Forum Entomologi Italiani

I have this female specimen from the Black Sea coast, Romania. It is Choleva sp., it is possible to tell more?

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alexandrupintilioaie(AT)gmail.com

_________________
alexandrupintilioaie(AT)gmail.com

Alexandru, I think this is in "dorsigera-group" (sensu Jeannel), accordind to the shape of the tergite X. Choleva marseuli is the only species of this group recorded from Romania (as far as I understand, the only female from the Danube valley was known), however, the type of this species comes from SE Anatolia (Adana), and who knows whether the specimens mentioned in the Jeannel's description are conspecific.
Also, the figures of very similar pregenital segments were provided by Růžička & Vávra in "A revision of the Choleva agilis species group..." for a female specimen from Greece mentioned as Choleva cf. bosnica.
So, I afraid, the identity of the females of this species-group from Romania are not certain until male specimens are collected.

Dear Aleksei, thank you very much for your message and explanations , I will try to find more specimens next time when I will go there and let's hope for a male

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alexandrupintilioaie(AT)gmail.com

Hi Alexandru,
I confirm the Choleva from dorsigera species groups.
I am presently revising this group and your finding is very interesting.
The only specimen(s) from Romania is are cited by Jeannel from "Valachie: Comana, jud. Vlasca".
I have searched in vain this (these) specimen(s) presumably collected by Montandon.
The identification as marseuli is highly doubtful, since Romania is very far from the type locality, but your picture is compatible with this species. Could you publish a picture focused on the apex of elytra, Females of marseuli have a very characteristic overlap of the two elytra at the apex.
If you are interested we could communicate by mail this will be more easy. I could send to you pictures of morphological characteristics of each species.
Kind regards
Michel Perreau

(I think I perhaps posted two times this text because I am not used to this forum presently)

my mail: michel.perreau@u-paris.fr

Hi Michel, thanks for your message!

I sent to you an email regarding this specimen

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alexandrupintilioaie(AT)gmail.com