Lethrus (Paralethrus), Nikolajev, 2003

Bagaturov, Mikhail F. & Hillert, Oliver, 2023, Sinolethrus, a new subgenus of the genus Lethrus Scopoli, 1777 from China (Coleoptera: Geotrupidae: Lethrinae) and new synonymy of the subgenus Paralethrus Nikolajev, 2003, Zootaxa 5258 (3), pp. 301-316 : 306

Subgenus Paralethrus Nikolajev, 2003

( Figs. 6 , 40–45, 48 )

The subgenus Paralethrus was established by Nikolajev(2003), and includes currently only5species; L.bituberculatus Ballion, 1870 , L. crassus Hillert, 2004 , L. kabaki Nikolajev, 1998 , L. karatavicus Nikolajev & Skopin, 1971 , and L. turkestanicus Ballion, 1871 . The species L. bituberculatus was split by Nikolajev (1969) into 3 subspecies, which inhabit different altitudes in the mountainous areas of Kazakhstan, Kirgizia and Uzbekistan.

Lethrus mediocris Fairmaire, 1892 was described from Turkestan, collected by P. Nadar ( Fairmaire 1892). The type locality “Turkestan” is geographically an extreme widespread region, from the east coast of the Caspian Sea to the desert Gobi in the 19 th century. This region now includes several countries. Until now, the taxonomic position of this species was unclear and its placement was not given or given only vaguely in the past due to the unavailability of type material ( Boucomont 1912; Král & Nikolajev 2006; Nikolajev et al. 2016).

Figures

FIGURES 5–8. Aedeagus, schematically. 5 L. (Lethrus) ares Král, Rejsek & Schneider, 2001 (lateral view); 6 L. (Paralethrus) bituberculatus macrodon Nikolajev, 1969 (lateral view); 7 L. (Mesolethrus) inermis Reitter, 1897 (dorsal view); 8 L. (M.) elisae Nikolajev, 2001 (dorsal view).

FIGURES 37–42. Head of Lethrus species with mandibular appendix, keels and hornlike apophyses of mandibles (males), schematically.37–39 L. (Lethrus) fallax Nikolajev, 1975 (37 view frontal, 38 lateral view, 39 dorsal view); 40–42 L.(Paralethrus) crassus Hillert, 2014 (40 frontal view, 41 lateral view, 42 dorsal view, after Hillert 2004).

FIGURES 43–48. Head of Lethrus species with mandibular appendix, keels and hornlike apophyses of mandibles (males), schematically. 43–45 L. (Paralethrus) bituberculatus macrodon Nikolajev, 1969 (43 frontal view, 44 lateral view, 45 dorsal view, after Hillert 2004); 46–48 L. (Abrognathus) tuberculifrons Ballion, 1871 (46 frontal view, 47 lateral view, 48 dorsal view).