The first record of Ripiphoridae (Coleoptera, Cucujiformia, Tenebrionoidea) family in Georgia

The Ripiphoridae family is reported from Georgia for the first time, based on the col - lected specimens of Macrosiagon bimaculata (Fabricius, 1787), Ptilophorus dufouri (La-treille, 1817), and Ripiphorus subdipterus (Bosc d'Antic, 1792). Collection data, along with photographs of the preserved specimens, are provided.


Introduction
The wedge-shaped beetles (Ripiphoridae) have long attracted the attention of entomologists due to the uniqueness of their ecology, which sets them apart from all the Coleoptera, as they are the only among them known for endoparasites that develop, at least partially, in the bodies of other animals.Members of the family differ in their host preferences.The larvae of Ripiphorinae species typically target various species of aculeate Hymenoptera, while some species of Ripidiinae attack cockroach nymphs, and Pelecotominae species target beetles' larvae.The developmental cycle is inadequately studied, known for only a few species, and is characterized by hypermetamorphic larvae, a characteristic shared with blister beetles (Meloidae) (Heitmans et al. 1994).

Materials and methods
The material for the present study was collected in 2021-2023, during individual forays to Gori and the vicinity of Tbilisi, organized within the Caucasus Barcode of Life (CaBOL -https://ggbc.eu/).The specimens were collected by hand, during the day from the stems of the weathered plants, then preserved in 96% ethanol and deposited in the collection of ISU for further genetic studies.For identification, the keys by Iablokoff-Khnzorian (1975, 1976) and Batelka (2007) were used.Photos of the preserved specimens (Figs.1-3) were taken using a Canon EOS 5D Mark II camera with a Canon MP-E 65mm f/2.8 1-5x Macro Photo Lens attached and a Canon Macro Twin Lite MT-26EX-RT, with the whole system mounted on a Novoflex Castel-L Focusing Rack.Digital images were prepared using Zerene Stacker image stacking software and Adobe Photoshop CS6 (version 13.0).Figures 1-3.1: Macrosiagon bimaculata, female, dorsal view.2: Ripiphorus subdipterus, male, dorsal view.3: Ptilophorus dufouri, male, dorsal view.

Family
Remarks.The sampling data of Georgian specimens corresponds to that of Iablokoff-Khnzorian (1976), according to whom this species could be found in July-August on flowering Eryngium sp.The species of the Macrosiagon genus are known to be parasitoids of a broad variety of wasps and bees.As in other genera of the subfamily Ripiphorinae, the eggs are laid on different parts of plants where the newly hatched first instar larvae (triungulin) actively attach to the body of the host wasp or bee and are transported into the host nest.A recent study suggested associations with different genera or subfamilies of bees or wasps in species or species complexes of Macrosiagon (Batelka and Hoehn 2007); however, the biology of most of them (including M. bimaculata) remains poorly known.
Remarks.Unlike most wedge-shaped beetles, the adults of Ptilophorus have mouthparts adapted to feeding on liquid food, although the feeding behavior has never been observed (Iablokoff-Khnzorian 1975).The host is unknown, as were the larvae for a long time, whose weakly sclerotized, very small bodies and simplified mouthparts strongly suggest a parasitic way of life and consumption of liquid food (Batelka et al. 2022).

Discussion
According to Batelka (2008) and Bakrley (2020), there are approximately 60 species of Ripiphoridae documented in the Palaearctic region, of which 14 species, including the herein-reported first finds for Georgia, are recorded from the territories of adjacent countries (see Introduction).Although Iablokoff-Khnzorian laid a foundation with his research of Ripiphoridae of the USSR, the absence of prior finds of the wedge-shaped beetles in Georgia doesn't necessarily imply insufficient studies in the country and most likely is associated with the biological aspects of these insects, with most species known to have a very short lifespan, making them available for collection and observation only during a relatively short period (Iablokoff-Khnzorian 1975, 1976;Batelka 2007).Summarizing the above, the number of Riphiporidae species within the fauna of Georgia remains undefined, as it is yet to be thoroughly studied and is highly expected to yield additional discoveries of new species.