Rediscovery of <i>Malthesis ater</i> Motschulsky, 1853 and a catalog of the genus <i>Malthesis</i> Motschulsky, 1853 (Coleoptera, Cantharidae)

Abstract

Malthesis is a Cantharidae genus with a history of ambiguous systematic placement, being sometimes classified within Malthininae and currently placed in Chauliognathinae, sometimes as a probable synonym of Chauliognathus. Part of the problem is a complete lack of knowledge about the identity of their type species, M. ater, from Colombia. The current generic placement is based on the identity of the subsequently described Malthesis species which, in turn, have never been compared with M. ater. One specimen belonging to the type series of M. ater, here designated as the lectotype, has been located at the Zoological Museum of M. V. Lomonosov State University (Moscow, Russia) and the identities of the species and genus could finally be assessed. Here, M. ater is re-described in detail based on the study of the afore mentioned lectotype and additional specimens from Colombia. The morphological study of the species confirms that most of the subsequently described species are indeed congeneric with M. ater and enables a reliable placement of the genus within Chauliognathinae: Chauliognathini. In addition, a fully updated catalog of all the 38 currently valid species and subspecies of Malthesis is given to ease their future taxonomic studies.