Discoveries of rare false darkling beetle species (Melandryidae Leach, 1815) at the upper forest boundary of the Polonynskyi Ridge in the Ukrainian Carpathians

Abstract

The sites of the finds of two rare saproxylic species of beetles from the family Melandryidae Leach, 1815 are described: Phloiotrya subtilis (Reitter, 1897) and Melandrya barbata (Fabricius, 1792), which were known from ancient literary sources, and for the Ukrainian Carpathian region there are the first modern finds. For such ecotone ecosystems as the upper limit of the forest, species are listed for the first time.

Finds of these false darkling beetle were known only from eastern Ukraine back in the 90s of the last century. These species were discovered during comprehensive ecological research in 2018-2019 at the upper limit of the forest in the northwestern part of the Polonyn Ridge. Here, the upper border is formed by a forest beech and sycamore phytocenosis of natural origin and thickets of herbaceous herbaceous phytocenosis and bilberry and lingonberry shrubs.

Phloiotrya subtilis was found in the ecotone of one of the “Stinka” mountain ranges at an altitude of 944 m above sea level. Here, the ecotone area is formed by thickets of growing mountain ash Sorbus aucuparia, A. pseudoplatanus maple, and Salix sp.

Melandrya barbata was noted in a forest area of the Yavirnyk massif at an altitude of 1001 m above sea level. The forest here is represented by a natural phytocenosis of sycamore beech, aged 120-150 years and older. Acer platanoides and mountain ash Sorbus aucuparia occur in the undergrowth. In both areas, where the rare false darkling beetle were found, a significant amount of dead wood inhabited by various types of stem fungi is visible.

Findings of rare false darkling beetle highlight the value of such natural ecosystems as the upper limit of the forest, which form habitats necessary for the existence of saproxylic organisms.