Research Article |
Corresponding author: Lech Karpiński ( lechkarpinski@gmail.com ) Academic editor: Francesco Vitali
© 2018 Lech Karpiński, Wojciech T. Szczepański, Radosław Plewa, Marcin Walczak, Jacek Hilszczański, Lech Kruszelnicki, Krzysztof Łoś, Tomasz Jaworski, Marek Bidas, Grzegorz Tarwacki.
This is an open access article distributed under the terms of the Creative Commons Attribution License (CC BY 4.0), which permits unrestricted use, distribution, and reproduction in any medium, provided the original author and source are credited.
Citation:
Karpiński L, Szczepański WT, Plewa R, Walczak M, Hilszczański J, Kruszelnicki L, Łoś K, Jaworski T, Bidas M, Tarwacki G (2018) New data on the distribution, biology and ecology of the longhorn beetles from the area of South and East Kazakhstan (Coleoptera, Cerambycidae). ZooKeys 805: 59-126. https://doi.org/10.3897/zookeys.805.29660
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New data on the distribution, biology and ecology of the longhorn beetles occurring in southern and eastern regions of Kazakhstan are presented together with a list of 78 species that were collected during two entomological expeditions conducted in May and June 2017. New localities of some rare taxa endemic to this region of Asia, such as Psilotarsus brachypterus brachypterus (Gebler, 1830), Stenocorus minutus (Gebler, 1841) and Dorcadion crassipes crassipes Ballion, 1878 are given. Exocentrus stierlini Ganglbauer, 1883 is recorded from Kazakhstan for the first time. Moreover, the occurrence of three species: Amarysius duplicatus Tsherepanov, 1980, Rhopaloscelis unifasciatus Blessig, 1873 and Saperda alberti Plavilstshikov, 1916, which were recently found in the country, is also confirmed. Furthermore, high-quality photographs of several unique taxa, i.e. Psilotarsus brachypterus pubiventris (Semenov, 1900), Xylotrechus adspersus (Gebler, 1830), X. alakolensis Karpiński & Szczepański, 2018, Anoplistes galusoi (Kostin, 1974), A. jacobsoni Baeckmann, 1904 and Oberea kostini Danilevsky, 1988 along with images of their habitats and feeding galleries are also presented. New localities of species considered serious pests or invasive, such as Turanium scabrum (Kraatz, 1882) and Trichoferus campestris (Faldermann, 1835), respectively, are also given. A new synonymy is proposed: Cerambyx scalaris Linnaeus, 1758 = Cerambyx hieroglyphicus Pallas, 1773, syn. n.
Anoplistes , Central Asia, Dorcadion , endemic species, Exocentrus stierlini , faunistics, invasive species, new records, pests, Psilotarsus , synonymy, zoogeography
The cerambycid fauna of Kazakhstan is represented by ca. 272 species. Some of these, especially in genera such as Psilotarsus, Dorcadion and Politodorcadion, are represented by several subspecies, the total number of which extends the number of Kazakh taxa to 365 (
Due to its huge area and numerous still well-preserved, heavily landlocked regions, the cerambycid fauna of Kazakhstan is quite unique. As many as 111 taxa (approx. 30%) are recognised as occurring exclusively in this country (
The state of the knowledge on the longhorn beetles of southern and eastern Kazakhstan as well as information about the biology and ecology of some of the species that are distributed in the region is still poor. Therefore, the present study aims to supplement the knowledge in this field. An additional goal of this work is to gather and disseminate information contained in very valuable but scattered publications, often inaccessible and usually published exclusively in Russian.
Kazakhstan is the largest landlocked country in the world with an area of 2.72 million square kilometres. Its terrain stretches west to east from the Caspian Sea to the Altai Mountains and north to south from the plains of western Siberia to the oases and deserts of Central Asia. Approximately one-third of the country’s area is occupied by the Kazakh Steppe, which is the largest dry steppe region in the world.
The climate of Kazakhstan is determined by its location in the heart of a huge continent far from the ocean, where sea-air masses do not reach. Therefore, it is of a harshly continental character with average temperatures of between -5 °C and -20 °C in January and between +18 °C and +29 °C in July, depending on the subregion. The differences in the summer-winter as well as the day-night temperatures are extremely high. In winter, the temperature may decrease to -50 °C and in summer rise up to +40 °C. There is practically no precipitation in the central part of Kazakhstan and it ranges annually from approx. 250 mm in the north to 450 mm in the mountain ranges in the south (
Due to its unique combination of natural complexes of steppes, deserts and mountains, which are connected via major inland water and river systems, Kazakhstan provides a wide variety of habitats and relevant types of flora. The country is also characterised by a full range of subzonal forms of steppe vegetation, deserts and mountain zones, which are typical for Central Eurasia. Approximately 75% of the area of the country is covered by arid and sub-humid lands. The lowland ecosystems in the plains consist of three main zonal types: forest- and meadow-steppes, steppes and deserts (approx. 2%, 28% and 46% of the total area, respectively). Forest-steppes are located exclusively in the north and they are largely formed by birch and aspen-birch stands. Deserts, in turn, have a high share of shrubs and semi-shrubs and they are characterised by a low species diversity, small projective cover and an absolute dominance of drought-resistant species of xerophytes and hyper-xerophytes. The mountain ecosystems cover approx. 7% of the country and they are considerably more complicated in structure and more diverse than the ecosystems of the plains. Land that is covered with forests constitutes less than 5% of the total area and these are located mainly in the northeastern part of the country (
The studies that are presented were conducted in the southern and eastern regions of Kazakhstan in the mountain, desert and steppe (desert-steppe or semi-desert) ecosystems. It is worth noting that surveys were also carried out in riverside and lakeside habitats. The beetles were collected during two entomological expeditions, which were performed by two independent research teams in 2017. The first two-week-long survey, which was primarily focused on the species of the tribe Dorcadiini, was carried out by four scientists (GT, JH, RP and TJ) from the Department of Forest Protection, Forest Research Institute (Poland) and KŁ in May. The second one-month-long expedition, which consisted of three scientists (LK, MW and WTS) from the Department of Zoology, University of Silesia (Poland) and MB, took place in June. During these surveys, many sampling trips were carried out to various locations in the southern and eastern parts of Kazakhstan in the Kyzylorda (Қызылорда), South Kazakhstan (Оңтүстік Қазақстан), Jambyl (Жамбыл), Almaty (Алматы) and East Kazakhstan (Шығыс Қазақстан) Regions (облысы). The investigations were conducted in several research plots, inter alia, in the villages or environs of Almaty, Kalinino, Kapchagay, Kegen, Kurshim, Narynkol, Szymkent, Taldykorgan, Taraz, Tarbagatay, Tartogay, Taskesken, Ust-Kamienogorsk, Zaysan and Zyrjanowsk (Map
Research plots in Kazakhstan: 1 Tartogay env. (44°25'N, 66°13'E) 2 10 km NW of Akkol (43°27'N, 70°35'E) 3 5 km W of Kenen (43°25'N, 74°58'E) 4 10 km S of Kaskeleng (43°05'N, 76°35'E) 5 Kaskeleng (43°12'N, 76°38'E) 6 two neighbouring localities: Kapchagay (43°52'N, 77°03'E), 8 km N of Kapchagay (43°56'N, 77°02'E) 7 two neighbouring localities: 22 km N of Kapchagay (44°05'N, 77°02'E), 26 km N of Kapchagay (44°06'N, 77°03'E) 8 50 km N of Kapchagay (44°18'N, 76°56'E) 9 2 km E of Arkhaly (44°10'N, 77°56'E) 10 2 km E of Saryozek (44°22'N, 78°01'E) 11 5 km N of Karashota (43°41'N, 78°09'E) 12 25 km SW of Kalinino 13 Karlygash env. (44°16'N, 78°28'E) 14 38 km SW of Szonży (43°21'N, 79°03'E) 15 four neighbouring localities: 2 km N of Kegen (43°02'N, 79°13'E), 10 km N of Kegen (43°09'N, 79°12'E and 43°07'N, 79°11'E), 15 km N of Kegen (43°09'N, 79°12'E) 16 13 km W of Szonży (43°32'N, 79°17'E) 17 17 km SE of Kegen (42°55'N, 79°25'E) 18 5 km E of Saryzhaz (42°55'N, 79°40'E) 19 7 km N of Sarymbel (44°29'N, 80°04'E) 20 two neighbouring localities: 1 km E of Tambala (45°14'N, 78°38'E), 34 km W of Kapal (45°14'N, 78°39'E) 21 three neighbouring localities: 15 km E of Kapal (45°11'N, 79°12'E), 16 km NE of Kapal (45°12'N, 79°14'E), 22 km E of Kapal (45°13'N, 79°16'E) 22 10 km SW of Sarkan (45°21'N, 79°48'E) 23 6 km E of Koylik (45°38'N, 80°19'E) 24 two neighbouring localities: Kabanbay (45°50'N, 80°37'E), 7 km W of Kabanbay (45°48'N, 80°31'E) 25 10 km E of Gerasimovka (45°48'N, 80°59'E) 26 3 km N of Taskesken (47°14'N, 80°47'E) 27 15 km NW of Taskesken (47°18'N, 80°36'E) 28 50 km S of Ajagöz (47°37'N, 80°38'E) 29 48 km N of Ajagöz (48°22'N, 80°29'E) 30 two neighbouring localities: 120 km NE of Ajagöz (48°57'N, 80°55'E), 125 km NE of Ajagöz (48°57'N 80°54'E) 31 Tarbagatay env. (47°47'N, 81°17'E) 32 five neighbouring localities: 25 km E of Tarbagatay (47°46'N, 81°36'E), 27 km E of Tarbabatay (47°46'N, 81°36'E), 15 km W of Tarbagatay (47°46'N, 81°37'E), 20 km W of Tarbagatay (47°47'N, 81°42'E), 25 km W of Tarbagatay (47°50'N, 81°49'E) 33 10 km E of Kyzyl Kesik (47°53'N, 82°06'E) 34 Zhantikei env. (48°04'N, 82°42'E) 35 20 km NW of Tauke (47°57'N, 83°16'E) 36 5 km SE of Kabanbay (47°49'N, 83°37'E) 37 20 km NW of Zaysan (47°34'N, 84°39'E) 38 12 km S of Zaysan (47°21'N, 84°51'E) 39 two neighbouring localities: 5 km NE of Zaysan (47°30'N, 84°57'E), Aynabulak (47°33'N, 85°03'E) 40 three neighbouring localities: 5 km SE of Kuygan (48°38'N 83°32'E), 8 km NW of Kurshim (48°34'N, 83°36'E), Kurshim env. (48°34'N, 83°36'E) 41 7 km N of Samarskoje (49°05'N, 83°20'E) 42 Verkhnie Tainty env. (49°24'N, 83°03'E) 43 10 km S of Bayash Utepov (49°35'N, 82°28'E) 44 Ust-Kamienogorsk (50°00'N, 82°33'E) 45 Putintsevo env. (49°52'N, 84°21'E) 46 Bykovo env. (49°42'N, 84°34'E and 49°39'N, 84°33'E) (OpenStreetMap contributors).
The most effective standard methods for collecting beetles, such as attracting them to artificial light sources (Fig.
