Malthodes uralicus Kazantsev, 1995

Malthodes uralicus Kazantsev, 1995 , stat.n.

Figs 3 View Figs 1–3 , 8, 9 View Figs 4–11 .

Malthodes trifurcatus uralicus Kazantsev, 1995: 99 .

MATERIAL. Holotype, ♂, South Urals , Mt. Iremel, VII.1984 [ V. Olschwang leg.]; ‘ Malthodes trifurcatus uralicus ssp.n. des. S. Kazantsev 1994’ (printed); ‘ Holotype’ (red rectangle) ( ICM).

REMARKS. Malthodes uralicus is the only Russian representative of the genus Malthodes which has bifurcate lobes of the ultimate sternite on each side ( Fig. 8 View Figs 4–11 ). Such structure of terminalia is characteristic of the M. trifurcatus group, which includes three species: M. trifurcatus , the most widespread, registered from France in the West to Slovakia, Hungary and Serbia in the East, M. penninus from Austria, Italy and Switzerland and M. atratus from Spain, France and Italy. Back in the nineties, when M. trifurcatus uralicus was described, M. trifurcatus included two subspecies, with rather differently organised bifurcation of lateral lobes of the ultimate sternite [ Wittmer, 1970]. For this reason the new taxon, although also differing in the bifurcation, was considered to represent yet another subspecies of M. trifurcatus , whereas its aedeagus was not examined.

The examination of the above mentioned structures has revealed that the shape of terminal sternite in M. uralicus ( Fig. 8 View Figs 4–11 ) is quite different from that of all members of the M. trifurcatus group: its inner lobes are noticeably shorter and more robust compared to M. trifurcatus and other members of the group [ Liberti, 2011] and its lateral lobes are distinctly shorter than those of M. trifurcatus ( Fig. 10 View Figs 4–11 ). The aedeagus of M. uralicus is characterised by the rounded distally basal part of the median lobe ( Fig. 9 View Figs 4–11 ) compared to distinctly emarginate one in M. trifurcatus ( Fig. 11 View Figs 4–11 ) and other members of the group. Therefore, as there is little doubt that Malthodes uralicus Kazantsev, 1995 , stat.n. is not conspecific with any of the members of the M. trifurcatus group, it is raised to the species level.