Mimopodabrus Wittmer, 1997

Yang, Y. X. & Yang, X. K., 2009, Revision of the genus Mimopodabrus Wittmer (Coleoptera, Cantharidae), Journal of Natural History 43 (31 - 32), pp. 1879-1890 : 1880-1882

Mimopodabrus Wittmer, 1997

Mimopodabrus Wittmer, 1997a: 320 .

Type species: Podabrus obscurior Wittmer, 1954 (by original designation).

Body 5.0–8.0 mm, elongate. Eyes moderately or strongly protruding, antennae always show sexual dimorphism, male antennae filiform or thickened or depressed with foveas or impressions on middle antennomeres, female antennae simple filiform. Pronotum subquadrate or slightly narrowed anteriorly. Male tarsal claws bifid or triangular-toothed, female likewise or simple.

Aedeagus: dorsal plates of parameres conjoint and well-developed, apical margin not deeply cleft in middle, median lobe with laterophyses, divided or not.

This genus is similar to Micropodabrus Pic, 1920 , but definitely different in aedeagus, the latter species lacking laterophyses. It also resembles Islamocantharis Wittmer and Magis, 1978 , which has bifid or toothed tarsal claws and aedeagus with laterophyses, but the latter’s appearance is Cantharis -like, body stout, eyes less protruding, pronotum with lateral margins rounded, and narrowed posteriorly.

A key to male adults of Mimopodabrus Wittmer

1. Antennae filiform, simple or with indistinct impressions on middle antennomeres................................................. 2

– Antennae non-filiform, thickened or depressed, with distinct foveae or furrows on middle antennomeres................................. 9

2. Antennae simple, without impressions on middle antennomeres......... 3

– Antennae with very narrow longitudinal or rounded impressions on middle antennomeres................................................. 4

3. Pronotum and elytra black; antennae very long, almost reaching apices of elytra, antennomere III longer than twice of II; laterophyses of aedeagus separated from each other, on both sides of median lobe...................................................... M. obscurior ( Wittmer, 1954)

– Pronotum and elytra light yellow; antennae short, far from reaching apices of elytra, antennomere III shorter than twice antennomere of II; laterophyses of aedeagus approaching each other in middle of median lobe...................................................... M. satoi Wittmer, 1997b

4. Laterophyses of aedeagus undivided in middle of median lobe................................................. M. singularis Wittmer, 1997a

– Laterophyses of aedeagus divided, approaching each other in middle or separated on both sides of median lobe............................. 5

5. Ventral process of each paramere almost as long as dorsal plate of conjoint parameres.................................................... 6

– Ventral process of each paramere distinctly shorter than dorsal plate of conjoint parameres............................................. 7

6. Dorsal plate of conjoint parameres slightly widened apically, with vertical-angled lateral angles, laterophyses slightly bent dorsally.............................................. M. rectiangulatus Švihla, 2005

– Dorsal plate of conjoint parameres slightly narrowed apically, with rounded lateral angles, laterophyses straight, not bent dorsally.............................................................. M. variabilis sp. nov.

7. Body mostly yellow; ventral process of each paramere approaching each other closely................................ M. reductus Švihla, 2005

– Body mostly black; ventral processes of each paramere distinctly separated from each other............................................... 8

8. Pronotum uniformly black; antennomeres V–XI each with a very narrow longitudinal impression......................... M. oudai Švihla, 2004

– Pronotum red, with a median longitudinal black marking; antennomeres IV–XI each with a small rounded impression....................................................... M. yunnanus ( Wittmer, 1993)

9. Dorsal plate of conjoint parameres tapered apically, apex slightly bent ventrally.................................................... 10

– Dorsal plate of conjoint parameres almost parallel-sided, not tapered apically, apical margin almost straight............................ 16

10. Antennomere VIII longest, widened apically, with a large oblong fovea, spoon-like in dorsal view, III–VII and IX–X each with a longitudinal furrow............................... M. cochleatus ( Wittmer, 1978)

– Antennomere VIII not spoon-like in dorsal view like above............11

11. Antennomeres III–VII each with a fovea near apex, inner margins of foveae on IV–VII raised upwards, tooth-like in lateral view.... M. multidentatus sp. nov.

– Antennomeres IV–VII not tooth-like in lateral view like above.........12

12. Antennomeres III–VIII widened apically, each with an oval fovea near apex................................ M. jendeki Wittmer, 1997a

– Antennomeres III–VIII nearly parallel-sided, not widened apically......13

13. Antennomeres IV–X each with a carina along inner margin, also a short narrow impression and a rounded fovea near apex........................................................ M. shimomurai ( Wittmer, 1995)

– Antennomeres IV–X without carina along inner margins..............14

14. Antennomeres IV–IX each with a fovea, which is widened and rounded near apex, narrowed near base..... M. bicoloriceps ( Wittmer, 1989) comb. nov.

– Antennomeres III–VII or V–VIII with impressions or fovea or furrows, not like above....................................................15

15. Antennomeres III–IV without impressions or foveae, V–VIII each with a longitudinal furrow, unequal in length..... M. lijiangensis ( Wittmer, 1995)

– Antennomere III with an oblong impression, IV with a longitudinal impression near base, extending into a rounded fovea near apex, V–VII each with a rounded fovea near apex, VIII without fovea......................................................... M. diversefoveolatus sp. nov.

16. Antennomeres III–IX thickened and depressed, V–IX each with a large shallow oblong fovea near inner margin...... M. sebongensis ( Wittmer, 1997a)

– Antennomeres III–V thickened, III with a large rounded fovea, IV–IX each with a small rounded fovea near apex............ M. eduradi Švihla, 2005

Systematics of the species of Mimopodabrus Wittmer