taxonID	type	description	language	source
DC1587D0FFE3FF9EFF7DFC6CFCCEFD33.taxon	materials_examined	Type species: Rhizotrogus validus Kraatz, 1884, by monotypy = Cyprotrogus Nikolajev, 2004 new synonym	en	Uliana, Marco, Khudhur, Farhad A. (2025): A revision of the taxonomic status of Xestotrogus Reitter, 1902 and related taxa, with the description of a new species from Iraqi Kurdistan (Coleoptera: Scarabaeidae: Melolonthinae). Zootaxa 5575 (3): 477-490, DOI: 10.11646/zootaxa.5575.3.8, URL: https://doi.org/10.11646/zootaxa.5575.3.8
DC1587D0FFE3FF9EFF7DFC6CFCCEFD33.taxon	diagnosis	Diagnosis. Based on characters of males (females are unknown). Integument non-pruinose. Dorsal side subglabrous, with conspicuous setation only on vertex and scutellum. Frons not crested, moderately swollen in the medial area. Clypeus broadly rounded. Labrum transverse, bilobed, densely setose on its whole surface. Dorsal side of pronotum with few minute setae near the anterior angles, some more developed setae may be sparsely present along the anterior margin. Dorsal side of maxillary palps with a flattened area. 10 antennomeres (individual cases of incomplete disjunction observed). Claws toothed at base. Metatibial spurs not significantly dilated, setation of metatarsi not hyper-developed. Phallobase longer than paramera, curved, with a dorsal hump at about mid length and a broad parabolic membranous area anterior to it, connected to paramera. Basal region of paramera fused both dorsally and ventrally. Dorsal portion of paramera short, bearing two well-developed digitiform medial processes, smooth, parted by a deep and narrow cleft. Ventral portion of paramera much longer than dorsal, produced in two long laminar processes parted by a broad gap; such processes laminar, not carinated, sinuous in lateral view. Paramera glabrous on the whole surface. History and current status. Xestotrogus Reitter, 1902 was introduced as a monotypic subgenus of Rhizotrogus Latreille, 1825, then raised to genus rank by Baraud (1987) and as such accepted by Keith (2002), who added as a second species the Cypriot endemic Ancylonycha nitens Baudi, 1870. The latter had been assigned to the genus Madotrogus since Reitter (1902). Shortly afterwards, Nikolajev (2004 a) downgraded Xestotrogus to subgenus of Xanthotrogus, based on the similarity of paramera, whose peculiar dorsal processes however granted it the preservation of a distinct, subgeneric status. At the same time, he removed A. nitens from it, announcing that it would require a different generic assignment due to the lack of hair on the lower side of paramera, a condition which he considered a diagnostic trait of Xanthotrogus (Nikolajev 2004 a, 2004 b, 2007) in accordance with the opinion of Medvedev (1966). Thus, to accommodate this species, Nikolajev (2004 b) subsequently introduced the monospecific subgenus Cyprotrogus, within the subgenus Dasytrogus (under the name Madotrogus Reitter, 1902, which was in use for the same concept until Branco (2010) evidenced that the nomenclatural rules enforced by ICZN (1999) require the use of its subjective synonym Dasytrogus Reitter, 1902). In this framework, the placement of Ancylonycha nitens inside Dasytrogus was justified by the absence of setation on the lower side of paramera, while its distinction in a separate subgenus was justified, again, by their peculiar structure. Paramera, exactly as in Xestotrogus, are indeed equipped with two long dorsal processes, a similarity that was interpreted as convergent evolution by Nikolajev (2004 b). Such processes are absent in the other species of Dasytrogus, as well as in those of Xanthotrogus, where the corresponding area bears at most two small denticles. Nikolajev also pursued some preliminary exploration of the endophallic structure of the discussed taxa. His picture was however largely incomplete, also due to the referred difficulty to inflate dry