Chevrolate,
a. Labrum, b. Mandible, c. Maxilla , d. Labial palp, e. Antenna, f. Elytra
g. Spiculum h. Male genitalia (Lateral view) i. Male genitalia (Dorsal view)
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REFFERENCES
Al-Ali, A. S. 1977. Phytophagous and entomophagous insects and mites of
Iraq. Natural History Research Center, Publishing 33:142 pp.
Byrd, J. H. 2001. James L., Castner, ed. Forensic Entomology: The
Utility of Arthropods in Legal Investigations (2nd ed.). Boca
Raton: CRC Press.
Corporaaj, L. B. 1950. Coleopterorum catalogus, pars 23 (editio secunda
Cleridae. Uitgeveru Dr. Junk, The Hague, Netherlands, 373 pp.
Derwesh, A. I. 1965. A preliminary list of identified insects and arachnids of
Iraq. Direct. Gen. Agr. Res. Proj Baghdad. Bull., No. 121-123.
Fabricius, C. 1775. Systema entomologiae, sistenslnsectorum classes
ordines, genera, species, adjuct ls synonymls locis, description bus,
observationi bus. FIensburgiet Lipsiae, 832 pp.
Fabricius, C. 1801. Systema elevtheratotum, Kiliae. I: xxiv+ 506 pp.
Foster, D. E. 1976. Revision of North American Trichodes (Herbst)
(Coleoptera: Cleridae). Special Publications, Museum Texas Tech
University, Texas Tech Press, Lubbock, Texas.88 pp.
Furniss, R. L. and M. V. Carolin. 1977. Western forest insects. United
States Department of Agriculture, Forest Service. Miscellaneous
Publications. 1339.654 pp.
Gerstmeier, R. 2000. Aktueller Stand der Buntkäfer-Forschung
(Coleoptera, Cleridae, Thanerocleridae). Entomologica
Basiliensia. 22: 169–178.
Herbstj, F. W. 1792. Natur systema llerbekannten in-und
Auslandischen Insekteralseine Fortsetzung der von Biiffonschen
Naturgeschichte. K&fer. 4: 1-197.
Johnson, N. F. and A. C. Triplehorn. 2004. Borror and DeLong's
Introduction to the Study of Insects (7th ed.). Belmont: Brooks/Cole.
pp. 365–400, 428–429.
Latreille, p. A. 1804. Histoire naturelle, generale et particulare des
crustaces et desinsects. Paris, 9: 1-445.
Majka, C. G. 2006. The checkered beetles (Coleoptera: Cleridae) of the
Maritime Provinces of Canada. Zootaxa.1385: 31-46.
Opitz, W. 2002. Cleridae. Pp. 267-728. In: American Beetles, Volume
2. Arnett, R. H and M. C. Thomas (eds.). CRC Press, Boca Raton,
Florida.861 pp.
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Ronald, G. 1998. Checkered Beetles: Illustrated Key to the Cleridae and
Thanero cleridae of the Western Palaearctic. Weikersheim,
Germany: Margraf Verlag. pp. 12–15.
White, R. E. 1998. A Field Guide to the Beetles of North America
(illustrated and revised ed.). New York: Houghton Mifflin Harcourt.
pp. 208–209.
West, D. 2014. The Checkered beetle genus Trichodes Herbst
(Coleoptera: Cleridae): A Pictorial Key to North American Taxa with
notes on Colorado species. Colorado State University, Fort Collins,
Colorado.1-26.
Chevrolate ephippiger Trichodes 1874 اللونشطرنجية ا اءسفنالخ أعادة وصف
) Cleridae (Coleoptera:
3هوزان قادر حمه مراد 2بناز صديق عبد هللا 1نبيل عبدالقادر مولود
.، العراقمعة صالح الدين /أربيلجا –كلية الزراعة -قسم وقاية النبات - ومدرس مساعد على التوالي أستاذ 1،3
.، العراقجامعة صالح الدين /أربيل -كلية التربية – علوم الحياةقسم - مدرس 2
المستخلص
في Trichodes ephippiger Chevrolate, 1874اللون شطرنجية اءخنفسال أعادة وصفتم
رسمت . 2132 /تموز –آذار من الفترة لمن على ازهار بعض األدغال خال العينات تجمعق. العرا
. ذكرت والسوءة الذكرية ،الآلمسو ،الفكوك العلياوالعليا، ةمنها الشف األجزاء المهمة تصنيفيابعض
مناطق إنتشار النوع، وتاريخ جمعه وعائله النباتي.
Trichodes ephippigerالنوع تسجيل جديد، ن: رتبة غمدية األجنحة(اللوخنافس شطرنجية عائلة (الكلمات المفتاحية:
Chevrolate, 1874 .العراق ،
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