The following abbreviations are used in the text:
GT Grzegorz Tarwacki
LK Lech Karpiński
RP Radosław Plewa
JH Jacek Hilszczański
MB Marek Bidas
TJ Tomasz Jaworski
KŁ Krzysztof Łoś
MW Marcin Walczak
WTS Wojciech T. Szczepański
The specimens are preserved in the entomological collections of the Museum and Institute of Zoology Polish Academy of Sciences (MIZ), the Department of Natural History of the Upper Silesian Museum in Bytom (USMB), the Department of Forest Protection of Forest Research Institute in Sękocin Stary, as well as in the collections of the authors.
This is the third in a series of papers on Cerambycidae from the area of Central-East Asia. The first one (
During our two expeditions, a total of 78 species (81 taxa including subspecies) belonging to four subfamilies (Prioninae, Lepturinae, Cerambycinae, Lamiinae) was recorded. They represent approx. 30% of the known Kazakh cerambycid fauna. Exocentrus stierlini Ganglbauer, 1883 is recorded from Kazakhstan for the first time. Moreover, the occurrence of three species: Amarysius duplicatus Tsherepanov, 1980, Rhopaloscelis unifasciatus Blessig, 1873 and Saperda alberti Plavilstshikov, 1916, which were only recently found in the country (
The list of the recorded taxa along with the new localities, general characteristics and remarks on the biology and ecology is presented below. Descriptions of the most common species were omitted. Taxa that are endemic to Kazakhstan are indicated with an asterisk (*).
This species is widespread in Central Asia from the southern parts of Russia through most of the territory of Kazakhstan to Uzbekistan, Kyrgyzstan and northwestern China (
Five subspecies are described in this species, four of which are known to occur in Kazakhstan: Psilotarsus brachypterus aralensis (Danilevsky, 2000), P. b. brachypterus (Gebler, 1830), P. b. hemipterus (Motschulsky, 1845) and P. b. pubiventris (Semenov, 1900). The fifth subspecies – P. b. alpherakii (Semenov, 1900) is distributed exclusively in Xinjiang Province of China (
This species is highly variable in many morphological features even within the same population, however, our own observations indicated clear differences between the two taxa collected – P. b. brachypterus and P. b. pubiventris, primarily in the type of pubescence and the sculpture of the pronotum as well as in the size and corpulence of the body. Specimens of the nominotypical subspecies are significantly smaller and slender; even the females are noticeably smaller in size than the males of P. b. pubiventris. The pronotum in the males of the nominative subspecies is almost entirely hairless, smoother and lustrous with a sparse and fine punctuation, while it is definitely hairier and matted with coarse and dense, locally wrinkled punctuation in P. b. pubiventris.
East Kazakhstan Region: 8 km NW of Kurshim [Күршім] (48°37'N 83°35'E), 462 m a.s.l., 17 VI 2017, 127♂♂, 6♀♀, leg. MW; 52♂♂, 5♀♀, leg. LK; 114♂♂, 7♀♀, leg. WTS; 31♂♂, 3♀♀, leg. MB.
This taxon is distributed in the easternmost part of Kazakhstan (the Irtysh River valley – from the environs of Semei to the Zaisan Depression) and northwestern China (Xinjiang and possibly the Gansu Provinces) (
The nominotypical subspecies differs mainly due to the shorter lateral process of each middle antennal joint (generally much shorter than the length of joint base) and to its glabrous and shining pronotum, which is situated peripherally, and is rarely covered with a more or less dense pubescence (
The mass occurrence of this taxon (approx. five hundred specimens) was observed in mid-June during warm (25 °C) weather conditions in the Artemisia-desert habitat (Fig.
It is worth noting that quite a significant portion of the individuals were found dead or still alive in the webs of the Mediterranean black widow spider Latrodectus tredecimguttatus (Rossi, 1790) (Fig.
Almaty Region: 28 km N of Kapchagay [Қапшағай] (44°06'N, 77°03'E), 679 m a.s.l., 27 VI 2017, several females and many dead individuals on the road and the roadside, leg. LK, MW & WTS; 26 km N of Kapchagay [Қапшағай] (44°06'N, 77°03'E), 648 m a.s.l., 27–28 VI 2017, 6♂♂, 20♀♀ (5♂♂, 7♀♀ – dead specimens), leg. LK; 2♂♂, 26♀♀, leg. MW; 1♂, 14♀♀, leg. WTS; 1♂ (dead specimen), 4♀♀, leg. MB; 22 km N of Kapchagay [Қапшағай] (44°05'N, 77°02'E), 675 m a.s.l., 28 VI 2017, many dead individuals, leg. LK, MW & WTS.
This subspecies is distributed in the southeastern region of Kazakhstan (from the Chu-Ili Mountains to about Chilik and the Dzungarian Alatau) and northern Kyrgyzstan (from the environs of Kara-Balta to Bishkek) (
It is characterised by larger, wider, robust body and relatively shorter antennae with shorter and thicker joint lobes (
This taxon was observed at the end of June during warm (approx. 25 °C) weather conditions, after its mating period during which mostly females were still alive and the living males (Fig.
It is also interesting to note that this subspecies seems to stay active for most of the day. Within two different plots, the females of P. b. pubiventris were observed from the late evening hours through most of the night (the last active specimens were found around 3–4 a.m.) as well as in the morning of the next day (around 9 a.m.). However, although most of the males were already dead, a few living specimens were caught only in the morning despite several hours of attempting to attract them to the light on the previous evening and night on the same plot. This unusual behaviour might be related to the end of the period of the occurrence and condition of the individuals. On the other hand, according to
East Kazakhstan Region: Putintsevo [Путинцево] env. (49°52'N, 84°21'E), 472 m a.s.l., 21–23 VI 2017, 1♂, 2♀♀, leg. WTS; 3♂♂, 4♀♀, leg. MW; Bykovo [Быково] env. (49°39'N, 84°33'E), 570 m a.s.l., 24 VI 2017, 2♀♀, leg. WTS; 4♂♂, 3♀♀, leg. LK; 1♂, 1♀, leg. MW; 1♂, leg. MB.
This is a typical Siberian species. It has been widely discussed in a previous paper concerning the longhorn beetles of Mongolia (
The species was not included in the Kazakh fauna by
East Kazakhstan Region: 7 km N of Samarskoje [Самарское] (49°05'N, 83°20'E), 626 m a.s.l., 18 VI 2017, 2♂♂, leg. MW; Putintsevo [Путинцево] env. (49°52'N, 84°21'E), 472 m a.s.l., 19–23 VI 2017, 1♂, leg. LK; 1♂, leg. MW; Bykovo [Быково] env. (49°39'N, 84°33'E), 570 m a.s.l., 24 VI 2017, 1♂, leg. WTS; 2♂♂, leg. LK; 2♂♂, leg. MW; 1♂, leg. MB.
East Kazakhstan Region: Putintsevo [Путинцево] env. (49°52'N, 84°21'E), 472 m a.s.l., 20 VI 2017, 1♂, 2♀♀, leg. LK; 1♀, leg. MW.
This is a typical Siberian species that is distributed in the Siberian part of Russia and Kazakhstan, Mongolia, China, Japan and the entire Korean peninsula (
A few specimens were observed on various Apiaceae flowers in a habitat of a mixed forest in the foothills of the West Altai Mountains.
East Kazakhstan Region: 7 km N of Samarskoje [Самарское] (49°05'N, 83°20'E), 626 m a.s.l., 18 VI 2017, 1♂, leg. WTS; Putintsevo [Путинцево] env. (49°52'N, 84°21'E), 472 m a.s.l., 19–23 VI 2017, 1♀, leg. WTS; 1♂, 1♀, leg. LK; 1♂, leg. MW; 1♀, leg. MB; Bykovo [Быково] env. (49°39'N, 84°33'E), 570 m a.s.l., 24 VI 2017, 1♂, 2♀♀, leg. WTS; 1♂, leg. LK; 1♀, leg. MW.
East Kazakhstan Region: 25 km W of Tarbagatay [Тарбагатай] (47°50'N, 81°49'E), 878 m a.s.l., 16 VI 2017, 1♂, leg. MW; Putintsevo [Путинцево] env. (49°52'N, 84°21'E), 472 m a.s.l., 19–23 VI 2017, 2♂♂, leg. LK; 3♂♂, 1♀, leg. MW; 1♀, leg. MB; Bykovo [Быково] env. (49°39'N, 84°33'E), 570 m a.s.l., 24 VI 2017, 5♂♂, 1♀, leg. WTS; 2♂♂, 2♀♀, leg. LK; 2♂♂, 3♀♀, leg. MB; 2♂♂, 1♀, leg. MW.
This is a temperate Palaearctic species that is distributed from northeastern Europe to the Far East (
Although the nominotypical subspecies – Lepturalia nigripes nigripes (DeGeer, 1873) is distributed in the western part of the range, both taxa can be found in Kazakhstan. A transitional zone between these two forms is situated in the Ural Mountains. According to
Our own observations indicate that this taxon is moderately frequent in the mountain and foothill zone in northeastern Kazakhstan, particularly in more afforested areas. About twenty specimens were collected on the flowers of various plants (e.g. Apiaceae, Rosa sp.) in habitats such as riverine bushes with Caragana shrubs, a mixed forest in the foothills of the West Altai Mountains and at the edge of a mountain deciduous grove that consisted mainly of Populus, Betula and Salix (Fig.
East Kazakhstan Region: 7 km N of Samarskoje [Самарское] (49°05'N, 83°20'E), 626 m a.s.l., 18 VI 2017, 1♂, leg. WTS; 1♂, leg. MW; Putintsevo [Путинцево] env. (49°52'N, 84°21'E), 472 m a.s.l., 19–23 VI 2017, 1♀, leg. WTS; Bykovo [Быково] env. (49°39'N, 84°33'E), 570 m a.s.l., 24 VI 2017, 1♀, leg. LK.
Putintsevo [Путинцево] env. (49°52'N, 84°21'E), 472 m a.s.l., 24 VI 2017, 1♀, leg. MW; 1♀, leg. WTS.
This is a typical Siberian species. It was discussed in a previous paper concerning the longhorn beetles of Mongolia (
Several individuals of M. thoracica were collected on dead birch trunks in this locality in June 2005 (
In our research, two specimens were collected in the habitat of a rather old Populus forest (Fig.
Putintsevo [Путинцево] env. (49°52'N, 84°21'E), 472 m a.s.l., 22 VI 2017, 1♀, leg. LK.
This is a typical Siberian species that is distributed from Eastern Europe (Ukraine and European Russia) to the Pacific Ocean. Oedecnema gebleri is a polyphagous cerambycid that develops in the basal zones and in the stumps of different deciduous and coniferous trees and then pupates in the soil. The imagines can be found on flowers from the end of May to August (
Several specimens were collected on flowers in this locality in June 2005 (
Only a single female was observed in the habitat of a rather old Populus forest that extends along the Khamir River in the foothills of the West Altai Mountains.
East Kazakhstan Region: 7 km N of Samarskoje [Самарское] (49°05'N, 83°20'E), 626 m a.s.l., 18 VI 2017, 5♂♂, 3♀♀, leg. WTS; 5♂♂, 4♀♀, leg. LK; 4♂♂, 3♀♀, leg. MW; Putintsevo [Путинцево] env. (49°52'N, 84°21'E), 472 m a.s.l., 19 VI 2017, 1♂, leg. WTS; 3♂♂, 1♀, leg. LK; 1♂, leg. MW; Bykovo [Быково] env. (49°39'N, 84°33'E), 570 m a.s.l., 24 VI 2017, 2♂♂, leg. WTS; 10 km S of Bayash Utepov [Баяш Утепов] (49°35'N, 82°28'E), 508 m a.s.l., 25 VI 2017, 1♀, leg. WTS; 1♀, leg. LK.
