First data on the darkling beetle fauna (Coleoptera: Tenebrionidae) of the Hissar State Reserve, Uzbekistan

Abstract

The invertebrate fauna of the Hissar State Reserve in Uzbekistan remains largely unstudied. In this reserve, we collected and examined darkling beetles, which are among the most diverse and abundant groups of beetles in Middle Asia. All species were found at altitudes ranging from 1,800 to 2,500 meters, spanning the zone of Juniperus seravschanica Kom. and mountain steppes to the border of subalpine meadows. In total, 21 species were collected, one of which, Prosodes (Uroprosodes) chigrayi Nabozhenko et N. Bekchanov sp. nov., is new to science. Another species, Bioramix (Planoplatyscelis) latipennis (Kaszab, 1940), is recorded for the first time in the fauna of Uzbekistan. Additionally, we found and examined the very rare species Laena dentitibia Reitter, 1901, which was previously known only from the male holotype. The female of the rare species Blaps aruktavica G.S. Medvedev, 2004 is characterised for the first time. Two female specimens of the very rare Hissar population of Blaps caraboides Allard, 1882, which have a pronounced elytral mucron, were found for the first time in 112 years. We provide illustrations of the majority of species for the first time. Data on the distribution, taxonomy, external morphology, variability, and bionomics of the examined species are presented.