Otto Merkl

Hungarian Natural History Museum · Department of Zoology

Type species is designated for Apteronympha SEIDLITZ, 1898. The following genus-group synonyms are proposed: Diversogria PIC, 1954, Heterogria FAIRMAIRE, 1896, Lagriocera FAIRMAIRE, 1896, Lagriodes BORCHMANN, 1930, Pachylagria BORCHMANN, 1912 and Wallardilagria PIC, 1910 are junior subjective synonyms of Xanthalia FAIRMAIRE, 1894. Trachelolagria PI...

Cerogria gozmanyi sp. n. is described from Sumatra and Peninsular Malaysia. The lectotype is designated for Cerogria birmana BORCHMANN, 1942. The following new synonyms are established (junior synonyms in parentheses): Cerogria BORCHMANN, 1911 (= Aeschrocera CHEN et CHOU, 1966 syn. n. and Cerogriodes BORCHMANN, 1941 syn. n.), Cerogria albohirta (WI...

Two rare species of Onthophagus Latreille, 1802 associated with subterranean rodents were found in a nature protection area where the Hungarian lesser blind mole-rat, Nannospalax hungaricus (Nehring, 1898) is also present. Onthophagus parmatus Reitter, 1892 is reported as new to the fauna of Hungary. Occurrence of Onthophagus kindermanni Harold, 18...

Eighty-six species of Coleoptera belonging to 24 families are recorded from Hungary for the first time.

The alfalfa weevil Hypera postica, native to the Western Palearctic, is an invasive legume pest with two divergent mitochondrial clades in its invading regions, the Western clade and the Eastern/Egyptian clade. However, knowledge regarding the native populations is limited. The Western clade is infected with the endosymbiotic bacteria Wolbachia tha...

An invasive alfalfa pest, the alfalfa weevil, has two divergent mitochondrial clades, one of which is infected with Wolbachia that causes unidirectional cytoplasmic incompatibility (CI) in host weevils. The CI is known to be imperfect in interclade hybrids in this weevil. The genetic diversity and geographic distribution of the weevil has not been...

Philhammus aharonii (Reitter, 1910) is recorded from Iran for the first time. Photographs of habitus and aedeagus are provided. A key to the two Philhammus Fairmaire, 1871 species of Iran is given. With 3 figures.

The last checklist of the superfamily Curculionoidea of Hungary was published in 1996. Between 1996 and 2019, 68 species were added to the Hungarian fauna. This paper lists 1224 species belonging to 329 genera of 5 families from present-day Hungary. Taxonomical changes and erroneous country records in the literature are corrected. With 9 figures.

Statira baltica sp. nov. is described from Eocene Baltic amber found in the Baltic Sea coast, Yantarny settlement, Kaliningrad Region, Russia. This is the second described fossil member of the genus Statira Lepeletier et Audinet-Serville, 1828 and the tribe Lagriini Latreille, 1825, and the first from outside the New World.

Two new species of Donaciolagria Pic, 1914 are described: D. medvedevisp. n. from Kachin State. Myanmar (first record of the genus for the country), and D. anthracinasp. n. from Sichuan Province, China.

The genus Bioramix Bates, 1879 from Nepal is revised. Seven valid species are distinguished, including a new one: Bioramix (Leipopleura) medvedevisp. n. from Dolpo, which was misidentified as B. (L.) politicollis (Kaszab, 1940) by the previous authors. Lectotypes for the following species are designated: Bioramix ovalis Bates, 1879, Botiras oblongu...

Seven new species of Lagriini are described from the Kingdom of Bhutan (hereafter Bhutan) and other parts of the Himalayas: Bothynogria simillima sp. nov. (Bhutan, India, Nepal), Donaciolagria densicornis sp. nov. (Bhutan), Lagria (Ammocera) bhutanicola sp. nov. (Bhutan), Lagria (Ammocera) spinulicornis sp. nov. (Bhutan), Lagria (Lagria) wanduensis...

The Sulawesian species belonging to three genera of the tenebrionid tribe Ulomini (Cneocnemis Gebien, 1914, Ulomimus Bates, 1873) and Uloma Dejean, 1821, are reviewed. Cneocnemis haemorrhoa (Fairmaire, 1893), Ulomimus indicus Bates, 1873, Uloma (Uloma) rubripes rubripes (Hope, 1831), U. (U.) hirticornis Kaszab, 1980, U. (U.) laesifrons Fairmaire, 1...

