Difference between revisions of "Aspidytes wrasei"

Revision as of 20:46, 6 November 2014

Taxonavigation

Ordo: Coleoptera
Familia: Aspidytidae
Genus: Aspidytes

Name

Aspidytes wrasei Balke, Ribera & Beutel, 2003

Type locality

Type material

DNA Sequences

Not yet available.

Description

Habitat

Wet granitic rocks, mostly at the edge of the area overflown by water and other places where there are roots of plants, soil, leaves and other matters to hide in; also along rock crevices and fissures offering protection. According to recent fieldwork in Hua Shan and Qinling Mountains only on higher altitudes.

Behaviour

Possibly nocturnal, as adults were observed running quickly on the wet granitic surfaces in late afternoon, not so late morning or noon. The adults do not swim when place in water, but struggle forward until they can cling to substrate, then run or creep quickly. Leg movement is alternating, see: Aspidytes wrasei Life! on YouTube

Distribution

• Hua Shan, Shaanxi, China

Conservation

In higher altitudes in Hua Shan, the species appears to be quite abundant. The conservation status and actual range are difficult to assess as many potential habitats are extremely hard to reach and would require mountaineering or use of a helicopter. The streams and larger wet cliffs close to the paths are used as water supply for local vendors, and this might have an impact on their biota over time.

Images

Figure 1. Aspidytes wrasei, paratype female. (Foto: Michael Balke)  Figure 2. Two life adults of Aspidytes wrasei on wet rock, after a few leaves covering them were removed. (Foto: Michael Balke)  Figure 3. Life larva of Aspidytes wrasei creeping around in thin water film on wet rock, among Trichoptera larvae. (Foto: Michael Balke)  Figure 4. Habitat of Aspidytes wrasei. (Foto: Michael Balke)  Figure 5. Habitat of Aspidytes wrasei. (Foto: Michael Balke)  Figure 6. Habitat of Aspidytes wrasei. (Foto: Michael Balke)  Figure 7. Hua Shan from North Peak Hotel, habitat of Aspidytes wrasei lies few hundret meters underneath to the left. (Foto: Jiri Hajek)

Video

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Aspidytes wrasei in action (YouTube video)

References

• Balke, M.; Ribera, I.; Beutel, R.G. 2003: Aspidytidae: on the discovery of a new beetle family: detailed morphological analysis, description of a second species, and key to fossil and extant adephagan families (Coleoptera). Pp. 53-66 in Jäch, M.A.; Ji, L. (eds.) Water beetles of China. Volume 3. Zoologisch - Botanische Gesellschaft, Vienna.

• Michat M, Alarie Y, Jia F, Xu S, Hajek J, Balke M (2014) Description of the second and third instars of Aspidytes wrasei Balke, Ribera & Beutel, 2003, with comments on the identification of larvae of Aspidytes Ribera, Beutel, Balke & Vogler, 2002 (Coleoptera: Aspidytidae), and phylogenetic considerations. Zootaxa 3881 (4): 362–372 http://dx.doi.org/10.11646/zootaxa.3881.4.4

• Popular paper in Chinese, just published in China Nature

Online resources

• Aspidytes wrasei on WikiSpecies

Acknowledgements

This project was supported greatly by the Mohamed bin Zayed Species Conservation Fund (Project 11051630). This is a cooperation between Museum of Biology, Sun Yat-sen University (Guangzhou, China), Life Science School, Shaanxi University (X'ian, China), Zoological State Collection Munich (Germany) and the Czech National Museum of Natural History (Prague).