Pachytodes erraticus is a typical Palaearctic species that is distributed from Spain to East Siberia. It develops under ground in the rotten roots of different deciduous tree species. The pupation occurs in the soil (
This is one of the most common species in the zone of mountains and foothills in northeastern Kazakhstan. We observed this species frequently and rather numerously on the flowers of various Apiaceae species in different habitats from the roadside vegetation strips in the mountain steppe region through river canyons with Caragana and Lonicera (Fig.
East Kazakhstan Region: 3 km N of Taskesken [Таскескен] (47°14'N, 80°47'E), 581 m a.s.l., 14 VI 2017, 3♀♀, leg. WTS; 1♂, 2♀♀, leg. LK; 2♂♂, 2♀♀, leg. MW; 15 km W of Tarbagatay [Тарбагатай] (47°46'N, 81°37'E), 1072 m a.s.l., 15 VI 2017, 5♂♂, leg. WTS; Kurshim [Күршім] env. (48°34'N, 83°36'E), 406 m a.s.l., 17 VI 2017, 1♂, 1♀, leg. MB; 5 km SE of Kuygan [Құйған] (48°38'N 83°32'E), 439 m a.s.l., 18 VI 2017, 1♂, 1♀, leg. LK; 7 km N of Samarskoje [Самарское] (49°05'N, 83°20'E), 626 m a.s.l., 18 VI 2017, 1♀, leg. WTS; Putintsevo [Путинцево] env. (49°52'N, 84°21'E), 472 m a.s.l., 19 VI 2017, 2♀♀, leg. WTS; 1♂, 1♀, leg. MW; Bykovo [Быково] env. (49°39'N, 84°33'E), 570 m a.s.l., 24 VI 2017, 1♂, 1♀, leg. MW.
This is the easternmost subspecies that is distributed from Eastern Europe to East Siberia and China (
This taxon was recorded from the Putintsevo environs by
East Kazakhstan Region: 3 km N of Taskesken [Таскескен] (47°14'N, 80°47'E), 581 m a.s.l., 14 VI 2017, 1♂, leg. WTS; 1♀, leg. LK; 1♂, 1♀, leg. MW; 15 km W of Tarbagatay [Тарбагатай] (47°46'N, 81°37'E), 1072 m a.s.l., 15 VI 2017, 1♂, 1♀ leg. WTS; 2♂♂, 1♀, leg. MW; 7 km N of Samarskoje [Самарское] (49°05'N, 83°20'E), 626 m a.s.l., 18 VI 2017, 1♂, leg. WTS; 3♂♂, 2♀♀, leg. LK; Putintsevo [Путинцево] env. (49°52'N, 84°21'E), 472 m a.s.l., 22 VI 2017, 1♀, leg. MW; 10 km S of Bayash Utepov [Баяш Утепов] (49°35'N, 82°28'E), 508 m a.s.l., 25 VI 2017, 1♂, 3♀♀, leg. LK.
The nominotypical subspecies is distributed from Central Europe to East Siberia and China (
According to some authors (e.g.
East Kazakhstan Region: 7 km N of Samarskoje [Самарское] (49°05'N, 83°20'E), 626 m a.s.l., 18 VI 2017, 2♂♂, leg. WTS; 2♂♂, 2♀♀, leg. MW; Putintsevo [Путинцево] env. (49°52'N, 84°21'E), 472 m a.s.l., 19–23 VI 2017, 2♂♂, 1♀, leg. WTS; 2♀♀, leg. MW; Bykovo [Быково] env. (49°39'N, 84°33'E), 570 m a.s.l., 24 VI 2017, 1♂, 1♀, leg. WTS; 1♀, leg. LK.
7 km N of Samarskoje [Самарское] (49°05'N, 83°20'E), 626 m a.s.l., 18 VI 2017, 2♂♂, 2♀♀, leg. WTS; 1♂, 1♀, leg. LK; 1♂, leg. MW; Putintsevo [Путинцево] env. (49°52'N, 84°21'E), 472 m a.s.l., 20 VI 2017, 1♂, 1♀, leg. WTS; 1♂, 3♀♀, leg. LK; 1♂, 1♀, leg. MW; Bykovo [Быково] env. (49°39'N, 84°33'E), 570 m a.s.l., 24 VI 2017, 1♂, leg. LK; 1♂, 1♀, leg. MW; 10 km S of Bayash Utepov [Баяш Утепов] (49°35'N, 82°28'E), 508 m a.s.l., 25 VI 2017, 1♂, leg. WTS.
Bykovo [Быково] env. (49°39'N, 84°33'E), 571 m a.s.l., 21 VI 2017, 1♀, leg. LK.
This is a typical Palaearctic species that is distributed from Spain to the Russian Far East, Korea and China. Brachyta interrogationis is a very variable taxon with twelve described subspecies. Each local population is characterised by unique proportions of certain colour forms. The russica ssp. is known to occur in European Russia (except for the northern Urals), West Siberia (including Altai) and Kazakhstan, and it is the only subspecies that has been recorded from Kazakhstan (
Several individuals of this taxon were collected on Paeonia in the area of Putinzevo and on Ranunculus in the Sibinka River valley in June 2005 (
A single female was collected on the stem of a herbaceous plant species at the edge of a mountain deciduous grove that consisted mainly of Populus, Betula and Salix (Fig.
East Kazakhstan Region: 3 km N of Taskesken [Таскескен] (47°14'N, 80°47'E), 581 m a.s.l., 14 VI 2017, 1♂, leg. MW; 7 km N of Samarskoje [Самарское] (49°05'N, 83°20'E), 626 m a.s.l., 18 VI 2017, 1♀, leg. MW; Putintsevo [Путинцево] env. (49°52'N, 84°21'E), 472 m a.s.l., 21 VI 2017, 4♀♀, leg. WTS; 3♂♂, 3♀♀, leg. LK; Bykovo [Быково] env. (49°39'N, 84°33'E), 570 m a.s.l., 24 VI 2017, 1♀, leg. MW.
East Kazakhstan Region: 10 km S of Bayash Utepov [Баяш Утепов] (49°35'N, 82°28'E), 508 m a.s.l., 25 VI 2017, 4♂♂, 2♀♀, leg. LK; 1♂, 1♀, leg. WTS; 1♂, leg. MW; 1♂, leg. MB.
Stenocorus minutus is a rare species that is distributed mainly in eastern Kazakhstan and reaches northwestern China and western Mongolia through the Irtysh River valley and the Tarbagatay Mountain range (
For a long time, Stenocorus minutus was known in Kazakhstan only from the upper ranges of the Saur and Tarbagatay Mountains (
About ten specimens were collected on the leaves and stems of Caragana and Lonicera shrubs overgrowing the stony hills in the Sibinka River valley (Fig.
Almaty Region: 1 km E of Tambala [Тамбала] (45°14'N, 78°38'E), 663 m a.s.l., 3 V 2017 (6 V 2017 ex cult.) 2♂♂, 2♀♀, from Elaeagnus angustifolia, leg. JH; 13 km W of Szonży [Шонжы] (43°32'N, 79°17'E), 731 m a.s.l., 12 V 2017 (I 2018 ex cult.) 1♀, from Elaeagnus angustifolia, leg. KL; 5 km N of Karashota [Каражота] (43°41'N, 78°09'E), 492 m a.s.l., 3 VI 2017, 1♂, 2♀♀, leg. WTS; 1♂, 1♀, leg. LK; 5♂♂, 3♀♀, leg. MW.
The species is distributed from the southern region of European Russia through the countries of Central Asia to West Siberia and China (
Turanium scabrum inhabits almost all of the territory of Kazakhstan (excluding northern and northeastern regions) (
The individuals were observed during a hot (30 °C) and sunny afternoon on a flood barrier formed from old branches and boughs primarily of oleasters Elaeagnus (Fig.
Almaty Region: 13 km W of Szonży [Шонжы] (43°32'N, 79°17'E), 731 m a.s.l., 12 V 2017 (I 2018 ex cult.) 1♀, from Elaeagnus angustifolia, leg. KL; 5 km N of Karashota [Каражота] (43°41'N, 78°09'E), 492 m a.s.l., 3 VI 2017, 3♂♂, leg. LK; 1♂, leg. WTS; Kyzylorda Region: Tartogay env. [Тартогай] (44°25'N, 66°13'E), 135 m a.s.l., 7 VI 2017, 3♂♂, leg. WTS; 2♂♂, leg. LK; 3♂♂, leg. MW.
This species is distributed from the Caucasus to Central Asia (
Chlorophorus elaeagni is a rather common species in southern Kazakhstan, where it mainly occurs in tugay habitats. Although the specimens were collected on sites that were located near river banks in rather different habitats, there was always a large share of Elaeagnus angustifolia, which seems to be the main host plant for this species. In the environs of Karashota, during a hot (30 °C) and sunny afternoon, the specimens were observed on a flood barrier formed from old branches and boughs primarily of oleasters Elaeagnus (Fig.
East Kazakhstan Region: Putintsevo [Путинцево] env. (49°52'N, 84°21'E), 472 m a.s.l., 19–23 VI 2017, 6♂♂, 3♀♀, leg. LK; 3♂♂, 2♀♀, leg. WTS; 5♂♂, 3♀♀, leg. MW; 3♂♂, 2♀♀, leg. MB; Bykovo [Быково] env. (49°39'N, 84°33'E), 570 m a.s.l., 24 VI 2017, 2♂♂, 1♀, leg. LK; 1♂, 1♀, leg. WTS; 1♂, 1♀, leg. MW; 10 km S of Bayash Utepov [Баяш Утепов] (49°35'N, 82°28'E), 508 m a.s.l., 25 VI 2017, 1♂, 1♀, leg. WTS; 1♀, leg. MB.
The species is distributed from the northern and central parts of Europe through Siberia, including the northern regions of Kazakhstan, Mongolia and China, to the Far East and the Korean Peninsula (
Numerous specimens were observed throughout the day on the flowers of various herbaceous plants in rather different habitats, such as a mountain riverine forest dominated by Salix, Populus and Betula, mountain deciduous forests (Fig.
East Kazakhstan Region: 3 km N of Taskesken [Таскескен] (47°14'N, 80°47'E), 581 m a.s.l., 14 VI 2017, 1♂, leg. WTS; 3♂♂, 1♀, leg. LK; 15 km NW of Taskesken [Таскескен] (47°18'N, 80°36'E), 15 VI 2017, 627 m a.s.l., 2♂♂, leg. WTS; 1♂, 1♀, leg. LK; 2♂♂, 2♀♀, leg. MW; 1♂, leg. MB; 15 km W of Tarbagatay [Тарбагатай] (47°46'N, 81°37'E), 1072 m a.s.l., 15 VI 2017, 1♀, leg. WTS; Tarbagatay [Тарбагатай] env. (47°47'N, 81°17'E), 964 m a.s.l., 15 VI 2017, 1♂, leg. WTS; 25 km W of Tarbagatay [Тарбагатай] (47°50'N, 81°49'E), 878 m a.s.l., 16 VI 2017, 1♀, leg. LK; Kurshim [Күршім] env. (48°34'N, 83°36'E), 406 m a.s.l., 17 VI 2017, 3♂♂, leg. WTS; 10 km S of Bayash Utepov [Баяш Утепов] (49°35'N, 82°28'E), 508 m a.s.l., 25 VI 2017, 3♂♂, leg. WTS; 2♀♀, leg. LK; 1♂, leg. MW.
