Laemostenus, Tahami & Muilwijk & Lohaj & Sadeghi, 2017

Tahami, Mohadeseh Sadat, Muilwijk, Jan, Lohaj, Roman & Sadeghi, Saber, 2017, Study of Laemostenus species across Zagros and Central zone of Iran, with the description of seven new cavernicolous species and notes on subgenus Iranosphodrus (Coleoptera: Carabidae: Sphodrini), Zootaxa 4344 (1), pp. 115-136 : 131-132

Key to the Iranian Laemostenus species from Zagros and Central zone (Adapted from Casale, 1988 and Lohaj & Mlejnek, 2007)

1 Elytral base strongly concave, humeri strongly pointed forwards. Pronotum cordiform, strongly narrowed to base, which is as wide as half of elytral width......................................... L. (Sphodroides) cordicollis (Chaudoir, 1854)

- Elytral base straight or slightly concave. Pronotum elongate-cordiform, rectangular or subquadrate; pronotal base distinctly

wider than half of elytral width.......................................................................... 2 2 Meso- and metatibiae without apical brush of setae; upperside black. Pronotum slightly shining. Male mesotibiae straight, not curved. Claws with denticulation......................................... L. (Laemostenus) luristanus Casale, 1988

- Not this combination of characters....................................................................... 3

3 Head elongated, with only posterior pair of supraorbital setae; pronotum with only antero-lateral pair of setae; elytra more or less parallel; upperside dark brown to black, sometimes with slight blue shine; aedeagus with median lobe short and arcuated (subgenus Iranosphodrus). Central zone of Iran............................................................. 4

- Not this combination of characters (subgenus Antisphodrus )................................................... 6

4 Profemori with tooth; antennomere 3 stout, shorter than antennomeres 1+2. Kerman ....................................................................................................... L. (I.) rudichae Lohaj & Casale, 2011

- Profemori without tooth; antennomere 3 slender, as long as antennomeres 1+ 2. Yazd................................5

5 Mesosternum without tooth; metepisternum as long as wide ( Fig. 23 ). Pronotum elongate-cordiform................................................................................ L. (I.) yazdensis Muilwijk, Tahami & Lohaj sp. nov.

- Mesosternum with small tooth; metepisternum longer than wide ( Fig. 28 ), pronotum cordiform.................................................................................. L. (I.) troglophilus Muilwijk, Tahami & Lohaj sp. nov.

6 Male protarsi not dilated ( aequalis species-group). Kohgiluyeh and Boyer–Ahmad and Fars ..........................7

- Male protarsi dilated. Zagros Mts........................................................................ 8

7 Both supraorbital setae present. Body more convex, larger, 12.5–16.8 mm. Kohgiluyeh and Boyer–Ahmad............................................................................ L. (A.) aequalis Muilwijk & Malek Hosseini, 2016

- Anterior supraorbital setae missing. Body less convex; smaller, 11.3–11.5 mm. Fars .......................................................................................... L. (A.) zakariyiensis Muilwijk Tahami & Lohaj sp. nov.

8 Mesosternum with teeth before mesocoxae. Body flattened. Metatibiae with scattered pubescence at ventral sides. Elytral striae superficial, without or with very fine punctation ( glasunowi species-group (part.). Zagros Mts................... 9

- Mesosternum without teeth before mesocoxae. Body more convex; metatibiae with apical brush of setae at ventral side; elytral striae impressed and punctate.......................................................................... 10

9 Eyes larger, slightly reduced, almost as long as temples; pronotum subquadrate, slightly sinuated toward hind angles. Elytral striae without punctation. Body larger, 13–14.5 mm. Lorestan, Zardeh–Kuh Kurang Mts........................................................................................................ L. (A.) mirzayani (Morvan, 1974)

- Eyes smaller, strongly reduced, as long as about half of the width of temples; pronotum slightly cordiforme. Elytral striae with fine punctation. Body smaller, 11.5 mm. Kuhe Dena Mts.............................. L. (A.) iranicus ( Dvořák, 1982)

10 Humeri not pronounced. Elytra ellipsoid. Median lobe of aedeagus inflated, without prominent apex ( zagrosensis speciesgroup). Chaharmahal and Bakhtiari and Fars............................................................... 11

- Humeri more pronounced. Elytra oblong-elliptical. Median lobe with prominent apex ( glasunowi species-group (part.).. 13

11 Only posterior supraorbital setae present. Elytra small ellipsoid. Pronotum cordiform; Fars ....................................................................................... L. (A.) farsicus Muilwijk, Tahami & Lohaj sp. nov.

- Both supraorbital setae present. Chaharmahal and Bakhtiari...................................................12

12 Temples prominent, eyes reduced, slightly convex, longer than half of width of temples........................................................................................ L. (A.) zagrosensis Muilwijk, Tahami & Lohaj sp. nov.

- Temples not prominent, eyes strongly reduced, flat, shorter than half of width of temples...................................................................................... L. (A.) speleophilus Muilwijk, Tahami & Lohaj sp. nov.

13 Both supraorbital setae present. Lorestan ............................... L. (A.) deconincki Casale & Quéinnec, 2001

- Only posterior supraorbital setae present. Fars ................... L. (A.) shirazensis Muilwijk, Tahami & Lohaj sp. nov.

Figures

FIGURES 22 – 23. Habitus in dorsal view of Laemostenus yazdensis (holotype) (22), Laemostenus troglophilus (holotype) (23).

FIGURES 26 – 29. Aedeagus. Iin lateral view, Laemostenus yazdensis (26), troglophilus speleophilus (27). In dorsal view,. Laemostenus yazdensis (28), Laemostenus troglophilus (29).