Researches on saproxylic Coleopteran insects living on monumental and old trees in Izmir (Kınık), Manisa (Soma and Kırkağaç) regions

The destruction caused by human beings on ecosystems has led to dramatic losses in biodiversity on a global scale. Monument and old trees have excellent ecological, economic and social value, and play essential ecological roles in carbon storage and nutrient cycles. This study aims to identify saproxylic insects living in some monumental and old trees in Kınık, Soma and Kırkağaç, to emphasize the importance of monumental trees for these insects, to reveal the species diversity of saproxylic insects and to provide additional information to the IUCN lists. The field was established using the pit and window trap method with 24 monuments and old trees of 6 different species (Platanus orientalis, Murus alba, Morus nigra, Quercus cerris, Quercus trojana and Quercus itharubensis) in Kınık, Soma and Kırkağaç between April and October 2023. As a result of the studies, a total of 67 saproxylic beetle species belonging to 58 genera belonging to 20 families were identified. Among these species, Cardiophorus syricoides Platia and Cate (Elateridae), Megatoma undata (Linnaeus) (Dermesitiade), Attagenus pictus Ballion (Dermestidae), Nacerdes carniolica (Gistel) (Melyridae) and Mycetochara brenskei Seidlitz (Tenebrionidae) species are included in the Turkish beetle fauna has been recorded for the first time. As a result of the study, 63 saproxylic beetle species belonging to 19 families are first recorded for Manisa and Izmir. There are 23 species in the Mediterranean basin and Europe IUCN Red List. Among these species, Adelocera pygmaeus (Elateridae) is in the endangered (EN) category and Mycetochara quadrimaculata (Tenebrionidae), Pentaphyllus chrysomeloides (Tenebriodnidae), Alocerus moesiacus (Cerambycidae) and Cerambyx cerdo (Cerambycidae) are in the near-threatened (NT) category. From the field studies, the highest number of species were caught in Platanus orientalis, with 37 different species.