This widespread thermophilous species is distributed from Europe throughout Asia Minor, the Caucasus, Transcaucasia, the Middle East and Central Asia to the Xinjiang region in China (
The imagines were found in many rather dry or ruderal habitats, such as the roadside vegetation strips (Fig.
East Kazakhstan Region: Putintsevo [Путинцево] env. (49°52'N, 84°21'E), 472 m a.s.l., 19–23 VI 2017, 1♂, 1♀, leg. WTS; 2♂♂, 2♀♀, leg. LK; 1♂, 1♀, leg. MB; 3♂♂ (1♂ – red wine trap), 2♀♀, leg. MW.
This is an east-Palaearctic species that is distributed from Eastern Europe, where is rather rare, through Siberia, including the northern regions of Kazakhstan, Mongolia and China, to Sakhalin and Japan (
The species was recorded from Kazakhstan for the first time by
Several imagines were collected on the flowers of Apiaceae in a mountain deciduous forest dominated by Populus and Betula (Fig.
East Kazakhstan Region: Bykovo [Быково] env. (49°42'N 84°34'E), 477 m a.s.l., 21 VI 2017, 1♀, leg. LK.
Xylotrechus adspersus is distributed from Altai to Sakhalin and Japan and from Yakutia to northern China and the northern part of the Korean Peninsula (
Several specimens were collected in the Putintsevo environs in June 2005 by
A single, probably freshly emerged, female was observed sitting motionlessly on a willow branch next to its emergence hole in an enclave of willows located next to a river (Fig.
East Kazakhstan Region: 15 km NW of Taskesken [Таскескен] (47°18'N, 80°36'E), 15 VI 2017, 627 m a.s.l., 1♂, leg. WTS.
This newly described species was identified based on the specimen presented herein (Fig.
A single male was collected within a very rich roadside vegetation strip in a steppe-like habitat (Fig.
East Kazakhstan Region: Bykovo [Быково] env. (49°39'N, 84°33'E), 570 m a.s.l., 21 VI 2017, 1♂, 1♀, leg. LK.
Xylotrechus capricornus is a rare species that is distributed from Central Europe (Austria and the Czech Republic) to West Siberia (
Until recently, the species was known from Kazakhstan only based on a single specimen that was found near Karkaralinsk (
In our research, a pair of X. capricornus was collected at the edge of a mountain deciduous grove that consisted mainly of Populus, Betula and Salix (Fig.
Material examined. East Kazakhstan Region: 20 km NW of Tauke [Тауқе] (47°57'N, 83°16'E), 407 m a.s.l., 6 V 2017 (VI 2017 ex cult.) 4♂♂, 2♀♀, from Betula sp., leg. JH.
Although the species originally occurred exclusively in Northern Asia from Altai to Japan (
Several specimens were reared from birch wood Betula sp. collected in the hilly grove (Fig.
East Kazakhstan Region: Putintsevo [Путинцево] env. (49°52'N, 84°21'E), 472 m a.s.l., 19–23 VI 2017, 2♂♂, 1♀, leg. WTS; 1♂, leg. LK; 1♂, leg. MW; Bykovo [Быково] env. (49°39'N, 84°33'E), 570 m a.s.l., 24 VI 2017, 1♂, 1♀, leg. WTS; 2♀♀, leg. LK; 1♂, 2♀♀, leg. MW.
Almaty Region: 2 km E of Saryozek [Сарыөзек] (44°22'N, 78°01'E), 875 m a.s.l., 02 VI 2017 (23 VI 2017, ex cult.) 1♂, 1♀, from Ulmus sp., leg. MW & LK; East Kazakhstan Region: Ust-Kamienogorsk [Өскемен] (50°00'N, 82°33'E), 302 m a.s.l., 19 VI 2017, 2♂♂, 1♀, leg. MW.
Trichoferus campestris is originally native to the southeastern Palaearctic region; however, it is now considered an invasive species that has rapidly increased its range in recent years (e.g.
Two specimens were reared from thick elm branches Ulmus sp. Additionally, a few imagines were attracted to artificial light sources during a warm night in a habitat of a city park.
East Kazakhstan Region: Aynabulak [Aынабyлaқ] ad Zaysan [Зайсан] (47°33'N, 85°03'E), 508 m a.s.l., 7 V 2017 (25 V 2017, ex cult.) 2♂♂, 2♀♀, from Elaeagnus angustifolia, leg. RP; Almaty Region: 13 km W of Szonży [Шонжы] (43°32'N, 79°17'E), 731 m a.s.l., 12 V 2017 (XI 2017, ex cult.) 1♀, from E. angustifolia, leg. KL.
This species is distributed from Eastern Europe to Central Asia (
Several specimens were reared from the twigs of Elaeagnus angustifolia.
East Kazakhstan Region: Bykovo [Быково] env. (49°39'N, 84°33'E), 570 m a.s.l., 21 VI 2017, 1♀, leg. MW.
This is a widespread species that is distributed from western Europe through the Caucasus and Siberia to the Far East (
Only a single female was attracted to the artificial light source (Fig.
East Kazakhstan Region: Putintsevo [Путинцево] env. (49°52'N, 84°21'E), 472 m a.s.l., 20 VI 2017, 1♀, leg. MW; 1♀, leg. MB, coll. LK.
Amarysius duplicatus is a rather infrequent Siberian species that is distributed from West Siberia and eastern Kazakhstan to the Far East (
The first record for Kazakhstan was provided by
Only two rather old females (one specimen lacked several segments of both antennae) were collected on the leaves of faded Spirea shrubs in a mixed forest that covers the foothills of the West Altai Mountains. Taking into account the condition of host plants and specimens, as well as the number of individuals that had been collected here in June 2005, it must have been the end of the appearance of this species.
Almaty Region: 25 km SW of Kalinino [Басши], 691 m a.s.l., 13 VI 2017, 1♂, leg. LK; 2♂♂, 1♀, leg. WTS.
This is an endemic Kazakh species with its known distribution limited to the area of Mt. Ulkunkalkan at the Ili River in the southeastern part of the country (
The imagines (Fig.
East Kazakhstan Region: 15 km W of Tarbagatay [Тарбагатай] (47°46'N, 81°37'E), 1072 m a.s.l., 15 VI 2017, 1♂, leg. LK; 20 km W of Tarbagatay [Тарбагатай] (47°47'N, 81°42'E), 1000 m a.s.l., 16 VI 2017, 1♀, leg. MW; Zhantikei [Жәнтікей] env. (48°04'N, 82°42'E), 455 m a.s.l., 16 VI 2017, 1♂, leg. MW; 10 km S of Bayash Utepov [Баяш Утепов] (49°35'N, 82°28'E), 508 m a.s.l., 25 VI 2017, 11♂♂, 5♀♀, leg. MW.
Anoplistes halodendri is an east-Palaearctic species that is distributed from the Balkans to the Russian Far East, China, Korea and Japan (
In the Sibinka River valley, the species was collected numerously in 2002 and as a single specimen in 2005 under the same conditions (
All of the individuals were collected on the pea shrub Caragana spp. (Fig.
Kyzylorda Region: Tartogay env. [Тартогай] (44°25'N, 66°13'E), 135 m a.s.l., 7 VI 2017, 22♂♂, 11♀♀, leg. LK; 38♂♂, 16♀♀, leg. WTS; 20♂♂, 5♀♀, leg. MB; 40♂♂, 17♀♀, leg. MW.
This is an endemic Kazakh species that is only known from several localities along the lower and middle course of the Syr Darya River in the southern part of the country. According to
Our own observations clearly indicate that Plavilstshikov’s data (1940) regarding the host plants are wrong. The species was observed in large numbers in a tugay habitat with Halimodendron, Tamarix and Elaeagnus (Fig.
Almaty Region: Kabanbay [Қабaнбaй] (45°50'N, 80°37'E), 661 m a.s.l., 8 V 2017, 1♂ (at light), leg. GT, coll. RP; 7 km W of Kabanbay [Қабaнбaй] (45°48'N, 80°31'E), 720 m a.s.l., 9 V 2017, 3♂♂, 2♀♀, leg. RP; 12♂♂, 29♀♀, leg. JH; 2♂♂, 4♀♀, leg. KL; 13 km W of Szonży [Шонжы] (43°32'N, 79°17'E), 730 m a.s.l., 12 V 2017 (9–30 XI 2017, ex cult.) 2♂♂, 6♀♀, from Berberis vulgaris, leg. RP; (I 2018, ex cult.) 1♀, from Fraxinus sogdiana, leg. JH; (XII 2017, ex cult.) 1♂, 1♀, from Elaeagnus angustifolia, leg. KL; Kapchagay [Қапшағай] (43°52'N, 77°03'E), 610 m a.s.l., 1 V 2017 (IX–X 2017, ex cult.) 1♂, 4♀♀, from Acer sp., leg. JH; East Kazakhstan Region: 20 km NW of Zaysan [Зайсан] (47°34'N, 84°39'E), 453 m a.s.l., 6 V 2017, 1♀, leg. JH; Aynabulak [Aынабyлaқ] ad Zaysan [Зайсан] (47°33'N, 85°03'E), 508 m a.s.l., 7 V 2017 (26 IX–17 X 2017, ex cult.) 13♂♂, 9♀♀, from E. angustifolia, leg. RP.
Cleroclytus semirufus is distributed from Central Asia and Afghanistan to Mongolia and northwestern China. Three subspecies have been described to date: C. s. semirufus Kraatz, 1884, C. s. collaris Jakovlev, 1885 and C. s. savitsky Lazarev, 2014. The subspecies discussed here is known to occur in Afghanistan, Kirgizia, Kazakhstan and the Xinjiang region in China (
Numerous individuals were collected on the flowers of the hoary cress Lepidium draba (Fig.
East Kazakhstan Region: Putintsevo [Путинцево] env. (49°52'N, 84°21'E), 472 m a.s.l., 19–23 VI 2017, 18♂♂, 7♀♀, leg. WTS; 4♂♂, 2♀♀, leg. LK; 16♂♂, 20♀♀, leg. MW; 3♂♂, 2♀♀, leg. MB; Bykovo [Быково] env. (49°39'N, 84°33'E), 570 m a.s.l., 24 VI 2017, 2♂♂, 1♀, leg. WTS; 5♂♂, 7♀♀, leg. LK; 3♂♂, 2♀♀, leg. MW.
East Kazakhstan Region: Putintsevo [Путинцево] env. (49°52'N, 84°21'E), 472 m a.s.l., 21–24 VI 2017, 1♂, leg. WTS; 3♀♀, leg. LK; 1♂, leg. MW.
This species is currently known to be broadly distributed in Russia and in the Siberian part of Kazakhstan (
Several specimens were beaten down from the branches and thin shoots of birches on an exposed site next to a river in a mountain deciduous forest dominated by Populus and Salix with an admixture of Betula (Fig.