material (Nikolajev 2004 b, 2007). He did not publish any information on the species discussed here, although he speculated over the traits expected for Ancylonycha nitens. New observations and discussion. After direct examination of the taxa involved, it is evident that Nikolajev worked under the wrong assumption that paramera of R. validus (type species of Xestotrogus) are hairy on their lower side, while they are actually glabrous (as are those of A. nitens). This brings two consequences: first, Xestotrogus fails to fit the current definition of the genus Xanthotrogus, of which it is treated as a subgenus. Second, the only character supporting the placement of R. validus and A. nitens in two distinct genera falls. Pending a sound phylogenetic evaluation, the strong resemblance of their paramera and their evident difference from those of most similar taxa (i. e.: species assigned to Dasytrogus and Xanthotrogus) seem enough to justify a generic treatment on their own for these two species, as proposed by Keith (2002). The study of their endophalli, formerly unexplored, reveals a common ground plan similar to that observed in some species of Dasytrogus (including the type species D. transcaspicus (Brenske, 1886), see Nikolajev 2004 b), and clearly more distinct from the structure observed in Xanthotrogus (see Nikolajev 2007, and M. U., unpublished observations). The endophallites, however, exhibit a remarkable variability in the presence or absence of the same element across the different species (Figs. 31 – 39). Notably, Nikolajev (2007: 54) even observed an intrapopulational variability in the presence or absence of the same large endophallite, suggesting caution on the taxonomic interpretation of this trait and the need of a better comprehension of its variability at a low taxonomic level. Concluding, in accordance with the results above, Xestotrogus Reitter, 1902 status revised is removed from subgeneric status under Xanthotrogus Reitter, 1902 and treated as a valid genus, and Cyprotrogus Nikolajev, 2004 is introduced as its new synonym. The genus Xestotrogus contains now three species: X. nitens (habitus in Fig. 1), X. validus (habitus in Fig. 2), and X. sagrmaticus, new species.	en	Uliana, Marco, Khudhur, Farhad A. (2025): A revision of the taxonomic status of Xestotrogus Reitter, 1902 and related taxa, with the description of a new species from Iraqi Kurdistan (Coleoptera: Scarabaeidae: Melolonthinae). Zootaxa 5575 (3): 477-490, DOI: 10.11646/zootaxa.5575.3.8, URL: https://doi.org/10.11646/zootaxa.5575.3.8
DC1587D0FFE1FF98FF7DFD09FE28F9A8.taxon	description	Figs. 3 – 5, 8 – 9, 13, 15, 17, 23 – 26, 34 – 36	en	Uliana, Marco, Khudhur, Farhad A. (2025): A revision of the taxonomic status of Xestotrogus Reitter, 1902 and related taxa, with the description of a new species from Iraqi Kurdistan (Coleoptera: Scarabaeidae: Melolonthinae). Zootaxa 5575 (3): 477-490, DOI: 10.11646/zootaxa.5575.3.8, URL: https://doi.org/10.11646/zootaxa.5575.3.8
DC1587D0FFE1FF98FF7DFD09FE28F9A8.taxon	diagnosis	Diagnosis. Integument reddish brown. Antennomeres 2 – 10 with tiny, inconspicuous setation. The longest setae of antennomeres 7 – 10 much shorter than the thickness of the antennomeres 3 (about 0.3 x). Pronotum with a broad, shallow furrow behind the anterior margin. Anterior margin of pronotum with a medial denticle prolonging in a tiny carina across the submarginal furrow, punctures of pronotum distinctly aciculate. Elytra with intervals 3 and 5 wrinkled, not raised. Protibia 3 - toothed, basal tooth poorly developed, medial tooth well developed, with a blunt dorsal carina. Paramera and endophallus diagnostic against the other known species of the genus.	en	Uliana, Marco, Khudhur, Farhad A. (2025): A revision of the taxonomic status of Xestotrogus Reitter, 1902 and related taxa, with the description of a new species from Iraqi Kurdistan (Coleoptera: Scarabaeidae: Melolonthinae). Zootaxa 5575 (3): 477-490, DOI: 10.11646/zootaxa.5575.3.8, URL: https://doi.org/10.11646/zootaxa.5575.3.8
