Contributions to the knowledge of Turkish saproxylic beetle fauna of Anatolian sweetgum forests

Abstract

The aim of this study was to determine the saproxylic beetle species (Coleoptera) present in Anatolian sweetgum, Liquidambar orientalis Miller (Saxifragales: Altingiaceae) forests, to reveal the contribution of this endemic tree species to insect biodiversity. Beetles were sampled in two areas in Muğla province of Türkiye, where L. orientalis is the most widely distributed tree species. Five old trees (diameter at breast height 36.0-51.9 cm) were selected in each area and two trap types were used on each tree. Traps were set on March 13, 2021, and checked once a month for six months. At the end of the study, 1,302 individuals belonging to 108 species from 33 families were obtained. Fifteen beetle species were new records for the fauna of Türkiye. The families with most individuals were Curculionidae (555), Anobiidae (325) and Tenebrionidae (104). Families with the highest number of represented species were Anobiidae (15), Elateridae (13), Curculionidae (8) and Tenebrionidae (8). According to the IUCN Mediterranean Red List, Ectamenogonus montandoni (Buysson, 1889) (Coleoptera: Elateridae) is classified as endangered (EN) and Propomacrus bimucronatus (Pallas, 1781) (Coleoptera: Euchiridae) as vulnerable (VU).