East Kazakhstan Region: 5 km SE of Kuygan [Құйған] (48°38'N 83°32'E), 439 m a.s.l., 18 VI 2017, 1♂, 1♀, leg. MB; 1♂, leg. WTS; 7 km N of Samarskoje [Самарское] (49°05'N, 83°20'E), 626 m a.s.l., 18 VI 2017, 3♂♂, 1♀, leg. WTS; 1♂, leg. LK; Putintsevo [Путинцево] env. (49°52'N, 84°21'E), 472 m a.s.l., 22 VI 2017, 1♂, leg. WTS; 1♂, leg. MW; Bykovo [Быково] env. (49°39'N, 84°33'E), 570 m a.s.l., 24 VI 2017, 2♂♂, leg. WTS; 1♂, 4♀♀, leg. LK; 2♂♂, 2♀♀, leg. MW.
This is a rather widespread species that is distributed from the central part of Kazakhstan to East Siberia. Five subspecies have been described, four of which are known to occur in Kazakhstan: A. a. alternans Fischer von Waldheim, 1842, A. a. paralternans (Danilevsky, 2017), A. a. songarica Kostin, 1973 and A. a. tarbagataica Kostin, 1978 (
Several specimens of this taxon were collected in the Putintsevo environs in June 2005 by
The specimens were collected in rather different habitats, such as the roadside strip with herbaceous vegetation at the edge of a coniferous forest (Fig.
Almaty Region: 5 km N of Karashota [Каражота] (43°41'N, 78°09'E), 492 m a.s.l., 3 VI 2017, 1♀, leg. WTS; East Kazakhstan Region: Putintsevo [Путинцево] env. (49°52'N, 84°21'E), 472 m a.s.l., 22 VI 2017, 1♂, leg. WTS; 1♂, leg. MW; Bykovo [Быково] env. (49°39'N, 84°33'E), 570 m a.s.l., 24 VI 2017, 3♂♂, leg. WTS; 1♀, leg. LK; 6♂♂, 5♀♀, leg. MW; 10 km S of Bayash Utepov [Баяш Утепов] (49°35'N, 82°28'E), 508 m a.s.l., 25 VI 2017, 2♂♂, 1♀, leg. MW.
This is an extremely polymorphic and widespread species that is distributed from Central and Southern Europe through Asia Minor, the Caucasus and Central Asia to almost entire region of Siberia (
Several specimens of this taxon were collected in the Putintsevo and the Sibinka River valley environs in June 2005 before A. d. calculensis was described; hence, it was recorded as a nominotypical subspecies by
According to M. Danilevsky (2018, pers. comm.), the single female (Fig.
East Kazakhstan Region: Bykovo [Быково] env. (49°39'N, 84°33'E), 570 m a.s.l., 24 VI 2017, 1♀, leg. LK; 1♂, leg. MW.
This is a typical Palaearctic species that is distributed from Southern Europe to East Siberia and Mongolia (
One of the collected specimens represented a very rare and interesting form with red coloured antennae. Such forms are also known to occur in Europe.
Almaty Region: 7 km W of Kabanbay [Қабaнбaй] (45°48'N, 80°31'E), 720 m a.s.l., 9 V 2017, 9♂♂, 4♀♀, leg. RP & TJ; 9♂♂, 6♀♀, leg. JH; 3♀♀, leg. KL; 1♂, leg. GT; 6 km E of Koylik [Қoйлық] (45°38'N, 80°19'E), 737 m a.s.l., 9 V 2017, 1♂, leg. RP; 2♂♂, leg. KL; East Kazakhstan Region: Bykovo [Быково] env. (49°39'N, 84°33'E), 570 m a.s.l., 24 VI 2017, 3♂♂, leg. WTS.
Agapanthia violacea is distributed from Southern and Central Europe through Asia Minor and the Caucasus to Lake Baikal in Siberia. It is a thermophilic species that mainly inhabits xerothermic sites. It is ecologically associated with various plant species, mainly of Apiaceae and Asteraceae. The adults can be found on their host plants from mid-May to July (
The specimens were mainly collected on Astragalus sieversianus (Fig.
Almaty Region: 2 km E of Saryozek [Сарыөзек], (44°22'N, 78°01'E), 875 m a.s.l., 2 VI 2017, 1♂, 1♀, leg. WTS; 1♀, leg. MW; East Kazakhstan Region: 15 km NW of Taskesken [Таскескен] (47°18'N, 80°36'E), 15 VI 2017, 627 m a.s.l., 3♂♂, 2♀♀, leg. WTS; 1♂, 1♀, leg. LK; 1♂, leg. MW; Bykovo [Быково] env. (49°39'N, 84°33'E), 571 m a.s.l., 21 VI 2017, 1♀, leg. WTS.
Agapanthiola leucaspis is a west-Palaearctic species that is distributed from Southern Europe through the southern regions of Eastern Europe and Russia, Turkey, Central Asia to Lake Baikal in Siberia, Mongolia and China (
Several specimens were collected in rather different habitats (e.g. roadside vegetation strip, mountain forest) using the sweep-netting method.
East Kazakhstan Region: Putintsevo [Путинцево] env. (49°52'N, 84°21'E), 472 m a.s.l., 22–23 VI 2017, 2♀♀, leg. WTS; 1♂, leg. MB, coll. LK; 1♂, 1♀, leg. MW.
This is an east-Palaearctic species that is distributed from Altai to Sakhalin and Japanese islands, including China and the Korean peninsula (
Rhopaloscelis unifasciatus was recently reported from Kazakhstan for the first time by
In our research, several specimens were beaten down from the dead parts of young willows in a mountain deciduous forest dominated by Populus and Salix. These findings confirm the presence of this species in Kazakhstan. Rhopaloscelis unifasciatus shares the same habitat with other Lamiinae species, inter alia, Exocentrus stierlini and Saperda similis as well as with other saproxylic beetles, e.g. Kolibacia squamulata (Gebler, 1830) (Trogossitidae) (
Almaty Region: 10 km SW of Sarkan [Cарқaн] (45°21'N, 79°48'E), 990 m a.s.l., 4 V 2017, 2♂♂, leg. RP; 1♂, 1♀, leg. KL; 1♂, leg. GT.
This taxon is endemic to eastern Kazakhstan and is known to occur only in one locality near the city of Sarkan in the foothills of the Dzungarian Alatau (
Almaty Region: 2 km E of Arkhaly [Apқaлы] (44°10'N, 77°56'E), 1005 m a.s.l., 2 V 2017, 6♂♂, 2♀♀, leg. RP; 11♂♂, 3♀♀, leg. KL.
Dorcadion absinthium ishkovi is an endemic Kazakh taxon with its known distribution limited to an area situated approx. 50 km north of Kapchagay in the environs of Kerbulak (
The population, which was dominated by males, was found in a steppe habitat (Fig.
Almaty Region: 16 km NE of Kapal [Қапал] (45°12'N, 79°14'E), 1275 m a.s.l., 3 V 2017, 14♂♂, 5♀♀, leg. RP; 6♂♂, 2♀♀, leg. JH; 3♂♂, leg. GT; 22 km E of Kapal [Қапал] (45°13'N, 79°16'E), 1201 m a.s.l., 3 V 2017, 4♂♂, 1♀, leg. KL; 15 km E of Kapal [Қапал] (45°11'N, 79°12'E), 1320 m a.s.l., 3 V 2017, 2♂♂, leg. KL; 34 km W of Kapal [Қапал] (45°14'N, 78°39'E), 665 m a.s.l., 3 V 2017, 1♂, leg. KL.
Dorcadion acutispinum is endemic to eastern Kazakhstan where it is known to occur in a few localities in the valley of the Kapal River and its surroundings in the northern range of Dzungarian Alatau (
Numerous individuals were collected in steppe-like habitat in the Kapal canyon. The population was dominated by males (Fig.
Almaty Region: 2 km N of Kegen [Қеғен] (43°02'N, 79°13'E), 1809 m a.s.l., 12 VI 2017, 7♂♂, leg. WTS; 3♂♂, leg. LK; 4♂♂, leg. MW.
Dorcadion arietinum includes seven described subspecies that are distributed in southern and southeastern Kazakhstan and northwestern China. The nominotypical subspecies is known to occur only in the area of SE Kazakhstan (
The males (Fig.
38 km SW of Szonży [Шонжы] (43°21'N, 79°03'E), 1077 m a.s.l., 11 V 2017, 1♂, leg. GT.
The taxon is endemic to southeastern Kazakhstan. The only known population is distributed along the northern foot of the east part of the Turaigyr Mountains (
Only a single, rather old male specimen was found in the Sharyn Canyon.
Almaty Region: 40 km SE of Sary-Ozek [Сары-Озек] (44°13'N, 78°30'E), 1534 m a.s.l., 10 V 2017, 1♂, leg. GT, coll. RP; 2 km N of Kegen [Қеғен] (43°02'N, 79°13'E), 1809 m a.s.l., 12 VI 2017, 2♂♂, leg. MB, coll. LK & WTS.
Dorcadion crassipes is distributed in southeastern Kazakhstan, northwestern China and Kyrgyzstan. Three subspecies have been described to date: D. c. crassipes, D. c. glazunovi Suvorov, 1910 and D. c. validipes Jakovlev, 1906. The nominotypical form is endemic to SE Kazakhstan and is known to occur eastwards from about the Chu-Ili Mountains to the Dzungarian Alatau (
Despite several hours of searching at the locality near Kegen, only two males were collected in a mountain steppe habitat sympatrically with Dorcadion arietinum arietinum and Dorcadion semenovi semenovi Ganglbauer, 1884. This seems to confirm the interesting observations of
East Kazakhstan Region: 5 km SE of Kabanbay [Қабaнбaй] (47°49'N, 83°37'E), 461 m a.s.l., 6 V 2017, 2♂♂, leg. RP; 2♂♂, leg. JH; 1♂, 3♀♀, leg. KL; 1♀, leg. GT; 20 km NW of Zaysan [Зайсан] (47°34'N, 84°39'E), 453 m a.s.l., 6 V 2017, 2♂♂, leg. RP; 1♀, leg. JH; 1♀, leg. KL; 5 km NE of Zaysan [Зайсан] (47°30'N, 84°57'E), 509 m a.s.l., 17 VI 2017, 1♂ (dead specimen), leg. WTS; 1♂ (body remains), leg. MB, coll. LK; 1♂, 1♀ (body remains), leg. MW.
Dorcadion gebleri is distributed in eastern Kazakhstan and northwestern China. The species includes four subspecies: A. g. demimetrum Danilevsky, 1996, A. g. gebleri, A. g. lukhtanovi Danilevsky, 1996 and A. g. takyr Danilevsky, 1996. Most of them are endemic to E Kazakhstan; only the nominotypical form extends its range into China (
Several males and females (Fig.
East Kazakhstan Region: Kurshim [Күршім] env. (48°34'N, 83°36'E), 406 m a.s.l., 17 VI 2017, 1♂ (body remains), leg. WTS.
Dorcadion gebleri lukhtanovi is known from several localities eastwards from Lake Zaysan in northeastern Kazakhstan (
Only the remains of a single male were found in a grassy, semi-ruderal habitat in the Kurchum River valley.
