Research Article |
Corresponding author: Lech Karpiński ( lechkarpinski@gmail.com ) Academic editor: Andrey Frolov
© 2020 Adam Byk, Andrzej Matusiak, Artur Taszakowski, Wojciech T. Szczepański, Marcin Walczak, Marek Bunalski, Lech Karpiński.
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:
Byk A, Matusiak A, Taszakowski A, Szczepański WT, Walczak M, Bunalski M, Karpiński L (2020) New and interesting findings of scarab beetles (Coleoptera, Scarabaeoidea) from Tajikistan. ZooKeys 1003: 57-82. https://doi.org/10.3897/zookeys.1003.55457
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We report on new findings of nearly 50 species that represent four families of the superfamily Scarabaeoidea, which were collected during an expedition to western Tajikistan that was carried out in June and July 2014. Rhyssemodes transcaspicus Rakovič, 1982 is recorded from the country for the first time. Moreover, we describe and illustrate the differences in the external morphology between Euonthophagus gibbosus (Scriba, 1790) and E. koshantschikoffi (Reitter, 1891), the latter of which has a doubtful systematic position. In the collected material of approximately 1,000 specimens, more than 90% of the species and 95% of the individuals belong to the family Scarabaeidae. The other species represent the families Geotrupidae, Glaphyridae, and Hybosoridae.
Euonthophagus koshantschikoffi, Geotrupidae, Glaphyridae, Hybosoridae, new records, Rhyssemodes transcaspicus, Scarabaeidae
The first comprehensive study that contained information on the scarabaeoid beetle fauna of Tajikistan was presented by
The majority of the works on the Scarabaeoidea of Tajikistan were published in the last century. They treat the scarabaeoid Tajik fauna in the context of areas that often reach far beyond the current boundaries of the country, and sometimes even beyond the commonly accepted borders of Central Asia. Consequently, many records have a rather general character without any precise locality data. Therefore, we aim to supplement the current information on the distribution of the taxa of the superfamily Scarabaeoidea in the country. An additional goal of our study is to gather and disseminate information contained in valuable publications that are, however, difficult to access and were usually published exclusively in Russian.
Tajikistan is a relatively small intra-continental country that is situated at the boundary of the subtropical and temperate climatic zones. It is located in the mountain desert zone of the Eurasian continent, in the southern part of Central Asia. In this region, diverse ecosystems such as deserts, steppes, conifer forests, mixed mountain forests, and high-mountain deserts are widely represented. The formation of this unique biological diversity in the country, which counts numerous endemic and relict species, is due to the varied mountain climatic conditions and historical natural processes (
An entomological expedition, which consisted of four scientists from the former Department of Zoology, University of Silesia in Katowice (Poland), was undertaken over 25 days from 24 June to 18 July 2014. During the research, several field surveys in various locations in the western part of Tajikistan were conducted (Fig.
No. | Locality | Geographical coordinates | Altitude [m a.s.l.] | Date of collection |
---|---|---|---|---|
1. | Iskanderkul [Искандарkӯл] (Fig. |
39°05'04.1"N, 68°22'03.2"E | 2300 | 18 Jul. 2014 |
2. | Tojikobod [Тоҷикобод] (Fig. |
39°05'34.1"N, 70°51'45.2"E | 2225 | 13 Jul. 2014 |
3. | Gharm [Ғарм] (Fig. |
39°01'11.1"N, 70°22'07.6"E | 1330 | 14 Jul. 2014 |
4. | Safed Dara [Caфeд Дapa] = Takob (Taкoб) (Fig. |
38°51'30.7"N, 68°59'58.7"E | 2300 | 27–28 Jun. 2014 |
38°49'27.9"N, 68°56'10.4"E | 1850 | 8–10 Jul. 2014 | ||
5. | Karatag river valley, near Kuran [Куран] (Fig. |
38°41'44.8"N, 68°22'05.1"E | 1060 | 30 Jun.–1 Jul. 2014 |
17 Jul. 2014 | ||||
6. | Romit [Ромит] (Fig. |
38°46'19.3"N, 69°16'58.5"E | 1285 | 26–27 Jun. 2014 |
7. | Komsomolabad [Дарбанд] (Fig. |
38°51'50.2"N, 69°56'32.0"E | 1160 | 11–12 Jul. 2014 |
Nurobod [Нуробод] (Fig. |
38°47'45.2"N, 69°51'32.6"E | 1215 | 11 Jul. 2014 | |
8. | Shahrinav [Шаҳринав] | 38°36'04.1"N, 68°19'36.0"E | 870 | 1 Jul. 2014 |
9. | Arykboshi [Арыкбошӣ] | 38°34'39.3"N, 69°04'03.7"E | 905 | 28 Jun., 2 Jul. 2014 |
10. | Kangurt [Kангурт] env. | 38°11'57.7"N, 69°33'18.7"E | 1065 | 5 Jul. 2014 |
Chavrok [Чаврок], N of Kangurt (Fig. |
38°18'07.9"N, 69°32'51.5"E | 1215 | 5 Jul. 2014 | |
11. | Dohanaklik [Даханакиик] (Fig. |
38°13'50.4"N, 68°40'23.0"E | 860 | 16 Jul. 2014 |
12. | Ganchi [Сафедсанг] | 38°00'08.4"N, 69°09'39.4"E | 765 | 25 Jun. 2014 |
13. | W of Kulob [Куляб], Vose–Kulob road (Fig. |
37°54'37.0"N, 69°42'41.1"E | 525 | 3 Jul. 2014 |
37°54'56.3"N, 69°42'53.6"E | 535 | 3 Jul. 2014 | ||
14. | Shurroabad [Ноҳияи Шӯрообод] (Fig. |
37°49'16.1"N, 70°03'20.4"E | 2150 | 4 Jul. 2014 |
15. | Sarichashma [Сары-Чашма] | 37°44'47.6"N, 69°46'19.0"E | 920 | 25 Jun. 2014 |
15. | Novabad [Новабад] (Fig. |
37°30'14.3"N, 68°53'20.3"E | 580 | 16–17 Jul. 2014 |
17. | Jilikul [Ҷиликӯл] (Fig. |
37°27'05.5"N, 68°31'16.7"E | 330 | 24 Jun. 2014 |
Research plots in the western part of Tajikistan 1 Iskanderkul 2 Tojikobod 3 Gharm 4 Safed Dara (Takob) 5 Kuran, Karatag river valley 6 Romit 7 Komsomolabad and Nurobod 8 Shahrinav 9 Arykboshi 10 Chavrok and Kangurt 11 Dohanaklik 12 Ganchi 13 W of Kulob, Vose–Kulob road 14 Shurroabad 15 Sarichashma 16 Novabad 17 Jilikul (OpenStreetMap contributors).
