On the genus Aphaobius Abeille de Perrin, 1878, with description of a new species from the mesovoid shallow substratum (MSS) of Austria (Coleoptera: Leiodidae: Cholevinae: Leptodirini)
Author
Faille, Arnaud
Author
Ribera, Ignacio
Author
Fresneda, Javier
text
Zootaxa
2016
4169
1
journal volume
10.11646/zootaxa.4169.1.2
05f472b8-f667-448b-985a-9b11b8ba93ab
1175-5326
258609
6D877068-627F-4EFB-8797-22D5D7418080
The genus
Lotharia
The species
Lotharia angulicollis
Mandl, 1944
, the only representative of the genus, was described based on a single female. It is rather enigmatic because of its small size, external unique morphology and exceptional rarity. The description of the male led to the conclusion that this genus is phylogenetically close to
Aphaobius
(
Perreau 2003
)
. The finding of another exemplar in the type locality allowed us to add this genus to the analyses, which confirmed its sister relationship with the genus
Aphaobius
. However, the inclusion of other species of
Aphaobius
, as well as
Aphaobiella
Pretner, 1949
and
Pretneria
Müller, 1931
, would be necessary to determine more precisely the phylogenetic position of the genus
Lotharia
.
Aphaobius
plus
Lotharia
are part of a strongly supported clade including Leptodirini endemic to the Western Alps, from Brescia (
Italy
) to
Slovenia
:
Oryotus
Miller, 1856
,
Orostygia
Müller, 1912
,
Cansiliella
Paoletti, 1972
and
Pholeuonidius
Jeannel, 1911
, the last one sister to the rest.
Vailati (1998)
identified as
O. moczarskii
Müller, 1912
specimens of
Orostygia
from Grotta Vecchia Diga (
Italy
, Pordenone, Valcellina). Subsequently,
Piva (2005)
noted that these specimens should be ascribed to
O. rossii
Porro & Quaia, 1969
, the name that we have used here.
The discovery of a new species of
Aphaobius
within the distribution area of
A. kraussi
was unexpected. A careful examination of other specimens of
Aphaobius
collected in the area would be necessary, especially the populations of
A. kraussi
from the
Kamnik
–Savinja Alps (
Fig. 6
), to determine more precisely if the new species has a wider distribution, and if it may be syntopic with
A. kraussi
in some localities.