Almaty Region: 8 km N of Kapchagay [Қапшағай] (43°56'N, 77°02'E), 610 m a.s.l., 1 V 2017, 7♂♂, 7♀♀, leg. RP; 9♂♂, 6♀♀, leg. JH; 10♂♂, 6♀♀, leg. KL; 1♂, leg. GT; 50 km N of Kapchagay [Қапшағай] (44°18'N, 76°56'E), 587 m a.s.l., 1 V 2017, 4♂♂, 3♀♀, leg. RP; 4♂♂, 2♀♀, leg. JH; 2♂♂, 6♀♀, leg. KL; 3♂♂, leg. GT.
Dorcadion kapchagaicum is endemic to southeastern Kazakhstan. The species is distributed in the area located to the north and west of the Kapchagay Reservoir, where it prefers clayey, semi-desert habitats in plains and foothills. The larvae feed on roots of various species of Poaceae. The beetles occur at altitudes of approx. 700 m a.s.l. where they feed on their host plants. The adults are active from the end of April to the beginning of June (
Numerous individuals were collected in steppe habitats in the area north of Kapchagay. At that time, the gender ratio of the observed population was rather equal.
Almaty Region: 10 km N of Kegen [Қеғен] (43°09'N, 79°12'E), 1840 m a.s.l., 12 V 2017, 1♀, leg. JH, det. M. Danilevsky.
The species is endemic to southeastern Kazakhstan and Xinjiang province in China (
Zhambyl Region: 10 km NW of Akkol [Акколь] (43°27N, 70°35'E), 382 m a.s.l., 5 VI 2017, 1♀ (body remains), leg. MB, coll. LK.
The species is distributed in south Kazakhstan and northwestern Kyrgyzstan (
Only the remains of a single female were found in a habitat with Caragana shrubs near the shore of a salt lake.
Almaty Region: 6 km E of Koylik [Қoйлық] (45°38'N, 80°19'E), 737 m a.s.l., 4 V 2017, 15♂♂, 3♀♀, leg. RP; 6♂♂, 1♀, leg. JH; 1♂, 1♀, leg. GT; 9 V 2017, 9♂♂, leg. RP; 9♂♂, leg. JH; 7♂♂, 1♀, leg. KL.
The species is endemic to eastern Kazakhstan. It occurs only in the central part of the northern slopes of Dzungarian Alatau where it inhabits piedmont areas between 600–700 m a.s.l. The larvae feed on the roots of various grass species. The imagines are active mostly from the end of April to the second half of May (
Almaty Region: 10 km N of Kegen [Қеғен] (43°07'N, 79°11'E), 1922 m a.s.l., 12 V 2017, 5♂♂, 8♀♀, leg. RP; 2♂♂, 2♀♀, leg. JH; 2♂♂, leg. KL; 17 km SE of Kegen [Қеғен] (42°55'N, 79°25'E), 2078 m a.s.l., 12 V 2017, 5♂♂; leg. KL; 15 km N of Kegen [Қеғен] (43°09'N, 79°12'E), 1844 m a.s.l., 11 V 2017, 3♀♀, leg. KL; 2♂♂, leg. GT; 5 km E of Saryzhaz [Сарыжаз] (42°55'N, 79°40'E), 1900 m a.s.l., 12 VI 2017, 2♂♂, 9♀♀, leg. WTS; 9♂♂, 6♀♀ (1♂, 4♀♀ – body remains), leg. LK; 5♂♂, 8♀♀, leg. MW; 2 km N of Kegen [Қеғен] (43°02'N, 79°13'E), 1809 m a.s.l., 12 VI 2017, 7♂♂, leg. WTS; 3♂♂, 1♀, leg. LK; 2♂♂, 2♀♀, leg. MW.
Dorcadion semenovi is a very variable species, which includes ten subspecies that are distributed in the area of northern Kyrgyzstan, southeastern Kazakhstan and western China (
Most of the specimens were collected from a few different localities in the environs of Kegen. At a plot located 2 km N of Kegen, this species was observed in a mountain steppe habitat sympatrically with D. crassipes crassipes and D. arietinum arietinum. Although the plot (Fig.
Almaty Region: 7 km N of Sarymbel [Сарымбель] (44°29'N, 80°04'E), 1725 m a.s.l., 11 V 2017, 13♂♂, 6♀♀, leg. RP; 2♂♂, 2♀♀, leg. JH; 4♂♂, 4♀♀, leg. KL.
Dorcadion sokolowi is distributed in southeastern Kazakhstan and the Xinjiang province in China (
A rather unusual observation regarding the genus Dorcadion of a few specimens of both genders that were gathering on a single female probably in an attempt to copulate (Fig.
East Kazakhstan Region: 10 km E of Kyzyl Kesik [Қызыл Қесиқ] (47°53'N, 82°06'E), 808 m a.s.l., 8 V 2017, 1♀, leg. RP, det. M. Lazarev.
Dorcadion songaricum is distributed in east Kazakhstan and the Xinjiang province in China (
Only a single female was collected in a mountain-steppe habitat in the area of rocky hills (Fig.
Almaty Region: Karlygash [Карлыгаш] env. (44°16'N, 78°28'E), 1398 m a.s.l., 2 VI 2017, 1♂, leg. WTS; 1♀, leg. MB, coll. LK.
The species includes five subspecies, which are mainly distributed within the area from the Kapchagay Reservoir to the Dzungarian Alatau (
Only a single male (Fig.
Almaty Region: 10 km E of Gerasimovka [Герасимовка] (45°48'N, 80°59'E), 844 m a.s.l., 4 V 2017, 1♂, leg. RP; 1♂, leg. JH; 1♂, leg. KL; 9 V 2017, 12♂♂, 1♀, leg. RP; 3♂♂, 1♀, leg. KL.
Dorcadion tenuelineatum is a species that is endemic to Kazakhstan (
Zhambyl Region: 5 km W of Kenen [Кенен] (43°25'N, 74°58'E), 928 m a.s.l., 4 VI 2017, 9♂♂, 3♀♀ (5♂♂ – body remains), leg. LK; 3♂♂, 2♀♀, leg. WTS; 18♂♂, 11♀♀ (3♂♂, 2♀♀ – body remains), leg. MW; 1♂ (dead specimen), 1♀, leg. MB.
Dorcadion tianshanskii is a species that is endemic to Kazakhstan (
The individuals of D. t. radkevitshi were collected during relatively cold (approx. 20 °C) and cloudy weather in a grassland habitat (Fig.
Almaty Region: 10 km S of Kaskelen [Каскелен] (43°05'N, 76°35'E), 1735 m a.s.l., 13 V 2017, 15♂♂, 4♀♀, leg. RP; 10♂♂, 4♀♀, leg. JH; 14♂♂, 1♀, leg. KL.
Dorcadion unidiscale is endemic to southeastern Kazakhstan and it is known based on only a single population that is distributed in the area of Kaskelen on the northern slopes of the Trans-Ili Mountains (
East Kazakhstan Region: Verkhnie Tainty [Верхние Таинты] env., (49°24'N, 83°03'E), 879 m a.s.l., 18 VI 2017, 1♂, leg. WTS.
Eodorcadion carinatum is distributed from the South Urals through South Siberia, northern Kazakhstan and Mongolia to the territory of northeastern China. Five subspecies have been described to date and a nominotypical form occupies the western part of the species range (up to Krasnoyarsk). The species inhabits steppe and semi-desert habitats up to an altitude of 1900 m a.s.l. (Toporov and Milko 2013). The populations of all subspecies are usually characterised by a large number of individuals that occur on numerous plots. It seems to be primarily ecologically associated with Agropyron spp. and Elmynus spp. (
Only a single male that was hidden under a cow dung in a pasture habitat was collected (Fig.
East Kazakhstan Region: 20 km NW of Tauke [Тауқе] (47°57'N, 83°16'E), 407 m a.s.l., 6 V 2017, 1♀, leg. RP.
Politodorcadion eurygyne is distributed in eastern Kazakhstan and West Siberia. This species includes two subspecies: P. e. eurygyne and P. e. lailanum Danilevsky, 2007 (
East Kazakhstan Region: 120 km NE of Ajagöz [Аягоз] (48°57'N, 80°55'E), 586 m a.s.l., 5 V 2017, 4♂♂, 1♀, leg. RP; 3♂♂, 1♀, leg. JH; 1♂, leg. GT; 125 km NE of Ajagöz [Аягоз] (48°57'N 80°54'E), 592 m a.s.l., 5 V 2017, 2♂♂, 1♀, leg. KL; 50 km S of Ajagöz [Аягоз] (47°37'N, 80°38'E), 747 m a.s.l., 8 V 2017, 1♂, leg. KL; 48 km N of Ajagöz [Аягоз] (48°22'N, 80°29'E), 727 m a.s.l., 5 V 2017, 2♂♂, leg. KL; 25 km E of Tarbagatay [Тарбагатай] (47°46'N, 81°36'E), 1128 m a.s.l., 8 V 2017, 1♂, 1♀, leg. RP; 3♂♂, leg. JH; 27 km E of Tarbabatay [Тарбагатай] (47°46'N, 81°36'E), 1119 m a.s.l., 8 V 2017, 7♂♂, 1♀, leg. KL.
Politodorcadion politum is distributed in northeastern Kazakhstan and southwestern Russia. The species includes three subspecies: P. p. politum, P. p. akmolense (Suvorov, 1911) and P. p. shapovalovi Danilevsky, 2006 (
East Kazakhstan Region: 12 km S of Zaysan [Зайсан] (47°21'N, 84°51'E), 965 m a.s.l., 7 V 2017, 1♂, 1♀, leg. RP; 1♂, 1♀, leg. KL.
This species is distributed in northeastern Kazakhstan and the Xinjiang region in China. The species includes two subspecies: P. r. ribbei (Kraatz, 1878) and P. r. bobrovi, whose populations are separated by the Manrak and Saur Mountain ranges (
East Kazakhstan Region: Putintsevo [Путинцево] env. (49°52'N, 84°21'E), 472 m a.s.l., 19–23 VI 2017, 3♂♂, 2♀♀, leg. WTS; 1♂, leg. LK; 1♂, 1♀, (VI 2018 ex cult.) 2♂♂, from Salix sp., leg. MW; 2 exx., red wine trap, coll. LK & MB.
Exocentrus stierlini is an extremely rare but widespread species that is distributed from Central Europe to the Far East including northern Mongolia (
Although this species has already been mentioned as occurring in Kazakhstan (
Several specimens were beaten down from both live and dead willows of different ages, during hot and sultry weather in a deciduous forest that extends along the Khamir River in the foothills of the West Altai Mountains (Fig.
East Kazakhstan Region: Putintsevo [Путинцево] env. (49°52'N, 84°21'E), 472 m a.s.l., 21–22 VI 2017, 1♂, 1♀, leg. WTS; 1♂, 2♀♀, (IV 2018 ex cult.) 1♂, from Salix sp., leg. LK; 1♀, leg. MW; Bykovo [Быково] env. (49°39'N, 84°33'E), 570 m a.s.l., 24 VI 2017, 1♂, 3 larvae, (24 VII 2017 ex larva) 1♂, from Populus sp., leg. MW.
This species is distributed from Eastern Europe through Siberia, including northern Kazakhstan, Mongolia and China, to the Far East and Sakhalin (
The imagines were collected on the bark or beaten down from the dead branches and boughs of a few deciduous tree species (mostly of middle-aged birches Betula). Two specimens were additionally reared from the collected wood material of a fallen poplar Populus trunk and a thin willow Salix trunk.
East Kazakhstan Region: Putintsevo [Путинцево] env. (49°52'N, 84°21'E), 472 m a.s.l., 22 VI 2017, 1♀, leg. MB, coll. MW.