Thraustocolus hormozganus n. sp. is described from Iran. It is similar to the Iranian species T. (Prothraustocola) belutschistanicus Kaszab, 1957 and is distinguished from that species by the pronotal lateral margin completely beaded, the pronotal punctuation denser and coarser, the punctures larger and often distinctly elongate. Of T. (P.) belutsc...

A list of 60 species group taxa of 15 families of the order Coleoptera collected at Ashgabat City and in Lebap Province (Turkmenistan) is presented. Nine species are reported for the first time for the country: Bembidion aeneum Germar, 1823, Chlaenius extensus Mannerheim, 1825, Gyrinus distinctus Aubé, 1838, Bisnius piochardi (Fauvel, 1875), Gabriu...

A szerző a Duna-Tisza közén, Pest megyében fekvő Ócsai Gyakorlótéren (É 47,323°, K 19,318°) 2004 óta gyűjtött bogarakat. Az ottani nyílt és zárt homoki gyepek egy része kevéssé bolygatott, így bogárfaunájuk bővelkedik ritka és jellegzetesen homoki (pszammofil) fajokban. A területen gyűj-tött anyagból 287 fajt sikerült azonosítani. Egy fokozottan vé...

A Duna-Tisza közén, Pest megyében fekvő Turjánvidék Natura 2000 terület déli részén, vagyis a Táborfalvai Lő-és Gyakorlótéren és a Dabasi Turjános Természetvédelmi Területen az 1990-es évek eleje óta gyűjtött bogáranyagból 1085 fajt határoztunk meg. A bogárfauna természetvédelmi és faunisztikai szempontból legértékesebb tagjai a nyílt és zárt homok...

The Neotropical species Enneboeus marmoratus Champion, 1893 is reported from the USA based on the collection of three specimens in urban San Francisco, California, representing a new country record for the species. Additional specimens were observed and photographed at the same locality on various dates during August to October 2017. This is likely...

Saproxylic beetles are insects that depend on dead and decaying wood for at least part of their lifecycle, and play important ecological roles in European habitats (Speight 1989, Alexander 2008, Stokland et al. 2012). Together with fungi, they contribute to the break-down of deadwood and are involved in decomposition processes and the recycling of...

This document provides the Red List Category and Criteria for all the saproxylic beetle species assessed on the IUCN European Red List, as part of the LIFE funded project ‘Establishing a European Red List of Bryophytes, Pteridophytes, Saproxylic Beetles, Terrestrial Molluscs and Vascular Plants (LIFE European Red Lists; LIFE14 PRE/BE/000001)

A taxonomic review of the genus Prosodes Eschscholtz, 1829 of Iran is given. Two new species from the subgenus Meropersina Reitter, 1909 are described, both from West Azerbaijan Province: P. kasatkini sp. n. and P. shokhini sp. n. Three new synonymies are proposed: Prosodes (Dilopersina) mithras Reitter, 1904 = Prosodes (Dilopersina) chorassanica G...

Baranowskiella ehnstromi Sörensson, 1997 (Coleoptera: Ptiliidae) is recorded from Hungary for the first time. It was found on the lignicolous polypore species Phellinopsis conchata (Pers.) Y.C. Dai (Basidiomycota, Hymenochaetaceae) in the Pilis Mts (Central Hungary). A checklist of the 54 species of Ptiliidae recorded from Hungary is given. With 5...

Native in southern and eastern Asia and the South Pacific, but introduced into other parts of the world, Cybocephalus nipponicus Endrődy-Younga, 1971 (Coleoptera: Cybocephalidae) is reported from Hungary based on specimens collected in Budapest, Hungary, representing a new country record for the species. This is likely a recent introduction, the le...

Nine species of Coleoptera belonging to five families (Ciidae, Melandryidae, Nitidulidae, Ptinidae, Staphylinidae) are recorded from Hungary for the first time. Occurrences of Dacne pontica (Bedel, 1868) (Erotylidae) and Mycterus curculioides (Fabricius, 1781) (Mycteridae) in Hungary are confirmed. With 16 figures.

Allecula suberina is endemic to Italy, where it is presently only known from two sites in the Lazio Province. This species is assessed as Endangered since it has a restricted geographic range (its extent of occurrence (EOO) is ca 118 km², and its area of occupancy (AOO) is 16 km²), it occurs at only two locations and there is an observed and projec...

