Thymogethes

Audisio, Paolo, Cline, Andrew R., Lasoń, Andrzej, Jelínek, Josef, Sabatelli, Simone & Serri, Sayeh, 2017, New species and records of pollen and sap beetles for Iran (Coleoptera: Kateretidae, Nitidulidae), Zootaxa 4216 (4), pp. 369-383 : 380-381

Key to identification of the Near East Thymogethes of the T. lugubris and T. egenus groups ( Figs 1–2 ), from Balkan Peninsula to Afghanistan

1 Male specimens (last abdominal ventrite with distinctly raised tubercles, ridges or bulges)...........................2

- Female specimens (last abdominal ventrite simple, flat, without tubercles, ridges or bulges).........................10

2 Male genitalia characterized by tegmen markedly and more or less abruptly widened at sides near apex ( Figs 3, 5, 7 herein and 144 e, 144 i, 144 m in Audisio 1993b).......................................................................3

- Male genitalia characterized by tegmen never abruptly widened at sides near apex ( Figs 9 , 13, 15 , herein)...............8

3 Male genitalia characterized by tegmen narrowly and deeply medially incised distad (Fig. 144 i in Audisio 1993b). Larval stages monophagous on Mentha pulegium L. Distributed nearly throughout whole southern portion of Palaearctic, except North Africa and Iberian Peninsula; Balkans, Ukraine, S Russia, Kazakhstan, Turkey......................................................................................................1. T. submetallicus (Sainte-Claire Deville, 1908)

- Male genitalia characterized by tegmen much less narrowly and deeply medially incised distad ( Figs 3, 5, 7 herein and 144 e, 144 m in Audisio 1993b)................................................................................4

4 Male metaventrite characterized by posterior angles between metacoxae flat, not raised. Male genitalia as figured (Figs 144 e, 144 m in Audisio 1993b). Larval host-plants: Thymus spp. of T. serpyllum group, or Mentha spp. of M. aquatica and M. longifolia groups. Species from Europe and S Siberia; N Balkans, N Turkey, Ukraine and Caucasus........................5

- Male metaventrite characterized by posterior angles between metacoxae at least slightly raised. Male genitalia as figured ( Figs 3, 5, 7 herein). Larval host-plants: Mentha spp. of M. longifolia group. Species from Iran and Middle Asia..............6

5 Spaces between punctures of posterior portion of pronotum moderately shagreened with distinct traces of duller microreticulation ( Fig. 1 ). Metaventrite more strongly and closely punctured, with the median keel shorter and less prominent. Ridge on last abdominal ventrite markedly narrower than the hind tibia, distinctly bicuspid, in profile the ridge slopes evenly forwards and backwards, behind it the hind edge of the ventrite is slightly excised. Male genitalia characterized by tegmen more abruptly widened at sides near apex (Fig. 144 m in Audisio 1993b). Average body size smaller (length: 1.6–2.2 mm). Larval host-plants: Thymus spp. of T. serpyllum group. Distributed nearly throughout whole central and southern portion of Palaearctic, except North Africa and southern Iberian Peninsula; northern Balkans, Northern Anatolian Peninsula, Caucasus............................................................................................... 2. T. lugubris ( Sturm, 1845)

- Spaces between punctures of posterior portion of pronotum shining, without distinct traces of duller microreticulation. Metaventrite less strongly and closely punctured, with the median keel longer and more prominent. Ridge on last abdominal ventrite scarcely narrower than the hind tibia, almost straight and overhanging posteriorly, so that in profile the hind slope is markedly concave, behind this the hind edge of the ventrite is simple. Male genitalia characterized by tegmen less abruptly widened at sides near apex (Fig. 144 e in Audisio 1993b). Average body size larger (length: 2.1–2.6 mm). Larval host-plants: Mentha spp. of M. aquatica and M. longifolia group. Distributed nearly throughout whole central and southern portion of Palaearctic, except North Africa and southern Iberian Peninsula; Northern Balkans, Ukraine, NE Turkey, Caucasus.................................................................................. 3. T. gagathinus ( Erichson, 1845)

6 Male genitalia characterized by tegmen wider and more arcuately protruded outwards, maximum width at distal 2/3 ( Fig. 7 herein). SW Iran......................................................................6. T. kassites sp. nov.

- Male genitalia characterized by tegmen narrower and more angulately protruded outwards, maximum width at distal 3/4 or 4/5 ( Figs 3, 5 herein)......................................................................................7

7 Male genitalia characterized by tegmen more strongly and widely protruded outwards, maximum width at distal 3/4 ( Fig. 3 herein). SW, central and NE Iran...................................................4. T. ahriman ( Jelínek, 1981)

- Male genitalia characterized by tegmen less strongly and widely protruded outward, maximum width near distal 4/5 ( Fig. 5 herein). Afghanistan, Pakistan, W Middle Asia..................................... 5. T. klapperichi ( Easton, 1957)

8 Male metaventrite characterized by posterior angles between metacoxae barely raised. Male genitalia characterized by tegmen smaller and with more shallow median excision distad ( Fig. 9 herein). Male last ventrite medially with a slightly bicuspid transverse ridge, placed closer to posterior edge ( Fig. 22 herein). Afghanistan, Pakistan, W Middle Asia.............................................................................................. 7. T. rebmanni ( Easton, 1957)

- Male metaventrite characterized by posterior angles between metacoxae markedly raised. Male genitalia characterized by tegmen larger and with deeper median excision distad ( Figs 11, 13, 15 herein). Male last ventrite medially with a blunt monocuspid tubercle, placed more distantly from posterior edge ( Fig. 19 herein). Species from Balkans, Ukraine, Anatolia, Caucasus, and Iran.............................................................................................9

9 Ratio WFTA / LFTA (male) 0.38–0.44. Male genitalia characterized by tegmen larger, paramera more acute distad, and with deeper median excision ( Fig. 15 herein). (W Europe), Balkan Peninsula, Anatolia, Caucasian areas, N Iran.. 8. T. egenus s.l.