Lamia textor is a typical Palaearctic species that is distributed from Spain to Japan, including the Caucasus, Iran and Turkey (
A single female was beaten down from a young willow trunk in the habitat of a mountain deciduous forest.
East Kazakhstan Region: Putintsevo [Путинцево] env. (49°52'N, 84°21'E), 472 m a.s.l., 21 VI 2017, 1♂, leg. WTS.
This taxon is widespread in Siberia and is distributed from Scandinavia and Eastern Europe (NE Poland) to the Far East and Japan (
East Kazakhstan Region: Putintsevo [Путинцево] env. (49°52'N, 84°21'E), 472 m a.s.l., 22 VI 2017, 1 ex., obs. WTS; 10 km S of Bayash Utepov [Баяш Утепов] (49°35'N, 82°28'E), 508 m a.s.l., 25 VI 2017, 1♂, 3♀♀, leg. WTS; 1♀, leg. MW; 1♀, leg. MB, coll. LK.
This is a locally occurring species that is distributed from the eastern part of European Russia to West Siberia and eastern Kazakhstan. The species is ecologically associated with the genus Lonicera. The larvae probably develop in the wood of living twigs and thin stems (
Numerous specimens were collected in these two localities (Putintsevo and Sibinka River valley) in June 2005 (
In our research, only several rather old and damaged specimens were collected with a predominance of females, which may indicate the end of the appearance of this species. On the other hand, the imagines were rather active, flying around the host plants and sitting on the leaves only from time to time. On the first plot, this species inhabits Lonicera shrubs that border a river and a forest stand dominated by Betula, Populus and Salix. In the Sibinka River valley, the population of O. kostini develops in the shrubs that are growing on river banks as well as on stony areas around the valley (Fig.
Kyzylorda Region: Tartogay env. [Тартогай] (44°25'N, 66°13'E), 135 m a.s.l., 7 VI 2017, 1♂, leg. WTS; Almaty Region: 25 km SW of Kalinino [Басши] (43°53'N, 78°34'E), 691 m a.s.l., 13 VI 2017, 1♀, leg. MB, coll. LK.
The nominotypical subspecies is distributed in Kyrgizstan, Kazakhstan, Uzbekistan, western Siberia and northwestern China. The second subspecies – O. ruficeps muchei Breuning, 1981 – is only known from Tajikistan (
This is a rarely collected species in Kazakhstan, where it is usually observed in tugay habitats.
In the environs of Tartogay, O. ruficeps was observed on a rather dry and salty bank of the Syr Darya River, which was mostly overgrown by Elaeagnus, Tamarix and Halimodendron (Fig.
Almaty Region: 7 km W of Kabanbay [Қабaнбaй] (45°48'N, 80°31'E), 720 m a.s.l., 9 V 2017, 1♂, leg. RP; East Kazakhstan Region: Putintsevo [Путинцево] env. (49°52'N, 84°21'E), 472 m a.s.l., 21 VI 2017, 1♂, leg. WTS.
Almaty Region: Kaskeleng [Каскелен] (43°12'N, 76°38'E), 825 m a.s.l., 13 V 2017, 1♀, leg. TJ, coll. RP.
This taxon is distributed from Southern Europe through North Africa, Asia Minor, the Caucasus and the Near East to Central Asia and South Siberia. The second subspecies – P. rufipes latior Pic, 1895 – is only known from some regions in Syria and Turkey (
East Kazakhstan Region: Putintsevo [Путинцево] env. (49°52'N, 84°21'E), 472 m a.s.l., 23 VI 2017, 1♂, leg. MW.
East Kazakhstan Region: Bykovo [Быково] env. (49°39'N, 84°33'E), 571 m a.s.l., 21 VI 2017, 1 ex., obs. WTS.
This species is distributed from the eastern part of European Russia to the Far East and the Korean peninsula (
A single specimen was observed on a leaf of a harvested poplar at the edge of mountain deciduous grove consisted mainly of Populus, Betula and Salix (Fig.
East Kazakhstan Region: Putintsevo [Путинцево] env. (49°52'N, 84°21'E), 472 m a.s.l., 21 VI 2017, 2♀♀, leg. WTS.
Saperda alberti is distributed from western Siberia to Japan, reaching the maximum of abundance in the Russian Far East (
This species was recently published as a new for the Kazakh fauna by
Two females were collected on the bark of a fresh poplar windfall on a river bank (Fig.
East Kazakhstan Region: Putintsevo [Путинцево] env. (49°52'N, 84°21'E), 472 m a.s.l., 20–21 VI 2017, 2♀♀, leg. WTS; 1♂, 1♀, leg. LK; Bykovo [Быково] env. (49°39'N, 84°33'E), 571 m a.s.l., 21 VI 2017, 4♂♂, 4♀♀, leg. WTS; 2♂♂, 4♀♀, leg. LK; 4♂♂, 5♀♀, leg. MW; 1♀, leg. MB.
This is a widespread species that is distributed from western Europe to the Far East, including North Africa and the Near East (
Numerous specimens were collected on the bark of harvested poplars, while some of them were attracted to artificial light sources (Fig.
East Kazakhstan Region: Bykovo [Быково] env. (49°39'N, 84°33'E), 571 m a.s.l., 21 VI 2017, 1♀, leg. WTS.
This species is widespread in the Palaearctic region and is distributed from Western Europe to the Far East, while S. s. hieroglyphica (Pallas, 1773) ranges from European Russia through Kazakhstan, Mongolia and China to the Far East (
In contrast to the nominotypical subspecies whose pubescence is intensively yellowish, this taxon is characterised by a constant bluish colour of its pale pubescence (
A single female was found on the bark of a harvested birch log at the edge of mountain deciduous grove consisted mainly of Populus, Betula and Salix (Fig.
East Kazakhstan Region: Putintsevo [Путинцево] env. (49°52'N, 84°21'E), 472 m a.s.l., 22 VI 2017, 1♀, leg. MB, coll. MW.
This is a rather rare but widespread species that is distributed from eastern Europe to the Far East (
A single female was beaten down from a dead willow in a mountain deciduous forest dominated by Populus and Salix.
The collected specimen represents the white pubescence form (var. albopubescens Pic, 1925), which is characteristic for central-east Asia but rather rare in Europe (e.g. the Czech Republic, France). Very similar specimens are deposited in Abdysalom Kadyrov’s collection (Dushanbe) that represents cerambycid material from Tajikistan.
Photos of longhorn beetles specimens collected during the expedition to Kazakhstan in 2017: A Psilotarsus brachypterus brachypterus (male) B P. brachypterus brachypterus (female) C P. brachypterus brachypterus (female, abdomen filled with eggs) D P. brachypterus pubiventris (male) E P. brachypterus pubiventris (female) F P. brachypterus pubiventris (female, abdomen filled with eggs) G Leptura duodecimguttata (male) H L. duodecimguttata (female) I Lepturalia nigripes rufipennis (male) J L. nigripes rufipennis (female).
Photos of longhorn beetles specimens collected during the expedition to Kazakhstan in 2017: A Anastrangalia sequensi (female, melanistic form) B Brachyta interrogationis russica (female) C Stenocorus minutus (male) D S. minutus (female) E Turanium scabrum (male, dark form) F T. scabrum (female, dark form) G T. scabrum (female, light form) H Xylotrechus adspersus (male) I Xylotrechus alakolensis (male) J Xylotrechus hircus (female) K Xylotrechus capricornus (male) L X. capricornus (female).
Photos of longhorn beetles specimens collected during the expedition to Kazakhstan in 2017: A Anoplistes jacobsoni (male) B A. jacobsoni (female) C Anoplistes galusoi (male) D A. galusoi (female) E Anoplistes halodendri halodendri (male, Sibinka River valley) F A. halodendri halodendri (male, Tarbagatay environs) G A. halodendri halodendri (female, Sibinka River valley) H Amarysius duplicatus (female) I Cleroclytus semirufus collaris (male, light form) J C. semirufus collaris (male, dark form) K C. semirufus collaris (female, light form).
Photos of longhorn beetles specimens collected during the expedition to Kazakhstan in 2017: A Rhaphuma gracilipes (male) B R. gracilipes (female) C Molorchus schmidti (female) D Aegomorphus obscurior (female) E Ropaloscelis unifasciatus (male) F R. unifasciatus (female) G Exocentrus stierlini (male) H E. stierlini (female) I Saperda alberti (female, whitish form) J Saperda perforata (female, whitish form) K Saperda scalaris (female, whitish form) L Saperda similis (female, whitish form).
Photos of longhorn beetles specimens collected during the expedition to Kazakhstan in 2017: A Agapanthia dahli calculensis (male) B A. dahli calculensis (female) C A. dahli spp. (female, Karashota environs) D Agapanthia alternans alternans (male) E A. alternans alternans (female) F Oberea kostini (male) G O. kostini (female) H Oberea ruficeps ruficeps (male) I O. ruficeps ruficeps (female).
Photos of longhorn beetles specimens collected during the expedition to Kazakhstan in 2017: A Dorcadion abakumovi sarkandicum (male) B D. abakumovi sarkandicum (female) C Dorcadion tenuelineatum (male) D D. tenuelineatum (female) E Dorcadion crassipes crassipes (male) F D. crassipes crassipes (female) G Dorcadion acutispinum (male) HD. a cutispinum (female) I Dorcadion gebleri gebleri (male, Zaysan environs) J D. gebleri gebleri (male, Kabanbay environs) K D. gebleri gebleri (female) L Dorcadion arietinum arietinum (male).
Photos of longhorn beetles specimens collected during the expedition to Kazakhstan in 2017: A Dorcadion absinthium ishkovi (male) B D. absinthium ishkovi (female) C Dorcadion kapchagaicum (male) D D. kapchagaicum (female) E Dorcadion nikolaevi (male) F D. nikolaevi (female) G Dorcadion suvorovi konyrolenum (male) H D. suvorovi konyrolenum (female) I Dorcadion tianshanskii radkevitshi (male) J D. tianshanskii radkevitshi (female) K Dorcadion unidiscale (male) L D. unidiscale (female).
Photos of longhorn beetles specimens collected during the expedition to Kazakhstan in 2017: A Dorcadion songaricum (female) B Dorcadion morozovi (female) C Dorcadion semenovi semenovi (male) D D. semenovi semenovi (female) E Dorcadion sokolowi (male) F D. sokolowi (female) G Eodorcadion carinatum carinatum (male) H Politodorcadion politum politum (male) I P. politum politum (female) J Politodorcadion ribbei bobrovi (male) K P. ribbei bobrovi (female).
Field photos of imagines in nature and habitats of typical Kazakh cerambycid species: A male of Psilotarsus brachypterus brachypterus B female of P. brachypterus brachypterus C female of P. brachypterus brachypterus while spraying pheromones with raised ovipositor D massive occurrence of the males of P. brachypterus brachypterus attracted to an artificial light source E male of P. brachypterus brachypterus hunted by Latrodectus tredecimguttatus F Artemisia-desert in Kurshim environs, the habitat of P. brachypterus brachypterus G male of Psilotarsus brachypterus pubiventris H female of P. brachypterus pubiventris.