The area covered by our study includes several different nature ecosystems such as alpine meadows, mesophilic shrubs, shrub steppes, broad-leaf forests, and tugay, as well as agroecosystems such as gardens, orchards, fields, and pastures (Figs
Typical landscapes in Tajikistan, habitats of scarabeoid beetles A mountain slope covered with shrubs including Juniperus in Iskanderkul environs B mountain meadow in Tojikobod environs C mountain slopes in Gharm environs D mountain meadow overgrown by Prangos and Ferula in Safed Dara environs E swarm of Onthophagus beetles in cow dung, Safed Dara environs F mountain slope covered with shrubs in Karatag environs G steep slope covered with single trees in Romit environs H watercourse near a pasture in Komsomolabad environs.
Beetles were photographed in their habitats with Canon EOS 550D, Canon EOS 600D, and Olympus XZ-1 cameras. Mounted specimens were imaged using a Leica M205C stereomicroscope with Leica LED5000 HDI high-diffuse dome illumination and equipped with a Leica DFC495 digital camera. The images that were produced were stacked, aligned, and combined using Leica application suite v. 4.9.0 software. The images selected were cleaned, retouched, and arranged into figures using Adobe Photoshop CS6 software. The geographical coordinates were recorded using a Garmin Oregon 550T 3-Inch Handheld GPS Navigator. For each specimen that was collected, the exact location, altitude, date, and the names of the collectors are given.
Typical landscapes in Tajikistan, habitats of scarabeoid beetles A lush shrub vegetation in Nurobod environs B grasslands in Chavrok environs C grasslands in Dohanaklik environs D grazed slopes in Kulob environs E grassy hills in Shurroabad environs F Glaphyrus turkestanicus feeding in flower cup, Shurroabad environs G semi-desert with lots of dung in Novabad environs H bank of Vakhsh River overgrown with tamarisk shrubs in Jilikul environs.
All the specimens listed below were collected by Artur Taszakowski (AT), Lech Karpiński (LK), Marcin Walczak (MW), and Wojciech T. Szczepański (WTS). Taxa were identified by Adam Byk (AB), Andrzej Matusiak (AM), and Marek Bunalski (MB). The specimens are preserved in the entomological collection of the Department of Natural History of the Upper Silesian Museum, Bytom, Poland (
As a result of this study, about 950 beetles belonging to 48 species in four families of the superfamily Scarabaeoidea were collected: Geotrupidae (1 sp.), Glaphyridae (2 spp.), Hybosoridae (1 sp.), and Scarabaeidae (44 spp.), including Scarabaeinae (17 spp.), Aphodiinae (12 spp.), Melolonthinae (5 spp.), Cetoniinae (5 spp.), Rutelinae (3 spp.), and Dynastinae (2 spp.). The list of the recorded taxa along with their new localities is presented below.
Lethrus (Mesolethrus) sp.
Karatag, 17 Jul. 2014, 1058 m a.s.l., [MW] – 1 ex. (♀);
Shurroabad, 4 Jul. 2014, 2152 m a.s.l., in dung, [WS] – 1 ex. (♀).
Remarks. Three species from the subgenus Mesolethrus Nikolajev, 2003 were recorded from Tajikistan, and another two from the neighboring Uzbekistan (
Hybosorus illigeri Reiche, 1853
Chavrok, N of Kangurt, 5 Jul. 2014, 1217 m a.s.l., at light, [WS] – 1 ex., [MW] – 2 exx.
Eulasia (Solskiola) analis (Solsky, 1876)
Romit, 27 Jun. 2014, 1283 m a.s.l., [WS] – 1 ex.;
Takob, 27 Jun. 2014, 2298 m a.s.l., [LK] – 1 ex.
