Morimus asper (Sulzer, 1776)
ssp. ganglbaueri Reitter, 1894
[= Morimus ganglbaueri Reitter, 1894][✮]

Subfamilia: LAMIINAE  /  Tribus: LAMIINI
Morimus asper ganglbaueri

[Photo © David Navrátil, click on the picture for 4K resolution]

Morimus asper ganglbaueri, a subspecies known from Bosnia Herzegovina, Croatia, Serbia and Montenegro, has been described from Bosnia Herzegovina as Morimus ganglbaueri by Edmund Reitter in 1894 [✧]. The biology of M. asper ganglbaueri is most likely the same as that of the whole M. asper species-cluster. M. asper ganglbaueri is a nocturnal species but can easily be found hiding in piles of cordwood or sitting on stumps even during the day.

Body length:22 - 37 mm
Life cycle:several years
Adults in:April - October
Host plant:polyphagous in deciduous trees, prefers Fagus
Distribution:Bosnia Herzegovina, Croatia, Serbia & Montenegro


The depicted mounted beetles were collected in Mateševo (Матешево) village environs (Kolašin municipality, Montenegro) on July 7, 2010, and May 25, 2014, respectively.

Collected by Pavel Hubený


The taxonomic status of Euro-Anatolian Morimus species is unclear, but the recent [❖] and by presented data very well supported work of Emanuela Solano et al. says:

"The genetic variability among Euro-Anatolian Morimus populations and the geographical structure suggest that they can not be ascribed to the currently accepted five W Palaearctic Morimus species and may actually represent a single, genetically and morphologically variable biological species (M. asper), highlighting the necessity of an extended taxonomical revision."

The existence of only one, very variable M. asper taxon with many isolated distinct local populations, is supported also by authors of this site. But until well done revision of the Morimus genus, the traditional division to several taxa will be preserved here.


[✧]
Reitter E.:
Uebersicht der Arten der Coleopteren-Gattung Morimus Serv.
Wiener Entomologische Zeitung 13: 43-44, 1894. [download pdf icon]

[❖]
Solano E., Mancini E., Ciucci P., Mason F., Audisio P., Antonini G.:
The EU protected taxon Morimus funereus Mulsant, 1862 (Coleoptera: Cerambycidae) and its western Palaearctic allies: systematics and conservation outcomes.
Conservation Genetics 14: 683–694, 2013. [download pdf icon]

[✮]
Danilevsky M.L.:
Additions and corrections to the new Catalogue of Palaearctic Cerambycidae (Coleoptera) edited by I. Löbl and A. Smetana, 2010.
Russian Entomological Journal 19 (3): 215–239, 2010. [download pdf icon]



 
SubfamiliaLamiinae Latreille, 1825
TribusLamiini Latreille, 1825
GenusMorimus Brullé, 1832
SpeciesMorimus asper (Sulzer, 1776)
SubspeciesMorimus asper ganglbaueri Reitter, 1894