1 1 M. S. Abdul-Rassoul Bull. Iraq nat. Hist. Mus. (2010) 11 (2): 1-5 TUMBLING FLOWER BEETLES (COLEOPTERA, MORDELLIDAE) OF IRAQ Mohammad Saleh Abdul-Rassoul Iraq Natural History Museum, Baghdad University, Baghdad, Iraq ABSTRACT The present study was undertaken to determine the species of tumbling flower beetles (Coleoptera, Mordellidae) found in Iraq. Specimens have been collected from different localities of Iraq since 1970. Results show that the tumbling flower beetles (Mordellidae) are represented with a total of 13 species belonging to four genera of three tribes, two of these species were described by Dr. Horak (1985,1990) as new species for Iraq Mediimorda maceki HoraK and Mordellistena bolognaHorak; two were previously reported Stenalia escherichi Schilsk and Mordellistena pumila (Gyllenhal) and ten are new records for Iraq.Stenalia araxicola Khnzorian, Stenalia brunneipennis Mulsant, Variimorda fasciata (Fabricious), Variimorda holzschuhi Horak, Mordellistena horaki Pino., Mordellistena kraatzi Emery, Mordellistena sp. prob. Micans Gemar, Mordellistena sp. near microspmelicte Ermish, Mordellistena paraepisterna Ermisch and Mordellistena pseudorugipennis Ermisch. INTRODUCTION Tumbling flower beetles or Mordellidae is a large and widely distributed family in order Coleoptera. It includes approximately 1500 species in 113 genera (Lisberg and Young, 2003). Commonly called tumbling flower beetles because their tumbling movements in attempting to escape capture (Borror and Delong, 1964).The adults are small 2.0 to 8.0 mm in Length, humpbacked beetles with long pointed abdomen (Jackman, 1993). Most Mordellids are black or mottled grey in color and the body is covered with a dense pubescence (Borror and Delong, 1964). They are commonly found on flowers of many taxonomically diverse plants particularly Compositae and Umbelliferous flowers, on which they feed. Larvae are stem and wood- borers and their food consists largely of pithy plant stems and rotten wood (Lisberg and Young, 2993). The Mordellid beetles of Iraq have been very poorly studied and are known only from scattered faunastic lists. The first work was given by Schilsky (1898) who described a new species from north of Iraq (Kurdistan) AnaspiskonigiSchilsk. Csiki (1915) listed this species in his catalogue to Mordellidae. Blair (1923) described Pseudopentaria (= pentaria) mesopotamica (Blair) as a new species among other HeteromerousColeoptera. Scott (1929) reported Mordellistena pumila (Gyllenhal) among other insects from north of Iraq. Roubal (1932) recorded one species form Baghdad which has been determined only to the genus level Pentaria sp. Horak described two new species from Iraq among Mordellid specimens sent to him by me in 1984for determination. The first one was Mediimorda maceki in 1985 and the second one was Mordellistena bologna in 1990. The Anaspini species Anaspis konigi Schilsky and Pentaria mesopotamica (Blair) previously included within the Mordellidae, now in the family Scraptiidae. Thus, only two species remain within family Mordellidae. Therefore, the present study was carried in order to determine the composition and the distribution of the Mordellidae species in Iraq , hoping to provide basis for future work. 2 Tumbling Flower Beetles MATERIALS AND METHODS A survey of Iraqi tumbling flowers beetles (Mordellidae) were conducted from field samples and literature cited. Specimens were collected from different localities in Iraq since 1970. Adults were collected by a sweeping net and aspirator from flowers of various plants particularly Umbellifera such as Daucus carota Linn., Ammi majus Linn. and Ammi visnaga (Linn.) Lum. Identification of these specimens was kindly done by Dr. J. Horak. Data for these species including localities and date of collection are given on the list. The number of examined specimens is given in parenthesis. The distribution of the species is marked on the map (Figure 1). The whole materials including the paratypes of the new species Meriimorda maceki Horak and Mordellistena bologna Horak are deposited in the Entomology section of Iraq Natural History Museum. Species marked with an asterisk are new record for Iraq. RESULTS A total of 13 species belonging to four genera in three tribes of the family Mordellidae have been found so far in Iraq. Of these only one was listed from the literature and the rest were collected from the fields. First list of Iraqi Mordellidae Family Mordellidae (Leach, 1815) Subfamily Mordellinae Latereille, 1802 Tribe Stenaliini Ermisch, 1956 1. Stenalia araxicola Khnzorian, 1957 (1) Jendian (Arbil) 28. V. 1979 2. Stenalia brunneipennis Mulsant, 1856 (1) Aradin, 26. V. 1979; (3) Sarsang (Dohuk) , 28. VI. 1979; (3) Salahaddin, 21. V. 1983; (1) Hiran, 27. V. 1979; (1) Pastora, 19. V. 1983; (4) Merawa (Arbil) 28. V. 1979; (1)Kirkuk, 19. V. 1983. Tribe Mordellini Smith, 1882 3. Mediimorda maceki Horak, 1985 (2) Hassarost Mts. (Arbil), 15. VII. 1971; (1) Aradin ;Zawita(Dohuk),27.VI. 1979; (4) Sarsang (Dohuk), 28.VI. 1979. 