Epirotyphlus Pace, 1995

Epirotyphlus Pace, 1995 , new status

Epirotyphlus Pace, 1995: 27 .

Type species: Egeotyphlus leucadiensis Pace, 1995 View in CoL . Original designation. Described as a subgenus of the genus Egeotyphlus View in CoL . New status.

Diagnosis. Gular sutures confluent in about midlength of head capsule, from this confluent point they continue as two, separate, short divergent sutures ( Figs 31 View FIGURES 25–33 , 61 View FIGURES 55–64 ); labrum dentate ( Figs 30 View FIGURES 25–33 , 59 View FIGURES 55–64 ); antennae with 11 antennomeres, antennomere 5 larger than 4 and 6; antennal club composed from 5 antennomeres ( Figs. 32 View FIGURES 25–33 , 62 View FIGURES 55–64 ), last 4 antennomeres with ( Fig. 63 View FIGURES 55–64 ) or without sensorial appendages (phaneres) but those if present always inserted on lower part and oriented towards upper part of antennomeres.

Remarks. Epirotyphlus was originally described as a subgenus of Egeotyphlus for a new species, Egeotyphlus (Epirotyphlus) leucadiensis from the Greek island Lefkáda. Epirotyphlus was separated from the nominal subgenus by 1) lacking large sensorial appendages (phaneres) on the last four antennomeres inserted on upper part and curved towards lower part, 2) having dentate labrum and 3) aedeagus lacking parameres. Pace (1995), when describing Egeotyphlus (Epirotyphlus) leucadiensis recognized that this species is more similar to his previously described species Egeotyphlus zecevici from Serbia ( Pace 1984b) than to the type species of the genus, Egeotyphlus thracicus . These both species share all characters mentioned above and more, they have very similar structure of the aedeagus. Aedeagus is slender, symmetric, parameres are reduced, lacking distal setae. The discovery of two new species, which are described here below and assigned to Epirotyphlus , allowed us to study the ventral part of head and it seems that the structure of gular sutures can be an important character to separate Epirotyphlus from Egeotyphlus . Both new species, have gular sutures confluent in about midlength of head capsule and from this confluent point they continue as two, separate, short divergent sutures, opposite to Egeotyphlus , where they continue as a simple, straight suture. Unfortunately, Pace (1984b, 1995) did not provide any information about the structure of gular sutures for either Egeotyphlus (Epirotyphlus) leucadiensis or Egeotyphlus zecevici . Thus, the importance of the structure of gular sutures for the definition of Epirotyphlus will need further study, especially when the type species, Epirotyphlus leucadiensis will be available. Regardless this, we are of the opinion that Epirotyphlus deserves to be upgraded to the genus level.