A review of the Anthicidae of the Maltese Islands (Central Mediterranean) (Coleoptera)

Abstract

Based on the study of about 900 specimens collected recently and at the beginning of the last century, information on the Anthicidae fauna of the Maltese Islands is updated. Anthicus crinitus La Ferte-Senectere, 1849, Cyclodinus blandulus blandulus (Baudi, 1877), C. coniceps (Marseul, 1879) s.1., C. croissandeaui croissandeaui (Pic, 1892) and C.larvipennis (Marseul, 1879) all collected in Malta are new for the fauna of the islands of the Sicilian channel, whereas Omonadus bifasciatus (Rossi, 1792) and Stricticomus transversalis mel'idionalis (Pic, 1896) collected in Malta are new for the Maltese fauna. The presence of Cordicomus opaculus opaculus (Pic, 1892) and of Aulacoderus sulcithorax melitensis (Pic, 1903) in Malta is confirmed. Both records were based only on specimens collected at the beginning of last century. Moreover, A. sulcithorax melitensis is new to Italy. Elldomia tenuicollis tenuicollis (Rossi, 1792), Omonadus formicarius fOl'micarius (Goeze, 1777) and Cyclodinus constrictus (Curtis, 1838) s.1. are recorded for the first time for the Island of Gozo; C. minutus minutus (La Ferte-Senectere, 1842) is recorded for the first time for the Island of Gozo and from Manoel Island; C. debilis (La Ferte-Senectere, 1849) is new to the Island of Malta, whereas Anthicus fenestratus Schmidt, 1842, Allthicus tristis tristis Schmidt, 1842 and Cordicomus istanbilis instabilis (Schmidt, 1842) are new to the Island of Comino. Some new records of Anthicidae from Pantelleria and Lampedusa (Italy) are included. A zoogeographical analysis and an updated checklist of the 27 species of Anthicidae currently known from the islands of the Sicilian channel (Pantelleria, Maltese and Pelagic Islands) are provided. 119 Anthicus larvipennis ssp. mongolensis Medvedev, 1974 from Mongolia is raised to species level and formally transferred to the genus Cyclodinus Mulsant & Rey, 1866: C. mongolensis (Medvedev, 1974) (new rank). Finally, a primary homonomy is indicated for Anthicus robustissimus var. pallidior Pic, 1948 not Anthicus (Aulacoderus) sulcithorax var. pallidior Pic, 1941. The second one, according to the Code, is placed as a subspecies.