Rhagonycha atrovaria Wittmer, 1971

Kazantsev, S. V. & Makarov, K. V., 2024, On the status and origin of the endemic to the South Urals soldier beetles (Coleoptera: Cantharidae), Russian Entomological Journal 33 (3), pp. 348-353 : 349-350

publication ID	https://doi.org/10.15298/rusentj.33.3.06
persistent identifier	https://treatment.plazi.org/id/03DB2D4F-7D5D-9C41-FC4B-FC04DD4D9883
treatment provided by	Felipe
scientific name	Rhagonycha atrovaria Wittmer, 1971
status

Treatment

Figs 1 View Figs 1–3 , 4–6 View Figs 4–11 .

Rhagonycha atrovaria Wittmer, 1971: 196 .

Rhagonycha atrovaria iremelica Kazantsev, 1994: 95 , syn.n.

MATERIAL. Holotype, ♂, South Urals , Mt. M. Iremel, tundra VI, 30.VII.1985 [ V. Olschwang leg.]; ’ Rhagonycha atrovaria iremelica ssp.n. des. S. Kazantsev 1993’ (printed); ‘Holotype’ (red rectangle) ( ICM); paratypes, 4 ♂♂ and ♀, same labels, but ‘Paratype’; 2 ♂♂ South Urals, Mt. M. Iremel, tundra V, 30.VII.1985 [ V. Olschwang leg.]; ’ Rhagonycha atrovaria iremelica ssp.n. des. S. Kazantsev 1993’ (printed); ‘ Paratype’ (red rectangle) ( ICM).

REMARKS. The examination of longer series of Rhagonycha atrovaria atrovaria Wittmer, 1971 in the course of preparation of a paper on the Siberian Rhagonycha Eschscholtz, 1833 [ Kazantsev, 2023] demonstrated that the morphological peculiarities of Rhagonycha a. iremelica [1994] actually fall within the infraspecific variability of Rh. atrovaria . Therefore, Rhagonycha atrovaria iremelica Kazantsev, 1994 , syn.n. is considered to be a younger synonym of the latter.

The species is registered in East Siberia (Tuva, Transbaikalia) and the Far East (Primorskij Kraj), as well as in Kazakhstan and Mongolia [ Kazantsev, 2011]. The indication of the species for Altai [ Kazantsev, 2011] needs to be verified on additional material, as the only known specimen from the region (‘Altai, Kurai’), identified as ‘ Rh. atrovaria ‘ (in ICM collection), seems to differ slightly in the shape of pronotum and some of the aedeagal structures. The same refers to the indication of Rh. atrovaria for Kazakhstan [ Kazantsev, Brancucci, 2007; Kazantsev, 2011], as it is based on literature data and not confirmed by studied material. Thus, the South Urals patch appears to be separated from the nearest part of the distribution area of Rh. atrovaria by roughly 2,200 km, or 1,750 –2,000 km, should the Altai and east Kazakhstan occurrence of Rh. atrovaria be confirmed. Notably, the species was found only in Maliy Iremel tundra, but not on Bolshoy Iremel, at the same altitude just some 2. 5 km away.