Protapalochrus Er.

Tshernyshev, Sergei E., 2016, A review of species of the genera Protapalochrus Erichson and Paratinoides L. Medvedev (Coleoptera, Malachiidae), Zootaxa 4139 (3), pp. 369-390 : 372-373

Key to the species of the genus Protapalochrus Er.

1. Head elongate, pronotum longitudinal, distinctly narrowed at base, 3rd antennal segment shorter that the 1st, body parallel, not widened, at least females sometimes slightly widened posteriorly ( Protapalochrus ( Protapalochrus ))................. 2

- Head not elongate, wide, pronotum transverse, weakly narrowed at base, 3rd antennal segment longer that the 1st, body subparallel and slightly oval, distinctly widened posteriorly ( Protapalochrus (Latapalochrus )) ............................. 3

2. Elytra yellow with two wide semi-ovoid in shape black-blue metallic stripes near the base and at the apices; pronotum yelloworange with small black-blue trapezoid-shape discal spot near distal part; legs yellow with black apical half of the femora, antennae dark brown with 1–2 antennomeres and lateral sides of 3–4 antennomeres yellow................. fedtschenkoi

- Elytra almost completely black-blue metallic, except for narrow longitudinal yellow stripe near epipleura, pronotum yelloworange with wide black-blue trapezoid-shape discal spot near distal part; legs yellow with black basal ¾ of femora and bases of the tibiae, dark-brown 2nd‒5th segments of tarsi and, antennae dark-brown with ventral sides of 1–3 segment yellow................................................................................................. flavolimbatus

3. Pronotum completely dark, upperside lacking metallic luster...................................................4

- Pronotum completely or partially light, dark colouration on the upperside with blue or green metallic luster.............. 5

4. Hind wings normally developed, elytra completely covered abdomen; pronotum densely punctured not wrinkled at lateral sides, head densely and finely punctured; elytra strongly punctured, look slightly granulate, margination of epipleurae and suture narrow, not elevated; legs thin, dark-brown.................................................... puncticollis

- Hind wings much reduced, elytra shortened and uncovered pygidium; pronotum roughly punctured and wrinkled laterally, head densely and deeply punctured; elytra smooth, shagreened, with fine punctures and elevated strong margination near epipleurae and suture; legs slightly widened, light-brown................................................... arcticus

5. Each elytron with two separately located black-blue metallic stripes (one semi-triangular in basal half expanded to humeri and outer side and angular narrowed to lower part of the stripe near the suture, and second one common stripe slightly widened at outer side and not reaching elytral apices); pronotum with semi-oval wide yellow-orange spots at the anterior angles; legs yellow with apices of femora coloured with small black spots that are wider on posterior legs and just traceable at anterior ones; antennae yellow with 6–11 antennomers dark-yellow.................................................. persicus

- Each elytron with two adjoined black-blue metallic stripes looking like a flexuous longitudinal stripe, basal stripe trapezoid, expanded to humeri and outer side and reaching suture at the middle of the elytra, but not crossing it, apical stripe suboval, wide, leaving a small yellow colouration of the elytral apices; pronotum with narrow yellow-orange spots at the anterior angles; legs yellow with black apices of anterior and intermediate femora, and black apical half of posterior femora, posterior tibiae with black apices, and anterior with narrow black longitudinal stripe on outer margin; 1–4 antennal segment yellow with black spots on outer sides, remaining segment black-brown.............................................. festivus