Lethrus ( Paralethrus ) bituberculatus impressifrons Ballion, 1870

Lethrus ( Paralethrus) bituberculatus impressifrons Ballion, 1870 View in CoL

Lethrus impressifrons Ballion, 1870: 336 View in CoL (original description, type locality: “Tschemkent”); Solsky 1876: 373 (synonymized with Lethrus laevigatus Ballion, 1870 View in CoL ).

Lethrus laevigatus v. impressifrons: Reitter 1890: 292 (key, description).

Lethrus ( Autolethrus) laevigatus var.? impressifrons: Semenov 1892: 237 View in CoL (classification); Boucomont 1912: 37 (catalogue); Winkler 1929: 1041 (catalogue).

Lethrus ( Autolethrus) Hauseri Reitter View in CoL in Hauser 1894: 44 (original description, type locality: “Turkestan, Tschimgan”).

Lethrus ( Autolethrus) Hauseri: Boucomont 1912: 37 View in CoL (catalogue); Winkler 1929: 1041 (catalogue).

Lethrus ( Autolethrus) hauseri: Semenov 1934: 1396 View in CoL (distribution); Semenov & Medvedev 1936: 87 (redescription, key, classification, distribution, iconography: Tab. 2 Fig. 36 View FIGURES 36 , Tab. 5 Fig. 103, Tab. 7 Fig. 166, Tab. 9 Fig. 214, Tab. 10, Fig. 270, Tab. 11 Fig. 304; Skopin 1955: 152 (characteristics compared).

Lethrus hauseri: Nikolajev 1974: 81 View in CoL (synonymized with L. bituberculatus impressifrons Ballion, 1870 View in CoL ).

Lethrus ( Autolethrus) hauseri hauseri: Nikolajev 1969: 529 View in CoL (classification, redescription, iconography: Figs. 20–23 View FIGURES 18–23 ).

Lethrus ( Autolethrus) eous Semenov 1894: 484 View in CoL , 522 (original description, type locality: “Dshungaria, Kuldsha”).

Lethrus ( Autolethrus) eous: Boucomont 1912: 37 View in CoL (catalogue); Winkler 1929: 1041 (catalogue); Semenov 1934: 1396 (distribution); Semenov & Medvedev 1936: 87 (redescription, key, classification, distribution, iconography: Tab. 2 Figs. 37, 38 View FIGURES 37–42 , Tab. 5 Fig. 104); Skopin 1955: 152 (characteristics compared); Nikolajev 1969: 529 (synonymized with L. hauseri hauseri Reitter, 1894 View in CoL ).

Lethrus ( Autolethrus) jacobsoni Semenov & Medvedev 1935: 285 View in CoL (original description, type locality: “Turkestan, prov. Syrdarjens”).

Lethrus ( Autolethrus) jacobsoni: Semenov & Medvedev 1936: 87 View in CoL (redescription, key, classification, distribution, iconography: Tab. 2 Figs. 34, 35 View FIGURES 30–35 , Tab. 5 Fig. 102, Tab. 7 Fig. 165, Tab. 9 Fig. 213, Tab. 10 Fig. 269, Tab. 11 Fig. 303); Skopin 1955: 152 (characteristics comparred); Nikolajev 1969: 529 (synonymized with L. hauseri hauseri Reitter, 1894 View in CoL ).

Lethrus jacobsoni: Protzenko 1972: 7 View in CoL (distribution).

Lethrus ( Autolethrus) nigroaeneus Skopin 1955: 150 View in CoL (original description, iconography, Figs. 11–14 View FIGURES 9–12 View FIGURES 13–17 , type locality: south Kazakhstan, Karschan Tau Mts. ).

Lethrus ( Autolethrus) nigroaeneus: Nikolajev 1969: 529 View in CoL (synonymized with L. hauseri hauseri Reitter, 1894 View in CoL ).

Lethrus ( Autolethrus) bituberculatus impressifrons: Nikolajev 1974: 81 View in CoL (classification).

Lethrus ( Lethrus) bituberculatus impressifrons: Nikolajev 1987: 45 View in CoL (classification, distribution); Krajčík 2012: 142 (catalogue).