Remarks. This species occurs in Uzbekistan, southern Turkmenistan, northeastern Iran, and northern Afghanistan. In Tajikistan, it was reported from a number of localities: Mumilabad, Kulab, Langar, Darvaz (
We collected it at the end of June in high mountain meadows near Romit and Takob. Two individuals were found on flowers of herbaceous plants.
Glaphyrus (Eoglaphyrus) turkestanicus Semenov, 1889
Shurroabad, 4 Jul. 2014, 2152 m a.s.l., mountain meadows, pastures, [AT] – 1 ex.
Remarks. Glaphyrus turkestanicus is distributed in Uzbekistan, Afghanistan (
We collected a single male of this species in a mountain meadow near Shurroabad. The beetle was found inside a calyx of Carduus sp. (Fig.
Acanthobodilus immundus (Creutzer, 1799)
W of Kulob, 3 Jul. 2014, 526 m a.s.l., at light, [AT] – 5 exx.;
W of Kulob, 3 Jul. 2014, 537 m a.s.l., at light, [WS] – 1 ex.;
Kangurt, 5 Jul. 2014, 1066 m a.s.l., in dung, [WS] – 1 ex., at light, [AT] – 2 exx., in dung, [MW] – 3 exx.;
Chavrok, N of Kangurt, 5 Jul. 2014, 1217 m a.s.l., at light, [WS] – 4 exx.;
Komsomolabad, 11 Jul. 2014, 1160 m a.s.l., in dung, [WS] – 1 ex.;
Dohanaklik, 16 Jul. 2014, 862 m a.s.l., in dung, [WS] – 3 exx.;
Novabad, 17 Jul. 2014, 580 m a.s.l., desert, semi-desert, in cow dung, [AT] – 1 ex., [MW] – 4 exx.
Acrossus luridus (Fabricius, 1775)
Takob, 28 Jun. 2014, 2300 m a.s.l., [WS] – 2 exx.
Aphodius pedellus De Geer, 1774
Romit, 26 Jun. 2014, 1250 m a.s.l., [WS] – 8 exx.;
Karatag, 17 Jul. 2014, 1058 m a.s.l., in cow dung, [AT] – 1 ex., [MW] – 1 ex.
Bodilus lugens (Creutzer, 1799)
Karatag, 1058 m a.s.l., 30 Jun. 2014, in dung, [MW] – 5 exx., 17 Jul. 2014, in cow dung, [AT] – 3 exx., [MW] – 2 exx., shrubs, [AT] – 1 exx.;
Kangurt, 5 Jul. 2014, 1066 m a.s.l., agrocenoses, at light, [AT] – 2 exx., [MW] – 3 exx.;
Chavrok, N of Kangurt, 5 Jul. 2014, 1217 m a.s.l., at light, [WS] – 2 exx.;
Novabad, 17 Jul. 2014, 580 m a.s.l., desert, semi-desert, in cow dung, [AT] – 1 ex.
Colobopterus erraticus (Linnaeus, 1758)
Romit, 27 Jun. 2014, 1250 m a.s.l., [WS] – 2 exx.;
Karatag, 30 Jun. 2014, 1058 m a.s.l., in dung, [WS] – 1 ex., [MW] – 6 exx.;
Komsomolabad, 11 Jul. 2014, 1160 m a.s.l., in dung, [WS] – 1 ex., [MW] – 1 ex.
Esymus pusillus pusillus (Herbst, 1789)
Takob, 28 Jun. 2014, 2300 m a.s.l., [WS] – 2 exx., [MW] – 3 exx.;
Arykboshi, 2 Jul. 2014, 906 m a.s.l., [WS] – 1 ex., [MW] – 3 exx.
Eudolus quadriguttatus (Herbst, 1783)
Kangurt, 5 Jul. 2014, 1066 m a.s.l., agrocenoses, at light, [AT] – 1 ex.;
Chavrok, N of Kangurt, 5 Jul. 2014, 1217 m a.s.l., at light, [WS] – 3 exx.
Labarrus lividus (Olivier, 1789)
Karatag, 17 Jul. 2014, 1058 m a.s.l., at light, [AT] – 1 ex.;
Kangurt, 5 Jul. 2014, 1066 m a.s.l., agrocenoses, at light, [AT] – 1 ex.;
Chavrok, N of Kangurt, 5 Jul. 2014, 1217 m a.s.l., at light, [WS] – 4 exx.
Neocalaphodius moestus (Fabricius, 1801)
Fig.
Jilikul, 24 Jun. 2014, 332 m a.s.l., at light, [WS] – 5 exx.;
Arykboshi, 2 Jul. 2014, 906 m a.s.l., at light, [WS] – 1 ex., [MW] – 2 exx.;
Karatag, 30 Jun. 2014, 1058 m a.s.l., at light, [AT] – 1 ex., [MW] – 2 exx.;
W of Kulob, 3 Jul. 2014, 526 m a.s.l., at light, [AT] – 5 exx.;
W of Kulob, 3 Jul. 2014, 537 m a.s.l., at light, [WS] – 1 ex.;
Chavrok, N of Kangurt, 5 Jul. 2014, 1217 m a.s.l., at light, [WS] – 1 ex.;
Dohanaklik, 16 Jul. 2014, 862 m a.s.l., in dung, [WS] – 3 exx.;
Novabad, 17 Jul. 2014, 580 m a.s.l., desert, semi-desert, in cow dung, [AT] – 1 ex., [MW] – 1 ex.