DC1587D0FFE1FF98FF7DFD09FE28F9A8.taxon	materials_examined	Type material examined. Holotype ♂: “ Iraq, Kurdistan region, Sulaymaniyah, / Qara Dagh, Sagrma mountain range, / 4.3 Km NW Jafaran village, / 35 ° 19 ’ 55.6 ” N 45 ° 17 ’ 44.3 ” E, / 1020 m, 15. III. 2023 leg. F. A. Khudhur ” (MUCI, currently at MSNVE). Paratypes: same data as holotype: 2 ♂♂ (MUCI). “ Iraq, Kurdistan region, Sulaymaniyah, Sharbazher, / Gmo Mt., upper Dereh village, / 35 ° 55 ’ 28.6 ” N 45 ° 33 ’ 23.8 ” E, 1720 m, / 19. IV. 2023 leg. F. A. Khudhur ”: 1 ♂ (MUCI).	en	Uliana, Marco, Khudhur, Farhad A. (2025): A revision of the taxonomic status of Xestotrogus Reitter, 1902 and related taxa, with the description of a new species from Iraqi Kurdistan (Coleoptera: Scarabaeidae: Melolonthinae). Zootaxa 5575 (3): 477-490, DOI: 10.11646/zootaxa.5575.3.8, URL: https://doi.org/10.11646/zootaxa.5575.3.8
DC1587D0FFE1FF98FF7DFD09FE28F9A8.taxon	description	Description of the holotype. Habitus as in Figs. 3 – 4. Body length 16.3 mm, from anterior margin of clypeus to apex of pygidium. Integuments rather uniformly reddish brown, head slightly darker, underside and legs lighter. Head. Clypeus elliptic, almost semicircular, anterior angles not visible, 2.4 x as wide as long at the midline, 4.7 x as wide as the dorsal width of one eye; margin well reflexed all along its length, and specifically also at the posterior ends, above eyes; surface smooth, quite shining, punctures sparse and shallow on most of the surface, except in the postero-medial area where punctures are denser, smaller and more incised. Fronto-clypeal suture sinuous, well visible all along its length. Frons with strong, dense, punctures, similar to those of the postero-medial part of the clypeus and even denser on vertex. Postero medial part of head occupied by a distinct swelling, with maximal elevation on vertex and extended to the posterior part of clypeus. A tuft of rather long, thin setae at base of head and near eyes, sparser and shorter setae elsewhere. Canthus with a row of dense, long, thick setae. Pronotum. 1.55 x as wide as long, with maximum width slightly before the middle. In dorsal view, anterior margin slightly concave, posterior margin convex. Sides very slightly concave before anterior angles, straight in posterior half. Anterior angles broadly obtuse, well-marked, posterior angles comparatively more obtuse and less marked. Margins bordered all along the perimeter. Anterior border thicker than others, thinner near angles, backed by a broad and shallow submarginal furrow that also extends along sides. Submarginal furrow crenulated all along the anterior border by shallow, broad, longitudinally stretched punctures (some of them bearing a short seta) producing a series of weak carinulae, the latter not merged with anterior border. In addition, anterior border with a weak medial denticle, prolonging in a very short medial carina across the submarginal furrow. Lateral margins with some long, thick, erect yellow setae emerging from the dorsal side of the border (several others emerging from the ventral side also), and few whitish short, adpressed setae, especially near anterior angles. Dorsal surface glabrous, quite dull, microreticulate, with sparse, irregularly scattered aciculate punctures, slightly denser antero-medially and at sides. A very broad, shallow, poorly perceivable medial furrow on the distal part. Elytra. Glabrous, except for very few short setae close to the base, for inconspicuous micro-setae emerging from punctures in the subapical area, and for setae on epipleura. Surface covered with slightly wrinkled punctures, rather weak and sparse, slightly denser towards sides. Only the first (sutural) stria is well recognizable, signs of the others are barely perceivable among the punctation. Interval 