Prosodes

Nabоz, Maхim, Merkl, Оttó & Kоvalev, Aleхey, 2018, A review of the genus Prosodes Eschscholtz, 1829 (Coleoptera: Tenebrionidae) of Iran, Zootaxa 4379 (4), pp. 451-483 : 480-482

Key to Iranian species of the genus Prosodes

1(4) Proximal half of male and female protibiae with sharp-edged inner margin. Male protibiae strongly flattened in middle, with obtuse or acute angulation. Female elytra with large flat tubercles arranged in indistinct rows.

2(3) Male elytra smooth or with indistinct weakly depressed wrinkles. Male pronotum as long as or longer than wide. Male protibiae with obtuse angulation. Female pronotum almost as long as wide or slightly transverse. Female protibiae strongly widened and flattened in middle. Female body narrower.......................................... P. (Prosodoscelis) solskyi

3(2) Male elytra with rows of indistinct, flat, often smoothed tubercles in apical 2/3. Male pronotum transverse. Male protibiae with acute angulation. Female pronotum strongly transverse, at least 1.5× wider than long. Female protibiae weakly widened in middle. Female body robust..................................................... P. (Prosodoscelis) dentimana

4(1) Proximal half of male and female protibiae with blunt inner margin. Male protibiae not flattened, without distinct angulation, sometimes with blunt prominence in apical third. Female elytra without large flat tubercles, if tubercles present, not arranged in discernible rows.

5(8) Spurs of protibiae strongly differ in size: dorsal (outer) spur large, ventral (inner) spur very short, in females almost vestigial. Length of spurs of meso- and metatibiae also inequal.

6(7) Male and female elytra with four finely and very densely punctate (by simple punctures) impressed striae running throughout most of elytra and convex, nearly smooth interstriae. Female elytra with striae narrower than intervals, without setation..................................................................................... P. (Prosodina) calcarata

7(6) Male elytra with irregular rows of large and deep foveae, traces of striae discernible in posterior 1/3 only; foveae and interspaces covered with very small sparse granules and very short and sparse brown setae. Female elytra with punctate and granulate striae wider than intervals, sparsely set with short brown setae (denser in striae) (Occurrence in Iran doubtful)........................................................................................... P. (Prosodina) kraatzi

8(5) Spurs of protibiae subequal in size or inner spur shorter half. Length of spurs on meso- and metatibiae subequal.

9(10) Elytra with one wide elongate depression in apical declivity, covered with small and dense granules and brown setae. Elytra without wrinkles, with coarse and dense punctuation (each puncture with minute anterior granule) and very dense microreticulation........................................................................... P. (Iranosodes) laticauda

10(9) Elytra without wide elongate depression in apical declivity or females with more than one longitudinal striae on much of elytra. Elytra with wrinkles or smooth, with sparse tubercles. Elytra can be with large tubercles but in this case their punctation very fine and sparse.

11(22) Pronotum with large deep foveae (foveolate punctation) evenly scattered or located only on sides and in basal third, in that case anterior part and middle of pronotum with very fine and sparse punctation. Elytra with small rasp-shaped sparse tubercles, rarely smooth in male.

12(13) Foveolate punctation of pronotum very dense and coarse, without large smooth areas in middle. Elytra with 3 wide and shallow longitudinal depressions apically, covered with small tubercles and setae. Intervals between depressions smooth, weakly convex.............................................................................. P. (Dilopersina) mithras

13(12) Pronotum with smooth areas in middle or along both sides of midline, other parts of surface with foveolate punctation. Only female elytra can have longitudinal flat depressions and wide carinae between them. Rarely male also with smoothed carinae apically but in that case male pronotum with deep triangular microgranulated or strongly punctate impression near posterior corners and elytra with more or less expressed microgranulated depressions.

14(15) Male elytra with distinct sparse foveae and small rasp-shaped granules between them. Female elytra with irregular flat densely punctate depressions and distinct large round foveae on smooth intervals between depressions. Parameres very wide, 1.55× as long as wide (according to original description).......................................... P. (Dilopersina) rishwani

15(14) Male elytra with (1) sparse small rasp-shaped granules or (2) smooth, or (3) with distinct foveae but without granules between them. Female elytra without large round distinct foveae or with foveae, but also with vestiture of short reddish setae. Parameres more elongate, at least 2× longer than wide.

16(19) Male protibiae with deep triangular notch near apex of inner margin, extended by oblique dorsal impression. Foveiform punctures of male pronotum small, shallow, ill-defined, or pronotum virtually impunctate. Male elytra without setae.