Photos of Scarabaeidae specimens collected during the expedition to Tajikistan in 2014 A Neocalaphodius moestus B Gymnopleurus aciculatus C Euoniticellus pallipes D Cheironitis haroldi, male E Cheironitis pamphilus, male F Onitis humerosus, male G Euonthophagus sulcicollis, female H Onthophagus sibiricus, female I Onthophagus haroldi.
Planolinellus vittatus (Say, 1825)
Kangurt, 5 Jul. 2014, 1066 m a.s.l., in dung, [MW] – 2 exx.
Rhyssemodes transcaspicus Rakovič, 1982
Fig.
Jilikul, 24 Jun. 2014, 332 m a.s.l., at light, [WS] – 6 exx., [MW] – 1 ex.;
W of Kulob, 3 Jul. 2014, 537 m a.s.l., at light, [WS] – 7 exx., [MW] – 1 ex.;
Chavrok, N of Kangurt, 5 Jul. 2014, 1217 m a.s.l., at light, [WS] – 1 ex.
Remarks. This species has been reported from Uzbekistan and the southern territory of European Russia. According to
We collected 16 individuals of Rh. transcaspicus at three different sites in the western part of the country, about 300 km south of its type locality. All individuals were found near human settlements with semi-arid (environs of Jilikul) and farmland (environs of Kulob and Chavrok) habitats in the immediate vicinity. In all cases, imagines were attracted to UV light.
This is the first record for Tajikistan. The material was additionally verified by Łukasz Minkina (Poland).
Rhyssemus germanus (Linnaeus, 1767)
W of Kulob, 3 Jul. 2014, 526 m a.s.l., at light, [AT] – 1 ex.;
W of Kulob, 3 Jul. 2014, 537 m a.s.l., at light, [WS] – 1 ex.
Gymnopleurus aciculatus Gebler, 1841
Fig.
Karatag, 17 Jul. 2014, 1058 m a.s.l., in cow dung, [MW] – 5 exx.;
W of Kulob, 3 Jul. 2014, 526 m a.s.l., in dung, [WS] – 1 ex., [MW] – 5 exx.;
Shurroabad, 4 Jul. 2014, 2152 m a.s.l., in dung, [WS] – 5 exx., [AT] – 10 exx.;
Kangurt, 5 Jul. 2014, 1066 m a.s.l., in dung, [WS] – 3 exx., [MW] – 5 exx.;
Novabad, 17 Jul. 2014, 580 m a.s.l., desert, semi-desert, in cow dung, [MW] – 2 exx.
Euoniticellus fulvus (Goeze, 1777)
Sarichashma, 25 Jun. 2014, 921 m a.s.l., in dung, [WS] – 5 exx.;
Romit, 26 Jun. 2014, 1250 m a.s.l., [WS] – 2 exx.;
Karatag, 30 Jun. 2014, 1058 m a.s.l., in cow dung, [MW] – 6 exx., 17 Jul. 2014, [AT] – 18 exx., [MW] – 14 exx.;
W of Kulob, 3 Jul. 2014, 526 m a.s.l., in dung, [WS] – 2 exx., [MW] – 13 exx., [AT] – 1 ex.;
Shurroabad, 4 Jul. 2014, 2152 m a.s.l., in dung, [WS] – 1 ex., [AT] – 1 ex.;
Komsomolabad, 11 Jul. 2014, 1160 m a.s.l., in dung [WS] – 8 exx., [MW] – 21 exx.;
Gharm, 14 Jul. 2014, in dung, [WS] – 6 exx.;
Dohanaklik, 16 Jul. 2014, 862 m a.s.l., in dung, [WS] – 6 exx., [AT] – 1 ex.;
Novabad, 17 Jul. 2014, 580 m a.s.l., desert, semi-desert, in cow dung, [AT] – 8 exx., [MW] – 3 exx.
Euoniticellus pallipes (Fabricius, 1781)
Fig.
Karatag, 30 Jun. 2014, 1058 m a.s.l., in cow dung, [MW] – 1 ex.;
W of Kulob, 3 Jul. 2014, 526 m a.s.l., in dung, [WS] – 14 exx., [MW] – 2 exx., [AT] – 1 ex.;
Kangurt, 5 Jul. 2014, 1066 m a.s.l., in dung, [WS] – 1 ex.;
Dohanaklik, 16 Jul. 2014, 862 m a.s.l., in dung, [WS] – 3 exx.;
Novabad, 17 Jul. 2014, 580 m a.s.l., [MW] – 1 ex.
Cheironitis haroldi (Ballion, 1871)
Fig.
Karatag, 30 Jun. 2014, 1058 m a.s.l., [MW] – 3 exx., 17 Jul. 2014, [MW] – 4 exx., [AT] – 2 exx.;
W of Kulob, 3 Jul. 2014, 526 m a.s.l., in dung, [MW] – 5 exx.;
Shurroabad, 4 Jul. 2014, 2152 m a.s.l., in dung, [WS] – 16 exx., [AT] – 2 exx.;
Novabad, 16 Jul. 2014, 580 m a.s.l., [MW] – 6 exx.
Cheironitis pamphilus (Menetries, 1849)
Fig.
