Meliboeus impressithorax Pic, 1924

Niehuis, Manfred, 2020, A review of the jewel beetles of the genus Meliboeus in Israel (Coleoptera: Buprestidae), Israel Journal of Entomology (Oxford, England) 50 (2), pp. 159-176 : 170

Meliboeus impressithorax Pic, 1924

( Fig. 11)

The examination of the types in MNHN by V. KubÁŇ and me allowed us to separate M. impressithorax and M. alfieranus . At present, I regard them as two distinct species.

Material examined: Israel: Judean Desert: 1♂ 1♀ 5 km E 'Arad, 2.vii.1971, H. Bytinski-Salz (SMNHTAU). Central Negev: 1♀ Nahal Zin, 5.vi.1963, Pener & Blondheim (SMNHTAU); 1♂ 10 ex., Nahal Zin, Rt. 40 near 'Avedat, 30°43'N 34°47'E, 740 m, 29.v.2002, L. Friedman (SMNHTAU, 1♂ CNA); 1♀ 'Avedat, 19.v.2005,A. Freidberg (SMNHTAU); 1 ex., Har Ramon, 4.vi.1992,A. Freidberg & F.Kaplan ( CMN); 1♀ Nahal Nizzana, 14 km WSW Mizpe Ramon, 6.vii.1996, V.Zaitzev (SMNHTAU); Nahal Nizzana, 14 km WSW Mizpe Ramon, Loc. No. 10, 6.vii.1996, M. Volkovitsh & M. Dolgovskaya ( ZIN). Egypt: 1♀ (not genit.) Wadi Um Elek, 28.5.19 / Coll. Alfieri Egypte / impressithorax Pic Co- Type / impressithorax Pic Paratype / Museum Paris 1935 Coll A. ThÉry ( MNHN); 1 ♂ (not genit.) Wadi Housein 31.5.1919 / Coll. Alfieri Egypte / impressithorax Pic Paratype / sp. dessiné / Museum Paris 1935 Coll.A. Théry ( MNHN); L’Égypte Cairo Meliboeus impressithorax Pic. Comp. Type! Det. Dr. Obenberger ( NMPC); Sinai, Djébel Kasr Abas, 5.viii.1971, Bytinski-Salz ( CMN); Eastern Desert, Wadi Garawi, 29°50’05.7’’ N / 31°26’41.6’’ E, 21.v.1998 ( CKB). Iraq: Irak occ., Western desert, Bir- Er-Rah, 70 km N of Rutba, 6.vi.1979, J. Macek ( CKB).

Distribution: Egypt, Israel, Iraq.

Host plants: The type specimen was caught on Artemisia judaica L. ( Asteraceae ), presumed host plant. L. Friedman (pers. comm., 2020) remarked, that he caught the beetles in Nahal Zin, near 'Avedat, on Verbascum sinaiticum Benth. ( Scrophulariaceae ), perhaps while they were mating. However, Artemisia sieberi Besser is also present there.