Physodeutera, Lacordaire, 1842

Moravec, Jiří & Trýzna, Miloš, 2021, New or rare Madagascar tiger beetles- 23. Physodeutera (Toxoma) lokobensis sp nov., a new species close to Ph. (T.) conturbata Moravec, Ph. (T.) sulcoprothoracica (W. Horn) and Ph. (T.) dubia (Mařan), with revised type designation of the latter (Coleoptera: Cicindelidae), Zootaxa 5060 (2), pp. 151-182 : 154-155

Key to species of Physodeutera ,

subgenus Toxoma

(individual females may be barely identifiable in some species)

1 Apex of antennomere 4 dilated in male. Elytra entirely immaculate in both sexes. Body medium-sized, bright metallic blue with green, greenish-bronze and violet reflections. Aedeagus long with elongate basal half, apical portion ventrally arcuate-emarginated, forming ventrad-directed, rounded apex............................................................... 2

- Antennomere 4 normally shaped. Body medium-sized to large. Elytra with at least humeral macula in male.Aedeagus variously shaped.............................................................................................. 3

2 Antennomere 4 (in male) simply clavate-dilated. Lateral margins of pronotal disc almost parallel, slightly emarginated in middle. Pronotum slightly more elongate with rather rounded, less parallel lateral margins of disc. Elytra bright green-blue. Aedeagus moderately enlarged in middle.............................. Ph. (T.) lobicornis lobicornis Moravec, 2000

- Antennomere 4 (in male) more distinctly dilated, eccentric-spatulate. Elytra deep green-blue. Aedeagus more distinctly enlarged in middle.................................................. Ph. (T.) lobicornis nosybensis Moravec, 2000

3 Elytra with conspicuous or well noticeable velvety black shadowy zone on elytral disc; punctures rather coarse and occasionally anastomosing on anterior elytral half, much finer or almost effaced on posterior elytral half...................... 4

- Elytra without noticeable velvety black zone on elytral disc (yet inconspicuous shadowy areas may diffuse on elytral disc or various elytral areas)................................................................................... 5

4 Body medium sized. Elytral disc with conspicuous, well-delimited velvety black shadowy zone in middle, remaining surface metallic black with feeble or bright, blue, green-blue, or bronze reflections, or with chatoyant, gold-bronze, or purple lustre on posterior declivity; whitish maculation consisting of humeral-lateral lunule (absent in female) and sublateral-median macula. Antennomere 4 in male ochre testaceous with black-brown base and apical third. Aedeagus short, attenuated into slightly ventrad-bent, rather wide, rounded apex...................................... Ph. (T.) subtilevelutina (W. Horn, 1934)

- Body larger. Elytral disc with faint, yet notable velvety-black shadowy zone diffusing from central area towards outer elytral margins; remaining surface deep cyaneous-blue and green-blue with strong violaceous lustre laterally, sometimes with indistinct bronze lustre; only whitish humeral macula in male, which is in female only indicated as a small, dark, and almost invisible spot, or entirely absent. Antennomere 4 black with basal half light brownish or dark brown. Aedeagus with notably short apical portion towards very short, regularly rounded apex........................ Ph. (T.) sulcoprothoracica (W. Horn, 1913)

5 Elytra with only white humeral macula in male, female elytra immaculate or with only inconspicuous, darkened humeral macula. Aedeagus rather stout (including its basal portion).................................................... 6

- Elytra also with white sublateral-median macula, punctate throughout, punctures coarser and anastomosing on anterior elytral half, much finer on posterior half. Aedeagus with narrowly elongate basal half..................................... 8

6 Antennomere 4 in male with two basal thirds ivory to ochre-testaceous, elytra bright green-blue, only lateral areas and apices violaceous........................................................................................... 7

- Antennomere 4 entirely black or black-brown in both sexes. Elytra rather coarsely punctate on their anterior half, posterior half with finer and notably spaced punctures yet not entirely effaced, deep cyaneous-violaceous with brighter greenish and indistinct bronze lustre within discal impression; elytral disc with only barely noticeable, feebly diffusing shade. Pronotal disc distinctly attenuated anteriad in male. Aedeagus apex short, regularly rounded.................. Ph. (T.) conturbata Moravec, 2002

7 Elytra distinctly, almost equally punctate throughout, lacking any shadowy area on elytral disc. Pronotal disc less notably attenuated anteriad in male. Aedeagus apex regularly rounded yet narrower. Female unknown.... Ph. (T.) dubia ( Mařan, 1942)

- Elytral punctation finer, particularly so and spaced on posterior half of elytral disc, sometimes with indistinct shade in middle. Aedeagus apex wider, rounded but almost triangular-topped (ventrally moderately arcuate and dorsally obliquely sloped towards indistinct emargination)..................................................... Ph. (T.) lokobensis sp. nov.

8(5-) Pronotum elongate. Elytra predominantly metallic green to green-blue, punctures coarser on anterior elytral half; whitish humeral macula combined with subhumeral-lateral lunule in male, while in female only subhumeral lunule present. Aedeagus with notably narrowly elongate basal half, dorsally enlarged apical half, while ventral margin straight; internal sac notably simple.................................................................... Ph. (T.) sikorai (W. Horn, 1896)

- Pronotum approximately as long as wide with notably wider disc. Elytra predominantly deep cyaneous, distinctly punctate throughout; whitish humeral macula in male simple, absent in female, yet obscurely indicated subhumeral appendage may occur in both sexes; lateromedian macula smaller. Aedeagus shorter, its apical half more enlarged and apex slightly directed ventrad; internal sac more armed, with distinct, longitudinal-sigmoid ventral piece with clavate apex......................................................................................... Ph. (T.) breviformis (W. Horn, 1904)