Karatag, 30 Jun. 2014, 1058 m a.s.l., [AT] – 2 exx.;
W of Kulob, 3 Jul. 2014, 526 m a.s.l., in cow dung, [WS] – 1 ex., [MW] – 1 ex.;
Dohanaklik, 16 Jul. 2014, 862 m a.s.l., [WS] – 6 exx., [AT] – 2 exx.;
Novabad, 16 Jul. 2014, 580 m a.s.l., in horse dung, [WS] – 1 ex., [MW] – 2 exx., [AT] – 2 exx.
Remarks. This is a widely distributed species known from the southern part of the European territory of Russia, Georgia, Armenia, Azerbaijan, Iran, and Afghanistan; it is also widespread in Central Asia: Turkmenistan, Uzbekistan, and Tajikistan. Moreover, it was reported from Syria, Turkey, and Greece (
We found most individuals in cow and horse dung in warm and dry meadows at altitudes from 500 to 1050 m a.s.l.
Onitis humerosus (Pallas, 1771)
Fig.
Shurroabad, 4 Jul. 2014, 2152 m a.s.l., in dung, [WS] – 2 exx.
Euonthophagus amyntas subviolaceus Ménétriés, 1832
Takob, 9 Jul. 2014, 1850 m a.s.l., in dung, [WS] – 22 exx., [MW] – 12 exx.;
Arykboshi, 2 Jul. 2014, [MW] – 2 exx.;
Karatag, 30 Jun. 2014, 1058 m a.s.l., [MW] – 3 exx., 17 Jul. 2014, [AT] – 2 exx.;
W of Kulob, 3 Jul. 2014, 526 m a.s.l., in dung, [MW] – 3 exx.;
Shurroabad, 4 Jul. 2014, 2152 m a.s.l., in dung, [WS] – 6 exx., [AT] – 1 ex.
Euonthophagus koshantschikoffi (Reitter, 1891)
Takob, 9 Jul. 2014, 1850 m a.s.l., in dung, [WS] – 21 exx., [MW] – 7 exx.;
Arykboshi, 2 Jul. 2014, [MW] – 2 exx.;
Karatag, 17 Jul. 2014, 1058 m a.s.l., [AT] – 4 exx., [MW] – 8 exx.;
W of Kulob, 3 Jul. 2014, 526 m a.s.l., in dung, [WS] – 3 exx., [MW] – 4 exx.;
Shurroabad, 4 Jul. 2014, 2152 m a.s.l., in dung, [WS] – 3 exx., [AT] – 2 exx.;
Novabad, 16 Jul. 2014, 580 m a.s.l., [MW] – 1 ex.
Remarks. We collected a series of individuals belonging to E. koshantschikoffi, a taxon with a uncertain systematic position. This species was described from the environs of Tashkent, Uzbekistan, under the name Onthophagus koshantschikoffi Reitter, 1891, and its range is limited to Central Asia. In 1972, this species was recognised as a junior synonym of Onthophagus gibbosus (Scriba, 1790), a much more widely distributed species which was described from southern Germany (
In considering the general distribution of these taxa and the differences in their morphology (Table
Differences in the external morphology between Euonthophagus gibbosus and E. koshantschikoffi.
Character |
Euonthophagus gibbosus (Fig. |
Euonthophagus koshantschikoffi (Fig. |
Head in males | frontal suture arcuately widening towards lateral edges (frontal view), located near clypeus edge (Fig. |
frontal suture not widening towards lateral edges (frontal view), located clearly further from clypeus edge, about half of length of head (Fig. |
Pronotum | surface matte, rarely with barely noticeable gloss (Fig. |
surface clearly shiny (Fig. |
Elytra | surface matte, black, very rarely brown or reddish-brown (in the studied material all of the individuals were uniformly black) (Fig. |
surface slightly shiny, black or reddish-brown (in the studied material approx. 75% of the specimens had a light-coloured elytra) (Fig. |
Material examined | 64 exx.; Georgia, Armenia, Turkey, Greece, Albania and Spain | 55 exx.; Tajikistan (collected in six different localities) |
Euonthophagus sulcicollis (Reitter, 1892)
Fig.
Karatag, 30 Jun. 2014, 1058 m a.s.l., [MW] – 2 exx.;
W of Kulob, 3 Jul. 2014, 526 m a.s.l., in dung, [WS] – 8 exx., [MW] – 3 exx.;
Dohanaklik, 16 Jul. 2014, 862 m a.s.l., in dung, [AT] – 2 exx.;
Novabad, 16 Jul. 2014, 580 m a.s.l., [WS] – 1 ex., [AT] – 2 exx.
Remarks. The species is widely distributed in Central Asian countries, in Iran and Afghanistan (
We found 17 individuals in cow dung in rather warm sites in mountain pastures and semi-desert habitats.
Onthophagus (Altonthophagus) sibiricus Harold, 1877
Fig.
Takob, 28 Jun. 2014, 2300 m a.s.l., [WS] – 1 ex.
Onthophagus (Exonthophagus) haroldi Ballion, 1871
Fig.
Shurroabad, 4 Jul. 2014, 2152 m a.s.l., in dung, [WS] – 1 ex.
Remarks. Onthophagus haroldi is mainly distributed in Central Asia and Kazakhstan, in northeastern Iran, northern Afghanistan, and in the Xinjiang Autonomous Region of China (
We found a single individual in cow dung on a south-facing grassy slope.
Onthophagus (Onthophagus) taurus (Schreber, 1759)
Fig.
