Thymogethes egenus (Erichson, 1845) (s.l.)

This common and widespread nominal species (Fig. 2) exhibits a marked geographic variation, with a corresponding variable expression of male genitalia shape; eastern Mediterranean and Near East populations (from Greece to Turkey, Caucasus, Jordan, Iraq and N Iran) are characterized by distinctly more elongate and much more acute paramera (Figs 15–16) in contrast with populations from W and central Europe (eastern Spain to northern Balkans) (Figs 11–12). We cannot deny that this (in some cases remarkable) variation could reflect a specific distinction of two different taxa, requiring the description of a new species to encompass the variation expressed by the East Mediterranean and near East populations (Audisio et al. 2000). However, we prefer to postpone this possible taxonomic decision until our upcoming revision of the whole genus (Audisio et al. in prep.) is completed, and a better supported hypothesis can be offered based on more detailed distributional data in Greece and the Balkan areas of both purported taxa, as well as by more accurate molecular and morphological data. Therefore, we tentatively report here the above mentioned eastern and western Mediterranean populations under the provisional name of T. egenus s.l. Iranian populations (Fig. 25) are apparently identical morphologically to those known in Turkey and E Greece.

Examined material. IRAN: North Khorasan Province, Sorb Mts, above Kadkan, 35°31'44''N 58°52'17''E, 2200 m a.s.l., 4.VI.2014, leg. P. Audisio, on Mentha longifolia (L.) Huds. ( Lamiaceae), 5 males, 6 females (CAR, HMIM, NMPC) ; Qazvin Province, 8 km NE Ziaran 36°10´N 50°35´E, 2400 m, 10–16.VII.1977, (loc. no. 400), Exp. Nat . Mus . Prague, 20 males, 34 females (CAR, HMIM, NMPC); Ardabil Province, 5 km NW Kolur, Shahrud river valley, 37°26.1´N 48°41.2´E, 1670 m, 4–5.VI.2006, leg. Jiří Hájek and Pavel Chvojka, 1 male (NMPC) ; Razavi Khorasan Province, 2 km S Karizbalagh, 35°29.6´N 60°00.3´E, 1590–1925 m, stream valley, at light, 16–17.V.2006, leg. Jiří Hájek and Pavel Chvojka, 1 male (NMPC) ; Tehran Province, Sangan, 1900 m (CAR) ; Semnan Province, Semnan, 1300 m (CAR); (see also Jelínek 1981; Audisio et al. 2000; Lasoń & Gahari 2013).