Mycetochara melandryina is endemic to Slovakia and since its original description in 1934, from a single male specimen, only one additional specimen has been reported. This species is precautionarily assessed as Critically Endangered since it has a restricted geographic range (extent of occurrence (EOO) is estimated to be 20 km², and known area of...

Cholevinus pallidus rufus (Kraatz, 1870), found in a red fox den entrance is reported for the first time from Hungary. Choleva (Choleva) lederiana pilisensis Růžička et Vávra, 2003, an endemic subspecies from Hungary, is reported from additional localities in Pilis Mts and Buda Hills. With 5 figures.

New records of Pilemia tigrina (Mulsant, 1851) from Hungary and Romania are given. Th e records from the Republic of Moldova are summarised. With 4 fi gures.

Rhypasma Pascoe, 1862 is transferred from the tribe Stenosini (Pimeliinae) to Belopini (Lagriinae). Caribanosis gen. nov. is described and placed in Stenosini (Tenebrionidae: Pimeliinae) to hold Rhypasma quisqueyanus Garrido et Varela, 2011. The following new combination is established: Caribanosis quisqueyanus (Garrido et Varela, 2011), comb. nov....

Six new species of Leptodes Dejean, 1834 are described from caves in southern parts of Iran: Leptodes (Leptodes) chakchakensis sp. nov., L. (Leptodes) farashahi sp. nov., L. (Mesoleptodes) karmaniae sp. nov., L. (Mesoleptodes) khanensis sp. nov., L. (Mesoleptodes) persiae sp. nov., L. (Mesoleptodes) shapouri sp. nov. The species Leptodes (Mesolepto...

A new genus and species of fossil Tenebrionidae is described. Yantaroxenos colydioides gen. et sp. nov. in the subfamily Lagriinae (presumably the tribe Belopini) originates from Baltic amber. Yantaroxenos gen. nov. is most similar to the Western Hemisphere genus Rhypasma Pascoe, 1862 (Belopini) based on the general habitus, the granulated pronotal...

Deadwood is a major component of forest ecosystems, so it is important to maintain it in order to sustain the saproxylic fauna that depends on it. Beetles play a dominant role in the saproxylic communities, especially in the first, colonisation phase of wood decomposition. The present paper provides an insight into the beetle fauna of the various t...

During a faunistical exploration of Sǎlaj county carried out in 2014 and 2015, 840 beetle species were recorded, including two species of Community interest (Natura 2000 species): Cucujus cinnaberinus (Scopoli, 1763) and Lucanus cervus Linnaeus, 1758. Notes on the distribution of Augyles marmota (Kiesenwetter, 1850) (Heteroceridae), Trichodes punct...

Apate monachus Fabricius, 1775 is recorded for the first time from Hungary. A checklist and a key of Bostrichidae of Hungary (15 species) is given. With 15 figures.

The false darkling beetle Phloiotrya rufipes (Gyllenhal, 1810) is recorded from Hungary for the first time. A checklist of Melandryidae known to occur in Hungary is given. With 2 figures.

Zoltán Kaszab, former General Director of the Hungarian Natural History Museum, is first and foremost known as a coleopterist. However, during his collecting trips – primarily when he was in Mongolia – he collected specimens from several other groups of animals too. This article is devoted to describe his general zoological activities in more detai...

Somocoelia triplehorni Merkl and Egorov, new species, is described from Iran (Eastern Alborz Mts.). This is the first species of the tribe Platyscelidini from Iran. Somocoelia gracilipes Kaszab, 1940, new status, is re-elevated to species rank.

Adynata poupillieri (Reiche, 1864) has recently been recorded in the south of the Middle-Atlas, Morocco, region where this species was unknown. The authors review the distribution in North Africa of this underestimated species and give a description of the female. Lectotype of Lagria theryi Pic, 1938 is designated. A key to Moroccan species of Lagr...

New data about distribution of three species of the genus Lagria Fabricius, 1755 (L. hirta (Linnaeus, 1758), L. atripes Mulsant et Guillebeau, 1855 and L. laticollis Motschulsky, 1860) in the European part of Russia (Belgorod and Lipetsk regions) and adjacent territories of Ukraine (Lugansk region) are given. A key to the three species is given. Im...