Takob, 9 Jul. 2014, 1850 m a.s.l., in dung, [MW] – 6 exx.;
Arykboshi, 2 Jul. 2014, [MW] – 9 exx.;
Karatag, 30 Jun. 2014, 1058 m a.s.l., in dung, [WS] – 3 exx., [MW] – 39 exx., [AT] – 5exx., 17 Jul. 2014, in dung, [MW] – 14 exx., [AT] – 41exx.;
W of Kulob, 3 Jul. 2014, 526 m a.s.l., in dung, [WS] – 1 ex., [MW] – 4 exx., [AT] – 2exx.;
Kangurt, 5 Jul. 2014, 1066 m a.s.l., in dung, [WS] – 2 exx., [MW] – 4 exx.;
Komsomolabad, 11 Jul. 2014, 1160 m a.s.l., in dung, [WS] – 5 exx., [MW] – 6 exx.;
Tojikobod, 13 Jul. 2014, 2223 m a.s.l., [AT] – 5 exx.;
Gharm, 14 Jul. 2014, in dung, [WS] – 3 exx.;
Dohanaklik, 16 Jul. 2014, 862 m a.s.l., in dung, [WS] – 7 exx., [AT] – 4exx.;
Novabad, 17 Jul. 2014, 580 m a.s.l., desert, semi-desert, in cow dung, [MW] – 10 exx., [AT] – 28 exx.
Photos of Scarabaeidae specimens collected during the expedition to Tajikistan in 2014 A Onthophagus taurus, male B Onthophagus basipustulatus, female C Onthophagus pygargus, female D Polyphylla tridentata E Polyphylla adspersa F Adoretus nigrifrons G Cyriopertha glabra H Oryctes nasicornis turcestanicus I Protaetia bogdanoffi.
Onthophagus (Palaeonthophagus) afghanus Petrovitz, 1961
Takob, 9 Jul. 2014, 1850 m a.s.l., in dung, [MW] – 1 ex.;
Karatag, 30 Jun. 2014, 1058 m a.s.l., in dung, [MW] – 2 exx.
Onthophagus (Palaeonthophagus) basipustulatus Heyden, 1889
Fig.
Takob, 9 Jul. 2014, 1850 m a.s.l., in dung, [MW] – 1 ex.;
Karatag, 1058 m a.s.l., 30 Jun. 2014, in dung, [MW] – 2 exx.;
Novabad, 17 Jul. 2014, 580 m a.s.l., [MW] – 1 ex.
Remarks. This species occurs in the southernmost parts of Kazakhstan, Kyrgyzstan, and mountainous regions of Uzbekistan and Tajikistan; it has also been reported from Afghanistan by
We found four individuals of O. basipustulatus in cow dung.
Onthophagus (Palaeonthophagus) leucostigma (Steven, 1806)
Sarichashma, 25 Jun. 2014, 921 m a.s.l., in dung, [WS] – 3 exx.
Onthophagus (Palaeonthophagus) pygargus Motschulsky, 1845
Fig.
Romit, 26 Jun. 2014, 1250 m a.s.l., [WS] – 1 ex.;
Takob, 9 Jul. 2014, 1850 m a.s.l., in cow dung, [WS] – 5 exx., [MW] – 6 exx., [AT] – 6 exx.;
Arykboshi, 2 Jul. 2014, [MW] – 3 exx.;
Karatag, 30 Jun. 2014, 1058 m a.s.l., in cow dung, [MW] – 6 exx., 17 Jul. 2014, in dung, [MW] – 5 exx.;
W of Kulob, 3 Jul. 2014, 526 m a.s.l., in sheep dung, [MW] – 28 exx.;
Shurroabad, 4 Jul. 2014, 2152 m a.s.l., in horse dung, [WS] – 30 exx., [AT] – 1 ex.;
Novabad, 17 Jul. 2014, 580 m a.s.l., [MW] – 5 exx.
Remarks. The species is widespread in Central Asia, from Köpet Dag mountain range in Turkmenistan to the Russian–Chinese border. The northern boundary of its distributional range is limited by the foothills of Tian Shan. It also occurs in Armenia, Iran, Afghanistan, and China (Xinjiang) (
We found this species to be one of the most frequently occurring dung beetles in our field survey. We collected it in large numbers in many localities, both in mountain and other pastures near highly urbanized areas. It was found in cow, horse, and sheep dung.
Scarabaeus carinatus (Gebler, 1841)
Ganchi, 25 Jun. 2014, 766 m a.s.l., [WS] – 1 ex.;
Kangurt, 5 Jul. 2014, 1066 m a.s.l., in dung, [MW] – 2 exx., [AT] – 1 ex.
Remarks. Scarabaeus carinatus inhabits mountains of Central Asia and Afghanistan; it is known from Turkmenistan, Uzbekistan, Tajikistan, and Kyrgyzstan. This species has also been recorded from southern and western Kazakhstan (
We found four individuals in cow dung in mountain pastures.
Polyphylla (Mesopolyphylla) tridentata (Reitter, 1890)
Fig.
Karatag, 30 Jun. 2014, 1058 m a.s.l., at light, [WS] – 1 ex., 17 Jul. 2014, 1058 m a.s.l., at light, [WS] – 2 exx., [LK] – 1 ex.
