Melanotus Eschscholtz

Akhter, Muhammad Atique, Platia, Giuseppe, Rizvi, Syed Anser & Ahmed, Zubair, 2011, Two new species of the genus Melanotus Eschscholtz (Coleoptera: Elateridae; Melanotinae) from Pakistan, Zootaxa 3101, pp. 47-52 : 48-49

Key to the known species of the genus Melanotus Eschscholtz from Pakistan

1. Last visible sternite with apex rounded..................................................................... 2

- Last visible sternite with apex truncated.................................................. M. brunnipes (Germar)

2. Pronotum broader than long............................................................................. 3

- Pronotum longer than broad............................................................................ 12

3. Elytral interstriae impunctate............................................................................ 4

- Elytra interstriae punctuate.............................................................................. 5

4. Sides of pronotum parallel for more than three-quarters of length.......................... M. riesei Platia & Schimmel

- Sides of pronotum parallel for more than half of length...................................... M. castanipus (Paykull)

5. Two or more than two antennal segments reach base of pronotum............................................... 6

- Less than two antennal segments reach base of pronotum...................................................... 9

6. Combined length of 2nd and 3rd antennal segments just shorter than 4th segment..................................... 7

- Combined length of 2nd and 3rd antennal segments clearly shorter than 4th segment................................... 8

7. Surface of pronotum glossy.................................................... M. besucheti Platia & Schimmel

- Surface of pronotum dull............................................................. M. planipennis Candèze

8. Punctation on pronotum with uniform intervals..................................... M. ocellatus Platia & Schimmel

- Punctation on pronotum with variable intervals...................................... M. thomasi Platia & Schimmel

9. Second antennal segment as long as broad................................................ M. herticornis (Herbst)

- Second antennal segment longer than broad................................................................ 10

10. Tip of last antennal segment pointed........................................... M. pakistanicus Platia & Schimmel

- Tip of last antennal segment rounded..................................................................... 11

11. Basal plate of male genitalia broad to narrow (towards base) ( Figure 2 )............................ M. kalamensis sp.n.

- Basal plate of male genitalia parallel (Figure 4)................................................... M. usrae sp.n.

12. Punctation on pronotum heterogeneous................................................... M. punctosus (Walker)

- Punctation on pronotum homogenous..................................................................... 13

13. Basal margin of basal plate of male genitalia sub truncate...................................... M. opicus (Candèze)

- Basal margin of basal plate of male genitalia not sub truncate.................................................. 14

14. Segments 3–8 of antennae sub-serrate.................................................................... 15

- Segments 3–8 of antennae cylindrical..................................................................... 16

15. Head width across eyes narrower than anterior margin of pronotum...................... M. zethneri Platia & Schimmel

- Head width across eyes broader than anterior margin of pronotum............................. M. raziae Akhter et. al.

16. Clypeus with anterior margin arcuate............................................... M. porioni Platia & Schimmel

- Clypeus with anterior margin rounded..................................................................... 17

17. Elytra narrower than base of pronotum............................................... M. lobeli Platia & Schimmel

- Elytra as broad as base of pronotum......................................... M. convexiusculus Platia & Schimmel Melanotus kalamensis sp. n. (Fig: 1 & 2)

Figures

FIGURE 1 – 2. Melanotus (Melanotus) kalamensis Holotype; 1. habitus; 2. Male Genitalia. Scale Lines: Fig: 2, 0.6 mm. FIGURE 3 – 4. Melanotus (Melanotus) usrae Holotype; 3. habitus; 4. Male Genitalia. Scale Lines: Fig: 4, 0.6 mm.