Two new genera and species of subterranean Leptodirine beetles from northern Turkey (Coleoptera: Leiodidae: Cholevinae: Leptodirini)

Polak S., Lohaj R., ELVERİCİ M.

Journal of Insect Biodiversity, vol.65, no.2, pp.33-56, 2025 (ESCI) identifier

  • Publication Type: Article / Article
  • Volume: 65 Issue: 2
  • Publication Date: 2025
  • Doi Number: 10.12976/jib/2025.65.2.1
  • Journal Name: Journal of Insect Biodiversity
  • Journal Indexes: Emerging Sources Citation Index (ESCI), Scopus, BIOSIS, CAB Abstracts, Veterinary Science Database
  • Page Numbers: pp.33-56
  • Keywords: Anatolia, karst, Kashifiella, Kuntiella, subterranean beetles, taxonomy
  • Erzincan Binali Yildirim University Affiliated: Yes

Abstract

Two new genera of subterranean Leptodirini beetles from isolated karst regions in northern Anatolia, Turkey: Kuntiella gen. nov. (Type species: Kuntiella karabuki sp. nov.) and Kashifiella gen. nov. (Type species: Kashifiella erdemi sp. nov.), are described, illustrated, and compared with recently recognised Turkish genera attributed to the group of Hittitia series. Detailed analyses of external and internal morphological characters highlight distinguishing features within the Hittitia Leptodirini beetle group, enhancing our understanding of its diversity. The study also provides ecological insights, type locality descriptions, and tools for identification, including a key, catalogue, and distribution map for Turkish Leptodirini genera with four-segmented male protarsi.