Canthophorus mixtus hissaricus Asanova, 1964

Canthophorus mixtus hissaricus Asanova, 1964 , n. stat. ( Figures 3 K View Figure 3 , 7 R, 7 S View Figure 7 , 8 T, 8 U View Figure 8 , 11 C View Figure 11 )

Canthophorns hissaricus Kiritshenko 1951: 189 ; 1964: 61 [nomen nudum].

Canthophorus hissaricus Asanova 1964: 141 .

Material examined

Holotype: Tajikistan: Varzob Distr., urochishche Ruydasht [40 km N Dushanbe, 38°59 ʹ 04.6 ʺ N 68°47 ʹ 29.7 ʺ E], S slopes of Gissar Range , 2600 m amsl, 10.IX.1947 (Kiritshenko), J ( ZISP) GoogleMaps .

Paratypes: The same date as for the holotype, 8J, 2♀ ( ZISP).

Additional material. Tajikistan: Gorno-Badakhshan Autonomous Region, Khozretishi Range, middle reaches of Iokundzh Riv. , 75 km NE “Mushtabad” [Muminabad], 2000–3000 m amsl, 1.IX.1964 (V.F. Zaitzev), 1J ( ZISP) .

Change in the taxonomic status

C. hissaricus was described on the basis of the two characters distinguishing this species from the nearest C. mixtus , namely the smaller body size and the more strongly curved spicule at the dorsolateral lobes of conjunctiva ( Figure 7 R View Figure 7 ). Body dimensions were given as follows. Males: body 4.30–4.40 in length, pronotum 2.30–2.50 in width, abdomen 2.50–2.80 in width. Females: body 5.80– 6.00 in length, pronotum 3.00– 3.20 in width, abdomen 3.50–3.70 in width. In the re-examination of the type series, the following measurements were obtained. Males: body 4.40–5.25 in length, body 2.75–3.20 in width, pronotum 2.50–2.75 in width. Females: body 5.88–6.00 in length, body 3.65–4.00 in width, pronotum 3.25–3.40 in width. Minimal values of these dimensions do not overlap with corresponding minimal values for males of C. mixtus but differ very slightly (by 0.1 mm for body length and width and 0.05 mm for pronotum width), so they can be considered as ultimate values in the variability of the latter species ( Figure 17 View Figure 17 ), especially since only 10 males of C. hissaricus are known. Ranges of the body size in females of C. hissaricus fall into ranges of C. mixtus ( Figure 17 View Figure 17 ), although specimens of the latter species with extreme small sizes are very infrequent.

There are no significant structural differences between C. hissaricus and C. mixtus . The sharply curved spicule at dorsolateral lobes of conjunctiva occurs, although rarely, in specimens of C. mixtus from different parts of the natural range, and there is a gradual transitional row from the smoothly and slightly bent spicules to the sharply and strongly curved ones ( Figure 7 K –7 S View Figure 7 ). In the three specimens examined from the Khozretishi Range, the spicule is curved distinctly but to different degrees: in the male, corresponding to the dimensions of C. hissaricus (body 4.60 in length and 3.10 in width, pronotum 2.70 in width), the spicule is strongly and sharply curved ( Figure 7 S View Figure 7 ); among the other and larger males of C. mixtus , one (body 5.35 in length and 3.40 in width, pronotum 2.95 in width) has the spicule curved less strongly, but rather sharply ( Figure 7 P View Figure 7 ); in the third male (body 5.50 in length and 3.30 in width, pronotum 2.90 in width), the spicule is curved even more weakly and more smoothly ( Figure 7 O View Figure 7 ). In the male of C. mixtus from the Trans-Ili Alatau (body 5.50 in length and 3.35 in width, pronotum 2.80 in width), the spicule is curved strongly and quite sharply ( Figure 7 Q View Figure 7 ). The female from the same locality has the following dimensions: body 6.8 in length and 4.25 in width, pronotum 3.55 in width.

Based on the absence of a hiatus in reliable structural characters and on the partial overlapping of the dimensional characters, but with regard to the rare occurrence of C. mixtus specimens corresponding to the diagnosis of C. hissaricus , I consider C. hissaricus as a subspecies of C. mixtus .

Diagnosis

Males smaller: body not more than 5.25 in length and not more than 3.20 in width, pronotum not more than 2.75 in width. Spicule at dorsolateral lobes of conjunctiva always sharply curved beyond middle ( Figure 7 R, 7 S View Figure 7 ). Anterior part of gynatrial sac relatively rather small ( Figure 11 C View Figure 11 ).

Additional measurements

Head 1.23–1.50 in width; ocular index 3.47–4.38; length of antennal segments I–V: 0.28–0.33: 0.42–0.55: 0.46– 0.53: 0.69–0.71: 0.79–0.87.

Distribution

Figure 15. Tajikistan (Gissar and Khozretishi Ranges).