17(18) Male pronotum with weak and shallow impression near posterior corners, with weak punctation. Disc of male pronotum slightly punctate to impunctate. Male elytra with several large, shallow foveae or nearly smooth, without tubercles and setae. Female elytra with distinct, dense coarse, larger tubercles and smaller granules, without traces of ribs, with very short setae apically........................................................................ P. (Dilopersina) jakowlewi

18(17) Male pronotum with deep triangular impression near posterior corners, with strong punctation or microgranulation. Disc of male pronotum with slightly stronger punctation. Male elytra smooth to strongly sculptured (with sparse tubercles and flat elevations or with large tubercles and microgranulate depressions between them), without setae, never with large, shallow foveae. Female elytra with distinct, dense, coarse, larger tubercles and smaller granules, with traces of 3 blunt carinae, with dense, yellowish, short, erect setae arranged in irregular longitudinal bands........................... P. (Dilopersina) neopersis

19(16) Male protibiae only weakly and shallowly sinuate near apex of inner margin. Foveiform punctures of pronotum large, deep, sharply defined. Male elytra with setae (could be very small). Female elytra without distinct and dense tubercles, with shallow sparse foveae ( P. cribrella ) or with coarse punctures and flat elevations ( P. vestita ).

20(21) Pronotal punctures of males and females without setae. Male and female elytra with very sparse, shallow pits (denser in female) with minute granules in their anterior margin; granules bearing short black bristle-like setae (almost missing in male, much more distinct in female); female elytra without reddish setae and traces of ribs............ P. (Dilopersina) cribrella

21(20) Pronotal punctures of males and females with very short central reddish setae. Male elytra nearly smooth, with very short reddish setae in indistinct foveae; setation may be denser in apical declivity and along suture or nearly missing (abraded); female elytra with coarse, dense punctures, with less punctate flat elevations forming traces of 3 ribs, and with dense reddish setation.................................................................................. P. (Dilopersina) vestita

22(11) Pronotum with sparse and fine regular punctation. Elytra without rasp-shaped granules.

23(32) Male elytra absolutely smooth, or nearly so with very fine net of shallow wrinkles, or with weak and shallow, not undulating wrinkles. Female elytra as in males or with weakly depressed smoothed wrinkles or with deep vermiform wrinkles.

24(27) Males glossy. Females matt, elytra with deep vermiform wrinkles or with weakly depressed wrinkles in apical half (in this case female elytra widest behind middle).

25(26) Male body narrow, strongly elongate, elytra subparallel-sided; male pronotum weakly transverse (1.13 as wide as long); elytra without wrinkles. Male protibiae weakly widened in apical third with slightly and widely emarginate inner side, without inner prominence. Female elytra widest behind middle, with weakly depressed wrinkles in apical half....................................................................................................... P. (Meropersina) laevigata

26(25) Male body broader, elytra with moderately rounded sides; male pronotum more transverse (1.22–1.3 as wide as long); elytra without wrinkles (Zagros population) or with weakly depressed wrinkles (Western Alborz population). Male protibiae clearly widened in apical third with obtuse inner prominence. Female elytra widest at middle, with deep vermiform wrinkles and flattened space between them........................................................ P. (Meropersina) cordicollis

27(24) Males and females matt. Female with not depressed simple fine wrinkles or with weakly depressed wrinkles (in this case female elytra widest in middle).

28(29) Male protibiae without protruded prominence in apical third of inner side. Female elytra with not depressed simple wrinkles......................................................................... P. (Meropersina) kasatkini sp. n.

29(28) Male (at least for P. shokhini , because male of P. vigi is unknown) protibiae with protruded prominence in apical third. Female elytra with weakly depressed wrinkles.

30(31) Female. Lateral sides of pronotum not flattened. Anterior margin of proctiger acute. Ratio of length/width of ventral spicule 13/9.5, its anterior margin narrow, rounded at middle. Basal duct of spermatheca 4.3× as long as reservoirs. Second reservoir located near accessory gland of spermatheca...................................... P. (Meropersina) shokhini sp. n.

31(30) Female. Lateral sides of pronotum distinctly and widely flattened. Anterior margin of proctiger rounded. Ratio of length/width of ventral spicule 13/7.5, its anterior margin wide, straight in middle. Basal duct of spermatheca 3.6× as long as reservoirs. Second reservoir visibly distant from accessory gland of spermatheca........................... P. (Meropersina) vigi

32(23) Male and female elytra with coarse and dense undulating rugosities.

33(34) Male protibiae deeply emarginated and with distinct prominence on inner apical half. Pronotum narrowly flattened on sides. Parameres widest at middle. Female unknown...................................... P. (Meropersina) vermiculosa

34(33) Male protibiae shallowly emarginated, without distinct prominence on inner apical half. Pronotum not flattened on sides. Parameres widest in basal half....................................................... P. (Meropersina) fabiani