Remarks. The species has been reported from southeastern Uzbekistan, northwestern Tajikistan, and western Kyrgyzstan (
In the valley of a mountain river in the vicinity of Karatag, four males were attracted to a UV lamp.
Polyphylla (Xerasiobia) adspersa (Motschulsky, 1854)
Fig.
Jilikul, 11 Jul. 2014, 332 m a.s.l., at light, [LK] – 1 ex.;
Arykboshi, 28 Jun. 2014, 906 m a.s.l., at light, [WS] – 2 exx., [LK] – 2 exx., [MW] – 1ex.;
Shahrinav, 1 Jul. 2014, 868 m a.s.l., at light, [WS] – 3 exx., [AT] – 1 ex.;
W of Kulob, 3 Jul. 2014, 537 m a.s.l., at light, [WS] – 1 ex.;
Chavrok, N of Kangurt, 5 Jul. 2014, 1217 m a.s.l., at light, [WS] – 1 ex., [MW] – 1 ex.;
Komsomolabad, 12 Jul. 2014, 1160 m a.s.l., [LK] – 1 ex.
Amphimallon solstitiale solstitiale (Linnaeus, 1758)
Takob, 8 Jul. 2014, 1850 m a.s.l., [WS] – 5 exx., [MW] – 3 exx.;
Shurroabad, 4 Jul. 2014, 2152 m a.s.l., [WS] – 1 ex.;
Panotrogus myschenkovi (Ballion, 1871)
Kangurt, 5 Jul. 2014, 1066 m a.s.l., at light, [AT] – 1 ex.;
Chavrok, N of Kangurt, 5 Jul. 2014, 1217 m a.s.l., at light, [WS] – 2 exx.;
Tojikobod, 13 Jul. 2014, 2223 m a.s.l., [LK] – 1 ex., [MW] – 1ex.
Maladera (Amaladera) euphorbiae (Burmeister, 1855)
Jilikul, 24 Jun. 2014, 332 m a.s.l., at light, [AT] – 1 ex.;
Arykboshi, 28 Jun. 2014, 906 m a.s.l., at light, [AT] – 1 ex.;
Karatag, 30 Jun. 2014, 1058 m a.s.l., at light, [LK] – 1 ex.;
Shahrinav, 1 Jul. 2014, 868 m a.s.l., at light [WS] – 1 ex., [AT] – 1 ex. [MW] – 1 ex.
Adoretus (Adoretus) nigrifrons (Steven, 1809)
Fig.
Jilikul, 24 Jun. 2014, 332 m a.s.l., at light, [WS] – 4 exx., [LK] – 2 exx., [AT] – 4 exx., [MW] – 3 exx.;
Arykboshi, 28 Jun. 2014, 906 m a.s.l., at light, [LK] – 3 exx., [AT] – 1ex.;
Karatag, 30 Jun. 2014, 1058 m a.s.l., at light, [LK] – 1 ex., [MW] – 4 exx.;
Shahrinav, 1 Jul. 2014, 868 m a.s.l., at light [WS] – 3 exx.;
W of Kulob, 3 Jul. 2014, 537 m a.s.l., at light, [WS] – 3 exx., [AT] – 1 ex., [MW] – 1 ex.;
Kangurt, 5 Jul. 2014, 1066 m a.s.l., [MW] – 1 exx.;
Chavrok, N of Kangurt, 5 Jul. 2014, 1217 m a.s.l., at light, [WS] – 1 ex., [LK] – 3 exx.;
Gharm, 14 Jul. 2014, meadow, [WS] – 1 ex.
Anomala oxiana Semenov, 1891
Karatag, 17 Jul. 2014, 1058 m a.s.l., at light, [AT] – 1 ex.
Cyriopertha (Cyriopertha) glabra (Gebler, 1841)
Fig.
W of Kulob, 3 Jul. 2014, 526 m a.s.l., [MW] – 2 exx.;
Tojikobod, 13 Jul. 2014, 2223 m a.s.l., [WS] – 13 exx., [LK] – 1 ex., [MW] – 3 exx. [AT] – 4 exx.
Remarks. This species is distributed in Uzbekistan, northern Tajikistan, southern Kazakhstan, and Kyrgyzstan (
We caught this species in mountain meadows, and it was observed in large numbers. Adults were observed flying over the grass and became more active in the evening. It is worth noting that two color forms, the typical brownish form (Fig.
Pentodon bidens bidens (Pallas, 1771)
Jilikul, 24 Jun. 2014, 332 m a.s.l., at light, [AT] – 1 ex.;
Romit, 26 Jun. 2014, 1283 m a.s.l., at light, [LK] – 1 ex., [MW] – 3 exx.
Oryctes nasicornis turcestanicus Minck, 1914
Fig.
Romit, 26 Jun. 2014, 1283 m a.s.l., at light, [LK] – 2 exx., [MW] – 1 ex.;
Karatag, 30 Jun. 2014, 1058 m a.s.l., at light, [LK] – 1 ex.;
Kangurt, 5 Jul. 2014, 1066 m a.s.l., [MW] – 3 exx.
Protaetia (Netocia) bogdanoffi (Solsky, 1876)
Fig.
Takob, 8 Jul. 2014, 1850 m a.s.l., [WS] – 1 ex., [AT] – 1 ex.;
Chavrok, N of Kangurt, 5 Jul. 2014, 1217 m a.s.l., at light, [WS] – 1 ex.
