Quaesticulus

M, José, Costas, Salgado, Moreda, Lucía Labrada & Luque, Carlos G., 2010, A new cave-dwelling species of Quaestus Schaufuss, 1861 from the Montes de Pas, Northern Spain (Coleoptera: Leiodidae: Leptodirini), Zootaxa 2484, pp. 25-34 : 27

Key to species of the subgenus Quaesticulus

1. 11th antennomere less than one and a half times as long as 10th; 8th antennomere at least two and a half as long as wide ( filicornis group) .......................................................................................................................................................... 2

1’. 11th antennomere more than one and a half times as long as 10th; 8th antennomere at most twice as long as wide ( adnexus group) .................................................................................................................................................................... 4

2. Body length 3–3.5 mm; antennae almost as long as body; 2nd antennomere as long as or almost as long as 3rd; mesoventral carina anteriorly blunt and serrate, medially with narrow ventral edge; parameres not surpassing tip of median lobe of aedeagus; insertion pores of the apical setae of parameres very close ................................... Q. minos

2’. Body length 2.25–3 mm; antennae shorter than body; 2nd antennomere clearly shorter than 3rd; mesoventral carina anteriorly not serrate, medially with wide or narrow ventral edge; parameres reaching or surpassing tip of median lobe of aedeagus; insertion pore of the most basal of the apical setae of paramere distant from the other two ........................... 3

3. 8th and 10th antennomeres of almost equal length; 8th antennomere three times as long as wide; ventral edge of mesoventral carina wide medially; parameres widely surpassing tip of median lobe, middle seta of paramere club shorter and more robust than the other two; internal sac of aedeagus bearing a group of robust spines near the mid region.... .................................................................................................................................................................... Q. filicornis

3’. 8th antennomere clearly shorter than 10th; 8th antennomere two and a half times longer than wide; ventral edge of mesoventral carina narrow medially; parameres just reaching tip of median lobe, all setae of paramere club equally thick and long; internal sac of aedeagus lacking robust spines near mid region .......................... Q. pasensis sp. nov.

4. 11th antennomere at least twice as long as 10th; 8th antennomere transverse or almost transverse; insertion pores of apical setae of parameres very close ........................................................................................................................... 5

4’. 11th antennomere less than twice as long as 10th; 8th antennomere clearly longer than wide; insertion pore of basal seta distant from two others ........................................................................................................................................ 8

5. Body length 2.2–2.55 mm; 11th antennomere twice as long as 10th; male protarsus dilated, as wide or almost as wide as the apex of protibia; spermathecal lobes weakly differentiated ......................................................................................... 6

5’. Body length 1.5–2.2 mm; 11th antennomere more than twice as long as 10th; male protarsus very weakly dilated, clearly narrower than the apex of protibia; spermathecal lobes well differentiated ...................................................................... 7

6. 8th to 10th antennomeres slightly longer than wide; internal sac of aedeagus without groups of spines; ventral spine of 8th female urosternite three times as long as wide....................................................................................... Q. pachecoi

6’. 8th to 10th antennomeres transverse; internal sac of aedeagus with two groups of well-developed symmetrical spines; ventral spine of 8th female urosternite twice as long as wide ...................................................................... Q. bustilloi

7. Body length 1.5–1.95 mm; 8th antennomere transverse; posterior edge of male metafemur medially with small tooth; median lobe of aedeagus pointed apically; parameres shorter than median lobe, apical club not differentiated; spermatheca with basal lobe wider and longer than apical lobe ...................................................................................... Q. adnexus

7’. Body length 2–2.2 mm; 8th antennomere slightly longer than wide; posterior edge of male metafemur without tooth; median lobe of aedeagus arcuate apically; parameres as long as median lobe, with apical club differentiated; spermatheca with basal lobe as wide and long as apical lobe ............................................................................................... Q. canis

8. 8th–10 th antennomeres transverse or almost transverse; parameres wide and robust basally and medially, with apical setae very short ...................................................................................................................................................... Q. sharpi

8’. 8th–10th antennomeres clearly longer than wide; parameres narrow, with apical setae long or very long ......................... 9

9. Male protarsus clearly narrower than maximum width of protibia ........................................................................... 10

9’. Male protarsus as wide as or wider than maximum width of protibia........................................................................ 11

10. Ventral edge of mesoventral carina without longitudinal sulcus; parameres not surpassing apex of median lobe of aedeagus, with weakly discernible club, each with very long and undulate setae.................................. Q. autumnalis

10’. Ventral edge of mesoventral carina with longitudinal sulcus; parameres widely surpassing apex of median lobe of aedeagus, with differentiated elongate club, each with long and slightly curved setae....................... Q. angustitarsis

11. Antennae as long as half body length; 3rd–6th antennomeres almost equal; insertion pores of apical and middle setae of parameres closer to each other than to that of basal seta which is slightly longer than the other two; shield of internal sac weakly developed ............................................................................................................................................ Q. cisnerosii

11’. Antennae clearly surpassing half body length; 3rd and 5th antennomeres slightly longer than 4th and 6th; insertion pores of setae of parameres equidistant and equally long; shield of internal sac well developed..................... Q. (Q.) noltei