The identity and taxonomic status of Sitaris lativentris Schaufuss, 1861 and Sitaris melanurus Küster, 1849, two enigmatic Iberian taxa (Coleoptera, Meloidae)

Abstract

Extensive morphological variability in Nemognatinae has often led to proliferation of species descriptions. Most species of Nemognathinae are seldom encountered in nature and some species remain only known by the specimens used for the original descriptions. Two examples of this problem are represented by Sitaris lativentris Schaufuss, 1861 and Sitaris melanurus Küster, 1849, both described from Spain. The rediscovery of specimens morphologically assignable to S. lativentris in southern Spain, and a careful reading of the original description of S. melanurus, allow us to shed light on the taxonomic status of these enigmatic taxa. Sitaris lativentris has been considered a synonym of Sitaris solieri Pecchioli, 1840 until now; however, neither the lectotype of S. lativentris (here designated), nor the newly found specimens morphologically assignable to S. lativentris, correspond to S. solieri, except in coloration. Alternatively, comparisons between S. lativentris and S. muralis did not render any differences, except in the pattern of elytral coloration and coloration of the pilosity, both variable in other species of Nemognathinae. Therefore S. lativentris is hereby synonymised with S. muralis (new synonymy). The identity of Sitaris melanurus has been overlooked by most researchers, probably because the type specimens seem to be lost. However, the original description provides sufficient information to discard the inclusion of the taxon in Sitaris. Morphological characters presented in the description correspond to traits that, among western European sitarine beetles, are only present in Stenoria apicalis (Latreille, 1804). Küster’s (1849) description corresponds to one of the most frequent color variants of this species. As a consequence we include the name S. melanurus as a new synonym of S. apicalis.