Gregarines of mass species of darkling beetles (Coleoptera, Tenebrionidae) of Ukraine

Abstract

Gregarines (Apicomplexa: Eugregarinida) are protists that live in the digestive tract and other body cavities of numerous terrestrial and aquatic invertebrates. The gregarine fauna of Eastern Europe has not yet been sufficiently studied. In the course of this study, we aimed to record gregarines living in the insides of the most widespread species of darkling beetles (Tenebrionidae: Coleoptera) in steppe zone of Ukraine. We found 7 species of gregarines belonging to 3 families: Actinocephalidae, Gregarinidae and Stylocephalidae, with the latter family being the most diverse. Gregarina Steinina diaperis was recorded in Diaperis boleti, Gregarina ormierei in Gonocephalum pusillum, and G. ovoidea in Asida lutosa. As for members of the family Stylocephalidae, Sphaerorhynchus cf. hamoni was found in G. pusillum, Stylocephalus gigas in Blaps lethifera, S. longicollis in Gnaptor spinimanus, and S. oblongatus in A. lutosa, Opatrum sabulosum, Oodescelis melas, and Pimelia subglobosa. G. ovoidea Wellmer, 1911, S. gigas Filipponi, 1949, S. longicollis (Stein, 1848) Watson, 1916 and S. oblongatus (Hammerschmidt, 1838) Watson, 1916 were first found in a new host species. All the identified species are new to the fauna of Ukraine and are recorded for the first time in the steppe zone of Eastern Europe.