Microdera ferghanensis Kaszab, 1957

Bekchanov, Norbek Kh., Nabozhenko, Maxim V., Bekchanov, Khudaybergan U. & Bekchanova, Mokhira Kh., 2025, A review of the genus Microdera Eschscholtz, 1831 (Coleoptera: Tenebrionidae) of Uzbekistan, Zootaxa 5590 (4), pp. 451-480 : 461

Microdera ferghanensis Kaszab, 1957 , sp. resurr.

( Figs 7 , 8 )

Microdera ferghanensis Kaszab, 1957: 290 , 1966: 289.

Microdera ferganensis (sic): Nabozhenko & Kalashian, 2022: 1370 (as a junior synonym of M. globulicollis ).

Type material examined. Holotype ( NHMB), ♂: “ Kokand Fergana ”, “ Sammlung Adr. Schuster”, “Staud.” , “Museum Frey München”, “HOLOTYPUS Microdera ferghanensis m. det. Dr. Kaszab, 1957 ” . 3 paratypes with the same label but “Paratypus ...” are also deposited in NHMB . The paratype from HNHM was indicated by Nabozhenko & Kalashian (2022).

Material examined. 12 specimens ( PCNB) , 10 specimens ( PCMN, ZIN) : Uzbekistan, Fergana Region , Sho‘rsuv, 40°17ʹ09ʺN / 70°48ʹ22ʺE, h= 630m, 16.04.2024 (M.V. and S.V. Nabozhenko, N.Kh. and Kh.U. Bekchanov) ; 3 specimens ( PCNB) , 2 specimens ( PCMN) : Uzbekistan, Fergana Region , O‘qchi env., backward of garden, 40°19ʹ12ʺN / 70°57ʹ59ʺE, h= 680m, 16.04.2024 (M.V. and S.V. Nabozhenko, N.Kh. and Kh.U. Bekchanov) .

Notes. The species was unfairly synonymized with M. globulicollis by Nabozhenko & Kalashian (2022). Their opinion was based on the examination of one paratype from HNHM. This paratype has the least expressed species characteristics, such as very fine puncturation of the prothoracic hypomera only near coxae, the puncturation of head basally is slightly elongated and with almost the same density as on the other surface of frons. The authors attributed this to the variability of M. globulicollis , which also occurs in Fergana valley. After examination of the holotype ( Fig. 7A–C ) and a series of beetles from the Qampirqoq Mountains (S of Kokand, Fergana valley) ( Fig. 7D–F , 8 ), the independence of this species is confirmed. Microdera ferghanensis is clearly distinguished from M. globulicollis by the presence of the puncturation on the entire surface of the hypomera or at least near the procoxal area ( Fig. 7F ), slightly elongated puncturation of the pronotum on sides ( Fig. 7A, E ), denser and elongated puncturation at the base of the head ( Fig. 7E ), as well as the angularly rounded mesoventrite between mesocoxae ( Fig. 7B , 8A ) (not evenly, as in M. globulicollis ( Fig. 10A )). The tarsi of M. ferghanensis ( Fig. 8F–H ) are thinner than those of M. globulicollis ( Fig. 10B, C ). Both species also differ in the shape of the aedeagus (compare Figs 8I and 10E ). Thus, we resurrect this species: Microdera ferghanensis Kaszab, 1957 , sp. resurr. The name of the species was misspelled as M. ferganensis by Skopin (1968), Iwan et al. (2020) and Nabozhenko & Kalashian (2022).

Distribution. Uzbekistan (SW areas of Fergana Region: Qampirqoq Mts). Skopin (1968) recorded this species for central and southern Kazakhstan from Arys Lake to Syr-Darya valley and Muyunkum desert. We didn’t find any Skopin’s specimens of M. ferghanensis in ZIN; these records need verification.

Figures

FIGURE 7. Microdera ferghanensis, male, habitus, details, labels. A–C = holotype (images taken and provided by Christoph Germann, NHMB); D, E, F = male from Qampirqoq Mountains (S of Kokand); A, D = male dorsally; B = male laterally; E = head and pronotum; F = prothorax ventro-laterally.

FIGURE 8. Microdera ferghanensis, male, habitus, details. A = pro- and mesothorax laterally (arrow shows intercoxal process of mesoventrite); B = metatibia, extensor side; C = epistome; D = abdominal ventrite 5, strictly horizontally; E = apex of abdominal ventrite 5, posterior view; F = protarsus; G = metatarsus dorsally; H = ditto, laterally; I = aedeagus ventrally (the apical half median lobe is broken off); J = spiculum gastrale.

FIGURE 10. Microdera globulicollis, male, details. A = pro- and mesothorax laterally (arrow shows intercoxal process of mesoventrite); B = protarsus; C = metatarsus dorsally; D = metatibia, extensor side; E = tegmen ventrally; F = median lobe laterally; G = median lobe dorsally; H = spiculum gastrale.