- Ratio WFTA/LFTA (males) 0.31–0.33. Male genitalia characterized by tegmen smaller, paramera more blunt distad, and with shallower median excision ( Fig. 13 herein). E Iran...................................... 9. T. khorasanicus sp.nov.

10 Female metaventrite characterized by posterior angles between metacoxae flat, not raised........................... 11

- Female metaventrite characterized by posterior angles between metacoxae slightly raised. Larval host-plants: Mentha spp. of

M. longifolia group...................................................................................15 11 Ovipositor characterized by slightly inversely V-shaped basicoxites (outer apices directed proximad: Fig. 160 i in Audisio 1993b), “central point” placed near distal two-fifths.....................1. T. submetallicus (Sainte-Claire Deville, 1908)

- Ovipositor characterized by basicoxites distinctly aligned (outer apices positioned near same transverse line: Fig. 160 l in Audisio 1993b), “central point” placed near median position.....................................................12

12 Species from Afghanistan, Pakistan and S Middle Asia.......5. T. klapperichi ( Easton, 1957) , 7. T. rebmanni ( Easton, 1957)

- Species from N Balkans, Turkey, Ukraine, Caucasus, and Iran.................................................13

13 Species from Iran. [female of T. kassites unknown].................. 4. T. ahriman ( Jelínek, 1981) , 6. T. kassites sp. nov.

- Species from Europe and Siberia, including N Balkans, Turkey, Ukraine, and Caucasus............................14

14 Spaces between punctures of posterior portion of pronotum moderately shagreened and with distinct traces of dull microreticulation ( Fig. 1 ). Metaventrite more strongly and closely punctured. Average body size smaller (length: 1.6–2.2 mm). Larval host-plants: Thymus spp. of M. serpyllum group. Northern Balkans, Northern Anatolian Peninsula, Caucasus........................................................................................... 2. T. lugubris ( Sturm, 1845)

- Spaces between punctures of posterior portion of pronotum shining, without distinct traces of dull microreticulation. Metaventrite less strongly and closely punctured. Average body size larger (length: 2.1–2.6 mm). Larval host-plants: Mentha spp. of M. aquatica and M. longifolia groups. Northern Balkans, Ukraine, NE Turkey, Caucasus...... 3. T. gagathinus ( Erichson, 1845)

15 Ratio WFTA / LFTA (female) slightly larger, 0.28–0.30. Balkan Peninsula, Anatolia , Caucasian areas, N Iran. 8. T. egenus s.l.

- Ratio WFTA/LFTA (female) slightly smaller, 0.25–0.26. E Iran............................ 9. T. khorasanicus sp.nov.

Figures

FIGURES 1 – 2. 1. Thymogethes lugubris (Sturm, 1845) habitus (male from Poland); 2. T. egenus (Erichson, 1845) (s. l.), habitus (male from Poland). Both specimens ca. 2.2 mm long. Photos L. Borowiec.

FIGURES 3 – 10. Male genitalia (median lobe of aedeagus and tegmen) of: 3 – 4. Thymogethes ahriman (Jelínek, 1981) (male from Iran, Zagros Mts., Mt. Oshtoran); 5 – 6. T. klapperichi (Easton, 1957) (male from Pakistan, Madaglasht); 7 – 8. T. kassites sp. nov. (male holotype from Iran, Zagros Mts., Mt. Oshtoran); 9 – 10. T. rebmanni (Easton, 1957) (male from Afghanistan, Kabul). Scale bar = 0.17 mm (Figs 3 – 6); = 0.20 mm (Figs 7 – 10).

FIGURES 11 – 18. Male genitalia (median lobe of aedeagus and tegmen) of: 11 – 12, 15 – 16, Thymogethes egenus (Erichson, 1845) s. l. (11 – 12: male from Italy, Lazio, Tivoli; 1 5 – 16: male from N Iran, Kadkan); 13 – 14. T. khorasanicus sp. nov. (male paratype from N Iran, Zoshk Valley above Shandiz); 17 – 18. T. otini (Easton, 1954) (male from Morocco, near Taza). Scale bar = 0.24 mm.

FIGURES 19 – 22. SEM images of tubercles on last abdominal ventrite in males of: 19. Thymogethes khorasanicus sp. nov. (male paratype from N Iran, Zoshk Valley above Shandiz); 20. T. ahriman (Jelínek, 1981) (male from Iran, Zagros Mts., Mt. Oshtoran); 21. T. kassites sp. nov. (male holotype from Iran, Zagros Mts, Mt. Oshtoran); 22. T. rebmanni (Easton, 1957) (male from Afghanistan, Kabul). Scale bar = 0.20 mm.