New data on distribution, ecology, and taxonomy of Turkish Nitidulidae (Coleoptera)

Abstract

This paper updates our present knowledge on the geographical distribution and host plant relationships of Turkish species of the sap- and pollen-beetle family Nitidulidae. Pria zenobia Jelinek, 1997 from eastern Mediterranean areas is synonymized with Pria angustula Cooper, 1982, from South Africa (syn. nov.). The unknown ovipositor of Xerogethes osellai Audisio & Jelinek, 2000, a species endemic to central Turkey, is described, and the first information on its biology is reported. Glischrochilus quadripunctatus (Linnaeus, 1758) (Tunceli Province) and Pityophagus quercus Reitter, 1877 (Balikesir Province) are first recorded for the Turkish fauna. The distributions of Glischrochilus hortensis (Geoffroy in Fourcroy, 1785), Soronia grisea (Linnaeus, 1758), Brassicogethes cristofaroi (Audisio & De Biase, 2005), Stachygethes zarudnyi (Kirejtshuk, 1984), S. assimilis (Sturm, 1845), Sagittogethes biondii (Audisio, 1988), and S. hoffmanni (Reitter, 1871) are updated. The previously unknown larval host plants of other Turkish and Balkan Meligethinae are identified, and Clypeogethes chlorocyaneus (Jelinek & Audisio, 1977) is first reported from Greece. Finally, a new updated checklist of the Turkish Nitidulidae is presented.