Remarks. Protaetia bogdanoffi was reported from Uzbekistan, Tajikistan, Kyrgyzstan, and Afghanistan (
The individuals caught in a mountain meadow in the environs of Takob were collected on flowers, most likely of Heracleum or Prangos. Another individual, caught at Chavrok, was attracted to a UV lamp near human settlements, in a typical agricultural landscape.
Protaetia (Netocia) interruptecostata (Ballion, 1871)
Karatag, 30 Jun. 2014, 1058 m a.s.l., [MW] – 1 ex.
Protaetia (Potosia) marginicollis (Ballion, 1871)
Takob, 8 Jul. 2014, 1875 m a.s.l., herbaceous habitat, [AT] – 1 ex., 10 Jul. 2014, alt. 1880 m, [WS] – 1 ex.
Karatag, 1 Jul. 2014, 1088 m a.s.l., shrubs on the river, [AT] – 2 exx.
Stalagmosoma albellum (Pallas, 1781)
Shurroabad, 4 Jul. 2014, 2152 m a.s.l., mountain meadow, pastures, [AT] – 1 ex.
Oxythyrea cinctella (Schaum, 1841)
Sarichashma, 25 Jun. 2014, 921 m a.s.l., [WS] – 2 exx., [LK] – 4 exx., [AT] – 2 exx.;
Romit, 27 Jun. 2014, 1250 m a.s.l., [WS] – 10 exx., [AT] – 1 ex.;
Takob, 9 Jul. 2014, 1850 m a.s.l., [WS] – 2 exx., [AT] – 2 exx., [MW] – 2 exx.;
Arykboshi, 28 Jun. 2014, 906 m a.s.l., [MW] – 3 exx., [AT] – 1ex.;
Karatag, 30 Jun. 2014, 1058 m a.s.l., [WS] – 2 exx., [AT] – 1ex.;
Kangurt, 5 Jul. 2014, 1066 m a.s.l., [WS] – 3 exx.;
Chavrok, N of Kangurt, 5 Jul. 2014, 1200 m a.s.l., [WS] – 4 exx.;
Nurobod, 11 Jul. 2014, 1215 m a.s.l., [WS] – 2 exx., [AT] – 1ex.;
Tojikobod, 13 Jul. 2014, 2223 m a.s.l., [WS] – 2 exx., [LK] – 1 ex.;
Iskanderkul, 18 Jul. 2014, 2300 m a.s.l., meadow, [WS] – 2 exx., [AT] – 1 ex.
Approximately 17% of the scarabaeoid fauna of Tajikistan was recorded during our 25-day survey, which was conducted from 24 June to 18 July 2014. We found one species, Rhyssemodes transcaspicus, that has not been previously recorded from the country. The occurrence of three species, Cheironitis eumenes, Onthophagus silus and O. ovatus (
The most commonly observed species of pleurostict scarab beetles were Adoretus nigrifrons (35 exx.) and Oxythyrea cinctella (48 exx.). The laparostict scarabs were dominated by: Onthophagus taurus (198 exx.), O. pygargus (96 exx.), Euoniticellus fulvus (116 exx.), and Euonthophagus koshantschikoffi (55 exx.). Nineteen species that are typical for the region of Central Asia were also found: Lethrus (Mesolethrus) sp., Eulasia analis, Glaphyrus turkestanicus, Gymnopleurus aciculatus, Euonthophagus sulcicollis, E. koshantschikoffi, Onthophagus sibiricus, O. haroldi, O. afghanus, O. pygargus, Scarabaeus carinatus, Polyphylla tridentata, Panotrogus myschenkovi, Maladera euphorbiae, Anomala oxiana, Cyriopertha glabra, Protaetia bogdanoffi, P. interruptecostata, and P. marginicollis, as well as one subspecies, Oryctes nasicornis turcestanicus. Most of the coprofagous Scarabaeoidea of Tajikistan are species whose imagines appear in the spring or at the turn of spring and summer, so the relatively small number of taxa collected is undoubtedly due to the rather late period of our study. Species whose adults start to occur in the summertime constitute less than a half of the scarabeoid beetles of Tajikistan (
Most of the field research on the scarabaeoid beetles of Tajikistan was conducted in the middle of the 20th century and almost exclusively by Russian entomologists. This was partly caused by the political isolation of the country and partly by the lack of transport and tourist infrastructure. After its separation from the Soviet Union in 1991 and the introduction of tourism facilities, the intensification of research was possible for both scientists and amateur entomologists. This, in turn, undoubtedly contributed to a better understanding of the local entomofauna and in a relatively short time resulted in the description of new species and newly recorded taxa for this country (
The richness of the scarabaeoid fauna of Tajikistan and the geography of the country clearly indicate the possibility of finding further species of this superfamily, in particular in near the borders with neighbouring countries where numerous other taxa have been recorded, for example Eremazus cribratus Semenov, 1893 (
We thank Łukasz Minkina (Poland) for his help in verifying the identification of Rhyssemodes transcaspicus. We are grateful to Stefano Ziani (Italy) for his valuable taxonomic suggestions and to Aleš Bezděk (Czech Republic) for his assistance in preparing this paper. We also give our gratitude to the reviewers and the ZooKeys publishing team for valuable comments and constructive suggestions.