Aphodius (Liothorax) plagiatus subsp. plagiatus
Creators: name: Angus, Robert B.
name: Maté, Jason F.
name: Angus, Elizabeth M.
name: Král, David
Publisher: name: Zenodo
Year: 2024
Subjects: Biodiversity
Taxonomy
Animalia
Arthropoda
Insecta
Coleoptera
Scarabaeidae
Aphodius
Aphodius plagiatus
Aphodius (liothorax) plagiatus plagiatus (linnaeus, 1767)

description: Aphodius (Liothorax) plagiatus plagiatus (Linnaeus, 1767)
Figs 2 a – c, 5 a – d, 7 a – f, 13 a, b, 17 a – c ”, 18 a, 20 a, b, 22 h – l, 25 i, j, 26 a – g, 30 a, b
Type material examined.
Scarabaeus plagiatus Linnaeus, 1767 (image examined on linnean-online. org / 20869 / #? s = 0 & cv = 0). Designated lectotype by Krell (1995) (LSCL).
Aphodius hungaricus Endrődi, 1955. Type series examined (MNSB).
Aphodius jakutorum Balthasar, 1938. Holotype ♂ (NMP).
Additional material examined.
SP: Aiguamolls de l’Empordà, Urbanización Ampuriabrava, 42.225 ° N, 3.089 ° E. spec 5445, 1 ♀ (MNCN).
GB: Norfolk, Hunstanton, 52.9638 ° N, 0.5168 ° W. At edge of lake after flood. 27. x. 2001, R. B. Angus. 6 ♂♂, 4 ♀♀, 5 unsexed (NHMUK). Dorset, Studland Heath, 50.455 ° N, 1.954 ° E. Buried in sand by damp path. 17. v. 2002, C. J. Wilson & R. B. Angus. 3 ♂♂, 1 ♀ (NHMUK).
LI: Litauen, Nowe Święciany, 4–20.6. 1916, leg. P. Salchert, 1 unsexed; Livind, Smolwy, Sudl, Dünaburg, 16. 6. 1916, leg. Selchert, 1 unsexed (ABC).
HU: Hungria, Aphodius (Liothorax) plagiatus var immaculatus, 201539 (MNCN).
CZ: Dobré Pole, 48.824 ° N, 16.533 ° E, 30. iv. 2011, Martinů Ivo. 1 ♂, DNA (1) (62) JFM, 4 unsexed (NHMUK);
SK: E of Chlaba, 11. vi. 2014, sandy place S of railway, 47.823 ° N, 18.846 ° E, 107 m a. s. l., at light, D. Král lg. 1 ♂ (JFMC).
RU: Pavlovsk Park, St Petersburg, 59.694 ° N, 30.476 ° E, at edge of snowmelt pool. v. 1982, R. B. Angus. 1 ♂ (NHMUK); Yaroslavl, Berditsino, 57.454 ° N, 40.1108 ° E. leg. Yakovlev. 1 ♂ (ZIN); Novosibirsk oblast’, Sorochicko env. 116 m. 53.285 ° N, 77.887 ° E. Waterside litter. 9. v. 2012. D. J. Mann & J. Cooter. 1 ♂, 2 ♀♀ (OUM); Tuapse, Chernomorsk oblast’, 44.098 ° N, 39.090 ° E. 1, unsexed (ZIN); Minusinsk distr. Shushenskoe, 53.324 ° N, 91.946 ° E. 1, unsexed (ZIN); Chuyskaya steppe, Kosh Agach, 49.991 ° N, 88.657 ° E. 1 ♀ (ZIN); Bunbui, Kansk neighbourhood, Yenisei government, 56.382 ° N, 99.025 ° E, 1 unsexed, black (ZIN); Transbaikal, Berezovka near Ulan Ude, 51.9320 ° N, 107.2400 ° E. 1, unsexed (JFMC).
TR: Bozkale near Kars, 40.587 ° N, 42.980 ° E (ZIN).
IN: Shiraz, Lake Maharlou, 29.450 ° N, 52.759 ° E, 1 ♀ (MNHP).
