Podistra (s. str.) davidyani, Kazantsev, 2023

Kazantsev, S. V., 2023, A review of soldier beetles of the genus Podistra Motschulsky, 1839 (Coleoptera Cantharidae) of the Greater Caucasus, with the description of two new species, Zootaxa 5293 (2), pp. 349-360 : 352-353

Podistra (s. str.) davidyani sp. nov.

( Figs 1B , 2C , 3I–L )

Material. J, NW Caucasus, N Elbrus, Terskolak Pass, 2900–3000 m, 17.VIII.1992, G. Davidyan leg. ( ICM) .

Description. Male. Dark brown; antennae, palps, anterior half of the head and vertex medially, anterior pronotal margin broadly and posterior margin narrowly, scutellum, a sutural stripe narrowing distally and almost reaching the apex, the basal half of the lateral elytral margins narrowly, femurs proximally and distally and tibiae pale testaceous ( Fig. 1B ).

Head transverse, slightly wider than pronotum. Eyes relatively small, spherical, interocular distance ca. 2.2 times greater than eye diameter. Vertex with dense coarse punctuation. Ultimate maxillary and labial palpomeres subequal in size and shape, ca. 2.5 times longer than wide. Antennae filiform, attaining to elytral two-thirds; pedicel ca. 1.6 times shorter than antennomere 3; antennal pubescence short and semi-erect ( Fig. 1B ).

Pronotum subquadrate, widest near hind angles, rounded anteriorly, convex and slightly incised at sides near angles and concave posteriorly; posterior angles acute small and inconspicuous; lateral bordering complete but noticeably less conspicuous near the hind angles. Scutellum elongate, triangular, rounded at apex ( Figs 1B , 2C ).

Elytra elongate, ca. 2.9 times longer than wide at humeri, slightly narrowing towards apices, entirely covering abdomen, with indistinct longitudinal costae; elytral pubescence uniform, with relatively long erect or sub-erect hairs ( Fig. 1B ).

Legs long and slender; femurs slightly shorter than tibiae, femurs straight, tibiae narrow and feebly curved; tibial spurs relatively long, narrow, subequal in size and shape; tarsi long, hind tarsus ca 1.3 times shorter than metatibia, metatarsomere length ratio 3: 1.5: 1: 1: 1.5; tarsomeres 1–3 narrow, tarsomere 4 deeply cleft; all claws simple ( Fig. 1B ).

Aedeagus elongate, noticeably narrowing distally, its dorsal plate short, not surpassing laterophyses in length, with broad triangular incision distally; laterophyses distally distinctly more narrow than dorsal plate, in apical view with inconspicuous median dents, broadly separated from dorsal plate ( Figs 3I–L ).

Length: 6.8 mm; width (at humeri): 1.6 mm.

Diagnosis. Podistra (s. str.) davidyani sp. nov. externally resembles P. (s. str.) piceolineta and P. (s. str.) elbrusensis sp. nov. but differs in the shorter dorsal plate of the aedeagus, subequal to laterophyses in length, with broad triangular incision distally, as well as in the considerably narrower laterophyses, with inconspicuous median dents, as seen in apical view ( Figs 3I–L ).

Etymology. The new species is dedicated to Dr. G. Davidyan (St. Petersburg) who collected the type specimen.

Figures

FIGURE 1. General appearance of Podistra s. str. species, males. A—P. elbrusensis sp. nov.; B—P. davidyani sp. nov.

FIGURE 2. Pronotum of Podistra s. str. species, latero-dorsal view, males.A—P.elbrusensis sp. nov.; B—same, P.piceolineata; C—P. davidyani sp. nov.

FIGURE 3. Aedeagi of Podistra s. str. species. A–D—P. elbrusensis sp. nov., ventral, dorsal, lateral and ventro-apical views; E–H—same, P. piceolineata; I–L—same, P. davidyani sp. nov. Scales 0.5 mm.