ssp. brunnescens Danilevsky & Shapovalov, 2017
Subfamilia: PRIONINAE / Tribus: PRIONINI
[Photo © Lech Kruszelnicki]
The nominative subspecies, Pogonarthron tschitscherini tschitscherini, has been described as Polyarthron Tschitscherini from Kyrgyzstan (Osh environs) by Andrej P. Semenov Tian-Shanskij in 1889 [▽]. Pogonarthron tschitscherini brunnescens has been described from Kyrgyzstan by Mikhail Danilevsky and Andrej Shapovalov in 2017 [❖]. The subspecies occurs in foothills at the north part of Fergana valley: south-east foothills of Chatkal Ridge and marginal west of Fergana Ridge - the area westwards and southwards Tash-Kymur (including its nearest environs). Rather probably the taxon is distributed in the nearest areas of Uzbekistan. P. tschitscherini inhabits savanoid steppe areas in foothills, its habitats could be totally treeless, but also are often covered by Pistacia bushes. Larval development in the soil, larvae probably feed on roots of available plants. Each subspecies is characterized with certain hours of male activity. Males of the nominative subspecies are mostly active at the end of the daylight in about 18:00-19:00, several specimens were observed later after sunset in the twilight. Most of males of P. t. brunnescens are active during the warm twilight. The period of female activity coincides with male activity. Females spend almost whole life inside in their holes in soil. Female ready for copulation leaves the soil through this opening and attracts males by rotate her ovipositor (sexual pheromone emission). Female hides herself inside her hole immediately after copulation. Males are able to penetrate inside female holes and copulate there, so many females are not obliged to leave the soil. [❖].
Body length: ♂♂ 16.0 - 20.5 mm / ♀♀ 15 - 26 mm Life cycle: unknown Adults in: June and July Host plant: unknown Distribution: Kyrgyzstan, Uzbekistan (?)
The depicted beetles from the paratype series were collected in Kyrgyzstan.
[▽]
Semenov Tian-Shanskij A.P.:
Diagnoses Coleopterorum novorum ex Asia Centrali et Orientali. II.
Horae Societatis Entomologicae Rossicae, St. Petersbourg 24 (1-2): 193-226, 1889. [download]
[❖]
Danilevsky M.L. and Shapovalov A.M.:
Pogonarthron (s. str.) tschitscherini (Semenov, 1889) (Coleoptera, Cerambycidae, Prioninae): descriptions of females and two new subspecies.
Humanity space International Almanac 6 (5): 849-861, 2017. [download
| Subfamilia | Prioninae Latreille, 1802 |
| Tribus | Prionini Latreille, 1802 |
| Genus | Pogonarthron Semenov, 1900 |
| Subgenus | Pogonarthron Semenov, 1900 |
| Species | Pogonarthron (Pogonarthron) tschitscherini (Semenov, 1889) |
| Subspecies | Pogonarthron (Pogonarthron) tschitscherini brunnescens Danilevsky & Shapovalov, 2017 |