New subterranean leptodirine leiodid beetle (Coleoptera: Leiodidae: Cholevinae: Leptodirini) taxa from the Dinarides

Abstract

As a result of exploration of biodiversity in subterranean habitats of the Dinarides in recent years, seven leptodirine leiodid taxa (six species and one subspecies), new to science, were described in 2018. Delimitation of the new taxa is based on a detailed observation and comparison of all relevant morphological features (28 different morphological measurements and ratios), but, above all, the structure of genitalia. The genus Adelopidius Apfelbeck, 1907 currently comprises 10 species, including the three recently described: Adelopidius hrustovacensis Ćurčić, Pavićević & Mulaomerović, 2018, A. ljubacevoensis Ćurčić, Pavićević & Mulaomerović, 2018 and A. pougarjensis Ćurčić, Pavićević & Rađa, 2018. These inhabit mountainous areas in Bosnia and Herzegovina. The genus Pholeuonopsis Apfelbeck, 1901 now includes 16 species and six subspecies of both, troglobitic and endogean beetles, ascribed to the three subgenera: Pholeuonopsis s. str., Scotosites Knirsch, 1929 and Silphanillus Reitter, 1903. Two most recently described species from western Serbia are Pholeuonopsis (Pholeuonopsis) tarensis Ćurčić & Pavićević, 2018 and P. (P.) lupi Ćurčić & Pavićević, 2018. Pholeuonopsis taxa are distributed in a wider Dinaric area (Serbia, Montenegro and Bosnia and Herzegovina). The genus Leonhardia Reitter, 1901 comprises totally six species (including newly described Leonhardia sebesicensis Ćurčić, Pavićević & Mulaomerović, 2018) and five subspecies of both cave-dwelling and endogean leiodid beetles, distributed in montane areas of central and southwestern Bosnia and Herzegovina. The genus Apholeuonus Reitter, 1889 contains totally five species and nine subspecies (most recently described subspecies is Apholeuonus nudus ledenjacensis Ćurčić, Pavićević & Antić, 2018). Apholeuonus taxa are known from caves situated in mountainous areas in both, central and eastern Bosnia and Herzegovina. Certain Dinaric karstic regions of Bosnia and Herzegovina and Serbia still remain unexplored. Thus, the findings of new leptodirine leiodid taxa may be expected in the future as well.