Meloidae (Coleoptera) of Pakistan and Kashmir with the description of three new species, new faunistic and taxonomic records, and a zoogeographic analysis

Abstract

A preliminary checklist of blister beetles from Pakistan and Kashmir is carried out, with the inclusion of 79 species. Stenoriaosellai sp. nov. from northern Pakistan, Hycleus pakistanus sp. nov. from Baluchistan, and Meloe (Micromeloe) pintoi sp. nov. fromIndian Kashmir are described. Three genera, namely Stenoria, Psalydolytta, and Rhampholyssa, and several species belonging to bothsubfamilies Nemognathinae and Meloinae, are recorded for the first time from these countries, whereas the genera Cerocoma andGlasunovia, previously cited, are excluded. Several new faunistic records are also introduced. The virtually unknown genus XanthabrisKaszab (tribe Mylabrini) is recorded for the first time since its description, and several of its previously undescribed morphologicalcharacters are discussed and figured. Three Oriental species previously described in other genera are referred to the genus Zonitoschema:Z. melanarthra comb. nov., Z. straminea comb. nov., and Z. angustithorax comb. nov. Several previous erroneous records from Pakistanare noted and a preliminary zoogeogeographic analysis of blister beetles of this region is proposed.