KZ: Yanvartsevo, right bank of the Ural River, 51.424 ° N, 52.239 ° E, leg. L. Arnoldi, 1 unsexed, black (ZIN); Koksengir S of Zhana-arka, Karaganda. 49.44 ° N, 79.44 ° E. leg. Logonova, 22. v. 1958. 1 ♀ (ZIN)
MG: 40 KM Bayanbulag 45.083 ° N, 98.583 ° E. 16. vii. 2005, leg. A, Mikyška. 1 ♂, elytra with red flashes (NMP); Mongolia west, 50 KM SW Uliastay. 16. vii, 2005, leg. A. Mikyška, 1 ♂, elytra with red flashes (NMP); Right bank of R. Kerulen (Herlen) near the Prikhity mountains. 1 unsexed, black (ZIN)
CH: “ Pekin ”, Fry coll. 2 ♂♂, 1 ♀ (NHMUK).
Differential diagnosis.
Aphodius plagiatus is recognisable by the basal segment of the mesotarsi being shorter than the longer mesotibial spur, and the heavily punctured metaventrite, especially in males. The aedeagus is distinctive, with the parameres not decurved apically and the endophallus lacking recurved teeth.
Redescription.
General appearance (Fig. 2 a – c). Length: 3.6–4.9 mm (♂), 4.0– 4.8 mm (♀); width: 1.6–2.0 mm (♂), 1.8–2.0 mm (♀). Black, head, pronotum, and scutellum glossy (pronotum sometimes less so) (Fig. 5 a – d), elytra black, sometimes with a dull red streak over the middle part (Fig. 2 b), interstices with very fine reticulation often giving a silky grey sheen.
Head glossy black with a diffuse dull brown area along the outer margins of the clypeus and genae, Frons with moderately strong punctation, the punctures separated by ca 1.5 × their diameters, and with some sparse very fine punctures between them. Frontoclypeal suture often very fine, straight over median 2 / 3, then angled obliquely forward at each side, reaching the margin at the front of the genae. Occasionally the suture is more distinct. Clypeus bulging upwards medially, this bulge with fine sparse punctation which becomes coarser and rather rugose anterolaterally. Most European material has this rugose area fairly extensive and well-developed, but a male from St Petersburg (Russia) has the rugosity weaker and less extensive, and in material from the Tibetan Plateau (Qinghai and Gansu) the rugosity is further reduced (Fig. 5 a – d). The genae protrude laterally at an angle of ca 45 ˚ in front of eyes, then curve inwards to meet the frontoclypeal suture ca 1.5 × eye-diameter in front of eyes. Clypeal margin obtusely angled outward from this point, then curved inwards to the median excision. Genae laterally with a narrow raised margin, this continued across the clypeus, becoming weaker medially. Antennae and maxillary palpi black to blackish brown. Epipharynx (Fig. 7 a – f) with the clithra generally only weakly sinuate either side of the tylus, but more strongly so in one Chinese specimen (Fig. 7 f). Chaetopedia 2–6.
Pronotum glossy black, hemicylindrical, highly arched transversely, weakly so longitudinally. Lateral area of surface bulging outwards, almost obscuring the lateral margins (viewed from above) in basal 1 / 2. Surface with double punctation, the larger punctures heavy, twice the diameter of those on the head, separated from one another by 1–4 × their diameter, and with very fine dot-like punctures scattered among them. The larger punctures are very sparse on the disc, denser laterally. Basal margin of pronotum varying from being entirely bordered to having the middle 1 / 2 unbordered (Fig. 13 a, b).
Scutellum pentagonal, elongate, the sides more or less parallel in basal 1 / 2, then convergent apically to rounded apex. Surface glossy black with a few very fine punctures medially
Elytra black, sometimes with an oblique reddish streak over their middle parts. Interstices generally with a greyish silky sheen, contrasting with the glossy striae, but sometimes glossy black, as in the type material of L. hungaricus (Endrődi, 1995) (MNSB), the St Petersburg specimen already mentioned, and in material from the Tibetan Plateau. The interstices have a fine isodiametric reticulation, easily seen in most European and Mongolian material, but less so in the St Petersburg specimen, and almost invisible in the Tibetan material where the elytra appear very highly polished. Nevertheless, if the elytra are viewed with strong light and at high magnification the reticulation is always present (Fig. 17 a – c). Scanning electron microscopy (Fig. 17 a ”, c ”) confirms that this reticulation is on the elytral surface rather than being buried under the epicuticle. In most specimens the fine punctures of the interstices are very faint, though with some variation, but in the Tibetan material they are considerably stronger (Fig. 17 a, a ’, a ”, c, c’, c ”). Interstices flat, ca 8–10 × wider than the striae. Striae narrow, vertical-sided, their bottoms glossy. Strial punctures in single rows, small, separated by ca 5 × their diameter, and scarcely indenting the strial margins. Lateral margins of elytra gently rounded and slightly divergent over their basal 1 / 2, then tapered to the bluntly rounded apex.
