Podistra (Hemipodistra) rupicola ( Kiesenwetter, 1863 )

Kazantsev, Sergey V., 2025, A review of Podistra subgen. Hemipodistra Ganglbauer, 1922 (Coleoptera: Cantharidae), with description of a new species from the Caucasus, Zootaxa 5660 (3), pp. 351-370 : 357

Podistra (Hemipodistra) rupicola ( Kiesenwetter, 1863)

( Figs 1B, 5D–5F, 5H).

Absidia rupicola Kiesenwetter, 1863: 729 .

Material. 6 ♂♂, ‘Ganglb., Dobratsch.’ ( ICM) .

Redescription. Male. Dark brown to light brown; clypeus testaceous ( Fig. 1B).

Head transverse, about as wide as pronotum. Eyes small, semi-spherical, interocular distance ca. 2.25 times greater than eye diameter. Vertex with dense, moderately coarse punctation. Ultimate maxillary and labial palpomeres subequal in size and shape, gradually widening to middle and tapering distally, ca. 2.2 times longer than wide. Antennae filiform, moderately long, attaining to middle coxae; pedicel ca. 2 times shorter than antennomere 3; antennomere 4 somewhat narrower and ca. 1.3 times longer than antennomere 3; antennal pubescence on antennomeres 3–11 dense, relatively short and erect ( Fig. 1B).

Pronotum almost quadrate, only ca. 1.1 times wider than long, widest in the middle, almost truncate anteriorly; lateral bordering complete; surface almost glabrous, with scarce fine punctation; pubescence relatively long and erect. Scutellum elongate, trapezoidal, rounded at apex ( Fig. 1B).

Elytra about as wide as pronotum, relatively short, 1.5–2.5 times longer than pronotum and ca. 1.7 times longer than wide at humeri, roughly rugulose; elytral pubescence uniform, with relatively long erect or sub-erect hairs ( Fig. 1B).

Legs relatively long; femurs robust, tibiae slightly curved and narrow; tarsi long, metatarsomere length ratio 1.9: 1.2: 1: 0.8: 1.3; tarsomeres 1–3 narrow, tarsomere 4 deeply cut, widened; all claws simple ( Fig. 1B).

Aedeagus elongate, noticeably narrowing distally, with elongate, straight, slightly widened distally parameres, not surpassing dorsal plate in length; laterophyses narrowed distally, slightly constricted near and rounded at apex; in dorsal view, ca. 3 times more narrow than dorsal plate at its infuscated transverse line; inner side of dorsal plate, in apical view, bisinuate ( Figs 5D–5F, 5H).

Female. Similar to male, but elytra only slightly longer than pronotum, separate at suture, from scutellum to apices, legs shorter ( Ganglbauer, 1922).

Length: 4.0– 6.5 mm (males) and 6.5–8.0 mm (females, Ganglbauer, 1922); width at humeri: 1.1–1.2 mm (males).

Distribution. The range of Podistra (H.) rupicola includes the alpine zone of the Southeastern Alps ( Austria: Steiner Alps, Karawanken, Dobratsch; Italy / Slovenia: Julian Alps) and the Carpathian Mountains ( Romania). Imagos are active in the first half of July ( Ganglbauer, 1922).