Lethrus ( Paralethrus) bituberculatus impressifrons: Nikolajev 2003: 199 View in CoL (classification, distribution, iconography: Fig. 143 Nr. 4, Fig. 145 Nr. 5). Hillert 2004: 827 (redescription, distribution, key, iconography: Figs. 1–3 View FIGURES 1–4 , 17–18 View FIGURES 13–17 View FIGURES 18–23 , 26–27 View FIGURES 24–29 ); Král & Nikolajev 2006: 94 (catalogue); Bagaturov & Nikolajev 2015: 312 (note, distribution); Nikolajev et al. 2016: 51 (catalogue); Schoolmeesters 2020 (online catalogue).

Lethrus (?) mediocris: Fairmaire, 1892 View in CoL : CXXII (122) (original description); Král & Nikolajev 2006: 94 (catalogue); Nikolajev et al. 2016: 51 (catalogue, species incertae sedis).

Lethrus ( Autolethrus) mediocris: Boucomont 1912: 37 View in CoL (catalogue).

Type material examined. Lectotype Ô (here designated) ( MNHN) “ Lethrus mediocris / Faim. 1892 [hw] // Museum Paris / 1906 / coll. L. Fairmaire [p] // Lethrus mediocris Ô / Fairmaire / Holotypus / Det. R. Pittino 1990 // Lethrus bituberculatus / impressifrons Ball. / det. O. Hillert 2010 [p, hw] // Lethrus mediocris / Fairmaire, 1892 Ô / Lectotypus / O. Hillert des. 2023 [p]”.

Additional material examined ( 21 specimens). Uzbekistan, Circik, 4.–7.7.91, M. Valenta leg., 1Ô, 5♀♀ ( ZSM, ex. coll. O. Hillert); UDSSR, Samarkand, Aman-Kutan [patria falsa], 15.05.[19]86, Paulus leg., 2ÔÔ ( ZSM, ex. coll. O. Hillert); E. Uzbekistan, Tashkent arl. Karzhantau Mts., 26.05.1997, 1Ô ( ZSM, ex. coll. O. Hillert); Talkent-Aktau, 03.07.1991, 1, Kletetka leg., 2ÔÔ, 2♀♀ ( ZSM, ex. coll. O. Hillert); E. Uzbekistan, Tashkent, Karzhantau Mts., Aktash, 27.05.1997, 1Ô ( ZSM, ex. coll. O. Hillert); UDSSR, Uzbekistan, Tashkent Tshimgan, 1800 m, 01.05.1977, J. Novodný, leg., 1Ô ( ZSM, ex. coll. O. Hillert); Uzbekistan, Tashkent, Aktash, 10.05.86, Paulus leg., 1Ô, 1♀ ( ZSM, ex. coll. O. Hillert); NW Tian-Shan, Pskem Mts. near Nanai, Aksar-Sai, h- 1400 m, 02. V.1995, 1Ô ( ZSM, ex. coll. O. Hillert); Tian-Shan, Ugam Mts. Range, Nauvalisay river, 8.–10. V.2000, Tikhonov A., 1Ô ( ZSM, ex. coll. O. Hillert); Kuraminsky mt., Kamtshik pass, 23.05.1996, 1100m, 2ÔÔ ( ZSM, ex. coll. O. Hillert).

Remarks. The type specimen of L. mediocris Fairmaire, 1892 (MNHN) was labelled as a holotype by R. Pittino in 1990. It is an assumption of a holotype, so according to recommendation 73F of the code here sets this specimen as a lectotype.

The lectotype of L. mediocris has the following characteristics: Dorsal surface of mandibles with distinct transversal carina, reaching not to mandibular outline; frontal edge of profemur without tooth or elevation at middle of length; both mandibles with distinct appendices, weakly asymmetric, left side with subapical tooth at front, right side with weak medial tooth on inner side; punctation on pronotum dense by one of their diameter approximately, shallow midline visible. We recognized that this specimen belongs to the subgenus Paralethrus . This subgenus was reviewed by Hillert (2004) , and a great number of specimens were studied.

The morphological characteristics between L. mediocris and L. ( P.) bituberculatus impressifrons are identical. The type locality of L. mediocris is extreme broadly formulated but included the type locality of L. ( P.) b. impressifrons . In our opinion, L. mediocris is identical with L. ( P.) b. impressifrons Ballion, 1870 on the basis of the external characteristics.

We are now able to establish the following synonymy: Lethrus ( Paralethrus) bituberculatus impressifrons Ballion, 1870 = Lethrus mediocris Fairmaire, 1892 , new synonym.