4. Variimorda fasciata (Fabricius, 1775) (1) Shaqlawa (Arbil) , 4. VII. 1953 5. Variimorda holzschuhi Horak, 1984 (1) Sarsang (Dohuk), 28. VI. 1979 Tribe MordellisteniniErmisch ,1941 6. Mordellistena bologna Horak, 1990 (1) Mearawa (Arbil) ,28. V. 1979; (1)Pastora (Arbil), 19. V. 1983 7. Mordellistena horaki Pino, 1985 (2) Aradin (Dohuk), 26. VI. 1979; (2) Sarsang (Dohuk), 28.VI. 1979. 8. Mordellistena kraatzi Emery, 1876 (1) Pastora (Arbil) 21. IV. 1977; (1)Kora (Arbil), 20. V. 1983 9. Mordellistena sp. prob. Micans Germar, 1817 (2) Jadriya (Baghdad) 27. V. 1968 3 M. S. Abdul-Rassoul 10. Mordellistena sp. near microscopicErmisch, 1977 (1) Rashdia (Baghdad), 4. IV. 1983 11. Mordellistena paraepisternalis Ermisch, 1963 (9) Adhaim (Diala) 27. III. 1977; (6) Wajihiya (Diala), 25.IV. 1983. 12. Mordellistena pseudorugipennis Ermisch, 1963 (1) Kora (Arbil), 20. V. 1983; (1) Seri-rash (Arbil) 21. V. 1983. 13. Mordellistena pumila (Gyllenhal, 1810) Reported by Scott (1929) from north of Iraq and Derwesh (1965) without data. DISCUSSION As a result of the specimens collected by the author and the literature cited on Iraqi tumbling flower beetles (Coleoptera, Mordellidae) , the number of the species has been increased to thirteen ; of these two are new species (described by Horak, 1985,1990) for the country. Most of these species are restricted to the northern part of Iraq. The foregoing account is the first attempt to list the tumbling flower beetles of Iraq and the short list of the species reported will undoubtedly be extended when the fauna of western and southern part of Iraq is better known. ACKNOWLEDGEMENT I am extremely grateful to Dr. J. Horak for his identification of our Mordellidae species. LITERATURE CITED Blair, K.G. 1923. New species of HeteromerousColeoptera from Mezopotamia.Ent. Month. Mag. , London, 59: 118-126. Borror, J.B. and Delong, M.D. 1964. An Introduction to the study of Insects.Revised edition. Holt, Rinchart and Winston, new York , 819 pp. Csiki, E. 1915.Mordellidae. (In Junk, W. etSchenkling, S.: ColeopterorumCatalogus, Pars 63:84 pp. W. Junk. Berlin). Horak, J. 1985. Ergebnisse der tschechos-lowakisch-iranischenentomologischen Expedition nach Iran 1970, 1973 und 1977 Coleoptera: Mordellidae. EntomologischeAbhandlungen, 49(1): 1-25. Jackman, J.A. 1999. Annotuted Checklist of Mordellidae from Rio Bravo Conservation and Management Area, Orang Walk District, Belize. Lisberg, A.E. and Young, D.K. 2003a.An annotated checklist of Wisconsin Mordellidae (Coleoptera).Insecta Mundi, 17 (3-4): 195-202. Roubal, J. 1932. Sur quelquesColeopteres des environs de Bagdad. Bull. Soc. Ent. France, 37: 59-64. Schilsky, J. 1898. Die Kafer Europa's Heft XXXV. Nurnberg. Scott, Hugh. 1929. An entomological tour in Kurdistan. Ent. Month. Mag. , London, 45: 69- 4 Tumbling Flower Beetles Figure (1): Map of localities mentioned in text 1.Zawita.2.Sarsang.3.Aradin (Dohuk). 4.Seri-Rash 5.Salahaddin.6.Pastora 7.Hiran.8.Shaqlawa 9. Kora 10.Merawa. 11.Jindian. 12.Hassarost Mts.(Arbil). 13.Kirkuk (Kirkuk).14.Wajihiya. 15.Adhaim (Diyala). 16.Jadriya 17.Rashdia (Baghdad). 5 M. S. Abdul-Rassoul Bull. Iraq nat. Hist. Mus. (2010) 11 (2): 1-5 خنفساء األزھار البھلوانیة في العراق محمد صالح عبد الرسول بغداد / جامعة بغداد / متحف التاریخ الطبیعي العراقي الخالصة اخذت الدراسة الحالیة على عاتقھا الكشف عن أنواع خنافس األزھار . التي وجدت في العراق )Coleoptera : Mordellidae(البھلوانیة أظھرت النتائج . ١٩٧٠من العراق منذ مختلفةجمعت العینات من مواقع ً تعود الى اربعة اجناس لثالث قبائل ، نوعان منھا قد ١٣ان ھناك نوعا ً جدیدة) ١٩٩٠، ١٩٨٥( وصفت من قبل الدكتور ھوراك : يھ انواعا Mediimorda maceki Hork وMordellistena bologna Horak و اثنان و Stenalia escherichi Schilsk: مامنھما قد وصفت مسبقا ھ Mordellistena pumila ( Gyllenhal ) تسجیال جدیدا للعراق و عشرة انواع ، Stenalia araxicola Khnzorian ،Stenalia brunneipennis Mulsant: ھي Variimorda fasciata (Fabricious ) ،Variimorda holzschuhi Horak ، Mordellistena horaki Pino ،Mordellistena kraatzi Emery ، Mordellistena sp. prob. micans Gemar ،Mordellistena sp. near microspmelicte Ermish ،Mordellistena paraepisterna Ermisch و Mordellitena pseudorugipennis Ermisch . .