Revision of the flightless click-beetle genus Neodima Schimmel amp; Platia br />(Elateridae: Dimini) endemic to China, with comments on its systematic position.

Distribution of flightless insect lineages often help us to identify the areas of long-term stability which serve as biodiversity hotspots. In this paper we taxonomically revise the wingless click-beetle genus Neodima Schimmel Platia, 1992 endemic to the mountainous regions of Sichuan, China. Neodima sichuanensis Schimmel Platia, 1992 and N. cechovskyi Schimmel, 1998 are redescribed, and N. belousovi Prosvirov Kundrata sp. nov. is described as new for science. The distribution and morphological diversity of Neodima is discussed, main diagnostic characters for all species are figured, and an identification key to the species of this genus is provided. Mouthparts as well as female pregenital segments and genitalia are described and figured for the first time for this genus. Further, we compare Neodima to morphologically similar genera, and discuss its systematic position within Dimini.

Congruence Between Molecular Data and Morphology: Phylogenetic Position of Senodoniini (Coleoptera: Elateridae).

Senodoniini is a small lineage of click beetles currently comprising 21 species in two genera, distributed in the Himalayas and East and Southeast Asia. The definition and limits of this group have changed considerably during its history. Recent authors treat Senodoniini as a tribe within Dendrometrinae, usually close to Dimini, but this placement has never been rigorously tested. Here, we shed new light on the systematic position and limits of Senodoniini by performing a combined phylogenetic analysis of two nuclear and two mitochondrial molecular markers. Our results recovered Senodoniini not monophyletic, and placed them into the Lissominae complex, where they formed a clade with Austrelater Calder & Lawrence (Protelaterini). Molecular phylogeny is in agreement with the adult morphology. Additionally, we examined the morphology of a monotypic genus Rostricephalus Fleutiaux from Southeast Asia, which was previously classified in various Elateridae groups including Senodoniini, and its position was always uncertain. This genus shares morphological characters with Protelaterini. We provide morphological redescriptions as well as the figures of main diagnostic characters for Senodonia Laporte, Sossor Candèze, and Rostricephalus. Based on our results, we place these genera to Lissominae: Protelaterini, and hence synonymize Senodoniini Schenkling with Protelaterini Schwarz.

Platiana cechovskyi sp. nov. from Malaysia, a remarkable new member of Dimini (Elateridae: Dendrometrinae) with strongly serrate antennae.

Platiana Schimmel, 1993 is a moderately large genus in Dimini endemic to South East Asia. Hitherto only four species of this genus were known from Peninsular Malaysia. Here, we describe and figure Platiana cechovskyi sp. nov. from the Cameron Highlands. This species is characteristic by its relatively small body, dark coloration, and strongly serrate antennae which are rarely encountered in Dimini. An identification key to the Platiana species from Peninsular Malaysia as well as a distribution map for all known species are provided.

Revisiting the diversity of Ludioctenus Fairmaire (Elateridae: Agrypninae), with description of a new species from Afghanistan, and discussion on the systematic position of Tetrigusina.

The genus Ludioctenus Fairmaire, 1893 hitherto included only L. cyprius (Baudi di Selve, 1871) from the eastern Mediterranean and L. pakistanicus Schimmel Tarnawski, 2012 from Pakistan. Here, we describe L. afghanicus sp. nov. from the Nuristan Province in eastern Afghanistan. The distribution and morphological diversity of Ludioctenus is discussed, main diagnostic characters for all species are figured, and an identification key to the species of this genus is provided. Female pregenital segments and genitalia are figured for the first time for Ludioctenus, and the systematic position of this genus and its relatives is discussed.

Description of two new species of Dima Charpentier, 1825 from China (Coleoptera: Elateridae: Dendrometrinae).

Dima guizhouensis Ruan, Kundrata Qiu sp. nov. and Dima xiaolongi Ruan, Kundrata Qiu sp. nov. are described from Guizhou and Hunan Provinces in China, respectively. Both species are easily distinguishable from most of their congeners by having a strongly convex pronotum and relatively long elytra with carinate interstria VI. The only superficially similar species is D. tianmuensis Qiu Kundrata in Qiu et al. (2018) from Zhejiang Province. Habitus and main diagnostic characters are figured for both new species, and their systematic placement is discussed. The discovery of these species brings the total number of Dima species in China to 13.