1 (close to the suture) well marked, almost completely void of punctures but covered with wrinkles. Intervals 3 and 5 barely recognisable as feebly longitudinal stripes with less dense punctation, not significantly raised. Epipleura delimited by a carina reaching the apex, bearing a row of thick setae, long and sparse in the proximal third, dense and short in the remaining part. Scutellum. Triangular, microreticulate, glabrous, smooth, with few very sparse minute punctures. Extensively covered by a tuft of long setae inserted below the posterior margin of pronotum. Pygidium. Microreticulate, looking overall glabrous, with very few short setae along the base and near the apex, and barely visible microsetae on the rest of the surface. Punctures round, moderately incised, irregularly sparse. Ventral side. Thorax covered by dense and long fluffy setation, masking the integument. Abdominal ventrites with scattered setae of mixed length, from adpressed to inclined, the longest setae are on the penultimate ventrite. Antenna. 10 - segmented, antennal club 1.7 x as long as antennomeres 2 – 7, antennomeres 4 – 5 non-disjointed along the posterior border. Legs. Protibia 3 - toothed, proximal tooth poorly developed but recognisable, medial tooth well developed, marked by a scarcely developed medial carina connected to the dorsal tibial carina. Femora with scattered setae long and thin, similar to those of ventral side of thorax. In addition, few thick, stiff setae on meso- and metafemora, along the posterior margin, especially in the proximal area. Meso-metatibia with internal side long setose, external side glabrous, except for long setae emerging from a carina, at about 2 / 3 of the length; mesotibia with traces of an additional proximal carina. Aedeagus. As in Fig. 5 and in Figs. 23 – 36. Relevant variability of paratypes. All smaller than holotype, body length 14.1 – 14.3 mm. Anterior angles of the clypeus can be recognizable, although very broadly rounded. The anterior margin of the clypeus may show traces of medial sinuation. The reciprocal extension of the two different punctations on the clypeus may vary, but both are observed in all specimens. Anterior border of pronotum may be shortly interrupted before anterior angles. Non-disjunction of antennomeres 4 – 5 variable from complete (antenna looking 9 - segmented), to completely absent (1 specimen, with antennomere 4 particularly small).	en	Uliana, Marco, Khudhur, Farhad A. (2025): A revision of the taxonomic status of Xestotrogus Reitter, 1902 and related taxa, with the description of a new species from Iraqi Kurdistan (Coleoptera: Scarabaeidae: Melolonthinae). Zootaxa 5575 (3): 477-490, DOI: 10.11646/zootaxa.5575.3.8, URL: https://doi.org/10.11646/zootaxa.5575.3.8
DC1587D0FFE1FF98FF7DFD09FE28F9A8.taxon	etymology	Etymology. The specific name “ sagrmaticus ”, is derived from the Sagrma mountain range in Qara Dagh area, where is the type locality. Ecological notes. The collecting site at the type locality (Fig. 40) is an oak forest at the northern foothills of the Sagrma range. The density of tree coverage is variable, from spots where oaks occur in dense patches to areas where they are sparse and irregularly scattered. Among other trees and shrubs, those most common are Pistacia eurycarpa, P. khinjuk, and Crataegus azarolus, in a context of alpine and subalpine vegetation. The other collecting site (Gmo Mountain, Fig. 41) is a grassy highland (elevation above 1700 m) with patches of trees and shrubs where the most common species are Juglans regia, Pyrus sp., Crataegus azarolus and Rubus sanctus. All specimens were attracted by a UV light tube and collected with a light trap active from dusk to dawn.	en	Uliana, Marco, Khudhur, Farhad A. (2025): A revision of the taxonomic status of Xestotrogus Reitter, 1902 and related taxa, with the description of a new species from Iraqi Kurdistan (Coleoptera: Scarabaeidae: Melolonthinae). Zootaxa 5575 (3): 477-490, DOI: 10.11646/zootaxa.5575.3.8, URL: https://doi.org/10.11646/zootaxa.5575.3.8
