A. Konstantinov: New species of Middle Asian Longitarsus with discussion of their subgeneric ...

Zootaxa 1056: 19-42 (2005) ISSN 1175-5326 (print edition) 
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ZOOTAXA 

Copyright © 2005 Magnolia Press ISSN 1175-5334 (online edition) 

New species of Middle Asian Longitarsus Latreille with discussion of their subgeneric placement (Coleoptera: Chrysomelidae) 

ALEXANDER S. KONSTANTINOV 

Systematic Entomology Laboratory, PSI, Agricultural Research Service, U.S. Department of Agriculture, c/o 
Smithsonian Institution P.O. Box 37012, National Museum of Natural History, MRC 168, Washington, DC 
20013-7012, U.S.A. (email: akonstan@sel.barc.usda.gov) 

Abstract 

The subgenus Testergus Weise of Longitarsus Latreille is redefined based on the characters of male 
genitalia and four new species are described and illustrated: L. borisi sp. nov. (Tadzhikistan), L. 
danilevskyi sp. nov. (Kazakhstan), L. igori sp. nov. (Tadzhikistan), and L. nadiae sp. nov. 
(Kirgizstan). The lectotypes for L. fuscoaeneus Redtenbacher, L. tmetopterus Jacobson and L. 
nurataicus Palij are designated. A key to the known Testergus species from Greece, Caucasus and 
Middle Asia is provided. 

Key words: Chrysomelidae, flea beetle, Longitarsus, Testergus, Truncatus 

Introduction 

Testergus Weise is the only commonly accepted subgenus within Longitarsus Latreille. It 
was proposed (Weise 1893) for two Caucasian species, L. lederi Weise and L. pubescens 
Weise. Weise (1893) failed to designate a type species. Bechyne (1957) elevated Testergus 
to genus and designated L. lederi as the type species. Konstantinov & Vandenberg (1996) 
being unaware of Bechyne paper, erroneously designated L. lederi again. Bechyne (1957) 
and Warchalowski (1996) both attributed the name Longitarsus to Berthold (1827) but, 
this name in BertholdТs publication is not accompanied by a description or indication and 
remains a nomen nudum. The first indication in the form of a combination of the generic 
name with an available species-group name was provided for Longitarsus by Latreille in 
1829. Weise (1893), Bechyne (1957), Lopatin (1977), and Warchalowski (1996) separated 
Longitarsus s.str. and Testergus by the following characters of the latter taxon: fused 
elytra, absence of hind wings and humeral calli, and lateral sides of elytra so convex and 
bent ventrally that their lateral margins are not visible from above (Figs. 1, 2).