Hangaya gen. nov. is proposed to receive H. enigmatica sp. nov. from the south of the Northern Territory, Australia. The new taxon is compared with other known groups and is found to agree with the characteristics of the subfamily Tenebrioninae, but not to agree completely with those of any known tribe in that subfamily.

The genus Tetragonomenes Chevrolat, 1878 of Sulawesi, Indonesia is revised. Twenty-one species are recognised, of which 14 species are described as new: Tetragonomenes caeruleicollis sp. nov., T. conspersus sp. nov., T. cylindraceus sp. nov., T. electris sp. nov., T. falsocrenatus sp. nov, T. fossiger sp. nov., T. gibbulus sp. nov., T. grimmi sp. n...

Five species-group taxa of Coleoptera, Thanasimus femoralis (Cleridae), Dapsa denticollis (Endomychidae), Callimoxys gracilis, Dorcadion arenarium hypsophilum and D. lineatocolle (Cerambycidae) are recorded for the first time from Albania, and Actenicerus siaelandicus, Lacon punctatus, Prosternon tessellatum (Elateridae), Pedinus olympicus (Tenebri...

A survey of the records of Lethrus apterus (Laxmann, 1770) in Hungary is given. The localities (before and after 1985) are provided in two maps.

Parazuphium (Parazuphium) chevrolatii praepannonicum (Endrődy-Younga, 1958) was found in 2014, 61 years after its discovery (1953) in Hungary. Three specimens were collected in the Pilis Mts under a large boulder embedded in loessy soil above andesite bedrock. Zuphium hungaricum J. Frivaldszky, 1877 is deleted from the list of Carabidae of present-...

A faunistic study focused on ground-dwelling Coleoptera was carried out in 2013 in the south-eastern part of the Great Hungarian Plain. A total of 210 pitfall traps were placed in 18 study sites of loess steppe fragments. 234 species were collected, including 29 species legally protected in Hungary, and two species of community interest (Bolbelasmu...

The redescriptions of Hyalarthrodosis monodi (Pierre, 1974) and Hyalerodius jirofti Kaszab, 1979, species hitherto known from single and damaged specimens, are supplemented based on the newly accessed material. The structure of male genitalia of these taxa is described for the first time. The key to the Asian genera of the Arthrodosis-like Erodiini...

Three species of the genus Xenocerogria Merkl, 2007 have been recorded in China, Xenocerogria feai (Borchmann, 1911), Xenocerogria ignota (Borchmann, 1941) and Xenocerogria ruficollis (Borchmann, 1912). Xenocera xanthisma Chen, 2002 is proposed as a junior synonym of Xenocerogria ruficollis. Lectotype of Xenocerogria ignota is designated, and the s...

Five genera of Sulawesian Cnodalonini are studied. Eight new species of five genera are described from Sulawesi: Apterophenus sakaii sp. nov., Apterophenus nocturnus sp. nov., Simalura yokoii sp. nov., Simalura maculosa sp. nov., Simalura pusillima sp. nov., Phenus atratus sp. nov., Tetraphyllus comptus sp. nov., and Pseudandrosus celebensis sp. no...

The species of the genera Apteromaia Kulzer, 1952 and Aptereucyrtus Gebien, 1913 from Sulawesi are reviewed. Six new species, Aptereucyrtus bakrii sp. nov., Apteromaia saitorum sp. nov., Apteromaia rugiventris sp. nov., Apteromaia akikoae sp. nov., Apteromaia sulawesiensis sp. nov. and Apteromaia undulata sp. nov., are described, with a key to the...

Six species of Coleoptera, Anostirus binaghii, Ampedus elegantulus, Ctenicera virens, Lacon punctatus (Elateridae), Raiboscelis azureus azureus (Tenebrionidae), Schizotus pectinicornis (Pyrochroidae) are recorded for the first time from Albania; Pomatinus substriatus (Dryopidae), Dorcus peyronis (Lucanidae), Elater ferrugineus (Elateridae) are reco...

Ulomimus indicus Bates, 1873 of the tribe Ulomini is recorded for the first time from China (Guangxi and Hainan), Indonesia (Sumatra) and Thailand (Chiang Dao). A redescription of the male and the first description of the female are also provided.

Byrsax cornutus Fabricius, 1792 is recorded for the first time from the Westerna Gats, from two localities in Kerala state, India.