DC1587D0FFE1FF98FF7DFD09FE28F9A8.taxon	distribution	Distribution. Presently known from two collecting sites in Sulaymaniyah governorate, in Iraqi Kurdistan (Fig. 42), at middle elevation (ca. 1000 – 1700 m). It is however expected in Iran, whose border lays at about 5 km from one of the collecting sites.	en	Uliana, Marco, Khudhur, Farhad A. (2025): A revision of the taxonomic status of Xestotrogus Reitter, 1902 and related taxa, with the description of a new species from Iraqi Kurdistan (Coleoptera: Scarabaeidae: Melolonthinae). Zootaxa 5575 (3): 477-490, DOI: 10.11646/zootaxa.5575.3.8, URL: https://doi.org/10.11646/zootaxa.5575.3.8
DC1587D0FFE7FF98FF7DF962FAF9F8B4.taxon	description	Figs. 1, 6 – 7, 12, 16, 19 – 22, 31 – 33	en	Uliana, Marco, Khudhur, Farhad A. (2025): A revision of the taxonomic status of Xestotrogus Reitter, 1902 and related taxa, with the description of a new species from Iraqi Kurdistan (Coleoptera: Scarabaeidae: Melolonthinae). Zootaxa 5575 (3): 477-490, DOI: 10.11646/zootaxa.5575.3.8, URL: https://doi.org/10.11646/zootaxa.5575.3.8
DC1587D0FFE7FF98FF7DF962FAF9F8B4.taxon	materials_examined	Material examined. Cyprus, Larnaka, NW side Larnaka Salt Lake, 15. i. 2005, dead under stone, leg. C. Makris: 1 ♂ (CMLC). Cyprus, Lemesos, Sfalagkiotissa, 170 m, 21. xii. 2016, veranda light, leg. C. Makris: 1 ♂ (CMLC).	en	Uliana, Marco, Khudhur, Farhad A. (2025): A revision of the taxonomic status of Xestotrogus Reitter, 1902 and related taxa, with the description of a new species from Iraqi Kurdistan (Coleoptera: Scarabaeidae: Melolonthinae). Zootaxa 5575 (3): 477-490, DOI: 10.11646/zootaxa.5575.3.8, URL: https://doi.org/10.11646/zootaxa.5575.3.8
DC1587D0FFE8FF96FF7DF93FFD43FE13.taxon	description	Figs. 2, 10 – 11, 14, 18, 27 – 30, 37 – 39	en	Uliana, Marco, Khudhur, Farhad A. (2025): A revision of the taxonomic status of Xestotrogus Reitter, 1902 and related taxa, with the description of a new species from Iraqi Kurdistan (Coleoptera: Scarabaeidae: Melolonthinae). Zootaxa 5575 (3): 477-490, DOI: 10.11646/zootaxa.5575.3.8, URL: https://doi.org/10.11646/zootaxa.5575.3.8
DC1587D0FFE8FF96FF7DF93FFD43FE13.taxon	materials_examined	Type material examined. Holotype, ♂, examined on photo of habitus and aedeagus: “ Malatia / As. min. ”, “ validus / m. 84. ”, “ HOLOTYPUS ”, “ Coll. Kraatz ”, “ Coll. DEI / Eberswalde ”, “ DEI Müncheberg / Col- 03208 ”, “ Xestotrogus / validus Kr. ”, “ Xanthotrogus / (Xestotrogus) / validus / (Kraatz, 1884) / David Král det. 2017 ” (SDEI). Additional material examined. “ Malatia / Mesopotamia / Staudgr. 85 ”, “ Coll. L. v. Heyden / DEI Eberswalde ”, “ Rhizotrogus / validus ”, “ SDEI Coleoptera / # 304566 ”: 1 ♂ (SDEI). Turkey, Adiyaman, 20 Km from Golbaşi, leg. Heinz (no date): 6 ♂♂ (MSNMI, MUCI). Turkey, Adiyaman vil., Adiyaman-Golbaşi, 5. IV. 1990, leg. M. Hreblai & V. Markó: 5 ♂♂ (LNBH, MUCI). Turkey, Sanli Urfa, Birecik, 14. IV. 1990, Hreblai M., Markò V.: 1 male (LNBH). Notes. According to the review by Özgen & Keith (2018), this little-known species is only documented from the Turkish provinces of Malatya and Elazig, while its purported presence in Iraq, referred by Medvedev (1951) is unwarranted. The new records for the provinces of Adiyaman and Sanli Urfa shift the verified range of the species south of the Güney Dogu Toroslar range. Known records are all placed in the basin of the Euphrates (Fig. 42), that may have served as spreading route for the species.	en	Uliana, Marco, Khudhur, Farhad A. (2025): A revision of the taxonomic status of Xestotrogus Reitter, 1902 and related taxa, with the description of a new species from Iraqi Kurdistan (Coleoptera: Scarabaeidae: Melolonthinae). Zootaxa 5575 (3): 477-490, DOI: 10.11646/zootaxa.5575.3.8, URL: https://doi.org/10.11646/zootaxa.5575.3.8
