The Meligethes subaeneus complex

The Meligethes subaeneus complex (Table 1) comprises three European species sharing the following combination of characters:

Pronotum always with ratio WPR1/WPR2 (Fig. 17 a)> 1.0, i.e., more or less regularly and arcuately narrowed anterad from its maximum width at the posterior angles (Figs. 1–4).

Anterior edge of profemora simple, without protruding tubercles. Posterior edge of mesofemora simple, without protruding teeth. Antennal club medium­sized, ratio W10J/W03J (Fig. 17 b) = 4.4–4.6. Body nut brown to blackish brown, usually with faint bronze reflections dorsally, legs and antennae frequently paler.

The first above mentioned character easily distinguishes members of the M. subaeneus complex from all other species so far included in the M. coracinus subgroup (previously treated as a species­complex: Audisio et al., 2005a, 2005b), which exhibit pronotum with ratio WPR1/WPR2 (Fig. 17 a) 1.0.