Lepidocaulinus gen. nov. and its type species L. mirabilis sp. nov. (Coleoptera: Tenebrionidae: Stenochiinae) are described from Thailand. The new genus is related to Pigeocaulinus Kaszab, 1984 (= Leprocaulinus Kaszab, 1982, not Leprocaulinus Uvarov, 1940), and to Hexarhopalus Fairmaire, 1891. Pigeocaulinus sumatranus Kaszab, 1984 is considered as...

Five species of Coleoptera, Actenicerus siaelandicus, Cardiophorus dolini, Dicronychus rubripes (Elateridae), Cucujus cinnaberinus (Cucujidae), Marolia purkynei (Melandryidae) are recorded for the first time from Albania. Agapanthia viti (Cerambycidae) is recorded for the first time from Croatia and Actenicerus siaelandicus (Elateridae) is recorded...

A total of 982 species has been identified from the beetle materials collected in the Sas Hill (N 47°28'53", E 19°01'00", Budapest, Hungary). Further 49 species are mentioned in literature sources, but the specimens supporting their validity are unavailable. The species most valuable from points of conservation and faunistics are found in the stepp...

At Ménfőcsanak, NW Hungary, Gábor Ilon conducted a preventive archaeological excavation between October 2009 and September 2011. Nearly eleven thousand archaeological features were recorded on an area of 277,165 m 2 . The most concentrated historic period incorporating cca. 90 per cent of these features was represented by the Celtic and Roman Ages....

Pentaphyllus reibnitzi sp. nov. from Cyprus is described, representing the fourth species of Pentaphyllus from the western Palaearctic Region. All four species from this area are figured, a key for their identification and selected faunistic data are given. Two species have a wider distribution in the western Palaearctic Region, and two are restric...

Ripidius quadriceps ABEILLE DE PERRIN, 1872 is recorded for the first time in Hungary. A survey of the Hungarian records of Ripiphoridae is given. With 2 figures.

Seven species of Coleoptera belonging to seven families are recorded from Hungary for the first time. With 7 figures.

Október 4. az Állatok Világnapja. Ebbôl az alkalomból a Fővárosi Állat-és Növénykert minden évben Állatünnep Fesztivált rendez, mely az idén október 2-tól 9-ig tartott. Az események zöme a hétvégére esett: pénteken-szombaton az Állatvédelmi Napokon, vasárnap pedig a Családi Napon állatvédelemmel, élőhelyvédelemmel és környezeti neveléssel foglalkoz...

A total of 266 beetle species are listed from the Maramureş region, northern Romania. The material was collected mainly on Pietroşul Rodnei (Munţii Rodnei), in Munţii Lăpuşului and in the valley of the Iza river.

Donaciolagria malgorzatae sp. nov. from Laos and Thailand is described. New country and new Chinese province records of formerly described species of Donaciolagria Pic, 1914 are given.

The second part of the world catalogue of GonocephalumSolier, 1834 contains the list of the type species preserved in the Hungarian Natural History Museum (Hungary, Budapest), the list of the papers on Gonocephalum species and additional data for 95 species and subspecies.At present, 417 species and subspecies belong to the genus Gonocephalum.

Four new species of Arthromacra Kirby, 1837 (A. bhutanica, A. kimioi, A. masumotoi, A. schawalleri) are described from the Himalayas. A key to the Himalayan Arthromacra is given.

1. The European stag beetle, Lucanus cervus, is thought to be widely distributed across its range, but a detailed description of its occurrence is lacking. 2. Researchers in 41 countries were contacted and information sought on various life history characteristics of the insect. Data on adult body size were collected from seven countries. 3. Habita...

From Montenegro, one species of Heteroptera, Lethocerus patruelis, and eight species of Coleoptera, Ampedus cardinalis, Cardiophorus anticus (Elateridae), Diaperis boleti, Iphthiminus italicus croaticus, Opatrum verrucosum, Pedinus helopioides (Tenebrionidae), Prostomis mandibularis (Prostomidae), Camptorhinus simplex (Curculionidae) are recorded f...

A total of 666 species have been identifi ed from the beetle materials collected in Nagykőrösi pusztai tölgyesek Natura 2000 site (HUDI20035), Pest county, Hungary (UTM code CT69). One Natura 2000 species, the Flat Bark Beetle (Cucujus cinnaberinus), is also present among the 11 legally protected beetle species. Melanophthalma algirina Motschulsky,...

Fourteen species of Coleoptera belonging to seven families are recorded from Hungary for the first time. With 9 figures.