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S.V. Kazantsev: "A review of Ancistronycha maerkel with the description of Atalantycha gen. n. (Cantharidae)" (2005)


Sergey Kazantsev
A REVIEW OF ANCISTRONYCHA MAERKEL WITH THE DESCRIPTION OF ATALANTYCHA, A NEW NEARCTIC GENUS (COLEOPTERA: CANTHARIDAE)
The Coleopterists Bulletin, 59(2):204-210. 2005.

Abstract
The genus Ancistronycha Maerkel is reviewed. Atalantycha, new genus, is described. Ancistronycha rufidens Marseul is transferred to Cantharomorphus Fiori as Cantharomorphus rufidens (Marseul), new combination. Ancistronycha bilineata (Say), A. dentigera (Leconte) and A. neglecta (Fall) are transferred to Atalantycha as Atalantycha bilineata (Say), new combination, Atalantycha dentigera (Leconte), new combination, and Atalantycha neglecta (Fall), new combination. Ancistronycha taygetana Pic, new synonym, is synonymized with Ancistronycha occipitalis (Rosenhauer). Keys to the species of Ancistronycha and Atalantycha are provided. Ancistronycha Maerkel is a relatively small genus of soldier-beetles that previously included seven species from Europe (with one species extending into the Caucasus) and three species from North America (Delkeskamp 1977). Study of this group, with its apparently remarkable distribution pattern, has revealed that one of its species, A. erichsonii, occurs as far south as southern Turkey and that all of its Nearctic representatives need to be excluded from Ancistronycha and placed in a new genus. One of the Mediterranean species, A. rufidens Marseul, also appeared to have little in common with Ancistronycha proper, except in having simple claws in the male and metallic blue elytra and is tentatively transferred to Cantharomorphus Fiori, as Cantharomorphus rufidens (Marseul), new combination.


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