Rhabdorrhynchus echii (Brahm, 1790)

Rhabdorrhynchus echii (Brahm, 1790) View in CoL

( Fig. 4 J View Fig )

Ukraine: Lviv Province: 1 km SSE Luka , 49.77335N, 25.020583E, 318 m, 10 Jul-14 Aug 2021, steppe, pitfall trap, D. Khrapov & R. Panin leg., 1 ♂, KhDC GoogleMaps .

Recent findings of this Rhabdorrhynchus , including the current record, now comprise two specimens from Kharkiv Province ( Yunakov et al. 2018). Previously, it was known from Ukraine only by an old record from Uzhgorod ( Roubal 1941: 168; collected by Wenzel Vávra). Despite its wide distribution, the species is rarely observed, and its sightings typically indicate the presence of suitable xerothermic habitats. Surprisingly, this is the first record from the Podolian Upland, despite extensive studies by Polish entomologists in the early 20th century ( Kuntze & Noskiewicz 1938) and further exploration by Soviet entomologists ( Ter-Minassian 1988). No specimens were found in the largest collection of Galician insects in SMNHL. No- tably, Rh. echii is absent from the comprehensive collections from Ukraine made by Ukrainian entomologists and appears to be a rare species there, despite the abundance of suitable habitats and presence of host plants. Meanwhile, Nolte & Haag (2020) noted that in Germany the species is abundant under viper’s-bugloss ( Echium vulgare L.) on dry slopes, even along the highways and in disturbed habitats. Our beetle was collected on a xerothermic grassy hill with marl outcrops ( Fig. 4 K View Fig ).

Acknowledgements – We are grateful to Antonio J. Velázquez de Castro (Museo de la Universitat de Valencia de Historia Natural, Spain), and Tudor-Sebastian Olariu (Costache Negruzzi National College, Iași, Romania) who supplied us with some occurrence data and literature. Special thanks are expressed to Nadiya M. Sytschak (Institute of Ecology of the Carpathians, Lviv) for identification of host plants of Barynotus makolskii , Coelositona cambricus , and Otiorhynchus norici . We also thank Volodymyr B. Rizun (State Museum of Natural History, Lviv, Ukraine), for supplying valuable historical material. Additional thanks go to Victoria Khrapova, who collected Barynotus makolskii and Coelositona cambricus in Ukraine; and to Ruslan Panin and late Vasyl Chumak, who collected and donated material useful for this study. We extend our sincere appreciation to Enzo Colonnelli for reviewing and improving the manuscript and for initiating a valuable discussion on the nomenclature of Otiorhynchus norici . We also extend our gratitude to the ICZN commissioners for their insightful contributions to this matter.