Field photos of imagines in nature, host plants and habitats of typical Kazakh cerambycid species: A semi-shrub desert in Kapchagay environs, the habitat of Psilotarsus brachypterus pubiventris B flood barrier formed with oleasters branches, the habitat of Turanium scabrum and Chlorophorus elaeagni C blossoming tamarisks in the habitat of Ch. elaeagni and Anoplistes jacobsoni D bank of the Syr Darya River in Tartogay environs, the habitat of Oberea ruficeps ruficeps E male of Anoplistes galusoi F A. galusoi on Ephedra strobilacea G shrubs of E. strobilacea, the host plant of A. galusoi H mountain slopes in Altyn-Emel National Park, the habitat of A. galusoi.
Field photos of imagines in nature, host plants and habitats of typical Kazakh cerambycid species: A male of Anoplistes jacobsoni B female of A. jacobsoni C pair of A. jacobsoni in copula on Halimodendron halodendron D tugays with Halimodendron, Tamarix and Eleagnus in Tartogay environs, the habitat of A. jacobsoni and Chlorophorus elaeagni E shrub of H. halodendron, the host plant of A. jacobsoni F larval feeding gallery of A. jacobsoni in a stem of H. halodendron G Caragana shrubs in Tarbagatay environs, the habitat of Anoplistes halodendri halodendri H Caragana sp., the host plant of A. halodendri halodendri.
Field photos of host plants, larval feeding galleries and habitats of typical Kazakh cerambycid species: A river bank overgrown by willows, the habitat of Xylotrechus adspersus B larval feeding gallery of X. adspersus in a branch of Salix sp. C roadside vegetation strip in Taskesken environs, the habitat of Xylotrechus alakolensis D hilly grove with birches, the habitat of Xylotrechus hircus E inflorescences of Lepidium draba, the food plant of Cleroclytus semirufus collaris F Berberis vulgaris, the host plant of C. semirufus collaris G Astragalus sieversianus, possible host plant of Agapanthia violacea H roadside strip with herbaceous vegetation, the habitat of Agapanthia alternans alternans.
Field photos of imagines in nature and habitats of typical Kazakh cerambycid species: A steppe area in Arkhaly environs, the habitat of Dorcadion absinthium ishkovi B male of Dorcadion acutispinum C male of Dorcadion arietinum arietinum D mountain steppe area in Kegen environs, the habitat of D. arietinum arietinum, Dorcadion crassipes crassipes and Dorcadion semenovi semenovi E female of Dorcadion gebleri gebleri F mountain steppe area in Zaysan environs, the habitat of D. gebleri gebleri G male of D. semenovi semenovi H particular behavior of a few individuals of Dorcadion sokolowi.
Field photos of imagines in nature and habitats of typical Kazakh cerambycid species: A female of Dorcadion suvorovi konyrolenum B steppe area in Karlygash environs, the habitat of D. suvorovi konyrolenum C female of Dorcadion tianshanskii radkevitshi D pasture in Kenen environs, the habitat of D. tianshanskii radkevitshi E male of Dorcadion unidiscale F mountain steppe area in Kyzyl Kesik environs, the habitat of Dorcadion songaricum G pasture in Verkhnie Tainty environs, the habitat of Eodorcadion carinatum carinatum H male of Politodorcadion politum politum.
Field photos of habitats of typical Kazakh cerambycid species and some methods used: A general view on Sibinka River valley, the habitat of several collected species B pea shrubs on stony hills in Sibinka River valley, the habitat of Stenocorus minutus and Anoplistes halodendri halodendri C mountain deciduous grove in Bykovo environs, the habitat of numerous collected species D general view on mountain deciduous forest along the Khamir River in Putinsevo environs, the habitat of numerous collected species E river bank with poplar windfalls, the habitat of Saperda alberti F wine trap in poplars forest, the habitat of inter alia Macroleptura thoracica, Rhaphuma gracilipes and Exocentrus stierlini G attracting insects to artificial light source in Artemisia-desert habitat H attracting insects to artificial light source at the edge of a mountain deciduous forest.
The flora of Kazakhstan amounts to more than 13 000 species, including approx. 5750 representatives of gymnosperms. As many as 14% of the total plant species are endemics in various degrees, many of them are additionally relicts. Moreover, Kazakhstan, due to its unique combination of natural complexes of steppes, deserts and mountain ranges, which are connected with major inland water and river systems, provides a wide variety of habitats and relevant types of flora that are connected with the arid regions of Central Asia. Apart from two centres of the endemism of the flora (the Karatau Mountains and the Western Tien Shan), there are many unique natural ecosystems, such as desert communities in Betpak-Dala, xylium, shrub and steppe communities of the Southern Altai, spruce and apple forests in the foothills and mountains of Dzungarian Alatau and Tien Shan and floodplain (riparian) forests in the Syr Darya and Ili River valleys (
This huge variety of habitats as well as the presence of many endemic plant species creates a unique diversity of invertebrates, also among the representatives of Coleoptera. According to the records of the State Forest Fund of the Republic of Kazakhstan, afforested areas cover only 4.61% of the total territory, and they consist of more than 20 tree and 40 shrub species. The forests in Kazakhstan can be divided into several types including pine forests in the Kazakh uplands, mountain forests in the Altai, Saura, Dzungarian Alatau and the Tien Shan Mountains, saxaul forests and riparian intrazonal forests (
A total of 78 species belonging to the subfamilies of Prioninae, Lepturinae, Cerambycinae and Lamiinae was recorded as a result of the field research conducted during our two expeditions. They represent approx. 30% of the cerambycid fauna that is known from the entire country’s area. Three species – Psilotarsus brachypterus (Gebler, 1830), Dorcadion arietinum Jakovlev, 1898 and D. gebleri Kraatz, 1873 – were represented by two different subspecies. Among 81 taxa that were collected, as many as 19 (approx. 23%), mainly in the genera of Anoplistes and Dorcadion, are endemic to Kazakhstan. The next 14 (approx. 18%) are endemic in regard to either the neighbouring region of Xinjiang (e.g. Dorcadion morozovi Danilevsky, 1992, D. sokolowi Jakovlev, 1899), to the region of Central Asia – e.g. Turanium scabrum (Kraatz, 1882), Oberea ruficeps ruficeps Fischer von Waldheim, 1842 – or to western Mongolia and West Siberia, e.g. Stenocorus minutus (Gebler, 1841). Some little-known species, such as Anoplistes forticornis Reitter, 1901, A. diabolicus Reitter, 1915 and Turkaromia pruinosa (Reitter, 1903), were not found despite conducting many hours of targeted investigation during a rather optimal period in suitable habitats or even on the exact plots that had been recorded by other authors. Although it may be related to phenological changes in different years, it also may indicate the declining of the particular populations of these species. According to
The greatest contributions to the knowledge of longhorn beetles from the area of Kazakhstan – particularly to the regions of the South and East – have been made by
Despite all of the aforementioned studies, the cerambycid fauna of Kazakhstan is still not sufficiently recognised. This is evidenced by the many new taxa that have been described from the southern and eastern parts of the country in the last several years. The new endemic genus Murzinia Lazarev, 2011, which is additionally represented by a rather large species – M. karatauensis Lazarev, 2011 – deserves special attention. Among the recently published species from the region are Cortodera kokpektensis Danilevsky, 2007, Xylotrechus alakolensis Karpiński & Szczepański, 2018, X. katerinae Shapovalov, 2014, Agapanthia danilevskyi Lazarev, 2013 and A. parauliensis Danilevsky, 2017. Furthermore, many new subspecies, i.e. Psilotarsus heydeni alatauensis Danilevsky, 2014, Brachyta variabilis shapovalovi Lazarev, 2014, Stenocorus validicornis mediocris Danilevsky, 2012, Xylotrechus arnoldii tenebrosus Shapovalov, 2014, Dorcadion pantherinum ludmilae Abramov, 2018, Agapanthia alternans paralternans Danilevsky, 2017 and Tetrops elaeagni shapovalovi Danilevsky, 2018, were discovered in this region only in the last few years. Additionally, some taxa that were already known may still be found here as new to the country. One example is Exocentrus stierlini recorded here for the first time from the area of Putintsevo. Five other cerambycid species, recently found in the same area, are new for Kazakhstan: Euracmaeops smaragdulus Fabricius, 1793, Amarysius sanguinipennis, A. duplicatus, Rhopaloscelis unifasciatus Blessig, 1873 and Saperda alberti Plavilstshikov, 1916. Although A. duplicatus was collected earlier by I. Kostin near Ust-Kamenogorsk in 1960, it was identified as A. altajensis Blessing, 1872, and the another finding in the same locality by A. Napolov in 1994 has not been published (
In addition to the taxonomic studies, the biology and ecology of the longhorn beetles that are distributed in this region should also be thoroughly investigated. More and more of the vulnerable Kazakh endemics are particularly interesting. The bionomy of many local species, for example in the genera of Psilotarsus, Apatophysis, Anoplistes and Xylotrechus (Kostiniclytus), requires further research. Herein we report on Halimodendron halodendron as a host plant of Anoplistes jacobsoni Baeckmann, 1904, at the same time questioning its association with Tamarix and Elaeagnus, or on Caragana spp. as probably the sole plant genus of hosts for A. halodendri halodendri (Pallas, 1773). Moreover, since the territory of this country is located between Eastern Europe and China, it may constitute a transit zone for the establishment of some quarantine pests from southern Asia. Therefore, it is extremely important to constantly examine and monitor, but also to preserve, these shrinking habitats.
The main threat to the unique habitats of Kazakhstan is the agricultural economy because approx. 81% of the total area of the country’s land is suitable for agriculture. Crucial changes in many ecosystems in Kazakhstan that are harmful to biodiversity occurred more than 50 years ago as a result of the extensive plowing of the steppe and forest-steppe zones. Together with the growth of livestock, a strong increase in overgrazing occurred in the region. As a result, there was a significant loss of biodiversity in the steppe areas. There are also several threats to the biodiversity of the desert habitats. Among them, the most important comprise the haphazard road network, the regulation of rivers and the illegal logging of saksaul. As a result of the urbanisation and intensive agricultural development in the foothills in the south and east of the country, the natural vegetation is still severely damaged. In the river valleys in the desert zone (e.g. the Syr Darya, Shu, Talas), due to the limitations of river flow, highly productive floodplain communities are almost completely degraded. Furthermore, the increasing pace of the construction of infrastructures such as roads, pipelines and power lines, creates a great negative impact on the fauna, even if only due to the fragmentation of habitats. In the last five years, the fields of oil and gas production and uranium mines have drastically been extended. The area occupied by mining enterprises is also expanding steadily. However, although many ecosystems, especially in the grasslands and abandoned pastures, began to be restored after the collapse of the USSR and the economic collapse in the 1990s and they have recently continued their natural recovery, previously abandoned areas are now being restored for the economic use. Unfortunately, the use of the current resource model of economic development leads not only to inefficient economic development but also to increasing pressure on ecosystems (
We would like to express our special thanks to Dr. Mikhail Danilevsky (Russian Academy of Sciences) for his help with identifying some specimens of the genus Agapanthia and Dorcadion as well as to Dr. Maxim Lazarev (State Budget Professional Educational Institution of the Moscow Region) in the case of some of the Dorcadion species. We are also grateful to Dr. Rustem Kadyrbekov (Ministry of Education and Science of the Republic of Kazakhstan) for sharing his publications concerning longhorn beetles as well as to the reviewers and the ZooKeys publishing team for valuable comments and constructive suggestions.