Metaventrite median diamond-shaped plate in males flat and heavily punctate, the punctures bearing distinct yellowish setae (Fig. 20 a) which may be lost, especially if an attempt is made to clean dead specimens. In females the median plate is less flat, generally depressed medially and the punctation is finer, ca 2 / 3 the strength of that in males, and the setae are more frequently lost, even in living material (Fig. 20 b).
Legs dark brown to black, tarsi dark brown, and tibial spurs a slightly paler brown. Basal segment of mid tarsi clearly shorter than the longer tibial spur (Fig. 18 a).
Aedeagus (Fig. 22 a – c, h – k) ca 1.1 mm long in A. p. plagiatus, 1.25–1.4 mm in A. p. sinoplagiatus ssp. nov., the parameres widened apically and the endophallus bearing fields of small scales but no hairs or bristles. The expanded apical area of the parameres is more abruptly widened in Chinese material, giving a square-ended appearance (Fig. 22 i, j, k), than in European where it is more oblique (Fig. 22 h) and the holotype of A. jakutorum (Balthasar, 1938) (Fig. 22 l) appears to match European material in this character. However, some caution is needed as this part of the parameres tends to shrivel when dried and exposed and often does not fully expand when wetted out. Note that the aedeagus of the Peking specimens shown in Fig. 22 i is ca 1.1 mm long, matching A. p. plagiatus rather than A. p. sinoplagiatus ssp. nov.
Spermatheca (Fig. 26 a – g) ca 0.36 mm long in A. p. plagiatus, but clearly longer in A. p. sinoplagiatus ssp. nov., length ca 0.42 mm.
Remarks.
Aphodius plagiatus is the most widely distributed of all the Palaearctic Liothorax, with its range extending from England in the west to east Siberia (Yakutia) and China (Qinghai, Gansu, and the Beijing area) in the east (Fig. 29 b, c). The southern limits of its range are unclear. There are no confirmed records from the Iberian Peninsula and the Catalogue of Palaearctic Coleoptera gives no records from Italy. Records from the Balkans require confirmation because of confusion with A. rutilipennis. All material from Syria examined in this study has been determined to be L. discoides and not L. plagiatus as reported by Baraud (1992). The only (doubtful) record of L. plagiatus from the Middle East is a female from Iran (Shiraz) found in the collections of the Paris Museum by one of the authors (JFM) which was collected during the 1965 Mission Franco-Iranienne and was identified by Baraud as L. niger. This specimen was not mentioned by him in his Coléoptères Scarabaeoidea d´Europe (1992) nor, to our knowledge, by any other author, and, apart from A. kraatzi from Ashooradeh Island is the only specimen of Liothorax known for Iran. This specimen was examined in 2004 and tentatively identified as a form of wilsonae or plagiatus based on a strongly punctured metaventrite, shortened tarsi, and a surface finish notably different from niger, but due to its divergent morphology was not included in the type series. In light of the work done since, we suspect that it is a member of the plagiatus group, but requiring additional material, in particular males. As such this record has been labelled on the distribution maps (Fig. 29 c) with a black question mark and a black square.
One of the peculiarities of A. plagiatus is the existence of two distinct colour forms, one plain black and the other, exemplified by the lectotype presumably from Sweden, with a red longitudinal-oblique flash over the central area of each elytron. One of us (RBA) has noted the red-streaked form in England, Ukraine (Kiev and Odessa), and Mongolia. The red form appears to be absent from the Czech Republic and Hungary as well as from Russia. As far as is known, this red-streaked form does not occur in A. plagiatus sinoplagiatus.
Aphodius plagiatus is normally found at the roots of vegetation in damp places and is often found washed up among strandline detritus at the edge of pools (Fig. 28 a, c). It is generally associated with salinity, as in the Qinghai pool shown in Fig. 28 c, but there did not appear to be any trace of salinity in Pavlovsk Park near St Petersburg where RBA collected one specimen at the edge of a snowmelt pool in April 1982 (Fig. 28 a).
description: Published as part of Angus, Robert B., Maté, Jason F., Angus, Elizabeth M. & Král, David, 2024, Towards a revision of the Palaearctic species of Aphodius Hellwig, 1798, subgenus Liothorax Motschulsky, 1860 (Coleoptera, Scarabaeidae, Aphodiinae), pp. 205-299 in ZooKeys 1207 on pages 205-299, DOI: 10.3897/zookeys.1207.117225