Forum Entomologi Italiani

NW Syria,Aleppo,N of Daret Azze,24.4.2005

Pretty beetle.
It can be Dorcadion halepense Kraatz, 1873, variable species, for example (Breuning, 1962: 270):

Dorcadion (Pedestredorcadion) halepense KR. m. pseudosimile BREUNING, 1946, Misc. Ent, XLIII, p. 102.
Wie die Stammform, aber die Humeral- und die Dorsalbinde einander stark genähert, das Intervall zwischen ihnen auf einen kurzen, mittleren Längsstrich reduziert.

Similar species from north Syria is Dorcadion accola HEYDEN, 1894 (lacking in CPC, I don't know, why).
Dem halepense KR. nahestehend, aber das dritte Fühlerglied so lang wie das erste.

Area Aleppo is locus typicus for D.halepense halepense. Lastly was described a new subspecies D. halepense sehitkamilense Ozdikmen, Mercan, Cihan, 2012 on the basis geographical barrier between areas. It is unbeliveable. I enclose pictures - area (only 50 km between locus typicus, without any barrier!), from Breunig and from Ozdikmen (2012).

Breunig wrote:
Von KRAATZ nach Stücken aus der Umgebung von Aleppo beschrieben. Südliches Anatolien: Gaziantep (coll. mea.).

Breuning have examined D.halepense from Gaziantep but he was described only morpha pseudosimmile and others from whole knowing him area (including Gaziantep).

Ivo, don't try create a new taxon ;-)

Thank you Jacek.

Length 15-18mm(cca 20km NW of Aleppo)
Breuning written from 9 to 11 mm(P.h.halepense)
Dorcadion halepense sehitkamilense,9 to 11 mm

Dear Ivo,
in my opinion your Dorcadion is Pedestredorcadion drusoides (Breuning, 1962). D. halepense and saulcy are shorter in the body shape.
Best regards,
Pierpaolo

Dar Ta izzah, Aleppo Governorate, Syria. Others names:
Dar Ja'zeh,Dar Ja’zeh,Dar Ta`izah,Dar Ta`izzah,Dar Taazze,Dar Taâzze,Dar al `Izzah,Dar el `Izze,Dara....

Locus is here?
http://maps.google.com/maps?q=36.316854 ... 1&t=h&z=11

I agree with Yours opinion, Pierpaolo. Breuning described as: "... keine schwarzen oder dunklen Makeln neben der Suturalbinde." / without any black toment (spot, band) at suturallinie. On photos I see some black toment.
Female unknowing.

Regards!

Hi Jacek,
the locality is right. It is on the border with Turkey in Kilis area. It is a good place for Procerus syriacus limitaneus as well.
The type locality of Pedestredorcadion drusoides is "Syrien, Amanos mount." The locality is in Turkey now and it is the mountain ridge from Osmanyie to Iskenderun. The locality "Akbes" is in the same area. So many Dorcadion are described from the same place and it is possible that some of them are synonym.
Anyway hte specimens collected by Ivo are drusoides in my opinion according the elongate shape of elytra and the large size. halepense and saulcy are smaller and shorter.
Best regards,
Pierpaolo

Grazie Jacek, Pierpaolo.