Forum Entomologi Italiani

Dear colleagues,

This specimen comes from Turkey, Kargicak, Alanya province. Could anyone please tell me what are the differences between this two species: H. humeralis and H. pontica? Which species this specimen belongs to? I guess it's H. humeralis. Thank You in advance.

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"Whenever I hear of the capture of rare beetles, I feel like an old war-horse at the sound of a trumpet"

- Charles Darwin

Dear Jan,
have a look at the following keys from my private files.

1 Specie più robusta e mediamente più grande (10-16 mm); addome nero, epimeri, parte apicale dei metepisterni e parte laterale dei segmenti addominali con pubescenza ocracea, antenne più robuste .................................................................... Helladia pontica (Ganglbauer, 1884)
• Specie meno robusta e mediamente più piccola (5-11 mm); addome e parti sternali senza evidenti macchie di pubescenza ocracea; almeno l’ultimo segmento addominale rosso, antenne più sottili .................................................................. Helladia humeralis (Waltl, 1838)

1. Species more robust and moderately larger (10-16 mm), abdomen black, epimera, apex of metepisterna and apical side of abdominal segments clothed with ochraceous pubescence, antennae more robust ......................Helladia pontica (Ganglbauer, 1884)
• Species on average smaller and less robust (5-11 mm), abdomen and sterna without ochraceous pubescence, at least the last abdominal segment red, antennae more slender..................... Helladia humeralis (Waltl, 1838)

Your specimen looks like H. humeralis

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Gianfranco Sama

"Benedetto colui che ti aiuta a correggere i tuoi errori invece di scagliarteli contro"
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Gershom Sholem

Thank You Gianfranco for a comprehensive answer!

_________________
"Whenever I hear of the capture of rare beetles, I feel like an old war-horse at the sound of a trumpet"

- Charles Darwin