Malthodes vladimiri Kazantsev, 2021

Kazantsev, S. V., 2021, New species of Malthodes Kiesenwetter, 1852 from the Caucasus, with taxonomic notes on Malthininae (Coleoptera: Cantharidae) of Russia, Caucasian Entomological Bulletin (Caucas. entomol. bull.) 17 (2), pp. 285-291 : 291

Malthodes vladimiri Kazantsev , sp. n.

( Figs 4, 18–20)

Material. Holotype, ♂ ( ICM): “W Georgia, Adzharia , Chakvistavi, UV light, 6.V.1987, S. Kazantsev leg.” . Paratypes: 8♂ ( ICM), same label ; 2♂, 1♀ ( ICM), W Georgia, Adzharia , Batumi, Bot. garden, sweeping, 19– 20.05.1987 (S. Kazantsev) .

Diagnosis. Malthodes vladimiri sp. n. belongs to the M. tordi Wittmer, 1970 group and is apparently close to M. jaromiri Švihla, 2002 , separable by the outwardly hooked at apices (in dorsal aspect) interophyses and not toothed apically laterophyses of the median lobe of the aedeagus ( Figs 19, 20).

Description. Male. Dark brown to black; pronotal anterior and posterior margins narrowly, pronotal posterior angles broadly, tibiae and tarsi light brown; elytral apices bright yellow.

Head transverse. Eyes moderately large, interocular dorsal distance ca. 1.5 times greater than eye diameter. Antennae filiform, long, attaining to apices of folded wings, with antennomere 3 ca. 1.5 times longer than pedicel (antennomere 2) and 1.3 times shorter than antennomere 4; pubescence erect, relatively dense and long ( Fig. 4).

Pronotum transverse,ca.1.1 times as wide as long,convex basally and straight anteriorly, conspicuously sinuate at sides in posterior half, margined before anterior angles, with rounded anterior and posterior angles. Scutellum triangular, rounded at apex ( Fig. 4).

Elytra elongate, 2.2 times as long as wide at humeri, shortened, not narrowing distally; with coarser punctation in distal half; apices somewhat swollen ( Fig. 4).

Legs long and slender, tibiae straight, noticeably longer than femurs, tarsi narrow, hind tarsus ca. 1.6 times shorter than hind tibia ( Fig. 4).

Terminal tergite transverse, slightly narrowed distally, with minute triangular distal incision, penultimate tergite elongate, parallel-sided, with unmodified sides; terminal sternite elongate, oval, noticeably narrowed distally ( Fig. 18).

Aedeagus semi-oval, with relatively short ventral plate; short, narrow median lobe; prominent widened distally parameres; straight outwardly hooked, in dorsal aspect, interophyses and swollen distally laterophyses ( Figs 19, 20).

Length (from anterior head margin to end of folded wings): 4.8–5.3 mm. Width (humerally): 1.1–1.2 mm.

Female. Similar to male, but eyes slightly smaller and antennae shorter.

Etymology. The new species is named in honour of the late Dr Vladimir Švihla (Prague, Czech Republic), a prominent Malthininae specialist.

Notes. Malthodes tordi , described from Turkey (Trabzon), was indicated for Abkhazia and Adzharia in the identification key to Malthininae of the Caucasus [ Wittmer, 1992]. However, in Abkhazia a different species, close to M. tordi , was discovered – M. jaromiri Švihla, 2002 [ Švihla, 2002]; and the re-examination of the Adzharia specimens, from the ‘ Malthodes tordi ’ series housed in ICM, showed that they also belong to a different species, which is described as Malthodes vladimiri sp. n.