Podistra (Pidostria) insipida (Fall, 1907)

(Figs 1A, 2A, C–E, 3A–D, 5K, L)

Telephorus insipidus Fall, 1907: 235 .

Cantharis (Absidia) insipida: McKey-Fender, 1950: 77 .

Podistra (Hemipodistra) insipida: Fender, 1972: 14; Ramsdale, 2002: 210.

Hemipodistra insipida: Delkeskamp, 1977: 159 .

Material. 2 ♁♁, USA: NM, 20 km E Alamogordo, nr. Cloudcroft, 1650 m, 1.VII.2002, S. Kazantsev leg. (ICM) .

Remarks. The other North American species of Podistra, P. (Pseudoabsidia) sanbernardensis (Fender, 1972), from California, was not available for study, but most probably does not belong in Pseudoabsidia —judging by its elytral pubescence, it may rather represent another member of Pidostria subgen. nov., although its simple claws in both sexes clearly places it apart from P. insipida . For this reason, it is included in Podistra incertae sedis . Cantharis (Cyrtomoptila) sierrae (McKey-Fender, 1950), also from California, described as Cantharis subgen. Absidia and considered to be close to European Absidia species (McKey-Fender, 1950), was transferred to Absidiella Wittmer, 1972 (Wittmer, 1972), which now is a synonym of Cantharis subgen. Cyrtomoptila . However, the description of this taxon (McKey-Fender, 1950; Fender, 1972), that differs from P. sanbernardensis only in the coloration and the longer antennae and pronotum, leaves little doubt that the two belong to a single supraspecific taxon; therefore, also taking into account its Podistra - type aedeagus (McKey-Fender, 1950), the species is also tentatively transferred to Podistra incertae sedis, pending further studies.